



CflEnUGUT OSPOStr. 



AN 



ILLUSTRATED HISTORY 



OF 



SOUTHEASTERN WASHINGTON 



INCLUDING 



WALLA WALLA, COLUMBIA, GARFIELD AND 
ASOTIN COUNTIES 



WASHINGTON 



Western Historical Publishing Company 
publishers 

1906 






LIBRARY of CONGRESS 

Two Copies Received 

APh 27 1906 

^ Copyright Entry 

Mvvh, 19 ci 

CLASS CU XXc, No. 
COPY 8. 



Copyright 

Western Historical Publishing Company 

1906 



a 



*> 






SDefcicateb 



TO THE 



pioneers of Southeastern Washington 

TO THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE AND TO 
THOSE WHO REMAIN TO RECITE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PAST, THESE 
PAGES ARE RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED 



Cujus est solum, ejus est usque ad coelum. "He who owns the soil owns up to the sky." — Laxv maxim 



Look up! the wide extended plain 
Is billowy with its ripened grain ; 
And on the summer winds are rolled 
Its waves of emerald and gold. 

— William Henry Burleigh — "The Harvest Call." 



The first farmer was the first man, and all historic nobility rests on possession and use of land. 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson 



FOREWORD. 




HIS volume was written to speak for itself. The best way to find what is in it is to 
read it. It purports to contain a general history of the Northwest and of the ter- 
ritory and state of Washington, detailed histories of Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, 
and Asotin counties, together with reminiscent and personal articles. If its voice- 
finds "hearing ears " we will be glad and hope the listener will, also. If otherwise, the fact 
still remains that the compilers have labored faithfully and long to produce what we asked for 
a comprehensiveness and accuracy in each department that would make the book really useful 
to all. But, remember when you read, that the province of the historian is not to make facts, 
but to record them. The best history is the one that gives the most and best facts relative to 
the subject in hand, clearly and simply, shedding on them, as near as may be done, the light 
that shone on them when they came into existence. That is the ideal that has been striven- 
for in the compilation of this work. Therefore it was not sought to make it excel as a 
" literary gem ", still we believe the " style " is sufficiently plain so that the reader will under- 
stand what is being talked about. 

To tell how facts are gathered, the difficulties and hardships incurred in tracking them, 
sometimes, the puzzles, discrepancies, and contradictions thrown before one from "author- 
itative" sources, the keen disappointment when only a rumor of an important fact can be 
found, might prove interesting, but it is not " history ". An extended list of the records, files, 
manuscripts, correspondence, public and~private volumes, and so forth, that the compilers 
have searched, and the interviews conducted, would be tiring .to the reader, who is more in- 
terested in what has been acomplished, than the efforts in doing it, therefore we will simply 
state that from the government records, reports and compilations, some dating back hundreds 
of years, down through all the printed volumes and reliable documents known to us and per- 
taining to the matter in hand, as well as from the living persons who have assisted to make 
and are acquainted with the history of the region embraced, our fact gatherers have been col- 
lating for more than two years and this volume is the result. The kindness and hearty 
responses met with from people who have been approached for information are very gratifying 
and have encouraged our work very much, and we desire to extend our sincere thanks to each 
one for this co-operation and assistance, so cheerfully extended, and without which no volume 
like this could be made. 

The campaign of fact gathering and the compilation of the work has been conducted 
by F. A. Shaver, whose main assistants were R. F. Steele and A. P. Rose. 

THE PUBLISHERS. 

Spokane, 1906. 



ENDORSEMENTS. 



Walla Walla, Wash., November 22nd, 1905. 
We, a committee of Walla Walla county citizens, have read and examined, in manuscript, the history of 
Walla Walla county, to be published by the Western Historical Publishing Company, of Spokane. After having 
made such examination, and having suggested several corrections in the manuscripts, we bear testimony that the 
work presents, to the best of our knowledge, an accurate, comprehensive, and impartial record of events of the 
Walla Walla country from the date of the visit of Lewis and Clark up to the present time. As such we commend it 
to the people of Walla Walla county. Signed, 

W. S. Gilliam. 
James McAuliff, 
Miles C. Moore. 



Dayton, Wash., November 3rd, 1905. 
We, a committee of Columbia county citizens, have read in manuscript that part of the History of Southeastern 
Washington which treats of Columbia county, to be published by the Western Historical Publishing Company, of 
Spokane. We have made some corrections in the manuscript; have offered suggestions; and furnished data for the 
nsertion of additional matter which we deem of importance. The work is one which we, after a careful examination, 
can cheerfully recommend to the citizens of Columbia county. The history is a complete, comprehensive and 
accurate record of events of Columbia county from aboriginal times to the present. As such we endorse it. 

Signed, 

W. O. Matzger, 
Chester F. Miller, 
R. E. Peabody, 
Geo. W. Miller. 



Pomeroy, Wash., October 25th, 1905. 
We, the undersigned, having examined that portion of the manuscript of the History of Southeastern Wash- 
ington relating exclusively to Garfield county, cheerfully testify that, to the best of our knowledge, the work has been 
written in an impartial and conscientious manner, and shows in its compilation extensive reading and research with 
an honest endeavor to secure the facts and thoroughly authentic data. As such we cordially commend it to the 
public. Signed, 

Geo. W. Miller, 
Eliel Oliver, 
Peter McClung. 



Asotin, Wash., November 10th, 1905. 
The undersigned, committee of Asotin county citizens, having examined that part of the History of South- 
eastern Washington which relates to Asotin county, to be published by the Western Historical Publishing Company, 
of Spokane, bear testimony that it gives evidence of extensive reading and careful and conscientious research, and 
presents — to the best of our knowledge — an accurate, comprehensive, and impartial record of events of the Asotin 
■country, and as such we endorse and commend it. 

Signed, 

D. T. Welch, 
Robert Bracken, 
H. S. Critchfield, 
Albert R. Stiffel. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



PART I. 

CHAPTER I. 

Dawn of Discovery. 



Juan Roderiguez .in the Waters of the Smiling Pacific — His Mantle Falls Upon the Shoulders of Bartolme 
Ferrelo — Francis Drake Reaches as High as Latitude Forty-three Degrees — He Abandons the Search tor 
Anian and Returns to England — Spain Becomes Aggressive in Northwestern Exploration — Early Voyages 
of Urdaneta — Juan De Fuca Sails From Spain in Search of the Strait of Anian — Advance Guard of Inland 
Explorers Led by Sir Alexander Mackenzie — Speculations on the Origin of the Word " Oregon " — Story of 
M. Le Page du Pratez 2-6 

CHAPTER II. 
Mississippi to the Coast. 
President Jefferson's Scheme to Traverse the Continent to the Pacific Ocean — Selection of Meriwether Lewis 
and William Clark for the Enterprise — Their Achievements After Entering the Territory of Oregon — Major 
Joshua Pitcher's Description of the Terra Incognita in 1800— The Willamette River and a Section of the 
Mighty Columbia — Lewis and Clark Start Up the Missouri — Fourteen Months From Their Departure — 
Party Endures Innumerable Hardships — Topography of the Country — Explorers Interview Various Indian 
Tribes — Across the Mountains — Compelled to Eat Horses and Dogs — Arrival at " Hungry Creek " — Pow 
Wow with Savages — Down the Snake to the Columbia River — Dangerous Rapids Interfere With Navi- 
gation—From Tidewater to the Sea — Lewis and Clark's Party Pass the Winter in Camp at the Mouth of 
the Columbia and Set Out on Their Return 7-13 

CHAPTER III. 
The Oregon Controversy. 
Struggle of Five Nations for the Possession of "Oregon"- — Question Becomes Important and Far Reaching — 
One Hundred Years Punctuated With Many Wars — Part Played by the Hudson's Bay Company — Results 
of Mackenzie's Explorations — Monotony of the Fur-Trader's Life — Boundary Commission of 1841 — Ashbur- 
ton-Webster Treaty — Commission of 1846 — Eyes of England Opened by the Expedition of Lewis and Clark 
— First English Settlement Made by Fraser in 1806 — John Jacob Astor Establishes a Trading Post at Astoiia 
— Supremacy of Commercialism Over Sentimental Statesmanship — Twenty-seven Years of Diplomatic 
Delay Over International Boundary Affair — Continuance of Joint Occupancy of Oregon for Ten Years — 
Americans Strike Oregon Where the English Left Off — Oregon is Left Out of the Ashburton-Webster 
Treaty — Dr. Marcus Whitman Arrives in Washington, D. C, With the Facts in the Case — Establishment of 
the Fort) -ninth Parallel as the International Boundary 14-26 

CHAPTER IV. 
Tragedy of Whitman's Mission. 
Visit to St. Louis, Missouri, of Four Flathead Indians — They Come for the "White Man's Book " — President 
Fiske Calls on Missionaries to Go to the Indian Tribes of the Great Northwest — Prompt Response by Whit- 
man, Rev. Parker and the Lees — Sketch of Dr. Whitman by an Acquaintance — Significant Letter 
Sent by Whitman to Secretary of War, Porter — Awful Details of the Whitman Massacre — Horrible Super- 
stition of Indian Tribes — Names of the Victims — Miraculous Escape of Mr. Osborne and Family — Harsh 
and Cruel Treatment of Refugees by McBean — Christmas in 1847 Passed in the Midst of Hostile Savages. .26-33 



viii CONTENTS 



CHAPTER V. 
The Cayuse War. 

Explanation of McBean's Treatment of Survivors of the Whitman Massacre — Americans Take the Initiative 
in the Cayuse War — James Douglas Writes to Governor Abernathy — Intense Excitement Among People 
in the Willamette Settlement — Spokane and Nez Perce Indians Refuse to Join the Cayuse Tribe — Colonel 
Gilliam Sets Forth From the Dalles — Death of "Swallow Ball " — Wounding of the " Wizard" — Indians Fall 
Back to Snake River — Escape and Final Capture of the Assassins of the Whitman Mission 34-38 

CHAPTER VI. 
Other Indian Outbreaks. 
Indian Wars Immediately Affecting Washington — Expedition of Major Granville O. Haller — Discovery of Gold 
Causes a Stampede to Fort Colville — Difiance of Chief Pierre Jerome — Kamiakin Declares War on the 
Whites — Campaign Against the Yakimas — Indian Tragedies in the Puget Sound District — Assassination of 
Lieutenant Slaughter — Renewal of Hostilities in the Yankima Country — Some Blunders of General Wool — 
Campaign of Colonel Cornelius — Memorable Siege of the Cascades — Steptoe's Campaign — Failure of the 
Council With the Cayuses, DesChutes and Tyghes— Governor Stevens Recommends Enlargement of the 
Puyallup and Nesqually Indian Reservations — Arrest, Trial and Execution of Leschi — Indemnity Claims 
Following Indian Troubles are Lodged With Congress — Horace Greeley Favors Repudiation of Them — 
Defeat of Colonel Steptoe — Triumph of Industry and Intelligence Over Barbaric Ignorance and Indian 
Squallor 38-50 

CHAPTER VII. 

Territory and State. 
Topography of Washington— First Inroads of Civilization — Washington Might Have Been Columbia — Creation 
of Lewis County — Agitation for Territorial Division — Congress is Memorialized — Isaac Ingalls Stevens is 
Appointed First Territorial Governor — Sketch of His Life and Heroic Death— First Washington Territorial 
Legislature — A State in All But Name — Struggle For Capital Removal — Political Operations of Victor 
Smith — Customs House Imbroglio — Removal From Port Townsend to Port Angeles — Death of Victor 
Smith — General Wright in Command of the Department of the Pacific — Congressional Delegate Jacobs 
Introduces Bill for the Admission of Washington Into the Union — Adoption of a -Constitution Declared 
Void and Nugatory— Administration of Governor Watson C. Squire — Chinese Riots — Proclamation by Presi- 
dent Cleveland — Fiscal Conditions of the Territory in 1886 — Administration of Governor Eugene Semple — 
Washington Territory Admitted as a State — Munificent Land Grant — First State Officials. . . '. 50-63 



PART II. 
WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 

CHAPTER I. 

Current Events — 1805 to 1855. 



Portions of Lewis and Clark's Journals — Yellept's Death and Burial — Clash Between Hudson's Bay Company's 
Employees and Indians — McKenzie Selects the Site of Old Fort Walla Walla — Stirring Scenes of Pioneer 
Life and Pioneer Tragedy — Arrival of Captain Bonneville and Party at the Fort — Congress Appropriates 
Money for a Military Road — Organic Act Forming Walla Walla County ■ 65 

CHAPTER II. 

Indian War and Current Events. 

Authentic Account of the Death of Peu-peu-mox-mox — Cononel Kelly s Official Report of the Battle of Walla 
Walla — Report of Governor Isaac Ingalls Stevens — The Latter's Bitter Denunciation of Major General 
Wool — First County Commissioners — First Settlers After the Commissioners — District Court Provided for 
Walla Walla and Spokane Counties — Walla Walla Located as the County Seat — Early Transportation 
Facilities — Rapacity of the Oregon Steam Navigation Company — Severe Winter of 1862 79 



CONTENTS ix 



CHAPTER III. 

Current Events— 1863 to 1880. 
Tide of Immigration Flows In— New Mines — Discoveries Made That Walla Walla Highlands Would Produce 
Grain — Stampede to the Montana Mines — First Organized Effort to Bring in a Railroad in 1868 — Financial 
Conditions of the County is Impaired — Attempt to Annex a Portion of Washington Territory to Oregon 
Defeated — Fatal Snow Slide in 1875 — Centennial Year Finds Walla Walla County Prosperous — Various 
Railroad Projects 92 

CHAPTER IV. 
Current Events— 1878 to 1905. 
Vigorous Demand for State Recognition — Bannock War of 1878 — Organization of First Agricultural Society — 
Grain Produce of Blue Mountains Exceeds the Demand— Review of Agricultural Industry — Walla Walla 
Land District Created — Marcus Whitman the First Man to Graze Stock in Walla Walla Valley — Washing- 
ton Admitted to Statehood in 1889— Fourth Annual Fruit Fair of Walla Walla County 107 

CHAPTER V. 
The City of Walla Walla. 
Historical Ground — First Name of Steptoeville Changed to Wieletpu — Conditions as Early as 1857 — Townsite 
is Surveyed — J. T. Reese First Purchaser of Real Estate — General Business Conditions in 1861 — Charter 
Granted the City of Walla Walla — First City Officials— Organization of Fire Department — Change in the 
Name of the Postoffice — Conflagration on April 3, 1865 — Lynching of Slim Jim — Sentiments of Vigilantes 
Reflected in Politics — Bill Passed in Congress to Sell Military Reservation — Another Disastrous Blaze in 
1873— Municipal Affairs in Hands of a " Ring " in 1872 115 

CHAPTER VI. 
Walla Walla's Churches and Societies 
Reminiscences of Early Pioneers — Cathol'cs Erected the First Church — First Sermon Preached West of 
Rockies — Methodists Prepare to Erect Church Building in 1878 — Organization of St. Paul's Church in 1872 — 
First Congregational Church Organized in 1865 — First Cumberland Presbyterian Church — The Christian 
Church — Methodist Episcopal Church South — Fratertnal Societies — F. & A. M. Organized in 1859 — Odd 
Fellows— Other Orders 137 

CHAPTER VII. 
The City of Waitsburg. 
General Description of the City — Conditions Prior to Forming Town — Murder of Cole Unavenged — Delta 
Original Name of Waitsburg — Energy of William N. Smith — Bridge is Thrown Across the Touchet — Depop- 
ulation of Waitsburg in 1880— Great Loss by Fire — Limits of Waitsburg Defined by New Charter — Results 
of Election for City officials — Fraternal Societies and Churches 154 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Other towns. 

Wallula — Touchet — Prescott — Dixie — Other Towns and Stations 163 

CHAPTER IX. 
Descriptive. 
The Beautiful Walla Walla Valley — Indian Legend — Unparalled Record of Wheat Production — Walla Walla as 
seen by Julian Hawthorne — Area — Wealth from the Ground — A Little Band of Pioneers Grown into a Strong 
Community — Success Succeeded by Lethargy — Agricultural and Horticultural Resources — Stock Industry — 
Irrigation — Agricultural Society Organized in 1866 — Truck Gardening— Markets — Pioneer Mills — Rainfall — 
General Topography — Climate 167 

CHAPTER X. 
Political. 
First County Commissioners— They Meet in March, 1859— Results of First Election — Partisan Spirit Manifested 
in 1862— Results of Subsequent Elections 181 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER XI. 

EDUCATIONAL. 

Mrs. A. J. Minor the First School Teacher — J. F. Wood First Superintendent of Public Instruction — Organiza- 
tion of First School District — Early School Reports — Whitman College — Plans of Father Eells — Waitsburg 
Academy 194 



PART III. 
COLUMBIA COUNTY. 

CHAPTER I. 

Current Events— 1805 to 1878. 

The Lewis and Clark Explorers Pass Down Snake River — This Was One Hundred Years Ago — Dangerous 
Rapids and Scarcity of Game — Incident of the Honesty of Indians — The Famous Nez Perce Trails — Captain 
Booneville Arrives at Alpowa Creek — Site of the Town of Dayton the Scene of a Battle With Indians — Gov- 
ernor Stevens' Description of the Country — Earliest Pioneers in Columbia County — More Indian Trouble — 
Faithfulness of Chief Timothy — Conflicting Stories Concerning the Death of Sergeant Williams — First At- 
tempts at Permanent Settlement — Severe Winter of 1861-62— First Attempt to Navigate the Snake River — 
Initial Railway Extensions — Opening of Many Country Roads — First Attempt to Create a New County — 
Many Paper Railroads — Organic Act — Walla Walla Displeased Over County Division — Nez Perce Indian 
War of 1877 — Captain Hunter Leads Dayton Boys to War — Railroad Rumors of 1877 — The Northwestern 
Stage Company 277 

CHAPTER II. 

Current Events — 1878 to 1884. 

Attempt by Oregon to Slice Territory from Washington Defeated — Population of Columbia County in 1878 — Ex- 
citement Over Bannock and Piute Indian Wars — Change of Boundry Line Between Walla Walla and 
Columbia Counties — Severe Wind Storm of 1880 — Transportation Problem — More Railroad Rumors — Henry 
Villard Comes to the Front — Industrial Fecundity of 1881 — Brutal Murder of Eli H. Cummins — Arrest of 
Canada Owenby — Lynching of McPherson — Legal Execution of Ezra Snoderly — Escape and Recapture of 
Owenby— He Dies In Jail 301 

CHAPTER III. 

Current Events— 1884 to 1905. 

A Year of Financial Depression — Railroad Agitation in 1889 — Prohibition Rules Supreme in 1886 — Judge 
Langford Declares the Law Invalid — Question of a County Court House Comes to the Front in 1886 — 
Prohibitive Freight Rates of the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company— Organization of the Columbia 
County Agricultural Association in 1887— Completion of the "Hunt" Railroad in 1889 — Board of Trade 
Proceeds to Raise Money for the " Hunt" Railroad — Validity of the Scrip is Questioned — Organization in 
1903 of the Columbia County Pioneer Association — " Hard Times" and Low Grain Prices — Floods of 1894 — 
Collapse of High Bridge West of Alto— Disastrous Storm of June 21, 1897 324 

CHAPTER IV. 

Cities and Towns. 

Dayton — Arrival of the First Resident White Man in 1859— "Stubbs " Schneble Builds a Cabin on North Bank 
of the Touchet — In 1863 Henry C. Ricky Opens a Hotel — Filing of the Plat of Dayton's Townsite — Town 
Laid Out by Jesse N. Day — Wait Sc Matzger Build a Flouring Mill — Building Activity of 1872 — Fourth of 
July Celebration the Same Year — Incorporation of Dayton — List of Business Houses in 1878 — "Brooklyn 
Across the Patit" — Judge Wingard Decides that the Incorporation of Dayton is Null and Void — Organization 
of the Dayton Grays — Fire — New Golden Era of Prosperity — Epidemic of Smallpox — Legislature of 1881 
Grants Dayton a Special Charter of Incorporation — Another Disastrous Fire — Incendiarism — One Fire Bug is 



CONTENTS xi 



Sentenced — Conflagration of June 24, 1887 — Appearance on the Scene of Numerous Burglars — And Still 
Another Fire— Dayton's Soldiers in the Spanish- American War — Religious Societies and Lodges 341 

CHAPTER V. 

Cities and Towns— Continued. 

Starbuck — Second Largest Town in Columbia County — Prosperous Conditions in 1892 — " Hard Times" of 1903 
to 1896— Townsite Platted in 1894 by Mary Mcintosh— Alarm in 1896 Over Reported Removal of 
Railroad Headquarters — Corvello — Was Formerly Known as Pioneer — First Store Erected in 1882 by 
Wulzen & Schroder — Townsite Surveyed in May, 1884 — Marked Improvements in 1891 — Huntsville — Noted 
as a Law-Abiding Place — Establishment of a University — Townsite Surveyed in 1878— Marengo — A 
Beautiful and Picturesque Location — Defeated for County Seat Honors — Grangers Decide to Build a Mill 
— Townsite Platted May 29, 1876— Discontinuance in 1882 of Marengo Postoffice — Turner — Most Youthful 
Town in the County — Grange City — Town Organized by Farmers — Alto — Burksville — New York Bar — 
Other Places 370 

CHAPTER VI. 

Descriptive. 

Analysis of the Soil of Columbia County — Perpetually Fertile — Generations of Culture Could Not Impoverish 
the Majority of the Rolling Lands — Heavy Growth of Bunch Grass — Hill Lands the Most Productive — 
Crop Record of Columbia County for 1880 — Water Courses Head in the Blue Mountains— The Touchet — 
•'Ode to the Touchet" by "Broncho Jim." — The Tucannon — Unfounded Story of the Genesis of the 
Name — Geological Formation — Natural Flora— Columbia County an Extension of the Far-Famed and His- 
torical Walla Walla Valley — Transportation Facilities — Farming the Principal Industry — Mining — The 
Columbia Mine 379 

CHAPTER VII. 

Political. 

rganization of Columbia County in 1875— General Election of 1876 — Delegates to the Washington Constitu- 
tional Convention — County Conventions of 1878 — Election— Political Campaign of 1880 — Columbia County 
Debatable Ground in 1882 — Results of Election With Official Vote — Great Interest Manifested in Elections 
of 1884 — Republicans Sweep the County in 1886 — Territory of Washington Divided Into Constitutional Dis - 
tricts in 1889— Politically the County is Close in the Constitutional Year — Gives a Majority Against Adop- 
tion of the State Constitution — Official Vote of 1890 — People's Party Come to the Front in 1892 — Fusion 
Forces Carry the County — Spectacular Campaign of 1894 — The Memorable Campaign of 1896— County 
Comes Into Control of the Democrats and Populists — Official Vote of 1900 — Republicans Prevail in 1902 — 
Official Vote of 1904 : 389 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Educational. 
History of Educational Affairs Commences in 1864 — First School Enrolled Ten or Twelve Scholars— First Term 
Taught by Mr. Sherry; Second by Mrs. Sherry — New School House Erected in Dayton in 1868 — Report of 
Superintendent J. E. Edmiston in 1879— Rapid Improvement in School Affairs— Schools Compared Favor- 
ably With Those of Other Counties— Dayton School is Graded— Washington Seminary Built in 1879— Not 
Until 1903 Was Dayton Supplied With Suitable School Facilities 408 



PART IV. 
GARFIELD COUNTY. 

CHAPTER I. 
Current Events— 1860 to 1891. 



Missionary Spalding Locates at the Mouth of the Alpowa — Parson Quinn — First Dwelling House Built by 
Thomas Riley — Two Men Lose Their Lives in Storm of 1861-62 — Joseph M. Pomeroy — A Pair of Compet- 



xii CONTENTS 



ing Hotels — Freeman and Lee Settle on the Tucanon River — Discouraging Remarks Concerning Farming 
Made by Stockmen— First Telegraph line in 1879— Something of a 'Blow'— Railroad Prospects— Movement to 
Create a New County in 1880 — Many Competitors for County Seat Honors— Town of Men tor — One Thou- 
sand Voters Sign a Petition— Territorial Legislature Refuses to Remove County Seat from Dayton to 
Pomeroy — Garfield County Enabling Act — Six New Townsites — Pomeroy Secures the County Seat — Dec- 
ision of Judge Wingard Leaves the Case in the Air — Legislature Again Comes to the Rescue of Pomeroy — 
Rapid Settlement During the Year 1883— Woman Suffrage the Same Year— Railways— Henry Villard makes 
a Proposition — Right of Way Secured from Starbuck to Pomeroy — Construction train Reaches Pomeroy 
in January, 1886— Local Option Campaign— The Timber Land Complications 499 

CHAPTER II. 

Current Events— 1891 to 1905. 

Cloud Burst in 1891— Wreck of Steamer Annie Faxon— List of Killed and Injured— The Sum of $395,000 Asked 
in Damages — Farmers Commence War on Cattle "Rustlers" in 1894— Prevailing Low Price for Grain- 
Seven Hundred People Petition for Lower Freight Rates — Crime and Legal Execution of Charles E. Myers — 
Spring of 1895 an Era of Discouragement — Bountiful Harvest of 1897 — Severe Storm of 1900 — County Bond 
Proposition Prevails 2 

CHAPTER III. 

Cities and Towns. 

Pomeroy the County Seat — Named in Honor of its Founder, Joseph M. Pomeroy — Townsite Plat Files May 28, 
1878 — Settlers Flock in — In 1881 Pomeroy Makes an Unsuccessful Attempt to Secure County Seat of Columbia 
County — Church and Lodge History — Incorporation is in the Air in 1885 — Secures Incorporation in 1886 
by Special Act of the Legislature — First Meeting of Pomeroy City Council Held Februray 10, 1886 — Munici- 
pal Improvements Follow the Advent of a Railroad — Pomeroy Improvement Company — Provision Made 
for a Magnificent Water System— Pomeroy Fire Department — Financial Depression of 1893— Disastrous 
Fire of July 15, 1898— Pomeroy Volunteers Anxious to Go to the Front in the Spanish-American War- 
Roster of the Company — Population of Pomeroy in 1898-9, Fifteen Hundred — Greatest Fire in Pome- 
roy's History — Half the Business Part of the Town Swept Away — Condition of Pomeroy in 1904 532 

CHAPTER IV. 

Cities and Towns — Continued. 

Pataha City — Genesis of its Name — James Bowers the Original Settler — Sketch of "Vine" Favor — Town Plat 
Surveyed in June, 1878 — Postoffice Established in 1879 — Organization of a Militia Company in 1881 — Pataha 
City Named as Temporary County Seat — Long Contest for Permanent County Capital — Water System 
Established in 1890 — Fire Disaster of April 7, 1893 — Losses and Insurance — Gould City — A Small .Postoffice 
on Deadman Creek — Alpowa Platted in 1900 With a Population of 28 — Peola — Columbia Center — Ilia — 
Other Towns 544 

CHAPTER V. 

Descriptive. 

Area and Altitude of Garfield County — Prominent Characteristics — Difference of the Various Soils — The "Lake 
Period" — Fo9siliferous Remains — Transportation Facilities — Blue Mountain Timber — Snake River — Gar- 
field One of the Best Watered Counties in the State — Alpowa Creek — Moxwai — Meadow Gulch — Early 
Gold Mining Excitement 549 

CHAPTER VI. 

Political. 

Garfield County Republican by a Small Majority — First Democratic County Convention Held at Pataha City — 
County Seat Contest — November Election of 1882 — Election of November, 1884, Shows Republican Gains— 
At Election of November, 1886, the County Cast 1,313 Votes— Election of May 14th— Official Vote of 1890— 
Victory for Republicans — County Conventions of 1892 — Four Tickets in the Field — Official Vote of 1894 — 
Contest Case Between J. W. Waldo and H. M. Beach — Results in 1896 — People's Party Still in the Field in 
1898— Republicans Secure a Majority of the Offices in 1900— Mild Campaign of 1902— Official Vote— County 
Conventions in 1904 — Results of Election 554 



CONTENTS xiii 



CHAPTER VII. 
Educational. 
Twenty-eight School Districts Organized in Garfield County in 1881— Average Wages Paid Teachers — Enroll- 
ment in the Public Schools— Rapid Progress Made in Educational Affairs — Six New School Houses Built in 
1888 — Strong Sentiment in Favor of High School in 1886 — Call for a School Election— Ony Three Votes 
Against the High School Proposition — Report of School Superintendent for 1904 *.,-; 568 



PART V. 
ASOTIN COUNTY. 

CHAPTER I. 

Passing Events— 1806 to 1878. 

Genesis of the Word Asotin — First- White Men to Gaze Upon the Country— Some Statements on Captain Bonne- 
ville's Part Disproved — Penuriousness of the United States Government Concerning Bonneville's Journey — 
His Followers Continue Down the Imnaha — Friendly Treatment by the Indians — They Visit Chief Looking 
Glass — Captain Bonneville Practices Successfully as a Physician — Ministrations of Rev.H. H. Spalding — First 
Apple Orchard in the Territory of Washington — Hudson's Bay Company's Trappers — Asotin County Once An 
Indian Reservation— Faithfulness of Old Chief Timothy — Colonel Steptoe's Defeat — Gold Seekers Invade the 
Country — Sam Smith, the "Squatter" — Pearcy's Ferry — First Saw Mill — Drowning of Cussick — Gillman's 
Irrigation Scheme — Severe Winter of 1865 — Jerry Maguire comes to Asotin County in 1867 — A Hunter's 
Paradise — More Settlers Come in 1870 — Suicide of T. M. E. Schank — Rumors of Depredations by Bannock 
Indians — Settlers Build a Fort 635 

CHAPTER II. 

Passing Events— 1878 to 1905. 

Saw and Flouring Mills Crying Necessities— "Asqtin_ Flat"— Rapid Increase of Population in 1878 and 1880 — ■ 
Marked Revival of Industrial Conditions in 1883 — Petition for Division of County is Drafted in 1883 — Legis- 
lature Passes a Bill to that Effect — Organic Act Creating Asotin County — Only a Limited Population at the 
Time of Organization — Severe Storm of May 9, 1884 — County Seat Struggle — Asotin Wins Out — Tracking 
Down Alleged Stock Thieves— The Lean Years _of 1886, 1887 and 1888— Bond Proposition for $25,000 Sub- 
mitted in October, 1890 — Bonds Sold in May, 1891 — A "Chinook" Entailing Great Disaster — Grand Irrigation 
Scheme Broached in 1893 — The Myers Case — Execution of Myers — Lynching of Frank Viles — Indian Scare — 
Destruction of Much Property by Water — Another Flood Friday, June 25th — Large Immigration to Asotin 
County in 1900-1 — Brutal Murder by Willjam Hamilton — His Confession and Execution at the Hands of 
Judge Lynch 654 

CHAPTER III. 

Cities and Towns. 

Asotin — Eligibly Situated on a Bar — The Capital of Asotin County — Magnificent Climate — Assotin City and Aso- 
tin — Town Laid Out and Surveyed in May, 1878 — Platting of Additions — Steady Growth of the Town in 1883 
— Material Progress During the Winter of 1883-4 — Pleasant Words for the Little City — Citizens Demand In- 
corporation — Secure Their Cherished Desire but Court Declares it Null and Void — Militia Company Organ- 
ized — Many Improvements in Asotin in 1904 — Fraternal Orders — Churches — Poetical Tribute to Asotin by 
Robert Raymond — Clarkston-Vineland — Irrigation Ditch Makes the Country — Clarkston Originally Platted 
Under the Name of Lewiston — Growth of Vineland Rapid in 1899 — Articles of Incorporation of the Lewis- 
ton-Concord Bridge Company Filed — Name of Concord Postoffice Changed to Clarkston — Question of In- 
corporation Comes Up in 1900 — Record of Vineland for that Year — Incorporation of Clarkston as a City of 
Fourth Class Finally Eventuates — Wonderful Increase in price of Vineland Lands — Field of Religious 
Work — Anatone — First Business House — A Great Trading Point in Early Days — Fraternal Societies — 
Theon — Cloverland — Silcott — Rogersburg — Other Places 675 



xiv CONTENTS 



CHAPTER IV. 

Descriptive. 

Area of Asotin County— Smallest Political Division in Eastern Washington— General Topography of the Coun- 
try—Town of Asotin a "Hub"— Altitude Above Sea Level—County is Well Watered— Grande Ronde the 
the Only River Aside from the Snake — Asotin Creek — Asotin Prairie— Cloverland — Platted in Ten and 
Twenty-Acre Orchard Homes— The Grouse Country — No Need of Irrigation in its territory — Asotin-Anatone 
Flat — "Lake" and "Lewiston Flat" — Mild Winters of Short Duration — Sport for the Sportsman — Blue Moun- 
tain Timber — A Glorious Stock Country — Great Attention Given to Growing of Fruits and Vegetables — 
Mining — Shoval and Grayson Creeks — Coal Fields — School Districts 698 

CHAPTER V. 
Political. 

Less than 500 Votes Cast in Asotin County's First Election — Original Commissioners Named in the Organic Act — 
Republican Mass Meeting at Theon, April 26, 1884— First Republican County Conventions in Asotin in 
August, 1884— Official Vote— Conventions of 1886— Results of Election— Official Vote of 1888— Asotin Coun- 
ty in 1889 Votes Against Adoption of the Constitution — Campaign of 1890 — Prohibitionists Enter the Field — 
Official Vote — Conventions of 1892 — County is Still in the Republican Column — People's Party Comes to 
the Front in 1894— Three-Cornered Political Fight Gives Each Contesting Party a Share of the Offices — 
Fusion Between Populists and Democrats in 1898 — Republicans Triumphant — Official Vote of 1900 — Results 
in 1902 — Conventions of 1904 — Asotin County Carried by the Republicans— Official Vote 713 

CHAPTER VI. 

Educational. 

Public Schools of Asotin County in General — First School Established in 1879 — Seven Schools Open in Asotin 
County in 1881 — Miss Blanche Marsillot, Teacher — Twelve School Districts in 1884— Vast Improvement Ex- 
hibited by School Report of 1901 — Rural and Graded Schools — Handsome High School Building in Asotin- 
Asotin County Fortunate in Her Selection of Teachers — Clarkston Schools — Vineland Educational Facilities 727 



PART VI. 
ADDENDA. 

CHAPTER I. 
Press of Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin Counties. 

Tribute to the Country Press — Definition of a Newspaper by the Century Dictionary — Columbia County — Four 
Weekly Papers Now Published There — Dayton News the First Paper Published in Washington Territory 
East of Walla Walla — Sketch of its First Editor — Columbia Chronicle — The Daily Chronicle — Brief Life of 
the Dayton Reporter — The Democratic State Journal — The Inlander — The School Journal — Dayton Courier- 
Press and Editor, Al. Ricardo — The People's Press — The Daily Record — Burk's Tri-Weekly — Starbuck 
Signal — "Humanity" — The Constitution — Columbia County Dispatch — The Star of Starbuck — Garfield 
County — It Has Now Two Newspapers, the County News and the East Washingtonian — The Independent the 
Pioneer Paper — Edited by Rev. F. W. D. Mays — Pataha City Spirit — The Second Journal in the County — It is 
Moved to Asotin City — Pomeroy Republican — Becomes the East Washingtonian — The Pataha Farmer — 
Evolution of the Asotin Sentinel — Clarkston Republican — The Vinelander — Clarkston Chronicle — The Riv- 
er Press — Walla Walla County — First Paper Published in Washington — First Paper in Walla Walla — The 
Statesman — The Walla Walla Union — Other Walla Walla Papers — Garden City Gazette— The Argus — The 
Inland Empire— Waitsburg Weekly Times — Daily Times — Waitsburg Gazette 807 



CONTENTS xv 



CHAPTER II. 
Reminiscent. 

One of Col. Hunter's Stories — Lady Jurors — The Great Bear Show — Indians Take Dayton — Murder and Suicide 
— How Penawawa was Named — Land Jumping — Killing of Peu-Peu-Mox Mox — "Bob" Peabody's Story — 
Company F, (Dayton), at the Battle of Santa Ana — Chronicles — A Stampede — A Historical Spot — An Early 
Day Incident — "Stubbs" — Medicine Dance— Indian Battle Field— A "Busted" Mining Boom— A Bad Indian 
— Game in Early Days — Prehistoric History — Indian History— Address to the Columbia River — Contribution 
by George W. Miller — Old Fort Walla Walla — Fomous Nez Perces Expedition — Correct Spelling of William 
Clark's Name 827 

CHAPTER III. 
Lieu-Land Litigation. 
Practically Affected all the Counties Traversed by the Northern Pacific Railway— Original Grant Provided for 
Withdrawal of Lands — Law Becomes Effective in Washington Territory in 1870 — Forty-Mile Limit — A 
Double Withdrawal — Immense Tide of Immigration Overflows Lieu-Land — Ten Miles Added to the Limits — 
Case of Guilford Miller vs. Northern Pacific Railway Company — Strong Letter from President Cleveland — 
He Takes Sides With the Actual Bona Fide Settlers — Secretary of the Interior Vilas Decides the Case in Fa- 
vor of Miller — He is Sustained Later by Secretary Hoke Smith — Case is Carried to the Supreme Court of the 
nited States — Miller and Cole Again Victorious — Compromise is Finally Reached — United States Senator 
John L. Wilson Secures the Passage of a Bill Favorable to Homesteaders 862 

CHAPTER IV. 
Prelude to and Battle of Walla Walla. 
General Concentration of Troops Ordered to Fort Walla Walla — Peu-Peu-Mox-Mox Sends a Large Force of 
Warriors to Watch Movements of Volunteers — Major Chinn Awaits Reinforcements at Fort Henriette — 
Lieutenant Colonel Kelley Moves Against the Hostiles — Peu-Peu-Mox-Mox Comes Out With a Flag of 
Truce and is Detained — With Others He Attempts to Escape and is Slain by His Guards — Battle of Walla 
Walla — Many Officers Are Killed and Wounded— Treachery of Peu-Peu-Mox-Mox is Discovered — Hostiles 
Defeated 868 



GENERAL ILLUSTRATIONS 



PAGE 

The Whitman Monument 43 

Tomb of Marcus Whitman 43 

H' co-a-h' co-a-h' cotes-Min, No Horns on His Head . 48 

Hee-oh' ks-te-Kin, the Rabbit's Skin Leggins 64 

Fort Walla Walla 79 

The Historic Walla Walla River 97 

Scene on Mill Creek 97 

On a Walla Walla County Ranch 104 

Falls of the Coppei 112 

Main Street in Walla Walla 115 

Main Street in Walla Walla, 1877 115 

State Penitentiary at Walla Walla 136 

Odd Fellows Home in Walla Walla 146 



PAGE 

Dayton, County Seat of Columbia County 384 

General View in Dayton 376 

Oldest building in Columbia County 370 

Pomeroy, County Seat of Garfield County 532 

Garfield County Court House 554 

Oldest Orchard in Washington 640 

Snake River, Looking North from Asotin 656 

A Point on the Irrigation Flume, the Enterprise 

which made Clarkston 670 

Asotin Prairie, Looking South from Asotin 670 

Asotin, County Seat of Asotin County 675 

Residence of Mrs. A. B. Puffer. Walla Wal'a 226 

Store of Alphonso S. Vallen at Valentine 631 



INDEX 



WALLA WALLA COUNTY BIOGRAPHICAL 



PAGE 

Abbott, John H 227 

Armstrong, John W 233 

Babcock, Willard H 272 

Bachtold, John 241 

Bashore, David 246 

Blalock, Yancey C 233 

Brents, Thomas H 208 

Brown, Alvah 206 

Clark, Philip 258 

Cochran, Louis W 245 

Copeland, Henry S 203 

Corkrum, Francis M : 254 

Corkrum, W. J 205 

Cornwell, Oliver T 207 

Dacres, George 250 

Davis, C. S 206 

Delany, George 264 

Dooly, John 256 

Drumheller, Jesse 215 

Dunnigan, Archie 265 

Durry, Thomas 261 

Ennis, Christopher 260 

Ennis, Frank G 204 

Ennis, T. J 214 

Ferrel. Brewster 255 



PAGE 

Garrecht, Francis A 223 

Gross, Bailey H 232 

Gross, Milo D 271 

Hail, Fielding W. C 265 

Hazel wood, Margaret A 262 

Holt, Benjamin C 229 

Hooper, Albert J 255 

Hungate, Harrison H 253 

Ingram, James H 243 

Kaseberg, C. Henry 226 

Kaseberg, John C 214 

Kaseberg, William H 214 

Kibler, Jacob 204 

Kinman. S. D 259 

Knott', James 247 

Kyger, D. T 235 

Latimer, Allen J 268 

Leroux, John 269 

Magallon, Adrian 263 

Maney, Phillipina 220 

McCool, Robert 237 

McElroy, Frank 211 

Mclnroe, James 251 

McGarey, Margaret 230 

McGillivray. Duncan 234 



PAGE 

McGuire, John W 237 

McWhirk, George H 275 

Mix, Annie McC 240 

Mottet, George F 259 

Pickard, Charles F 212 

Preston, Calvin W 228 

Preston, William G 244 

Puffer, A. J 224 

Retzer. George 242 

Reynolds, Allen H 240 

Reynolds, Almos H 238 

Sharpstein. Benjamin L 248 

S'haw, LeFevre A 270 

Slater, George W 241 

Smith, John 217 

Snyder, John M. P 218 

Stahl, Catherine E 212 

Stine, Fred 267 

Wellman, Charles V 266 

Williams, Wilton A 221 

Wills, Jasper N 258 

Yeend, John 1 216 

Zu.erar. Marcus 223 



WALLA WALLA COUNTY PORTRAITS 



PAGE 

Babcock, Willard H 272 

Brents, Thomas H 208 

Dacres, George 248 

Delany, George 264 

Dooly, John 256 

Ennis, Christopher 260 

Gross, Bailey H 232 



PAGE 

Hungate, Harrison H 248 

Maney, Mrs. Phillipina 216 

Mclnroe, James 248 

Mix, Mrs. Annie McC 240 

Pickard, Charles F 212 

Pickard, Mrs. Charles F 212 

Preston, Calvin W 228 

Preston, William G 154 

Puffer, A. J 224 



PAGE 

Puffer, Mrs. A. J 224 

Sharpstein, Benjamin L 248 

Smith, John 216 

Snyder, John M. P 216 

Williams, Wilton A 216 

Williams, Mrs. Wilton A 216 

Yeend, John 1 216 

Yeend, Mrs. John 1 216 



XX 



INDEX 



COLUMBIA COUNTY BIOGRAPHICAL 



i 

PAGE 

Abraham, James 468 

Agee, John W 474 

Anderson, J. A 47° 

Beeson, Marion F 457 

Bernzen, Bernard 451 

Blackmer, George W 419 

Boelner, M' 434 

Bowers, G. W 461 

Brown, Leroy C 437 

Broyles, Joseph W 484 

Cahill, William E 419 

Carlson, Andrew J 475 

Carpenter, Orin W 479 

Curl, W. Franklin 43I 

Davis, Cyrus 421 

Davis, Lorenzo D 457 

Day, Charles H 466 

Day, Henry B 429 

Day, Joseph H 415 

Delany, Daniel 433 

Dorr, Charles R 497 

Eaton, John B 470 

Edmiston, James E 480 

Edwards, S. J 483 

Edwards, William F 476 

Ewell, Pleasant H 447 

Finkel, Frank 47 r 

Fitzgerald, David 463 

Fitzhugh, John R 476 

Gholson, Heuston D 488 

Gilmour, Thomas B 438 

Gleason, William H 459 

Gragg, William R 478 

Grove, Mrs. E. J 482 



Hamilton, Duron 417 

Hammer, Goldsmith 493 

Hammer, Lorenzo 435 

Harkins, George W 433 

Harris, A. J 454 

Henderson, J. M 444 

Hendron, John H 427 

Hillman, Willis J 440 

Holman, John W 458 

Hopkins, Wilbur 416 

James, Andrew J 427 

James, A. Newton 423 

Jackson, G. F 496 

Jewett, George E 424 

Jobe, Charles T 487 

Johnson. Henry H 432 

Jonas, Milton 430 

Jones, John C 462 

Kenney, Mark B 426 

Kneff, Willis 445 

Leonard, Thomas S 490 

Logsdon, Mrs. Marianna 428 

Low, Grant 453 

Marll, Christopher 450 

Mi-Call, Elijah W 416 

McCubbins, Henry 477 

McElwain, W. H 440 

McGee, John E 468 

McKellips, James M '. . 418 

Miles, John W 43s 

Miller, Chester F 448 

Miller, Frank 466 

Miller, Jesse G 436 

Nascimento, Manuel 455 

Nilsson, Andrew 492 



Nilsson, Lars 493 

Pettyjohn, Thomas P 462 

Pietrzycki, Marcel 464 

Ping, Elisha 498 

Romaine, Frantz S 485 

Romaine, John H 439 

Rondema, John T 424 

Rose, John D 494 

Sayres, Robert D 472 

Shaffer, Charles E 443 

Snider, William A 450 

Stine, Otto M 452 

Struthers, Archie 461 

Sturdevant, Robert F 422 

Sutton, William H 426 

Terry, Aaron V 477 

Thompson, John A 4.59 

Thompson, J. N 485 

Thronson, Charles J 425 

VanPatten, Edwin H 456 

Van Scoyk, J. A 437 

Wallace, William D 446 

Walsh, William 469 

Warwick, William G 4.66 

Watrous, Walter 47.3 

Weatherford, Francis M 447 

White, James D 44 i 

Whiting, Vernon B 483 

Wilson, Thomas F 471 

Wolfe, John G 478 

Wood, George E 445 

Woodend, James G 467 

Woods, John W 441 

Wooten, William S 453 



COLUMBIA COUNTY PORTRAITS 



PAGE 

Boelner, Michael 432 

Delany, Daniel 432 

Delany, Mrs. Daniel 432 

Edmiston, James E 480 

Gholson, Heuston D 488 

Hammer, Goldsmith 492 

Harkins, George W 432 

Henderson, James M 440 

Hillman, Willis J 440 

Hillman, Mrs. Willis J 440 



PAGE 

Jewett, George E 424 

Johnson, H. H 432 

Johnson, Mrs. H. H 432 

McElwain, W. H 440 

Miller, Chester F 448 

Nilsson, Andrew 492 

Nilsson, Lars 492 

Pietrzycki, Marcel 464 

Rondema, Andreas B 424 

Rondema, Bloyd C 424 



PAGE 

Rondema, John T 424 

Rondema, Mrs. Anna 424 

Sayres, Robert D 472 

Shaffer, Charles E 440 

Shaffer, Mrs. Charles E 440 

Thronson, Charles J 424 

VanPatten, Edwin H 456 

White, James D 440 

White, Mrs. James D 440 

Woods, John W AAO 



INDEX 



GARFIELD COUNTY BIOGRAPHICAL 



PAGE 

Ashby, John J 593 

Baldwin, N. 576 

Beale, Matthew C 609 

Brockman, Chris 632 

Brunton, William H 622 

Buckley, Michael 577 

Butler, Draper C 598 

Cosgrove, Samuel G 596 

Coyle, Albert P 58.3 

Davis, Watson 588 

Dixon, Henry M 596 

Dresser, Sidney W 624 

Farance, David W 592 

Fitzsimmons, Charles W 573 

Fitzsimmons, John Q 620 

Fletcher, William 603 

Gibson, George D 590 

Gose, Mack F 573 

Hardin, John W 579 

Hastings, Enoch G 606 

Hays, Amaricus M. 618 

Heinzerling, Charles 626 

Hilton, Richard J 575 

Jeffreys, Marmaduke N 595 

Johnson, Leroy 628 



PAGE 

Keith, Alexander H 607 

Key, William M 586 

Kidwell, Dudley P 621 

Kuykendall, G. B 600 

Lambie, William 623 

Largent, Richard E 626 

Leachman, Joseph E 588 

Ledgerwood, Joseph 579 

Lee, Andrew E 615 

Leonard, William H 604 

Lile, Isaac 610 

Long, William 603 

Long, William 575 

Malone, Ed 613 

Malone, Hugh A 63O 

McGreevy, Daniel 609 

McGreevy, Daniel H 616 

McGuire, S. A 621 

Messenger, F. V 592 

Miles, Joseph 633 

Miller, Fred L 608 

Miller, George W 584 

Miller, Ralph A 608 

Mitchell, John 619 

Montgomery, Mary A 594 

Morris, H. M 602 

Niebel, Wendlin 629 

Norberg, Charles A 598 

Nye, John S 578 



PAGE 

Oliver, Eliel 585 

Parlet, William R 625 

Reilly, William 61 r 

Ruark, G. J 605 

Ruark, Ira 613 

Schneekloth, Henry 574 

Shangle, William 590 

Shreffler, I. H 616 

Smith, Daniel E 616 

Stallcop, George 583 

Start, Elmer A. 627 

Stember, John L 617 

Stentz, John C 607 

Taylor, W. L 5 8i 

Tidwell, Robert 614 

Trebas, Herman 605 

Trosper, Joseph G 612 

Tueth, Thomas E 580 

Tyrrel, John D 628 

Unfried, F. W 582 

Vallen, Alphonso S 631 

Waldher, John 633 

Walker, J. H 581 

Watson, James P 632 

White, Albert B 599 

Wilson, George D 587 

Wilson, Herbert L 589 



GARFIELD COUNTY PORTRAITS 



Ashby, J. Denny 592 

) 

Baldwin, N. 576 

Baldwin, Mrs. N. 576 

Buckley, Michael 576 

I 

Dresser, Sidney W 624 

Dresser, Mrs. Sidney W 624 

Farance, David W 592 

Farance, Mrs. David W 592 



PAGE 

Kelly, J. K 576 

Kuykendall, G. B 600 

Largent, Richard E 624 

Largent, Mrs. Ric'hard E 624 

Malone, Hugh A 630 

Malone, Mrs. Hugh A 630 

Miller, Fred L 608 

Miller, Mrs. Fred L 608 

Miller George W 584 



PAGE 

Miller, Mrs. George W 584 

Miller, Ralph A 608 

Miller, Mrs. Ralph A 608 

Montgomery, Mary A 592 

Parlet, William R 624 

Parlet, Mrs. William R 624 

Shreffler, I. H 616 

Shreffler, Mrs. I. H 616 

Stember, John L 616 

Stember, Mrs. John L 616 



ASOTIN COUNTY BIOGRAPHICAL 



PAGE 

Adams, Simon 805 

Appleford, George 744 

Appleford, William E 743 

Bailey, George W 796 

Baumeister, Edward 776 

Benedict, Herbert D 804 

Benson, James M 750 

Bishop, Louis W 738 

Boggan, James N 797 

Boggan, Walter J 776 



PAGE 

Boggan, William H 783 

Bradley, James A -. . . 748 

Brown, Lewis K 756 

Campbell, Robert A 774 

Carpenter, Oscar D 735 

Carter, Humphrey L 788 

Chrisman, John F 75 1 

Clemans, William J 801 

Day, William R 747 



PAGE 

Dow, Edward N 793 

Dunton, Joseph N 785 

Farrish, William 764 

Flinn, Samuel 799 

Floch, Benjamin 784 

Floch, George 780 

Foredyce, William H 783 

Forgey, Elias 781 

Fulton, Henry C 800 



XX11 



INDEX 



PAGE 

Garrison, Martin J 792 

Gilmore, Orville 746 

i 

Hack, William A 75» 

Hamilton, James 743 

Haseltine, Oscar L 759 

Higgins, John 736 

Hollenbeck, Cornelius A 77\ 

Hooper, Ralph B 739 

Huber, Frank 7§5 

Ireland, Richard 761 

Isecke, Charles 79? 

Jones, Samuel T 79 2 

King, Joseph W 795 

Kingsbury, Thomas J 789 

Kinnear, George 782 

Maguire, Peter 778 

Matter, Eugene 79° 

McGee. Allen E 772 

Mcintosh, Duncan A 737 

McLeod, Neil 766 



PAGE 

McMillan, Orlando M 758 

Morrow, John T 740 

O'Keefe, Jackson 755 

Packwood, Joseph C 76,3 

Packwood, Samuel T 762 

Peaslee, George W. R 764 

Powell, Henry D 750 

Ramsdell, J. Philemon 765 

Ramsdell, William H 752 

Richards, Robert H 759 

Robinson, Richard H 802 

Robinson, Samuel G 803 

Robinson, Thomas D 761 

Robison, Samuel W 741 

Rogers, George A 769 

Rogers, William S 790 

Ruark, Thomas 775 

Rummens, George H 794 

Sage, Elmer E 757 

Sangster, James 749 

Sangster, Robert 739 



. PAGE 

Sargent, Samuel J 798 

Savage, Dea W 741 

Sauer, George 787 

Scheibe, John H 774 

Shumaker, Chester 767 

Snodderly, Isaac R 754 

Steen, Richard P 777 

Stone, Jacob S 791 

Stone, Ringold C 745^ 

Tate, Morgan H 742 

Thompson, Kay L 745 

Toops, Roy E 760 

Trescott, David S 765 

Tuitle, John F 781 

Wcissenfels, William P 777, 

Welch, Daniel T 753 

Williams, Franklin L 767 

Wilson, Weldon 769 

Woodruff, Lafayette 78^ 

Wormell, Albert A 803 

Wormell, Leonard J 797 

Yeoman, Burt W 768 

Zindel, Martin W , 772 



ASOTIN COUNTY PORTRAITS 



Appleford, George 744 

Appleford, Mrs. George 744 

Baumeister, Edward 776 

Brown, Lewis K 752 

Dunton, Joseph N 784 

Floch, Benjamin 784 

Floch, Mrs. Benjamin 784 



I 

PAGE 

Huber, Frank 784 

Ireland, Richard 760 

Maguire, Peter 776 

O'Keefe, Jackson 75 2 

Ramsdell, William H 752 

Robinson, Thomas D 760 

Rogers, George A 768 



Snodderly, Isaac R 752 

Steen, Richard P 776 

Toops, Roy E 760 

Toops, Mrs. Roy E 760 

Welch, Daniel T 752 

Wilson, Weldon 768 

Yeoman, Burt W 768 

Yeoman, Mrs. Burt W 768 



GENERAL HISTORY 



OF 



THE STATE OF WASHINGTON 



PART I. 



GENERAL HISTORY 



CHAPTER I. 

DAWN OF DISCOVERY. 



Few students of history have failed to ob- 
serve the immediate impetus given to maritime 
exploration by the royally proclaimed exploit 
of Columbus in 1492. Only nine years after the 
caravels of the Italian navigator had dropped 
anchor in American waters, off San Salvador, 
a Portugese sailor, Gaspar Cortereal, was cau- 
tiously feeling his way along the Atlantic coast. 
This was in the summer of 1501. This voyage 
of Cortereal reached as high, on the Atlantic 
mainland of North America, as 42 degrees 
north. Certain historians have claimed that the 
explorations of Cortereal really antedated the 
discovery of Columbus. But of this there is no 
authentic evidence; there is an accumulation of 
testimony to the contrary. By eminent cosmo- 
graphists the year 1501 is now accepted as the 
period of Cortereal's exploits on the coast of 
the Atlantic, in the vicinity of modern New 
England. This expedition of two caravels had 
been sent out by Manuel, King of Portugal. 
There is no proof that this voyage had any 
other object, at least any other result, than 
profit. Seizing fifty Indians he carried them 
away, on his return, and sold them as slaves. 

As Cortereal was among the earliest on the 
Atlantic seaboard, so Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, 
or Cabrilla, as the name is variously spelled, 
is admitted to have been the earliest navigator, 



along southern California. It was evidently 
the intention of Cabrillo, to continue his voyage 
far higher on the Northwest Coast, for he, too, 
had heard of the mysterious "Strait of Anian," 
and was enthused with most laudable geograph- 
ical ambition. But fate ruled otherwise. Ca- 
brillo died in the harbor of San Diego, Cali- 
fornia, in January, 1543, fifty-one years after 
the momentous achievement of Columbus on 
the southeastern shores of the present United 
States. The mantle of Cabrillo fell upon the 
shoulders of his pilot, Bartolome Ferrelo. To 
within two and one-half degrees of the mouth 
of the Columbia river Ferrelo continued the 
exploration, tracing the western coast of the 
American continent along this portion of the 
Pacific, and to Ferrelo has been accredited the 
honor of having been the first white man to 
gaze upon the coast of Oregon. 

But back of that dimly outlined shore which 
Ferrelo skirted, above latitude 42 degrees, far 
inland, lay the immense, wonderful territory 
which afterward became Oregon. It is not 
susceptible of proof that Ferrelo ever gained 
north of the present Astoria, although this 
claim was at one period urged by Spain. But 
a country which could solemnly lay claim to the 
whole Pacific ocean would not be at all back- 
ward in declaring that one of her navigators 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



was the first to sight the Northwest Coast, and 
that, too, far above the point really gained by 
Ferrelo. It is not considered likely that he 
reached above the mouth of Umpqua river. 

In 1577 Francis Drake, ai privateer and 
freebooter, a pirate and plunderer of Spanish 
galleons, yet withal a man of strong character 
and enterprising spirit, attempted to find a 
northwest passage. Drake probably reached 
as high as latitude 43 degrees, and dropped his 
anchors into the shoals of that region. No in- 
land explorations were achieved by him, and 
he reluctantly abandoned the search for Anian, 
returned to Drake's Bay, on the coast of Cali- 
fornia, and subsequently to England around the 
Cape of Good Hope. En passant it is notice- 
able that during the famous Oregon Contro- 
versy, which obtained ascendancy in interna- 
tional politics two hundred and fifty years later, 
the discoveries of Drake were not presented by 
England in support of her claims for all terri- 
tory north of the Columbia river. Whether 
Great Britain was doubtful of the validity of 
discoveries made by a freebooter, or attached no 
importance to his achievement, the fact remains 
that they were not urged with any force or en- 
thusiasm. 

Cabrillo and Ferrelo were not emulated in 
maritime discoveries in the waters of the 
Northwest Coast, until 1550. But on the 
shore-line of the Atlantic, Cartier, for six years, 
between 1536 and 1542, had made a number of 
inland voyages, ascending the St. Lawrence 
Gulf and river five hundred miles, past the site 
of Montreal and to the falls of St. Louis. In 
the far south Hernando De Soto, contemporary 
with Cartier, had sailed coastwise along the 
Florida peninsula and penetrated that tropical 
country until forced back by swamps, morass.es 
and everglades. Inland exploration in the mid- 
dle of the sixteenth century comprised, prac- 
tically, in its northern limitations, a line cross- 
ing the continent a few miles below the 36th 
parallel, from the Colorado to the Savannahs, 
Coronado advancing into the modern Kansas, 



having passed the line at its central part. The 
Pacific had been explored sufficiently only to 
barely show the shore-line to the 44th degree of 
north latitude. 

In the way of northern exploration on the 
Pacific coast Spain had, in 1550, accomplished 
little or nothing. But fifteen years afterward 
Spain became aggressive along the lines of mar- 
itime activity. Urdaneta, in 1565, planned and 
executed the initial voyage eastward, opening 
a northern route to the Pacific coast of North 
America. He was followed, from the Philip- 
pines, by Manila traders, eager for gain, and 
for two centuries thereafter, through the rise 
and decline of Spanish commercial supremacy, 
these active and energetic sailors reaped large 
rewards from the costly furs found in the 
waters of the Northwest Coast. It is fair to 
say that the spirit of commercialism contributed 
far more toward development of the region 
of which this history treats than did the more 
sentimental efforts of geographical science. 

Still, the latter spirit was not without its 
apostles and propagandists. Among them was 
one who called himself Juan de Fuca, a Greek 
of Cephalonia. His real name was Apostolos 
Valerianos. Acting, as had Columbus, under 
royal commission from the King of Spain, he 
sailed bravely away to find the legendary Strait 
of Anian — the marine pathway between the 
greatest oceans of the world. The name of 
Anian, a mythical northwestern kingdom, orig- 
inated in 1 500, and is said to have been taken in 
honor of a brother of Cortereal. The real strait 
was discovered by Russians in 1750. These 
Russians were fur-hunting Cossacks, who 
reached the Pacific coast of North America in 
1639. Their point of rendezvous was at 
Okhotsk, on the sea of that name. 

Though the voyage of Juan de Fuca proved 
fruitless it must be conceded that it was con- 
ceived in the interest of science ; a move in be- 
half of international economics, and honorable 
alike to both Spain and the intrepid navigator. 
In 1584 Francisco de Gali reached the Pacific 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



coast, from the west, in 37 degrees 30 minutes; 
some say 57 degrees 30 minutes. He was con- 
tent to sail southward without landing, but 
recorded for the archives of Spain the trend 
and shore-line of the coast. By the same route 
Cermenon, in 1595, met with disaster by losing 
his vessel in Drake's Bay, a short distance 
above the present city of San Francisco. 
Prominent among numerous other voyagers, 
mainly bent on profit, were Espejo, Perea, 
Lopez and Captain Vaca. 

As has been stated, the earliest explorations 
of the Northwest Coast were maritime. They 
were, also, in the main, confined between lati- 
tudes 42 degrees and 54 degrees, mainly south 
of the boundary line finally accepted by Great 
Britain as between Canada and the United 
States. Even in that twilight preceding the 
broad day of inland discovery, there were wars 
between nations, with "Oregon" the issue, and 
some compromises. Later came the advance 
guard of inland explorers who found, at the 
.occidental terminus of their perilous journeys, 
a comparatively unknown seaboard 750 miles 
in extent, below the vast reaches of Alaskan 
territory and the Aleutian Islands. From the 
far north came Russian explorers, and they en- 
countered Southern navigators who had come 
upward from the ambrosial tropics. They com- 
pared notes, they detailed to each other many 
facts, intermixed with voluminous fiction, but 
from the whole was picked out and arranged 
much of geographical certainty. Four nations 
of Pacific navigators came to what afterward 
was known as Oregon, related their adventures, 
boasted of the discoveries each had made, dis- 
cussed the probability of a northwest passage, 
the "Strait of Anian," — and the Northwest 
Mystery remained a mystery still. 

The Spaniards, between 1492 and 1550, 
were in the lead so far as concerns actual geo- 
graphical results, of all other European sailors. 
Spain, through the agency of the Italian, Col- 
umbus, had discovered a new world ; Spain had 
meandered the coast-line for 30,000 miles, from 



60 degrees on the Atlantis coast of Labrador, 
round by Magellan Strait, to 40 degrees on the 
coast of the Pacific. Vast were the possibilities 
of the future for Spain, and the world did 
honor to her unequalled achievement. From a 
broad, humanitarian view point, it is a sad 
reflection that so many of the golden promises 
held out to her should have, in subsequent cen- 
turies, faded away as fades the elusive rainbow 
against the storm-cloud background. But 
Spain's misfortune became North America's 
opportunity. England, too, and Russia, 
watched and waited, seized and assimilated so 
rapidly as possible, piece by piece the territory 
on which the feet of Spanish explorers had been 
first planted. That it was the survival of the 
fittest may, possibly, remain unquestioned, but 
it is a fact that Spain's gradual yet certain loss 
of the most valuable territory in the world has 
furnished many of the most stirring episodes 
in the world's history. Spain has lost, sold, 
ceded and relinquished vast domains to nearly 
all the modern powers. And not the least valu- 
able of Spain's former possessions are now 
under the Stars and Stripes. 

Thus far has been hastily sketched the 
salient facts concerning the earliest maritime 
discoveries of the Northwest Coast. None of 
the Spanish, English, Russian or Italian navi- 
gators had penetrated inland farther than a few 
miles up the estuary of the Columbia river. It 
was destined to remain for a class of explorers 
other than maritime, yet equally courageous 
and enterprising, to blaze the trail for future 
pioneers from the east. 

To Alexander Mackenzie, a native of In- 
verness, knighted by George III, is accredited 
the honor of being the first European to force 
a passage of the Rocky Mountains north of 
California. On June 3, 1789, Mackenzie left 
Fort Chipewyan, situated at the western point 
of Athabasca lake, in two canoes. He was ac- 
companied by a German, four Canadians, two 
of them with wives, an Indian, named English 
Chief, and M. Le Roux, the latter in the capac- 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



ity of clerk and supercargo of the expedition. 
The route of this adventurous party was by the 
way of Slave river and Slave lake, thence down 
a stream subsequently named the Mackenzie 
river, on to the Arctic Ocean, striking the coast 
at latitude 52 degrees, 24 minutes, 48 seconds. 
This territory is all within the present boundar- 
ies of British Columbia, north of the line finally 
accented as the northern boundary of "Oresron" 
by the English diplomats. 

Singular as it may appear there is no 
authentic history of the origin of this term 
"Oregon." There is, however, cumulative 
testimony to the effect that the name was in- 
vented by Jonathan Carver, who pushed his in- 
land explorations beyond the headwaters of the 
Mississippi river; that the name was exploited 
and made famous by William Cullen Bryant, 
author of "Thanatopsis," and late editor of the 
New York Evening Post; that it was fastened 
upon the Columbia river territory, originally 
by Hall J. Kelley, through his memorials to 
congress in 181 7, and secondly by various other 
English and American authors. Aside from 
this explanation are numerous theories adduc- 
ing Spanish derivatives of rather ambiguous 
context, but lacking lucidity or force. It is 
likely that no more etymological radiance 
will ever be thrown upon what, after all, is a 
rather unimportant, though often mooted 
question. 

The expedition of Mackenzie, crowned with 
results most valuable to science and territorial 
development, comprised one hundred and two 
days. At the point he first made, on the Pacific 
coast the explorer executed, with vermillion 
and grease, a rude sign bearing the following 
inscription : "Alexander Mackenzie, from Can- 
ada by land, July 22, 1793." Subsequent ex- 
peditions were made by Mackenzie to the coast, 
one of them via the Peace river. 

But now comes one M. Le Page du Pratz, 
a talented and scholarly French savant, with 



the statement made several years ago, that 
neither Mackenzie nor Lewis and Clarke were 
the first to cross the Rockies and gain the 
Northwest Coast. Our French student claims 
to, have discovered a Natchez Indian, being of 
the tribe of the Yahoos, called L'Interprete, on 
account of the various languages he had ac- 
quired, but named by his own people Moncacht 
Ape, "He Who Kills Trouble and Fatigue." 
M. Le Page declares that this man, actuated 
mainly by curiosity, a stimulant underlying all 
advancement, unassisted and unattended, trav- 
eled from the Mississippi river to the Pacific 
coast so early as 1743. This was sixty years 
before President Jefferson dispatched Captains 
Lewis and Clarke on their governmental expe- 
dition, the results of which have proved so im- 
portant and momentuous in the history of the 
development of Oregon and Washington. 
Moncacht Ape, it is claimed, met many tribes 
of Indians, made friends with all of them, ac- 
quired portions of complex dialects, gained as- 
sistance and information and, eventually gazed 
upon the same waters upon which Balboa had 
fixed his eyes with enthusiasm, many hundreds 
of miles to the south. 

It can not be denied that hardly has a great 
discovery been heralded to the world ere some 
rival genius springs up to claim it. Possibly 
it is this spirit which may have actuated M. Le 
Page in producing 'the somewhat mysterious 
Moncacht Ape, to pose as the pioneer of North- 
western exploration. But we, of to-day, are in 
no position to combat his claims, reserving to 
ourselves the undeniable fact that Mackenzie, 
Lewis and Clarke were the first white men to 
gain, overland, the Northwest Coast. 

From 1500 to 1803 this greatly abridged 
foreword has traced northwestern discoveries. 
We now enter upon a brief description of the 
glorious achievements of Lewis and Clarke in 
that portion of their journey so fruitful with 
results to Washington and Oregon. 



CHATPER II. 



MISSISSIPPI TO THE COAST. 



Eleven years before the departure of Lewis 
and Clarke, on their expedition to the North- 
west, President Jefferson, in 1792, proposed a 
plan to the American Philosophical Society, in- 
volving a subscription for the purpose of em- 
ploying a competent person who should pro- 
ceed by land to the Northwest Coast. It is at 
this period that Captain Meriwether Lewis 
emerges from the obscurity of his military post 
at Charlotteville, Virginia. It had been ar- 
ranged that M. Michaux, a French botanist, 
should become the companion of Captain 
Lewis. These two had proceeded on their 
journey so far as Kentucky, at that time one 
of the western states, when an end was put to 
this initial enterprise by the French minister, 
who suddenly discovered that he had use for 
the botanical abilities of M. Michaux else- 
where. The latter was recalled. 

But this plan, which had grown in devel- 
opment of detail since its inception, was not 
abandoned by Jefferson. In 1803, on the eve 
of expiration of the act for the establishment 
of trading posts among Indians, the president 
again brought forward the scheme which he 
had first proposed to the American Philosophi- 
cal Society. The object sought was to trace 
the Missouri river to its source, cross the 
Rocky Mountains, and gain the Pacific Ocean. 
This was most satisfactorily accomplished, and 
because this expedition first sighted the Pacific 
in latitude 46 degrees, 19 minutes 11.7 seconds, 
it becomes an important factor, within the ter- 
ritorial limits of this history. The confidential 
message, transmitted by President Jefferson to 
congress, in January, 1803, had been favorably 
received, and results were far beyond his most 



sanguine expectations. Not only had the orig- 
inal plan been fully approved, but it was consid- 
erably amplified in its details, and Captain 
Lewis had been given as a companion, William 
Clarke, brother of General George Rogers 
Clarke. To Captain Lewis, to whom was given 
full command of the expedition, instructions 
were imparted concerning the route, various 
objects to which inquiries should be directed, 
relating to geography, character of the country 
traversed, the different inhabitants, biology, 
and such other scientific information as it was 
possible to obtain. 

Coincident with this momentuous under- 
taking another, and equally important negotia- 
tion was being carried to a successful conclu- 
sion. This was the Louisiana Purchase, from 
Napoleon Bonaparte, by which the United 
States acquired title to a domain whose extent 
and topographicl location made that other terri- 
tory to which Lewis and Clarke were en route, 
"Oregon," an almost absolute necessity. 
Louisiana, at that period extending from the 
mouth of the Mississippi river to the, then, 
indefinite boundaries on the north of Montana 
and the Dakotas, had been recently ceded by 
Spain to France. The latter power, by a treaty 
involving the payment to Napoleon of 
$15,000,000, ceded it to the United States. 

Following the return of the Lewis and 
Clarke expedition, a donation of land was made 
by congress to the members of the party. This 
was in 1807. Captain Lewis was appointed 
governor of our newly acquired territory of 
"Louisiana," and Clarke was made agent of 
Indian affairs. But while on his way to Phila- 
delphia, to supervise the publication of his jour- 



s 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



nal, in 1807, Captain Lewis was stricken with 
death. 

That portion of Lewis and Clarke's expedi- 
tion with which this history concerns itself re- 
lates chiefly to the achievements of these in- 
trepid captains after they had entered the terri- 
tory known as "Oregon," and from which the 
states of Oregon.. Washington and Idaho were 
carved : And what was this territory, at that 
period a terra incognita? Major Joshua 
Pitcher, early in 1800 contributes the following 
brief description : 

The form or configuration of the country is the 
most perfect and admirable which the imagination can 
conceive. All its outlines are distinctly marked ; all its 
interior is connected together. Frozen regions on the 
north, the ocean and its mountainous coast to the west, 
the Rocky Mountains to the east, sandy and desert 
plains to the south — such are its boundaries. Within 
the whole country is watered by the streams of a single 
river, issuing from the north, east and south, uniting 
in the region of tidewaier, and communicating with the 
sea by a single outlet. Such a country is formed for 
defense, and whatever power gets possession of it will 
probably be able to keep it. 

This was published in Volume I, No. 39, 
senate documents. Twenty-first Congress, sec- 
ond session. A more extended description is 
sketched later by Mr. Parker, who says : 

Beyond the Rocky Mountains nature appears to 
have studied variety on the largest scale. Towering 
mountains and wide-extended prairies, rich valleys and 
barren plains, and large rivers, with their rapids, cata- 
racts and falls, present a great variety of prospects. 
The whole country is so mountainous that there is no 
elevation from which a person can not see some of the 
immense range which intersect its various parts. 
From an elevation a short distance from Fort Van- 
couver, five isolated, conical mountains, from ten to 
fifteen thousand feet high, whose tops are covered with 
perpetual snow 7 , may be seen rising in the surrounding 
valley. There are three general ranges west of the 
Rocky chain of mountains, running in northern and 
southern directions; the first above the falls of the 
Columbia river ; the second at and below the Cascades ; 
the third toward and along the shores of the Pacific. 
From each of these branches extend in different direc- 
tions. Besides these there are those in different parts 
which are large and high, such as the Blue Mountains, 
south of Walla Walla : the Salmon River Mountains, 



between Salmon and Kooskooskie rivers, and also in 
the region of Okanogan and Colville. The loftiest peaks 
of the Rocky Mountains have been found in about 52 
degrees north latitude, where Mr. Thompson, astrono- 
mer of the Hudson's Bay Company, has ascertained the 
heights of several. One, called Mount Brown, he esti- 
mates at sixteen thousand feet above the level of the 
" sea; another, Mt. Hooker, at fifteen thousand seven hun- 
dred feet. It has been stated, farther (though probably 
with some exaggeration) that he discovered other points 
farther north of an elevation ten thousand feet higher 
than these. Between these mountains are widespread val- 
leys and plains. The largest and most fertile valley is in- 
cluded between Deer Island in the west, to within twelve 
miles of the Cascades, which is about fifty-five miles 
wide, and extending north and south to a greater extent 
than I had the means of definitely ascertaining ; probably 
from Puget Sound on the north, to the Umpqua river 
on the south. 

The Willamette river, and a section of the Colum- 
bia, are included in this valley. The valley south of 
the Walla Walla, called the Grand Rond, is said to excel 
in fertility. To these may be added Pierre's 'Hole, and 
the adjacent country; also Recueil Amere, east of the 
Salmon River Mountains. Others of less magnitude 
are dispersed over different parts. To these may be 
subjoined extensive plains, most of which are prairies 
well covered with grass. The whole region of country 
west of the Salmon River Mountains, the Spokane 
woods and Okanogan, quite to the range of mountains 
that cross the Columbia at the Falls, is a vast prairie, 
covered with grass, and the soil is generally good. 
Another large plain which is said to be very barren, 
lies off to the southward of Lewis, or Malheur river, 
including the Shoshone country ; and travelers who have 
passed through this have pronounced the interior of 
America a great, barren desert, but this is drawing a 
conclusion far too broad from premises so limited. 

Aside from Captains Lewis and Clarke, the 
party of exploration consisted of nine young 
men from Kentucky, fourteen United States 
soldiers, who had volunteered their services, 
two French watermen, (an interpreter and 
hunter), and a black servant, employed by 
Captain Clarke. Before the close of 1803 prep- 
arations for the voyage were all completed, and 
the party wintered at the mouth of Wood river, 
on the east bank of the Mississippi. 

The start was on May 4, 1804, and the first 
reach, made on the sixteenth, was twenty-one 
miles up the Missouri. Of the many surpris- 
ing advantures encountered in ascending this 
river to Fort Benton, it is not the province of 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



this history to recount. It was toward the 
Northwest Coast that their faces were set, and 
the advent of these pioneers into the future 
"Oregon" becomes of material interest to 
present residents of this section. 

August 1 8, 1805, fourteen months from the 
departure of this expedition, it had reached the 
extreme navigable point of the Missouri river, 
stated in Captain Lewis' journal, to be in lati- 
tude 43 degrees, 30 minutes, 43 seconds north. 
The party was now, for a certain distance, to 
proceed by land with pack horses. Tribe after 
tribe of strange Indians were encountered, a 
majority of whom met the explorers on friendly 
terms. The party endured hardships innum- 
erable; game was scarce in certain localities, 
and at times the weather was inclement. They 
forded unknown streams, and christened many, 
Lewis river, Clarke's Fork, and others. 

Particular inquiries were made regarding 
the topography of the country and the possibil- 
ity of soon reaching a navigable stream. In 
answer to such questions an ancient chief, who, 
it was claimed, knew more concerning the 
geography of this section of the northwest than 
any one else, drew rude delineations of the vari- 
ous rivers on the ground. It soon developed 
that he knew little about them. But some 
vague information was gained sufficient to 
show that the different streams converged in 
one vast river, the Columbia, running a great 
way toward the "setting sun, and at length los- 
ing itself in a great lake of water, which was ill- 
tasted and where the white men lived." Still 
another route was suggested, an analysis of 
which convinced Captain Clarke that the rivers 
mentioned debouched into the Gulf of Cali- 
fornia. He then inquired concerning the route 
used by the Pierced-nose Indians who, living 
west of the mountains, crossed over to the Mis- 
souri. According to Captain Lewis' journal 
the chief replied, in effect, that the route was a 
very bad one ; that during the passage, he had 
been told, they suffered excessively from hun- 
ger, being obliged to subsist for many days on 



berries alone, there being no game in that part 
of the mountains, which was broken and rocky, 
and so thickly covered with timber that they 
could scarcely pass. 

Difficulties, also, surrounded all routes, and 
this one appeared as practicable as any other. 
It was reasoned that if Indians could pass the 
mountains with their women and children, no 
difficulties which they could overcome would 
be formidable to the explorers. Lewis sets 
down in his journal : "If the tribes below the 
mountains were as numerous as they were rep- 
resented to be, they would have some means of 
subsi stance equally within our power. They 
had told us, indeed, that the natives to the 
westward subsisted principally on fish and 
roots, and that their only game was a few elk, 
deer, and antelope, there being no buffalo west 
of the mountains." 

It was decided by Captain Clarke to ascer- 
tain what difficulty, if any, would be encoun- 
tered in descending the river on which the 
party was then encamped. Continuing down 
the stream, which runs nearly northwest, 
through low grounds, rich and wide, they 
came to where it forked, the western branch 
being much larger than the eastern. To this 
stream, or rather the main branch, was given 
the name of Lewis river. The party followed 
it until confronted by insurmountable ob- 
stacles ; it foamed and lashed itself through a 
narrow pass flanked by the loftiest mountains 
Captain Clarke had ever seen. The Indians 
declared that it was impossible to descend the 
river or scale the mountains, snow-capped and 
repellant. They had never been lower than the 
bead of the gap made by the river breaking 
through the range. Captain Clarke decided to 
abandon the route. It was determined to pro- 
ceed on their course by land. On being ques- 
tioned their guide drew a map on the sand, rep- 
resenting a road leading toward two forks of 
another river, where lived a tribe of Indians 
called Tushepaws. These people, he said, fre- 
quently came to Lewis river to fish for salmon. 



IO 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



Through the broken, hilly country through 
which flow the tributaries of the Columbia the 
party pressed forward. On the 29th Captain 
Clarke and his men joined the main party, 
which had made a wide detour in order to gain 
information regarding a more feasible route. 
Although August was not yet passed the 
weather was quite cold, and during the night 
ink froze in the pen and frost covered the 
meadows. Yet the days were warm, and this 
atmospheric condition grew more pronounced 
as they drew nearer the "Oregon" climate. 

The expedition began the passage across 
the mountains August 30, 1805. Accompanied 
by the old guide, his four sons and another 
Indian, the party began the descent of the 
Lemhi river. Three days later all the Indians, 
save the old guide, deserted them. There being 
no track leading across the mountains it became 
necessary to cut their way through the dense 
underbrush. Although the Indian guide ap- 
pears to have lost his way, on September 4, 
after most arduous labor in forcing a passage 
through the almost impenetrable brush, the 
party came upon a large camp of Indians. The 
following day a "pow-wow" was held, con- 
ducted in many languages, the various dia- 
lects suggesting a modern Babel, but it proved 
sufficient to inform the Indians of the main ob- 
ject of the expedition. These Indians were the 
Ootlashoots, a band of the Tushepaws, on their 
way to join other bands in hunting buffalo on 
Jefferson river, across the Great Divide. Part- 
ing from them the toilsome journey was re- 
sumed. The party was seeking a pass across 
the Bitter Root mountains. Game disappeared. 
On September 14 they were forced to kill a colt, 
their stock of animal food being exhausted. 
And with frequent recurrence to the use of 
horseflesh they pressed on through the wilder- 
ness. An extract from Captain Clarke's jour- 
nal of September 18, conveys an idea of the 
destitute condition of his party : 

We melted some snow and supped on a little porta- 
ble soup, a few cannisters of which, with about twenty 



pounds' weight of bear's oil, are our only remaining 
means of subsistence. Our guns are scarcely of any 
service for there is no living creature in these mountains 
except a few small pheasants, a small species of gray 
squirrel, and a blue bird of the vulture kind, about the 
size of a turtle dove, or jay. Even these are difficult 
to shoot. 

Arriving at a bold, running stream on Sep- 
tember 19, it was appropriately named "Hun- 
gry Creek," as at that point ftiey had nothing to 
eat. On September 20 the party passed down 
the last of the Bitter Root range and gained a 
comparatively level country. Here they found 
another band of strange Indians, people who 
had never looked upon the face of a white man. 
They proved hospitable and the party remained 
with them several days. The Indians called 
themselves Chopunnish, or Pierced-noses, the 
Nez Perces of to-day. The expedition was now 
in the vicinity of Pierce City, at one period the 
capital of Shoshone county, Idaho. On a white 
elk skin, the chief, Twisted Hair, drew a chart 
of the country to the west, to explain the geog- 
raphy and topography of the district beyond. 
Captain Clarke translates it as follows : 

"According to this the Kooskooskee forks 
(confluence of its north fork) a few miles from 
this place ; two days toward the south is another 
and larger, fork (confluence of Snake river), on 
which the Shoshone or Snake Indians fish ; five 
days' journey further is a large river from the 
northwest (that is, the Columbia itself) into 
which Clarke's river empties; from the mouth 
of that river (that is, confluence of the Snake 
with the Columbia) to the falls is five days' 
journey further; on all the forks as well as on 
the main river great numbers of Indians re- 
side." 

On September 23 the Indians were assem- 
bled, and the errand of the party across the 
continent explained. The talk satisfied the sav- 
ages ; they sold their visitors provisions for 
man and beast and parted with amity. But 
immediate progress was somewhat delayed by 
illness of different members of the party. They 
were nearly famished when they encountered 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



ii 



the Nez Perces, and had eaten too heartily fol- 
lowing their privations. September 27 they 
camped on Kooskooskee river and began the 
building of canoes. Gradually the health of 
the men was recruited, and the early days of 
October were passed in making preparations to 
descend the river. According to Lewis' jour- 
nal the latitude of this camp was 46 degrees 
34 minutes 56 seconds north. It should be re- 
membered that the Kooskooskee is now the 
Clearwater, flowing into the Snake river which, 
in turn, empties into the Columbia. October 
8 the party began their long and adventurous 
voyage in five canoes, one of which served as 
an advance pilot boat, the course of the stream 
being unknown. They were soon assailed by 
disaster, one of the canoes striking a rock and 
sinking. The river was found to be full of 
rocks, reefs and rapids. At the confluence of 
the Kooskooskee and Snake rivers a night's 
camp was made, near the present Idaho town of 
Lewiston, named in honor of the commander 
of this expedition. And from this point the 
party crossed over into the territory now 
bounded by the limits of the state of Washing- 
ton. Experience in this camp finds the fol- 
lowing expression in Lewis' journal. 



Our arrival soon attracted the attention of the In- 
dians, who flocked from all directions to see us. In the 
evening the Indian from the falls, whom we had seen at 
Rugged Rapid, joined us with his son in a small canoe, 
and insisted on accompanpying us to the falls. Being 
again reduced to fish and roots, we made an experiment 
to vary our food by purchasing a few dogs, and after 
having been accumtomed to horse-flesh felt no disrelish 
for this new dish. The Chopunnish have great numbers 
of dogs, which they employ for domestic purposes, but 
never eat; and our using the flesh of that animal soon 
brought us into ridicule as dog eaters. 



On October 1 1 , having made a short stage 
in their journey, the party stopped and traded 
with the Indians, securing a quantity of salmon 
and seven dogs. They were now on the Snake 
river and proceeding rapidly toward the Col- 
umbia, known to all the various Indian tribes 



in "Oregon" as the "Great River." Dangerous 
rapids crowded the stream; disasters were en- 
countered far too frequently to prove assuring 
to the voyageurs. October 14 another canoe 
was blown upon a rock sideways and narrowly 
escaped being lost. Four miles above the point 
of confluence of the Snake and Columbia rivers 
the expedition halted and conferred with the 
Indians. During the evening of October 16 
they were visited by two hundred warriors who 
tendered them a barbaric ovation, comprising 
a procession with drums, torches and vocal 
music far more diabolical than classical. Here 
seven more dogs were purchased, together with 
some fish and "twenty pounds of fat dried 
horseflesh." At the point where the party were 
then stationed the counties of Franklin, 
Yakima and Walla Walla now come together; 
the junction of the Snake and Columbia rivers. 
The Indians called themselves Sokulks. 

Habit and experience necessarily render ex- 
plorers more far-sighted and astute than the 
ordinary citizen of civilized habitat. But the 
prescience of the former is by no means in- 
fallible. Lewis and Clarke were now about to 
set forth upon the waters of the mighty Colum- 
bia, a famous stream variously known as "The 
River of the North" and "The Oregon;" a 
great commercial artery whose convolutions 
were subsequently to be insisted upon by Great 
Britain as the northern boundary of "Oregon" 
territory. But the magnitude of this stream 
and its future importance in international poli- 
tics were, of course, unknown to Lewis and 
Clarke. These explorers had no knowledge of 
the "terminal facilities" of this stream other 
than that contributed by the legendary lore of 
Indians, dim, mythical, and altogether theoreti- 
cal. And with this absence of even a partial 
realization of the great significance of his mis- 
sion Captain Lewis writes in his journal of Oc- 
tober 17, 1805 : 

"In the course of the day Captain Clarke, 
in a small canoe, with two men, ascended the 
Columbia. At a distance of five miles he passed 



12 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



an island in the middle of the river, at the head 
of which was a small but dangerous rapid." 

With this simple introduction to the most 
important episode of his journey across the con- 
tinent Captain Lewis faced the Occident that 
held so much in store for thousands of the 
future. On the 19th the voyageurs began to 
drift down the Columbia. Rapids impeded 
their course, many of them dangerous. Short 
portages were made around the more difficult 
ones, and forty miles down the stream they 
landed among a tribe known as the Pishguit- 
pahs who were engaged in drying fish. Here 
they smoked the pipe of peace, exchanged pres- 
ents and entertained the Indians with the strains 
of two violins played by Cruzatte and Gibson, 
members of the exploring party. October. 21 
they arrived at the confluence of a considerable 
stream, coming into the Columbia from the left, 
and named by the party Lepage, now known as 
John Day's river. Six years later, John Day, a 
Kentucky Nimrod, crossed the continent on 
the trail blazed by Lewis and Clarke, bound for 
Astoria, at the mouth of the Columbia. From 
the rapids below the mouth of this stream the 
party gained their first view of Mount Hood, 
prominent in the Cascade range, looming up 
from the southwest eleven thousand two hun- 
dred and twenty-five feet. On the day fol- 
lowing they passed a stream called by the In- 
dians Towahnahiooks ; to modern geographers 
known as the Des Chutes. This is one of the 
largest southern tributaries of the Columbia. 

Five miles below the mouth of this stream 
the party camped. Lewis and Clarke had 
learned from the Indins of the "great falls," 
and toward this point they had looked with 
some apprehension. October 23 they made the 
descent of these rapids, the height of which, in 
a distance of twelve hundred yards is thirty- 
seven feet eight inches. Around the first fall, 
twenty-five feet high, a portage was made, and 
below the canoes were led down by lines. At 
the next fall of the Columbia the expedition 
camped, among the Echeloots, a tribe of the 



Upper Chinooks, at present nearly extinct. 
They received the white men with much kind- 
ness, invited them to their huts and returned 
their visits, but the Echeloots were then at war 
with another tribe and at all times anxious con- 
cerning an expected attack by their enemies. 
Following a long talk with Lewis and Clarke, 
who were ever ready to extend their good offices 
toward making peace between hostile tribes, 
the Echeloots agreed to drop their quarrel with 
their ancient enemies. Here, too, the chiefs 
who had accompanied the expedition from the 
headwaters of the streams, bade the explorers 
farewell, and prepared to return eastward. Pur- 
chasing horses of the Echeloots they went home 
by land. 

The closing days of October were passed 
in descending the Columbia, in which portion 
of their voyage they met a number of different 
tribes of Indians, among them the Chilluckitte- 
quaws, from whom they purchased five small 
dogs, some dried berries and a white bread or 
cake, made from roots. They passed a small, 
rapid stream which they called Cataract river, 
now known as the Klickitat. Going thirty-two 
miles farther they camped on the right bank of 
a river in what is now Skamania county, Wash- 
ington, which is either the White Salmon or 
Little White Salmon. On the last day of Oc- 
tober Captain Clarke pushed on ahead to ex- 
amine the next of the more difficult rapids, 
known as "the great shoot." This obstacle was 
conquered, however, although not without a 
number of hair-breadth escapes, and on No- 
vember 2 the party were below the last of all 
the descents of the Columbia. At this point 
tidewater commences and the river widens. 

From tidewater to the sea the passage was 
enlivened with incidents sufficient to quicken 
the pulse of the enthusiastic explorers. Near 
the mouth of Sandy river they met a party of 
fifteen Indians who had recently come up from 
the mouth of the Columbia. By them they were 
told of three vessels lying at anchor below. It 
was certain that these craft must be either 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



J 3 



American or European, and the explorers could 
ill conceal their unbounded pleasure and antici- 
pation. A group of islands near the mouth of 
the Multnomah, or modernly, Williamette, had 
concealed this stream, upon which is now situ- 
ated the city of Portland, from view. The voy- 
ageurs had missed this important river en- 
tirely. Proceeding westward the explorers 
obtained their first sight of Mount Ranier, or 
Mount Tacoma, nine thousand seven hundred 
and fifty feet high. Nearing the coast the party 
met Indians of a nature widely divergent from 
any whom they had before seen. Captain Lewis 
says : 

These people seem to be of a different nation from 
those we have just passed; they are low in stature, ill- 
shaped, and all have their heads flattened. They call 
themselves Wahkiacum, and their language differs from 
that of the tribes above, with whom they trade for 
wapatoo roots. The houses are built in a different style, 
being raised entirely above ground, with the eaves about 
five feet high and the door at the corner. * * * The 
dress of the men is like that of the people above, but the 
women are clad in a peculiar manner, the robe not 
reaching lower than the hip, and the body being covered 
in cold weather by a sort of corset of fur, curiously 
plaited and reaching from the arms to the hip ; added to 
this is a sort of petticoat, or rather tissue of white cedar 
bark, bruised or broken with small strands, and woven 
into a girdle by several cords of the same material. 

These Indians, as a tribal nation, have en- 
tirely disappeared, but their name is perpetu- 
ated by a small county on the coast of Wash- 
ington, north of the Bay of Columbia. 

Practically the Lewis and Clarke expedition 
reached the end of its perilous trip across the 
continent on November 15, 1805. Of this 
achievement the Encyclopaedia Britannica 
says : "They had traveled upwards of four 
thousand miles from their starting point, had 
encountered various Indian tribes never before 
seen by whites, had made scientific collections 
and observations, and were the first explorers 



to reach the Pacific coast by crossing the con- 
tinent north of Mexico." 

The closing statement of this article par- 
tially ignores the expeditions of Sir Alexander 
Mackenzie who, while he did not cross the 
continent from a point as far east as Washing- 
ton, D. C, made a journey, in 1789, from Fort 
Chipewyan, along the great Slave Lake, and 
down the river which now bears his name, to 
the "Frozen Ocean," and a second journey in 
1792-3 from the same initial point, up the 
Peace and across the Columbia rivers, and 
thence westward to the coast of the Pacific, at 
Cape Menzies, opposite Queen Charlotte 
Island. Only to this extent is the statement 
of the Encyclopaedia Britannica misleading, 
but it is quite evident that there is no pro- 
nounced inclination to do an injustice to the 
memory of Mackenzie. 

The Lewis and Clarge party passed the 
following winter in camp at the mouth of the 
Columbia. Before the holidays Captain Clarke 
carved on the trunk of a massive pine this 
simple inscription : 

WM. CLARKE, 

DECEMBER 3, 1805, BY LAND FROM THE U. 
STATES IN 1804 AND 5. 

During the return of the expedition the 
Clarke division came down the Yellowstone, 
in Montana. On a mass of saffron sandstone, 
an acre in base, and four hundred feet high, 
called Pompey's Pillar, twenty miles above the 
mouth of the Big Horn river, about half way 
up, the following is carved : 

WM. CLARKE, 

JULY 25, 1806. 



CHAPTER III. 



THE OREGON CONTROVERSY. 



The strugggle of five nations for possession 
of "Oregon," a domain embracing indefinite 
territory, but including the present states of 
Oregon, Washington and Idaho, and a portion 
of British Columbia, ran through a century and 
a half, and culminated in the "Oregon Contro- 
versy" between England and the United States. 
Through forty years of diplomatic sparring, 
advances, retreats, demands, concessions and 
unperfected compromises the contest was 
waged between the two remaining champions 
of the cause, the United States and Great Brit- 
ain. British parlimentary leaders came and 
went; federal administrations followed each 
other successsively, and each in turn directed 
the talents of its able secretaries of state to the 
vital point in American politics, Oregon. 

The question became all important and far 
reaching. It involved, at different periods, all 
the cunning diplomacy of the Hudson's Bay 
Company, backed by hundreds of thousands of 
pounds sterling; it brought to the front con- 
spicuously the life tragedy of a humble mis- 
sionary among the far western Indians, Dr. 
Marcus Whitman; it aroused the spirited pa- 
triotism of American citizenship from Maine to 
Astoria, and it evoked the sanguinary defi from 
American lips, "Fifty-four forty or fight." 

It closed with a compromise, quickly, yet 
effectually consummated ; ratification was im- 
mediate, and the "Oregon Controversy" be- 
came as a tale that is told, and from a live and 
burning issue of the day it passed quietly into 
the sequestered nook of American history. 

To obtain a fairly comprehensive view of 
this question it becomes necessary to hark 
back to 1697, the year of the Treaty of Rys- 



wick, when Spain claimed, as her share of 
North America, as stated by William Barrows : 

On the Atlantic coast from Cape Romaine on the 
Carolina shore, a few miles north of Charleston, due 
west to the Mississippi river, and all south of that line 
to the Gulf of Mexico. That line continued beyond 
the Mississippi makes the northern boundary of Louis- 
iana. In the valley of the lower Mississippi Spain 
acknowledged no rival, though France was then be- 
ginning to intrude. On the basis of discovery by the 
heroic De Soto and others, she claimed up to the head 
of the Arkansas and the present famous Leadville, and 
westward to the Pacific. On that ocean, or the South 
Sea, as it was then called, she set up the pretensions of 
sovereignty from Panama to Nootka Sound or Van- 
couver. These pretensions covered the coasts, harbors, 
islands and even over the whole Pacific Ocean as then 
limited. These stupendous claims Spain based on dis- 
covery, under the papal bull of Alexander VI, in 1493. 
This bull or decree gave to the discoverer all newly 
discovered lands and waters. In 1513 Balboa, the Span- 
iard, discovered the Pacific Ocean, as he came over the 
Isthmus of Panama, and so Spain came into the owner- 
ship of that body of water. Good old times those were, 
when kings thrust their hands into the new world, as 
children do theirs into a grab-bag at a fair, and drew 
out a river four thousand miles long, or an ocean, or a 
tract of wild land ten or fifteen times the size of 
England. 

Nor was France left out at the Ryswick 
partition of the world. She claimed in the 
south and in the north, and it was her proud 
boast that from the mouth of the Penobscot 
along the entire seaboard to the unknown and 
frozen Arctic, no European power divided that 
coast with her, nor the wild interior back of it. 

At the date of this survey, 1697, Russia was 
quiescent. She claimed no possessions. But 
at the same time Peter the Great, and his minis- 
ters, were doing some heavy thinking. Results- 
of these cogitations were afterwards seen in 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



15 



the new world, in a territory known for many 
years to school children as Russian America, 
now the Klondyke, Dawson, Skaguay, Bonan- 
za Creek, the Yukon and — the place where the 
gold comes from. Russia entered the lists ; she 
became the fifth competitor, with Spain, Eng- 
land, France and the United States, for Ore- 
gon. 

Passing over the events of a hundred years, 
years of cruel wars; of possession and dispos- 
session among the powers ; the loss by France 
of Louisiana and the tragedy of the Plains of 
Abraham, we come to the first claims of Russia. 
She demanded all the Northwest Coast and is- 
lands north of latitude 51 degrees and down 
the Asiatic coast as low as 45 degrees, 50 min- 
utes, forbidding "all foreigners to approach 
within one hundred miles of these coasts ex- 
cept in cases of extremity." Our secretary of 
state, John Quincy Adams, objected to this 
presumptuous claim. Emphatically he held that 
Russia had no valid rights on that coast south 
of the 55th degree. Vigorous letters were ex- 
changed and then "the correspondence closed." 
Great Britain took sides with the United 
States. Our protest was emphasized by pro- 
mulgation of the now famous "Monroe Doc- 
trine," the substance of which lies in these 
words : "That the American continents, by the 
free and independent condition which they 
have assumed and maintained, are henceforth 
not to be considered as subjects for coloniza- 
tion by any European power." 

Subsequently it was agreed between Russia 
and the United States, in 1824, that the latter 
country should make no new claim north of 54 
degrees, 40 minutes, and the Russians none 
south of it. With Great Britain Russia made a 
similar compact the year following, and for a 
period of ten years this agreement was to be 
binding, it being, however, understood that the 
privilege of trade and navigation should be free 
to all parties. At the expiration of this period 
the United States and Great Britain received 
notice from Russia of the discontinuance of 



their navigation and trade north of 54 degrees, 
40 minutes. 

Right here falls into line the Hudson's Bay 
Company. Between Great Britain and Russia 
a compromise was effected through a lease 
from Russia to this company of the coast and 
margin from 54 degrees, 40 minutes, to Cape 
Spencer, near 58 degrees. Matters were, also, 
satisfactorily adjusted with the United States. 

The final counting out of Russia from the 
list of competitors for Oregon dates from 1836. 
During a controversy between England and 
Russia the good offices of the United States 
were solicited, and at our suggestion Russia 
withdrew from California and relinquished all 
claims south of 54 degrees, 40 minutes. And 
now the contest for Oregon was narrowed 
down between Great Britain and the United 
States. But with the dropping of Russia it 
becomes necessary to go back a few years in 
order to preserve intact the web of this history. 

On May 16, 1670, the Hudson's Bay Com- 
pany was chartered by Charles II. Headed by 
Prince Rupert the original incorporators num- 
bered eighteen.. The announced object of the 
company was "the discovery of a passage into 
the South Sea" — the Pacific Ocean. During 
the first century of its existence the company 
really did something along the lines of geo- 
graphical discovery. Afterward its identity 
was purely commercial. Twelve hundred 
miles from Lake Superior, in 1778, the eminent 
Frobisher and others had established a trading 
post, or "factory," at Athabasca. Fort Chipew- 
yan was built ten years later and Athabasca 
abandoned. From this point Mackenzie made 
his two overland trips to the Pacific, treated in 
the two preceding chapters. Commenting 
upon these expeditions, from a political view 
point, William Barrows, in the "American 
Commonwealths" series, says : 

"The point reached by Mackenzie on the 
Pacific is within the present limits of British 
Columbia on that coast (53 degrees, 21 min- 
utes), and it was the first real, though unde- 



i6 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



signed step toward the occupation of Oregon by 
Great Britain. That government was feeling 
its way, daringly and blindly, for all territory 
it might obtain, and in 1793 came thus near the 
outlying region which afterward became the 
coveted prize of our narrative." (Oregon: 
the Struggle for Possession.) 

Between the United States and possession 
of Oregon stood, like a stone wall, the Hud- 
son's Bay Company. It was the incarnation 
of England's protest against our occupancy. 
Such being the case it is a fortuitous opportu- 
nity to glance, briefly, at the complexion of 
this great commercial potentate of the North- 
west Coast. Aside from geographical discov- 
eries there was another object set forth in the 
Hudson's Bay Company's charter. This was 
"the finding of some trade for furs, minerals 
and other considerable commodities." More- 
over an exclusive right was granted by the 
charter to the "trade and commerce of all those 
seas, straits and bays, rivers, lakes, creeks and 
sounds, in whatsoever latitude they shall be, 
that lie within the entrance of the straits com- 
monly called Hudson's Straits." The charter 
extended, also, to include all lands bordering 
them not under any other civilized government. 

Such ambiguous description covered a vast 
territory — and Oregon. And of this domain, 
indefinitely bounded, the Hudson's Bay Com- 
pany became monarch, autocrat and tyrant, 
rather an unpleasant trinity to be adjacent to 
the gradually increasing and solidifying do- 
minion of the United States. Then, with the 
old company, was united the Northwestern 
Company, at one time a rival, now a compo- 
nent part of the great original "trust" of the 
Christian era. The crown granted to the new 
syndicate the exclusive right to trade with all 
Indians in British North America for a term 
of twenty years. Their hunters and trappers 
spread themselves throughout the entire north- 
west of North America. Their fur monopoly 
extended so far south as the Salt Lake basin 
of the modern Utah. Rivals were bought out, 



undersold or crushed. The company held at 
its mercy all individual traders from New 
Foundland to Vancouver ; from the head of the 
Yellowstone to the mouth of the Mackenzie. 
With, no rivals to share the field, the extent of 
territory under the consolidated company seems 
almost fabulous — one-third larger than all Eu- 
rope; larger than the United States of to-day, 
Alaska included, by, as Mr. Barrows states, 
"half a million of square miles." And it was 
preparing, backed by the throne of England, 
to swallow and assimilate "Oregon." Con- 
cerning this most powerful company Mr. Bar- 
rows has contributed the following graphic de- 
scription : 

"One contemplates their power with awe 
and fear, when he regards the even motion and 
solemn silence and unvarying sameness with 
which it has done its work through that dreary 
animal country. It has been said that a hun- 
dred years has not changed its bills of goods 
ordered from London. The company wants 
the same muskrat and beaver and seal ; the In- 
dian hunter, unimproved, and the half-breed 
European, deterioating, want the same cotton 
goods, and flint-lock guns and tobacco and 
gew-gaws. To-day as a hundred years ago the 
dog-sledge runs out from Winnipeg for its 
solitary drive of five hundred or two thousand 
or even three thousand miles. It glides silent 
as a spectre over those snow-fields and through 
the solemn, still forests, painfully wanting in 
animal life. Fifty, seventy, and hundred days it 
speeds along, and as many nights it camps 
without fire, and looks up to the same cold 
stars. At the intervening points the sledge 
makes a pause, as a ship, having rounded Cape 
Horn, heaves to before some lone Pacific is- 
land. It is the same at the trader's hut or 'fac- 
tory.' as when the sledge man's grandfather 
drove up the same dogs, the same half-breeds 
or voyageurs to welcome him, the same foul, 
lounging Indians, and the same mink-skin in 
exchange for the same trinket. The fur ani- 
mal and its purchaser and hunter, as the land- 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



17 



scape, seem to be alike under the same immut- 
able law of nature : — 

" 'A land where all things always seem the 
same,' as among the lotus-eaters. Human pro- 
gress and Indian civilization have scarcely- 
made more improvement than that central, 
silent partner of the Hudson's Bay Company — 
the beaver." 

Originally the capital stock of this com- 
pany, at the time the charter was granted by 
Charles II, was $50,820. Through profits 
alone it was tripled twice within fifty years, 
going as high as $457,380, without any addi- 
tional money being paid in by stockholders. 
The Northwest Company was absorbed in 
1 82 1 on a basis of valuation equal to that of 
the Hudson's Bay Company. Then the con- 
solidated capital stock was $1,916,000, of 
which $1,780,866 was from profits. And 
during all this elapsed period an annual divi- 
dend of ten per cent had been paid to stock- 
holders. One cargo of furs, leaving Fort 
George for London in 1836, was valued at 
$380,000, In 1837 the consolidated company 
organized the Puget Sound Agricultural Com- 
pany. This was intended to serve as an offset 
to encroachments of colonists from the United 
States which settled in Oregon. In 1846 the 
English government conceded United States 
claims to Oregon, and at that period the Hud- 
son's Bay Company claimed property within 
the territory said to be worth $4,990,036.67. 

With such gigantic and powerful competi- 
tion for the territory of Oregon it is surprising 
that even as determined a government as the 
United States should have succeeded in oust- 
ing it from its trespass on our property. Nor 
could this have been accomplished had it not 
been for the pluck, skill, determination and in- 
domitable energy of our hardy pioneers. While 
the sale of rabbit skins alone in London, in one 
year, ordinarily amounted to thirteen hundred 
thousand, the company found its profit also in 
the beaver, land and sea-otter, mink, fisher, 
muskrat, fox, raccoon, sable, black, brown and 
2 



grizzly bear and buffalo. And in search for 
these fur-bearing animals the hunters of the 
company braved every danger and spread 
themselves over the wild half of North Amer- 
ica. So far from carrying out the provisions of 
its charter relating to geographical discovery, 
early in the nineteenth century the company 
threw every obstacle possible in the way of such 
discoveries. Evidently it feared rivals. Sir 
John Barrow, in his history of Arctic Voyages, 
says : "The Northwest Passage seems to have 
been entirely forgotten, not only by the ad- 
venturers who had obtained their exclusive 
charter under this pretext, but also by the na- 
tion at large; at least nothing more appears to 
have been heard on the subject for more than 
half a century." 

And what of the darker deeds of this mys- 
terious, silent, yet powerful commercial aggre- 
gation? In 1719 it refused a proposal from 
Mr. Knight that two vessels be sent by him to 
look up a rumored copper mine at the mouth 
of an arctic river. In 1741 the company 
showed signs of hostility toward a Mr. Dobbs, 
engaged in the same enterprise. The failure 
of Captain Middleton, commissioned by the 
Lords of Admiralty to- explore northern and 
western waters of Hudson's Bay, is attributed 
to a bribe of five thousand pounds received 
from the company. The beacon light at Fort 
York was cut down in 1 746 to insure the com- 
plete wreck of an exploring party then aground 
in that vicinity. Much of the information con- 
cerning auriferous deposits brought back by 
Mackenzie from his two journeys was sup- 
presed. The Hudson's Bay Company had set 
its face against mineral development. Even 
that industry was a rival. Following the assas- 
ination of Dr. Marcus Whitman by Indians, in 
1847, one °f the suvivors of the massacre was 
refused the protection of Fort Walla Walla 
then under command of an agent of the Hud- 
son's Bay Company. On the whole this aggre- 
gation of English capital seems to have been 
as antagonistic to English enterprise as to 



i8 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



American commerce, but all the time working 
like a mole under ground. 

Previous to the War of 1812 England had 
strenuously urged the Ohio as the western limit 
of the colonies. She seduced various Indian 
tribes to oppose western immigration. In 181 1 
General Harrison, afterward president, at- 
tempted to hold a friendly conference with the 
great Tecumseh. The meeting was disrupted by 
the latter, and it required the battle of Tippe- 
canoe to teach the warriors a bloody object les- 
son. Then followed the War of 1812. In this 
Great Britain made an effort to recover the 
northwest, but failed signally. But the Hud- 
son's Bay Company was England in North 
America. And when the nation failed the com- 
mercial syndicate succeeded — for a time. While 
the United States had legal, she had not, owing 
to the interference of this company, actual pos- 
session and occupancy. 

Following the close of the Revolution and 
the treaty of 1783, an attempt was made to run 
a northern boundary for the United States. It 
looked well on paper. It traversed wild, unex- 
plored territory unknown to either party to the 
agreement. 

"Thus," says Barrows, "the northwest 
point of the Lake of the Woods was assumed 
for one bound from which the line was to run, 
to the northwestern point of the lake and thence 
'due west,' to the Mississippi. The clause in the 
treaty reads thus : 'to the said Lake of the 
Woods, and thence through the said lake to 
the most northwestern point thereof, and from 
thence on a due west course to the river Missis- 
sippi.' But the head of the river, proved to be 
a hundred miles or more to the south. So that 
little prominence in our otherwise straight 
boundary is the bump of ignorance developed 
by two nations. The St. Croix was fixed by 
treaty as the boundary on the northeast, but a 
special 'Joint Commission' was required in 
1794 to determine 'what river is the St. 
Croix,' and four years afterward this commis- 
sion called for an addition to their instructions 



since their original ones were not broad enough 
to enable them to determine the true St. Croix." 

In 1 84 1 another commission ran a boun- 
dary from the head of the St. Croix, by the 
head of the Connecticut, to the St. Lawrence; 
thence through the middle of its channel and 
the middle of the lakes to the outlet of Lake 
Superior, occupying the whole of seven years. 
And yet the line had not been carried through 
Lake Superior to the Lake of the Woods. Fi- 
nally, in 1818, this was done and an agreement 
reached, though this line was not on the 49th 
parallel, from the Lake of the Woods, to the 
Rocky Mounmtains, the line that was offered 
by Great Britain, accepted by one administra- 
tion, refused by another, and finally adopted in- 
stead of "Fifty-four forty or fight." Still the 
English commission was loath to part with the 
Mississippi valley. They asked for a right of 
way to the headwaters of that stream. At the 
same time the southern limits of their northern 
possessions did not come within one hundred 
miles of the source of the Mississippi from 
whence its waters flow more than three thou- 
sand miles to the Gulf of Mexico. The com- 
mission, however, abandoned this claim and 
turned, to stand resolutely on latitude 49 de- 
grees. During negotiations with England, in 
1818, a compromise was effected which pro- 
vided for a joint occupation of Oregon for ten 
years. In 1827 it was renewed, to run indefin- 
itely, with a provision that it could be termin- 
ated by either party on giving one year's notice. 
The Ashburton-Webster treaty of 1842 fixed 
the line between the St. Croix and St. Law- 
rence. In 1846 another commission failed to 
accomplish results in extending a line to the 
westward through their inability to agree on 
the "middle of the channel" between the main- 
land and Vancouver Island. 

Not until 1872 was this latter question de- 
cided. It was submitted to the Emperor of 
Germany as final arbiter. He decided favor- 
ably to the claim of the United States. Thus 
this boundary question was prolonged eighty- 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



19 



nine years, under eight treaties and fifteen spec- 
ifications, until final adjustment in its entirety. 
The Oregon boundary remained in dispute up 
to 1847. It may here be appropriately re- 
marked that the Joint Boundary Commission 
of 1818, agreeing on the 49th parallel, might 
have carried the line to a satisfactory point had 
they not been stopped by fur traders. Two 
companies were then attempting to gain pos- 
session of the territory. 

The expedition of Lewis and Clarke, 1804- 
6, opened the eyes of England. Jealous lest 
Americans should gain an advantage, Laroque 
was sent by the Northwestern Company to 
sprinkle the Columbia river country with trad- 
ing posts. But Laroque gained no farther 
westing than the Man dan Indian village on the 
Missouri. In 1806 Fraser, having crossed the 
mountains, made the first English settlement by 
erecting a post on Fraser Lake. Others soon 
followed and New Caledonia came into exist- 
ence. It had remained for daring frontiers- 
men to open the dramatic contest for posses- 
sion of Oregon. Diplomats and ministers had 
dallied and quibbed. Now the contest had be- 
come serious and earnest. A German immi- 
grant, John Jacob Astor, was destined to play a 
prominent part in future strategetic movements 
for this possession. At forty years of age he 
was established in the fur business on the great 
lakes. Later, he had another post at the mouth 
of the Columbia river, Astoria, a freight port 
for furs incoming, and beads and trinkets out- 
going. In 1 8 10 he dispatched an expedition 
of sixty men from St. Louis to the Columbia. 
Ffteen months after, depleted by death, the sur- 
vivors reached Astoria. Another company of 
about the same number arrived by way of Cape 
Horn some time earlier. Other ships followed, 
and in 181 3 Mr. Astor suffered the loss of the 
Lark, shipwrecked on the Sandwich, now the 
Hawaiian Islands. Nor was this the worst. Of 
Mr. Astor's partners, a majority had sold out 
to the Northwest Fur Company of Montreal, 
an English organization. Property which Mr. 



Astor had valued at $200,000 had been thrown 
away for $40,000. He saw signs of treachery. 
But so far, despite these handicaps, he had out- 
witted his competitors. They had planned to 
forestall him at the mouth of the Columbia. 
The failure of Laroque had defeated this 
scheme. Another division of the Northwest 
Company, in 181 1, had attempted to reach there 
ahead of the sagacious American trader. This 
party was snowbound and compelled to winter 
in the mountains. When they eventually ar- 
rived Astoria was a reality. The importance of 
these events is worthy of notice. Had Laroque 
or the other parties anticipated Astor, strong 
and cumulative evidence would have been af- 
forded England of prior possession, and this 
evidence would have been a powerful leverage 
during the long controversy which followed 
concerning the northern boundary of Oregon. 

Then, too, the defection of Astor's partners 
who had sold out to the Northwest Company 
led to an incident in the Oregon Controversy 
which is significant. Mr. Barrows says : 

"The leading partner in it, and the one who 
afterward led off in its sale, received them 
(representatives of the Northwest Company) 
in a friendly and hospitable way, and not as 
rivals; when they returned from their vain 
expedition he supplied them, not only with pro- 
visions, but with goods for trading purposes 
up the river, where they established trading 
huts among the Indians and became rivals of 
the Americans. Strange to say when the ques- 
tion of priority of occupation and national sov- 
ereignty was under discussion at London, fif- 
teen years afterward, the English put in these 
huts of this returning company, as proof that 
the English were as early if not earlier in the 
Columbia than the Americans." 

Here is a case in point which eloquently il- 
lustrates the supremacy of commercialism over 
sentimental statesmanship. Astor's partners 
had turned over the post, practically, to the 
Northwestern Company. The United States 
had been solicited by Great Britain, previous to 



20 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



the War of 1 8 12, to favor, the Northwest Com- 
pany as against Mr. Astor, and this request 
had been refused. When the war opened Eng- 
land flamboyantly dispatched a naval force to 
the Columbia under orders "to take and destroy 
everything American on the Northwest Coast." 
On the arrival of this fleet in 181 3, the com- 
mander had the barren satisfaction of running 
up the English colors and naming the post St. 
George. Already it had passed into English 
hands via the Northwest Company. 

Bad faith of his partners and the chances 
of war had, temporarily defeated the plans of 
Mr. Astor. American interests on that coast 
were under a cloud. But the United States was 
destined to win out. The War of 18 12 was 
fairly on. It had been declared on June 12, 
1812; the treaty of peace was signed Decem- 
ber 14, 1814. It contained this clause ma- 
terially affecting our interests in Oregon : "All 
territory, places and possessions whatsoever, 
taken by either party from the other during the 
war * * * shall be restored without de- 
lay." Did this provision cover Astoria? Ap- 
parently the English thought not, for when, in 
181 7, an American vessel was put in readiness 
to occupy that post Mr. Bagot, the English 
minister at Washington, opposed it. Two 
points are noted in his protest : The post had 
been sold to the Northwest Company prior to 
the war ; therefore never captured. Secondly, 
"the territory itself was early taken possession 
of in his majesty's name, and had since been 
considered as forming a part of his majesty's 
domains." But repossession was granted 
despite the protest. In 1818 the Stars and 
Stripes again waved over Astoria and the name 
"St. George" was relegated to the limbo of the 
obsolete. 

But the Oregon Question was not dead; 
only hibernating. It sprang into life at the 
behest of the eloquent Rufus Choate. From his 
seat in the senate he said : 

"Keep your, eye always open, like the eye 
of your own eagle, upon the Oregon. Watch 



day and night. If any new developments or 
policy break forth, meet them. If the times 
change, do you change. New things in a new 
world. Eternal vigilance is the condition of 
empire as well as of liberty." 

For twenty-seven years the threads of dip- 
lomatic delay and circumlocution were spun out 
concerning the status of Oregon. Theoret- 
ically Astoria had been restored to us; prac- 
tically the Northwest fur traders thronged the 
land. The English company had built a stock- 
ade fort. It looked as if they intended to hold 
possession of the mouth of the Columbia vie 
et armis. Indian tribes ranged themselves on 
the side of the English. Their minds had been 
poisoned ; insiduous words had been breathed 
into their ears to the effect that the Americans 
would steal their lands ; the English wanted 
only to trade with them for furs. And for more 
than ten years following the treachous sale of 
Astoria, there were scarcely any Americans in 
the country. Greenhow in his "History of 
Oregon and California," declares that at the 
period when the Hudson's Bay Company was 
before parliament, in 1837, asking for renewal 
of its charter, they "claimed and received the 
aid and consideration of government for their 
energy and success in expelling the Americans 
from the Columbia regions, and forming set- 
tlements there, by means of which they were 
rapidly converting Oregon into a British 
colony." 

Astoria was restored to the United States 
by the Treaty of Ghent in 181 4. Yet in that 
document there is no allusion made to the 
Northwest Coast, or in fact, any territory west 
of the Lake of the Woods. Our instructions to 
the American plenipotentiaries were to concede 
nothing to Great Britain south of the fflrty- 
ninth parallel. Thus the question was left in 
abeyance with no defined boundary between 
English and American territory west of the 
Lake of the Woods. The southern boundary 
of Oregon was, also, in doubt. It was not 
definitely fixed until the Florida Purchase. 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



21 



Then it was decided that parallel forty-two, on 
the Pacific, running east from that ocean to the 
Arkansas, down the river to longitude one hun- 
dred; on that meridan south till it strikes the 
Red river; down the Red river to longitude 
ninety- four ; due south on it to the Sabine 
river; and down the Sabine to the Gulf of 
Mexico, should define the southern and western 
boundaries of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, 
which up to that period had remained indefin- 
ite. This act fixed, also, the southern boundary 
of Oregon. 

Until 1820 congress remained dormant so 
far as Oregon interests were concerned. Then 
it was suggested that a marine expedition be 
dispatched to guard our interests at the mouth 
of the Columbia and aid immigration from the 
United States. Nothing resulted. In 1821 the 
same question was revived, but again permitted 
to relapse into desuetude. Mr. Barrows does 
not use language too strong when he says : 
"There appeared to be a lack of appreciation 
of the case, and there was a skepticism and leth- 
argy concerning that half of the union, which 
have by no means disappeared." 

In 1814 the question having been reopened 
in London Mr. Rush claimed for the United 
States from the forty-second to the fifty-first 
parallel. This section would embrace all the 
waters of the Columbia. Per contra the Eng- 
lish demanded possession of the northern half 
of the Columbia basin. This would have given 
us, as the northern boundary of Oregon, the 
Columbia river from a point where it intersects 
the forty-ninth parallel to its mouth. It is well 
to examine, at this point, what such a boundary 
would have meant to Washington. Had it been 
accepted there would, probably, never have been 
any state of Washington, at least, not as sub- 
sequently defined. It would have meant the 
loss of the following territory, comprised in 
the counties of Klickitat, Skamia, Cowlitz, 
Clark, Wahkiakum, Pacific, Chehalis, Mason, 
Lewis, Pierce, Jefferson, Clallam, Kitsap, King, 
Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, Yakima, Kitti- 



tas, Chelan, Okanogan and Ferry, a territory 
comprising forty-three thousand, seven hun- 
dred and sixteen square miles, two-thirds of 
the area of the present state of Washington. 

Thus remained the status of the dispute un- 
til 1828. Joint occupancy had now continued 
ten years. It must be conceded that the coun- 
try, owing to this provision, was now numeri- 
cally British. And English ministers were 
eager to avail themselves of the advantages of 
this fact. They said : "In the interior of the 
territory in question the subjects of Great 
Britain have had, for, many years, numerous 
settlements and trading posts — several of these 
posts on the tributary streams of the Columbia, 
several upon the Columbia itself, some to the 
northward and others to the southward of that 
river. * * * In the whole of the territory 
in question the citizens of the United States 
have not a single settlement or trading post. 
They do not use that river, either for the pur- 
pose of transmitting or receiving any produce 
of their own to or from other parts of the 
world." 

Yet why was this the condition in Oregon 
at that period ? Simply because the aggressive- 
ness of the Northwestern Company had op- 
posed American colonization and fought each 
and every advance made by our pioneers, com- 
mercially and otherwise. Nor can it be denied 
that for many years Oregon was unappreciated 
by the east. To-day it appears, to unreflecting 
minds, an extravagant boast to say that only 
one-fifth of the domain of the United States 
lies east of the Mississippi river. And yet the 
statement is true. Only in 1854 did the initial 
railway gain the banks of the Father of Waters 
— at Rock Island. From there progress to the 
northwest was, for many years, slow, perilous 
and discouraging. Truly, it was a difficult 
matter for Oregon to assert herself. In 1828 
an "Oregon wave" had swept over congress, 
amid considerable feverish interest and pro- 
longed eloquence. Protracted debate was had 
on a bill to survev the territorv west of the 



22 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



mountains between 42 degrees and 54 degrees 
40 minutes, garrison the land and extend over 
it the laws of the United States. The measure 
was defeated, again the question slumbered. 

But the daring American pioneers of the 
west were by no means idle. Unconsciously 
they were accomplishing far more toward a 
final settlement of the "Oregon Question" than 
all the tape-bound documents sleeping in the 
pigeon-holes of English parliamentary and 
American congressional archives. Of these 
pioneers Captain Bonneville should not pass 
unnoticed. He was of the army, and with one 
hundred of his men he made a two years' hunt- 
ing, trapping and fur-trading expedition, from 
the Missouri to the Colorado, and thence to the 
Columbia. In 1832 Nathaniel J. Wyeth or- 
ganized a company of twenty-two persons, in 
Massachusetts, for western exploration. En- 
thusiastic descriptions of Oregon, written by 
Hall J. Kelly, had contributed greatly to awak- 
en this interest among the scholarly young men 
who formed 'Wyeth's party. On July 4, 1832, 
they had arrived at Lewis' Fork of the Colum- 
bia. Among them were sickness, disappoint- 
ment and insubordination. Here the company 
divided. Several left to return east; among 
them Jacob and John, brothers of Captain 
Wyeth. Nathaniel Wyeth and his remaining 
companions reached Snake river, and one hun- 
dred miles north of Salt Lake, established a 
trading post. He was ruined by the ever ag- 
gressive Hudson's Bay Company, which placed 
a rival post, Fort Boise, below Fort Hall. 
British ministers had impudently declared that 
Oregon was settled by Englishmen ; that 
Americans had no trading posts within its lim- 
its. And why not? Read the following from 
Mr. Wyeth's memoir to congress : 

"Experience has satisfied me that the entire 
weight of this company (Hudson Bay) will be 
made to bear on any trader who shall attempt 
to prosecute his business within its reach. 
* * * No sooner does an American start 
in this region than one of these trading parties 



is put in motion. A few years will make the 
country west of the mountains as completely 
English as they can desire." 

To the same congressional committee Will- 
iam A. Slocum, in a report, goes on record as 
follows : "No individual enterprise can com- 
pete with this immense foreign monopoly es- 
tablished in our waters. * * * The In- 
dians are taught to believe that no vessels but 
the Company's ships are allowed to trade in the 
river, and most of them are afraid to sell their 
skins but at Vancouver or Fort George." 

Small wonder that at this time there were 
less than two hundred Americans west of the 
Rockies. And Canadian law, by act of par- 
liament, Avas extended throughout the region 
of the Columbia. Theoretically it was joint 
occupation ; practically British monopoly. So 
late as 1844 the British and Foreign Review 
said, brutally : "The interests of the company 
are of course adverse to colonization.* * * 
The fur trade has been hitherto the only chan- 
nel for the advantageous investments of capital 
in those regions." 

Truly the Hudson's Bay Company had 
adopted a policy of "multiplication, division 
and silence." Because meat and beef conduced 
to pastoral settlements, so late as 1836, the 
company opposed the introduction of catttle. 
One of the missionaries stationed at Moose 
Factory has written this : "A plan which I had 
devised for educating and training to some ac- 
quaintance with agriculture native children, 
was disallowed. * * * A proposal made 
for forming a small Indian village near Moose 
Factory was not acceded to; and instead, per- 
mission only given to attempt the location of 
one or two old men, no longer fit for engaging 
in the chase, it being carefully and distinctly 
stated, by Sir George Simpson, that the com- 
pany would not give them even a spade toward 
commencing this mode of life." 

In 1836 when Dr. Marcus Whitman and his 
party were entering Oregon, J. K. Townsend, 
a naturalist sent from Philadelphia to collect 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



23 



specimens of fauna and flora, said to him at 
Walla Walla: "The company will be glad to 
have you in the country, and your influence to 
improve their servants and their native wives 
and children. As to the Indians you have 
come to teach they do not want them to be any 
more enlightened. The company now have 
absolute control over them, and that is all 
they require." 

And right here is the crux of the differences 
between the United States and England con- 
cerning the territory of Oregon. It was the 
aim of the former to develop, improve and civil- 
ize the country ; it was the expressed determina- 
tion of the latter to keep it in darkness and sav- 
agery. For in North America the Hudson's 
Bay Company was England and English states- 
men were under the complete domination of 
this company's abject commercialism. It has 
pleased modern English writers to describe 
Americans as "a nation of shop-keepers." But 
throughout the whole Oregon controversy the 
United States stood for progress and civili- 
zation; England for the long night of ignor- 
ance and barbarism — for profit. Summed up 
by Mr. Barrows the relations to Oregon of the 
two countries were as follows : 

"The Americans struck Oregon just where 
the English failed, in the line of settlements 
and civilization. One carried in the single man 
and the other the family; one, his traps and 
snares, the other his seed wheat and oats and 
potatoes; one counted his muskrat nests, and 
the other his hills of corn ; one shot an Indian 
for killing a wild animal out of season; and 
the other paid bounty on the wolf and bear; 
one took his newspaper from the dog-mail 
twenty-four or thirty-six months from date, 
and the other carried in the printing press ; one 
hunted and traded for what he could carry out 
of the country, the other planted and builded 
for what he could leave in it for his children. 
In short the English trader ran his birch and 
batteaux up the streams and around the lakes to 
bring out furs and peltries, while the American 



immigrant hauled in with his rude wagon, the 
nineteenth century and came back loaded with 
Oregon for the American union." 

In 1840 the flow of American immigration 
into Oregon, especially the missionaries, Lee, 
Whitman and Parker, alarmed the Hudson's 
Bay Company. It strenuously opposed the 
advent of wagons and carriages. Immigrants 
were lied to at Fort Hall; were told that it 
would be impossible to proceed farther on 
wheels. It is recorded that on this account 
many of them reached Dr. Whitman's mission 
in a deplorably destitute condition. But all the 
artifices of the company could not check the 
hegira from the east. It is reserved for an- 
other chapter to relate the experiences of these 
pioneers. We have to do here, mainly, with the 
final settlement of the great' "Oregon Ques- 
tion" between England and the United States 
— the political struggle for sovereignty. 

In 1843 Sir George Simpson, governor of 
the Hudson's Bay Company, who had made a 
tour of the continent, challenged us in these 
words : "The United States will never possess 
more than a nominal jurisdiction, nor long 
possess even that, on the west side of the Rocky 
Mountains. And supposing the country to be 
divided tomorrow to the entire satisfaction of 
the most unscrupulous patriot in the union, I 
challenge congress to bring my prediction and 
its power, to the test by imposing the Atlantic 
tariff on the ports of the Pacific." 

Thus the great international question of 
tariff was brought into the Oregon Contro- 
versy. But we must not jump to the conclusion 
that Sir George was without some foundation 
for his vaporous remarks. At that time the 
Hudson's Bay Company had twenty-three posts 
and five trading stations in the northwest ; it 
I had absorbed ten rival companies, not leaving 
one American or Russian, and had been the 
means of putting to rout seven immigrant ex- 
peditions seeking homes in Oregon. 

The Oregon boundary question was still in 
dispute. But those Americans familiar with 



24 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



the subject were destined to temporary disap- 
pointment. In 1827 it had been referred, 
through a convention, to the King of the 
Netherlands as arbiter. Both parties to the dis- 
pute had rejected his decision in 1831. Five 
efforts had been made to adjust the boundary 
by President Jackson, and five failures had re- 
sulted. The administration of President Van 
Buren closed with the matter still unsettled. In 
1842 Lord Ashburton came from London to 
negotiate a boundary treaty with Daniel Web- 
ster, secretary of state. A certain boundary 
treaty was negotiated, August 9, 1842, the two 
ministers signed it ; it was ratified by the sen- 
ate on the 25th ; by the Queen soon after, pro- 
claimed on November 10, 1842 — and the Ore- 
gon boundary was not in it. Nothing official 
whatever alluding to Oregon was found there- 
in. The only boundary touched was one "be- 
ginning at the monument at the source of the 
river St. Croix," terminating at the Rocky 
Mountains on the forty-seventh parallel. Little 
wonder that sectional feeling developed in the 
far west. 

Dr. Marcus Whitman, whose connection 
with the "Oregon Question" is treated in an- 
other chapter, had arrived in Washington too 
late for any effectual pleas for consideration of 
the matter in the treaty just signed. Still, as 
Mr. Barrows says, "The pressure of Oregon 
into the Ashburton treaty would probably have 
done one of three things, prevented the treaty 
altogether, excluded the United States from 
Oregon, or produced a war. Delay and ap- 
parent defeat were the basis of our real success, 
and the great work of Marcus Whitman, by 
his timely presence at Washington, was in 
making the success sure." 

With Oregon left out the Ashburton treaty 
had been ratified. The outlook was, indeed, 
gloomy. As a reflex of the insiduous teachings 
of the Hudson's Bay Company the following 
extract from a speech delivered by Mr. 
McDuffie in the United States senate is inter- 
esting. He said : 



What is the character of this country? Why, as 
I understand it, that seven hundred miles this side of 
the Rocky Mountains is uninhabitable, where rain 
scarcely ever falls — a barren and sandy soil — mountains 
totally impassable except in certain parts, where there 
were gaps or depressions, to be reached only by going 
some hundreds of miles out of the direct course. Well, 
now, what are we going to do in a case like this? 
How are you going to apply steam? Have you made 
anything like an estimate of the cost of a railroad run- 
ning from here to the mouth of the Columbia? Why, 
the wealth of the Indies would be insufficient. You 
would have to tunnel through mountains five or six 
hundred miles in extent. * * * Of what use will 
this be for agricultural purposes? I would not, for that 
purpose, give a pinch of snuff for the whole territory. 
I wish it was an impassable barrier to secure us against 
the intrusion of others. * * * If there was an em- 
bankment of even five feet to be removed, I would not 
consent to expend five dollars to remove that embank- 
ment to enable our population to go there. I thank 
God for his mercy in placing the Rocky Mountains 
there. 

At the time this speech was being delivered 
Dr. Marcus Whitman was on his way from 
Oregon with "the facts in the case," informa- 
tion destined to shed a flood of intelligence on 
a rather benighted congress. And, in reality, 
our country was rapidly nearing the end of this 
interminable controversy. An area of terri- 
tory sixty-three times the size of Massachusetts 
and four times as large as Great Britain and 
Ireland was about to come under the protecting 
aegis of the United States government. The 
Hudson's Bay Company had declared, through 
its emissaries, that a wagon trip to Oregon was 
an impossibility. The same sentiment had been 
voiced in the United States senate. It remained 
for Dr. Whitman to prove the falsity of such an 
audacious statement. He led a party of two 
hundred wagons through to his mission on the 
mouth of the Columbia, arriving in October, 
1843. Arid this, too, against vigorous opposi- 
tion from the Hudson's Bay Company, at Fort 
Hall. Then the people began to manifest a 
lively interest in the question. This interest had 
been stimulated in December, 1842, by a mes- 
sage from President Tyler, in which he said: 
"The tide of population which has reclaimed 
what was so latelv an unbroken wilderness in 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



25 



more contiguous regions, is preparing to flow 
over those vast districts which stretch from the 
Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. In ad- 
vance of the acquirements of individual rights 
sound policy dictates that every effort should 
be resorted to by the two governments to settle 
their respective claims." January 8, 1843, con ~ 
gress received news that Dr. Whitman had 
made good his claim, and reached his destina- 
tion, with wagons, in Oregon. Party spirit, 
for there were two parties to the Oregon Con- 
troversy, aside from the British, ran high. Dr. 
Winthrop said : "For myself, certainly, I be- 
lieve that we have as good a title to the whole 
twelve degrees of latitude," i. e., up to 54 de- 
grees 40 minutes. Senator Thomas Benton 
voiced the prevailing sentiment of the time in 
these words : "Let the emigrants go on and 
carry their rifles. We want thirty thousand 
rifles in the valley of the Oregon; they will 
make all quiet there, in the event of a war with 
Great Britain for the dominion of that coun- 
try. The war, if it come, will not be topical ; 
it will not be confined to Oregon, but will em- 
brace the possessions of the two powers 
throughout the globe. Thirty thousand rifles on 
the Oregon will anihilate the Hudson's Bay 
Company and drive them off our continent and 
quiet the Indians." 

Rufus Choate spoke for. peace. He was 
followed by pacificatory utterances from others. 
Still, there was sufficient vitality in the "Fifty- 
four forty or fight" to elect President Polk on 
such a campaign issue. The population of Ore- 
gon at the close of 1844 was estimated by Mr. 
Greenhow at more than three thousand. The 
Indian agent for the government, Mr. White, 
placed it at about four thousand; Mr. Hines 
said: "In 1845 i* increased to nearly three 
thousand souls, with some two thousand to 
three thousand head of cattle." The west was 
warm with zeal and anticipation. In the house 
of representatives Mr. Owen, of Indiana, said : 
"Oregon is our land of promise. Oregon is our 
land of destination. 'The finger of nature' — 



such were once the words of the gentleman 
from Massachusetts (J. Q. Adams) in regard 
to this country, — 'points that way;' two 
thousand Americans are already dwelling in 
her valleys, five thousand more * * * w iH 
have crossed the mountains before another year 
rolls round." It was the opinion of the senator 
from Illinois, Mr. Semple, that ten thousand 
would cross the Rocky Mountains the follow- 
ing year. 

At last a re.-olut.ion was introduced in con- 
gresss "affirming Oregon to be part and parcel 
of the territory of the United States from 42 
degrees to 54 degrees, 40 minutes, and that 
notice should be given at once to terminate the 
joint occupation of it." It was held on the floor 
of the house that "no doubts now remain in 
the minds of American statesmen that the gov- 
ernment of the United States held a clear and 
unquestionable title to the whole of the Oregon 
territory." 

In the region at this time the Hudson's Bay 
Company had about thirty "trading posts." 
Really they were forts and powerful auxiliaries 
to an internecine war. Seven thousand citizens 
of the United States were in the same country. 
The question of another war with England had 
become a live and important issue. To have 
stood solidly for 54 degrees, 40 minutes, would 
have meant Avar, and as one gentleman ex- 
pressed it, "a war that might have given the 
whole of Oregon to England and Canada to the 
United States." During forty days the ques- 
tion of giving notice to England of discontinu- 
ance of joint occupancy was discussed in the 
house. It was carried by a vote of one hun- 
dred and sixty-three to fifty-four. The 
struggle in the senate was longer. An 
idea of the engrosoing nature of the 
Oregon topic may be gleaned from the 
fact that three score bills and resolutions were 
kept in abeyance on the calendar for future ac- 
tion. Daniel Webster prophesied that war 
would not result; that the incident would be 
closed by compromise and that the compromise 



26 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



would be on the boundary line of the forty- 
ninth parallel. The attitude of the two coun- 
tries was this : We had offered forty-nine de- 
grees from the mountains to the Pacific ocean, 
not once, but several times; England had of- 
fered forty-nine degrees from the mountains to 
the Columbia, and by that stream to the sea. A 
comparatively narrow triangle of land only lay 
between the demands of England and conces- 
sions of the United States. Most excellent 
grounds for a compromise. April 23, 1846, 
the notice passed the house by a vote of forty- 
two to ten, with important amendments strong- 
ly suggestive to both governments to adjust 
all differences amicably. No one longer feared 
war. 

From the point on the forty-ninth parallel of north 
latitude where the boundry laid down in existing 
treaties and conventions between the United States and 
Great Britian terminates, the line of boundary between 
the territories of the United States and those of her 
Britannic Majesty shall be continued westward along 
said forty-ninth parallel of north latitude to the middle 



of the channel which separates the continent from Van- 
couver's Island, and thence southerly through the mid- 
dle of the said channel, and of Fucca's Strait, to the 
Pacific ocean : Provided, however, that the navigation 
of the whole of the said channel and straits south of 
the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude, remain free 
and open to both parties. 

Thus reads the first article of the final 
boundary treaty between England and the Uni- 
ted States, so far as concerns Oregon. But to 
mould it into this form and sign the same, fifty- 
four years, two months and six days had been 
required by the two countries. On July 17, 
1846, the document, previously ratified, was 
exchanged in London between the two govern- 
ments. But Captain Robert Gray, of Boston, 
had discovered the Columbia river May 11, 
1792, and fully established a United States 
title to the country which it drains. It re- 
mained yet for a boundary commission, in 
1857, to run the line. The first meeting of the 
commission was. held July 27, of the same 
year. 



CHAPTER IV. 



TRAGEDY OF WHITMANS' MISSION. 



"Who will respond to go beyond the Rocky 
Mountains and carry the Book of Heaven ?" 

This was the startling question asked by 
President Fisk, of Wilbraham College. It was 
an editorial inquiry published in the Christian 
Advocate in March, 1833. Yet this ringing 
call for spiritual assistance was not initiative 
on the part of President Fisk. A Macedonian 
cry had been voiced by four Flathead Indians, 
of the tribe of Nez Perces, or Pierced-noses. 
They had come down to St. Louis from the 
headwaters of the Columbia, the Snake, Lewis 
or Clarke's rivers, far to westward of the 



Rocky Mountains. They were strangers in a 
strange land; almost as singular in dress, 
speech and accoutrements to the citizens of St. 
Louis as would be visitors to us from the 
planet Mars. Yet in their distant teepees 
among the western foothills of the Rockies, 
these four chiefs had heard of the "White 
Man's Book" from eager, pushing, tireless and 
resourceful pioneers who had followed the trail 
made by Lewis and Clarke. Alone and un- 
assisted by government appropriation, they 
had followed the same course down the Mis- 
souri and the Father of Waters three thousand 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



27 



miles to St. Louis. This was in 1832. The 
peculiar mission of these Indians was the open- 
ing act of the Whitman tragedy. Mr. Barrows 
says : "The massacre ran riot through eight 
days, and Dr. Marcus Whitman and wife, of 
the American Board, and thirteen or more as- 
sociates, were savagely killed on the 29th of 
November, 1847, an d days following. It was 
the bloody baptism of Oregon, by the like of 
which the most of the American states have 
come to form the union." 

At the period of the arrival of these four 
Nez Perce chiefs Indians were not an uncom- 
mon sight in St. Louis. At certain seasons the 
suburbs of the city were fringed with teepees 
and wickiups. So, at first, but little attention 
was paid to them, otherwise than to note their 
strange dress and unknown dialect. It is not 
difficult to gather how they had learned of the 
White Man's Book. Their own rude eloquence 
addressed to General William Clarke at part- 
ing conveys this information. After a long 
time passed in the city, after two of them had 
gone to the happy hunting ground, the survi- 
vors made their desires known, and it appears 
their request was, perforce, denied. Transla- 
tion of the Bible into an Indian dialect is not 
the work of a few days or months. The two 
remaining Indians decided to return home; 
their mission a failure. The pathos of their 
complaint is in the spirit, if not the words, of 
one of the chiefs in his farewell speech to Gen- 
eral Clarke : 

"I come to you over a trail of many moons 
from the setting sun. You were the friend of 
my fathers who have all gone the long way. 
I come with one eye partly opened, for more 
light for my people who sit in darkness. I go 
back with both eyes closed. How can I go 
back blind to my blind people? I made my 
way to you with strong arms, through many 
enemies and strange lands, that I might carry 
back much to them. I go back with both arms 
broken and empty. The two fathers who came 
with us — the braves of manv winters and wars 



— we leave here by your great waters and wig- 
wam. They were tired in many moons and 
their moccasins wore out. My people sent me 
to get the White Man's Book of Heaven. You 
took me to where you allow your women to 
dance, as we do not ours, and the Book was not 
there. You took me to where they worshipped 
the great spirit with candles, and the Book was 
not there. You shewed me the images of good 
spirits and pictures of the good land beyond, 
but the Book was not amnog them to tell us 
the way. I am going back the long, sad trail 
to my people of the dark land. You make my 
feet heavy with burdens of gifts, and my moc- 
casins will grow old in carrying them, but the 
Book is not among them. When I tell my 
poor, blind people, after one more snow, in the 
big council, that I did not bring the Book, no 
word will be spoken by our old men or by our 
young braves. One by one they will rise up 
and go out in silence. My people will die in 
darkness, and they will go on the long path to 
the other hunting grounds. No white man 
will go with them and no White Man's Book 
to make the way plain. I have no more 
words." 

Of this utter failure to secure a copy of the 
Bible, Mr. Barrows says, pertinently : 

"In what was then a Roman Catholic city 
it was not easy to do this, and officers only were 
met. It has not been the policy or practice of 
that church to give the Bible to the people, 
whether Christian or pagan. They have not 
thought it wise or right. Probably no Chris- 
tian enterprises in all the centuries have shown 
more self-sacrificing heroism, foreseen suffer- 
ing and intense religious devotion than the la- 
borers of that church, from 1520, to give its 
type of Christianity to the natives of North 
America. But it was oral, ceremonial and pic- 
torial. In the best of their judgment, and in 
the depths of their convictions, they did not 
think it best to ruduce native tongues to writ- 
ten languages and the Scriptures to the vernac- 
ular of any tribe." 



28 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



But the eloquence of this speech had fallen 
on appreciative ears. A young clerk in Gen- 
eral's Clarke's office, who had heard the sad 
plaint of the chief, wrote to George Catlin, in 
Pittsburg, historian and painter, an account of 
the scene. Thereafter events moved rapidly; 
the seed was sown and the harvest was about 
to be fulfilled. One Indian only lived to return 
to his people, without the Book, but it cannot 
be said that his mission was a failure. The edi- 
torial appeal of President Fisk produced re- 
sults. Measures were at once taken by the 
American Board of Commissioners for For- 
eign Missions, and the Methodist Board of 
Missions to send missionaries to Oregon. 
Revs. Jason and David Lee were pioneers in 
this scriptural crusade. They went under ap- 
pointment of the Methodist Board. They were 
followed the next year by Revs. Samuel Par- 
ker and Marcus Whitman, M. D., sent by the 
American Board of Commissioners. In the 
summer of 1835 the latter arrived at the Amer- 
ican rendezvous on Green river. Accompanied 
by a body of Nez Perces, from which people 
the four chiefs had gone to St. Louis, Rev. 
Mr. Parker went to Walla Walla and on to 
Vancouver. And with him he carried the 
"Book." Dr. Whitman returned to the states 
the same fall, married Narcissa Prentice, and 
organized an outfit with which he returned, 
with his bride, to Oregon, arriving at Walla 
Walla in September, 1836. 

The question as to whether or no Dr. Whit- 
man "saved Oregon to the United States" will 
remain forever a question of casuistry. Events 
might have shaped themselves as they subse- 
quently did, had Whitman not made his long 
midwinter ride to Washington, D. C, to lay 
his facts and fears before the president. Every- 
thing might have resulted in the retention by 
the United States of all of Oregon south of the 
49th parallel, had no warning cry come from 
the far northwest, a culverin shot announcing 
the attempt of England to seize the country, 
not only by force of majority colonization, but 



through artifices of the Hudson's Bay Com- 
pany. At a dinner in Waiilatpu, attended by 
Dr. Whitman, news was received that a colony 
of English, one hundred and forty strong, were 
then near Fort Colville, three hundred and fifty 
miles up the Columbia. A young priest leaped 
to his feet, threw his cap into the air and cried : 
"Hurrah for Oregon! America is too late 
and we have got the country!" 

This is but one of the many significant 
signs witnessed by Whitman. He was a man 
of foresight ; he had seen and realized the 
wealth, position and future possibilities of Ore- 
gon as had no other American at that period. 
And he rode on to> Washington and told his 
story. It will be read in the preceding chapter 
that not until he had done so did the American 
congress act. Of the personality of Dr. Whit- 
man one who knew him contributes the follow- 
ing picture : 

"Marcus Whitman once seen, and in our 
family circle, telling of his one business — he had 
but one — was a man not to be forgotten by the 
writer. He was of medium height, more com- 
pact than spare, a stout shoulder, and large 
head not much above it, covered with stiff, 
iron gray hair, while his face carried all the 
moustache and whiskers that four months had 
beeen able to put on it. He carried himself 
awkardly, though perhaps courteously enough 
for trappers, Indians, mules and grizzlies, his 
principal company for six years. He seemed 
built as a man for whom more stock had been 
furnished than worked in symmetrically and 
gracefully. There was nothing peculiarly 
quick in his motion or speech, and no trace of a 
fanatic; but under control of a thorough 
knowledge of his business, and with deep, ar- 
dent convictions about it, he was a profound 
enthusiast. A willful resolution and a tena- 
cious earnestness would impress you as making 
the man." 

Sordid motives have been attributed to Dr. 
Whitman's efforts in behalf of Oregon. One 
writer has assumed that his sole object was to 



GENERAL HISTORY 



29 



secure continuance of his little mission at 
Waiilatpu. But there is abundance of evidence 
that his ideas were of broader scope than this. 
Let it be noted that efforts to depreciate Whit- 
man suddenly ceased as late as 1891. That 
year there was found in the archives of Wash- 
ington, D. C, a letter from him proposing a 
bill for a line of forts from the Kansas river to 
the Willamette. In the Walla Walla Union- 
Journal of August 15, 1 891, the letter was first 
published. It has been reproduced in Dr. O. 
W. Nixon's work, "How Marcus Whitman 
Saved Oregon :" 

To the Hon. James W. Porter, Secretary of War: 
Sir : — In compliance with the request you did me the 
honor to make last winter while at Washington, I 
herewith transinit to you the synopsis of a bill, which, 
if it could be adopted, would, according to my exper- 
ience and observation, prove highly conducive to the best 
interests of the United States generally ; to Oregon, 
where I have resided for more than seven years as a 
missionary, and to the Indian tribes that inhabit the 
intermediate country. 

The government will doubtless for the first time 
be apprised through you, and by means of this communi- 
cation, of the immense migration of families to Oregon, 
which has taken place this year. I have, since our in- 
terview, been instrumental in piloting across the route 
described, in the accompanying bill, and which is the 
only eligible wagon road, no less than , fam- 
ilies, consisting of one thousand persons of both sexes, 
with their wagons, amounting in all to one hundred and 
twenty-six; six hundred and ninety- four oxen and 
seven hundred and seventy-three loose cattle. 



Your familiarity with the government's policy, 
duties and interests, render it unnecessary for me to 
more than hint at the several objects intended by the en- 
closed bill, and any enlargements upon the topics here 
suggested as inducements to its adoption, would be quite 
superflous, if not impertinent. The very existence of 
such a system as the one above recommended suggests 
the utility of postoffices and mail arrangements, which 
it is the wish of all who now live in Oregon to have 
granted them, and I need only add that the contracts 
for this purpose will be readily taken at reasonable rates 
for transporting the mail across from Missouri to the 
mouth of the Columbia in forty days, with fresh horses 
at each of the contemplated posts. The ruling policy 
proposed, regards the Indians as the police of the 
country, who are to be relied upon to keep the peace, 
not only for themselves, but to repel lawless white men 
and prevent banditti, under the solitary guidance' of the 
superintendent of the several posts, aided by a well- 



directed system to induce the punishment of crimes. 
It will only be after the failure of these means to pro- 
cure the delivery or punishment of violent, lawless and 
savage acts of aggression, that a band or tribe should 
be regarded as conspirators against the peace, or pun- 
ished accordingly by force of arms. 

Hoping that these suggestions may meet your ap- 
probation, and conduce to the future interests of our 
growing country, I have the honor to be, Honorable 
sir. your obedient servant, 

MARCUS WHITMAN. 

Certainly it is reasoning from slender, un- 
substantial premises to assert that the great in- 
fluence exerted upon President Tyler and Sec- 
retary Webster by Whitman was founded on 
so slight a pretext as saving to him, personally, 
the humble mission at Waiilatpu. Whitman 
must have been a man with "an idea," larger 
than that to have commanded respect from the 
ablest statesmen of his day ; to have crystalized 
public sentiment into a desire for the whole of 
Oregon; to have smelted patriotism into the 
heraldic proclamation of defiance to England, 
"Fifty-four forty or fight." 

If Whitman were purely selfish, why should 
he have announced his intention, in 1843, °^ 
personally conducting a large train across the 
mountains? Security of his mission did not 
depend on this. On the contrary the advance 
of civilization, with attendant churches, would 
tend to do away entirely with missions to the 
Indians. 

As we approach the melancholy close of Dr. 
Whitman's varied career as explorer, mission- 
ary and statesman, one can not fail to be im- 
pressed with a feeling that less devotion to a 
patriotic sense of duty would have conduced to 
his personal safety. Two antagonists were ar- 
rayed against him and his political, as well as 
his spiritual, plans ; primarily the Hudson's Bay 
Company, and the Indians, indirectly influ- 
enced by the same commercial corporation. The 
policy of the company was to keep the country 
in the condition of a vast game preserve for the 
purpose of breeding fur-bearing animals. 
Naturally this pleased the Indians. It was di- 
rectly in line with their mode of life. The pol- 



3Q 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



icy of American colonization was smybolized 
by the axe and the plow; complete demolition 
of profitable hunting grounds. And of this 
latter policy Dr. Whitman was high priest and 
propagandist. 

Since the discovery of America Indian wars 
have been like 

"Freedom's battle, once begun, 
Bequeathed by bleeding sire to son." 

Ill a letter written by Washington to Jay, 
in 1794, the first president says: "There does 
not remain a doubt in the mind of any well- 
informed person in this country, not shut 
against conviction, that all the difficulties we 
encounter with the Indians, their hostilities, the 
murders of helpless women and innocent chil- 
dren along our frontiers, result from the con- 
duct of the agents of Great Britain in this 
country." Historical justice demands, how- 
ever, that we assign the primary cause of the 
Whitman massacre to the entagling circum- 
stances of the Indians on the Columbia, under 
two rival peoples and conflicting policies. Also 
the general character of the Indians as uncivil- 
ized and superstitious, must be duly considered. 
Before the tragedy, as since, many Americans 
were cruel, deceitful and aggressive in their 
treatment of the unsophisticated savage. Those 
who have philosophically watched the trend of 
current events in the past twenty-five years need 
not be told that more than one Indian outbreak 
can be directly traced to low cupidity and 
peculation among our government officials. To 
a certain extent this cruelty and deception had 
been practiced upon the Indians by lawless 
white men prior to the Whitman massacre. To- 
day we can not come into court with clean 
hands for the purpose of accusing the English 
pioneers of Oregon. If their policy was one 
designed to check the march of western civili- 
zation, it was certainly devoid of the sometimes 
satanic cruelty shown by Americans towards 
the Indians. 

We now come to the savage details of the 



Whitman tragedy and the immediate cause of 
the outbreak. Undoubtedly this will be found 
to lie in the innate superstition of the savage, 
educated or, uneducated. Following the return 
of Whitman from Washington, in 1843, tne In- 
dians in the vicinity of the mission at Waiilatpu 
were restless and insurbordinate. There is evi- 
dence that at this period Whitman scented dan- 
ger. He contemplated removal to The Dalles 
for safety, and had even gone so far as to ar- 
range for the purchase of the Methodist Mis- 
sion at that point. Two personal enemies were 
arrayed against him ; Tamsuky, a Cayuse chief, 
and Joe Lewis. The latter, was a sullen, re- 
vengeful half-breed, one who had wandered to 
the mission, been befriended by the doctor, and 
secretly became the head center of a murderous 
plot. 

Measles became epidemic among the In- 
dians during the summer of 1847, introduced 
among the Cayuse tribe by immigrants. It was 
Indian medical practice to treat all fevers by 
placing the patient in a sweat-house, followed 
by a bath in ice-cold water. Under, such ig- 
norant ministrations many of the patients, of 
course, expired. They died, too, under the 
medical attendance of Dr. Whitman, whose ut- 
most vigilance could not save his patients from 
the sweat-house and the fatal douche. It was 
at this critical period that the treacherous Lewis 
circulated reports that the doctor was poison- 
ing instead of healing his patients. Lewis af- 
firmed that he had overheard Whitman and 
Spalding plotting to obtain possession of the 
country. It was finally decided by some of the 
influential chiefs of the tribe to demand of Dr. 
Whitman a test case of his professional skill. 
An Indian woman afflicted with the measles 
was given in his charge. The terrible alterna- 
tive, secretly decided upon, was this : Should 
the woman recover, all would be peace; should 
she die the Indians were to kill all the mission- 



aries. 



Of this direful plot Whitman was apprised 
by Istikus, a Umatilla friend. The doctor 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



3i 



treated the story with levity. Not so Mrs. 
Whitman. With the sensitive intuition of 
woman, she fully comprehended the dread sig- 
nificance of Istikus' story, and, though intrepid 
by nature, the heroine of a dangerous pioneer 
journey across the continent, she became 
alarmed, and was in tears for the first time since 
the death of her child eight years before. Dr. 
Whitman reassured her the best he could, and 
renewed his promise to move down the river. 
It was too late. On the fatal 29th of Novem- 
ber, 1847, great numbers of Tamsuky's adher- 
ents were in the vicinity of Waiilatpu. Their 
sinister presence added to the alarm of Mrs. 
Whitman. Survivors of the massacre said 
that the hills were black with Indians looking 
down upon the scene. About one o'clock in the 
afternoon of the 29th, while Dr. Whitman was 
reading, a number of Indians entered his room, 
and, having attracted his attention, one of them, 
said to have been Tamchas, buried his hatchet 
in the head of his benefactor. Another savage, 
Telaukait, one who had received nothing but 
kindness, beat the face to a pulp. Bloody work, 
thus began, was speedily followed with relent- 
less brutality. None of the white men, scat- 
tered and unsuspecting, could offer adequate 
assistance. They were quickly shot down with 
the exception of such as were remote. Five 
men escaped. After incredible suffering they 
finally reached a place of safety. Mrs. Whit- 
man was the only woman who suffered death. 
Other women were outraged, and children, boys 
and girls, held in captivity several days. Will- 
iam McBean, the Hudson's Bay Company's 
agent, at Fort Walla Walla, refused to harbor 
Mr. Hall, who had escaped as far as the fort, 
and he subsequently perished. A courier was 
despatched by McBean to Vancouver, but this 
man did not even warn the people at The Dalles 
of danger. Happily they were unmolested. So 
soon as James Douglas, then chief factor in the 
place of Dr. Whitman, heard of the massacre, 
he sent Peter Skeen Ogden, with a force, to 
rescue the survivors. Ogden exhibited a com- 



mendable zeal and efficiency, and by the expen- 
diture of several hundred dollars, ransomed 
forty-seven women and children. 

Following are the names of the victims of 
this outbreak; the people slaughtered during 
the eight days of murderous riot: Marcus 
Whitman, Narcissa Whitman, John Sager, 
Francis Sager, Crockett Brewley, Isaac Gillen, 
James Young and Rogers, Kimball, Sales, 
Marsh, Saunders, Hoffman and Hall. After- 
wards there was found on the site of the massa- 
cre a lock of long, fair' hair, which was, un- 
doubtedly taken from the head of Mrs. Whit- 
man. Among the relics of this tragedy, in 
Whitman College, it is now preserved. An ac- 
count of the escape of Mr. Osborne was pub- 
lished a number of years ago. It is a graphic 
description of the horrors of the event, and 
from it we take the following extracts : 

As the guns fired and the yells commenced I 
leaned my head upon the bed and committed myself and 
family to my maker. My wife removed the loose floor. 
I dropped under the floor with my sick family in their 
night clothes, taking only two woolen sheets, a piece 
of bread and some cold mush, and pulled the floor over 
us. In five minutes the room was full of Indians, but 
they did not discover us. The roar of guns, the yells 
of the savages, and the crash of clubs and knives, and 
the groans of the dying continued until dark. We 
distinctly heard the dying groans of Mrs. Whitman, 
Mr. Rogers and Francis, till they died away one after 
the other. We heard the last words of Mr. Rogers in 
a slow voice, calling, "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly." 

Soon after this I removed the floor and we went out. 
We saw the white face of Francis by the door. It was 
warm, as we laid our hand upon it, but he was dead. 
I carried my two youngest children, who were sick, and 
my wife held on to my clothes in her great weakness. 
We had all been sick with measles. Two infants had 
died. She had not left her bed for six weeks till that 
day, when she stood up a few minutes. The naked, 
painted Indians were dancing a scalp dance around a 
large fire at a little distance. There seemed no hope 
for us and we knew not which way to go, but bent 
our steps toward Fort Walla Walla. A dense, cold 
fog shut out every star and the darkness was complete. 
We could see no trail and not even the hand before the 
face. We had to feel out the trail with our feet. My 
wife almost fainted, but staggered along. Mill Creek, 
which we had to wade, was high with late rains and 
came up to the waist. My wife in her great weakness 
came night washing down, but held to my clothes. I 



32 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



braced myself with a stick, holding a child in one arm. 
I had to cross five times for the children. The water 
was icy cold and the air freezing some. Staggering 
along about two miles Mrs. Osborne fainted and could 
go no further, and we hid ourselves in the brush of 
the Walla Walla river, not far below the lodges of 
Tamsuky, a chief who was very active at the commence- 
ment of the butchery. We were thoroughly wet, and the 
cold, fog-like snow was about us. The cold mud was 
partially frozen as we crawled, feeling our way into the 
dark brush. We could see nothing the darkness was so 
extreme. I spread one wet sheet down on the frozen 
ground; wife and children crouched upon it. I covered 
the other over them. I thought they must soon perish 
as they were shaking and their teeth rattling with cold. 
I kneeled down and commended us to our Maker. The 
day finally dawned and I could see Indians riding 
furiously up and down the trail. Sometimes they would 
come close to the brush and our blood would warm and 
the shaking would stop from fear for a moment. The 
day seemed a week. I expected every moment my wife 
would breathe her last. Tuesday night we felt our way 
to the trail and staggered along to Sutucks Nima 
(Dog Creek), which we waded as we did the other 
creek, and kept on about two miles, when my wife 
fainted and could go no farther. Crawled into the 
brush and frozen mud to shake and suffer on from 
hunger and cold, and without sleep. The children, too, 
wet and cold, called incessantly for food, but the shock 
of groans and yells at first so frightened them that they 
did not speak loud. Wednesday night wife was too 
weak to stand. I took our second child and started for 
Walla Walla; had to wade the Touchet; stopped fre- 
quently in the brush from weakness; had not recovered 
from measles. Heard a horseman pass and repass as 
I lay concealed in the willows. Have since learned it 
was Mr. Spalding. Reached Fort Walla Walla after 
daylight ; begged Mr. McBean for horses to go to my 
family, for food, blankets and clothing to take to them, 
and to take care of my child till I could bring my 
family in should I live to find them alive. Mr. McBean 
told me I could not bring my family to his fort. Mr. 
Hall came in on Monday night, but he could not 
have an American in his fort, and he had him put over 
the Columbia river ; that he could not let me have 
horeses or anything for my wife or children, and I must 
go on to Umatilla. I insisted on bringing my family to 
the fort, but he refused ; said he would not let us in. 
I next begged the priest to show pity, as my wife and 
children must perish and the Indians, undoubtedly, kill 
me, but with no success. 

There were many priests at the fort. Mr. McBean 
gave me breakfast but I saved most of it for my family. 
Providentially Mr. Stanley, an artist, came in from 
Colville, and narrowly escaped the Indians by telling 
them he was "Alain," H. B., meaning that his name 
was Alain and that he was a Hudson's Bay Company 
employe. He let me have his two horses, some food 
he had left from Revs. Ellis' and Walker's mission; 



also a cap, a pair of socks, a shirt and handkerchief, 
and Mr. McBean furnished an Indian who proved most 
faithful, and Thursday night we started back, taking my 
child, but with a sad heart that I could not find mercy 
at the hands of God. The Indian guided me in the thick 
darkness to where I supposed I had left my dear wife 
and children. We could see nothing and dared not call 
aloud. Daylight came and I was exposed to Indians, but 
we continued to search till I was about to give up in 
despair, when the Indian discovered one of the twigs I 
had broken as a guide in coming out to the trail. Follow- 
ing this he soon found my wife and children still alive. 
I distributed what little food and clothing I had and we 
started for the Umatilla, the guide leading the way 
to a ford. 

Mr. Osborne and family went to William- 
ette Valley where they lived many years, as 
honored members of the community, though 
Mrs. Osborne never entirely regained her 
health from the dreadful experiences incident 
to the massacre and escape. 

The most ingenious casuisty will fail to 
palliate the heartlessness of Mr. McBean. At 
the present day when charity, chivalry, nay, 
self-sacrifice to aid the suffering meet with 
heartiest approval from nearly all civilized na- 
tions, it is difficult to conceive of such base mo- 
tives as appear to have actuated him. That he 
reflected the baser qualities of the Hudson's 
Bay Company's policy, no one can reasonably 
deny. It seemed necessary to him to show the 
Indians that so far from reproving their con- 
duct the representative of the company was in 
sympathy, if not in actual collusion with the 
savage conspirators. McBean's attitude on this 
occasion stands forth as one of the darkest 
chapters in the history of the Hudson's Bay 
Company's "joint occupancy" with Americans 
of the territory of Oregon. 

If further proof were wanted of the appar- 
ent understanding between the Indians and the 
company the case of the artist who gave his 
name as "Alain," representing himself as con- 
nected with the interests of the Hudson's Bay 
Company is before us. Refusal of assistance to 
Mr. Osborne by the priests at Fort Walla Walla 
is readily understood. Their tenure of spiritual 
office was dependent on the company. Their 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



33 



heartless action was not based on theological 
antagonism. No difference of creed entered 
into the matter. They were guided simply by 
personal interest; they were but another form 
of the abject creatures to which the Hudson's 
Bay Company sought to reduce all their de- 
pendents. But in the annals of American his- 
tory there is no more pathetic recital than the 
story of Osborne's and Hall's rejection at the 
English fort to which they had fled for shelter. 
A less distressing case of a few weeks later 
is presented in the following extract from 
some reminiscences of Mrs. Catherine Pringle, 
formerly of Colfax. Mrs. Pringle was one of 
the Sager children, adopted by Doctor and Mrs. 
Whitman. The story of the "Christmas din- 
ner" which follows was given by her to the 
Commoner, of Colfax, in 1893 : 

The Christmas of 1847 was celebrated in the midst 
of an Indian village where the American families who 
kept the day were hostages, whose lives were in constant 
danger. There is something tragically humorous about 
that Christmas, and I laugh when I think of some things 
that I cried over on that day. 

When the survivors moved to the Indian village a 
set of guards was placed over us, and those guards were 
vagabond savages, in whose charge nobody was safe. 
Many times we thought our final hour had come. They 
ordered us around like slaves, and kept us busy cook- 
ing for them. Whenever we made a dish they compelled 
us to eat of it first, for fear there was poison in it. 
They kept up a din and noise that deprived us of peace 
by day and sleep at night. Some days before Christmas 
we complained to the chief of the village who was sup- 
posed to be a little generous in our regard, and he gave 
us a guard of good Indians under command of one 
whom we knew as "Beardy." The latter had been 
friendly to Dr. Whitman; he had taken no part in the 
massacre, and it was claimed that it was through his 
intercession that our lives were spared. 

We hailed the coming of Beardy as a providential 
thing, and so, when the holiday dawned, the elder folks 
resolved to make the children as happy as the means 
at hand would r.llow. Mrs. Sanders had brought across 
the plains with her some white flour and some dried 
peaches, and these had been brought to our abode in 
William Gray's mission. White flour was a luxury and 
so were dried peaches then. Mrs. Sanders made white 
bread on Christmas morning, and then she made peach 
pie. Beardy had been so kind to us that we had to in- 
vite him to our Christmas dinner. We had ever so 
many pies, it seemed, and Beardy thought he had tasted 
3 



nothing so good in all his life. He sat in one corner 
of the kitchen and crammed piece after piece of that 
dried pie into his mouth. We were determined that he 
should have all the pie he wanted, even if some of us 
went hungry, because Beardy was a friend on whose 
fidelity probably our lives depended. 

And so we had our Christmas festival, and we sang 
songs and thanked heaven that we were still alive. After 
dinner, and about an hour after Beardy went away, we 
were thrown into alarm by a series of mad yells and we 
heard Indian cries of "Kill them ! Tomahawk them !" 
A band of savages started to attack the Gray residence, 
and we saw them from the windows. Our time had 
come and some of us began to pray. The day that 
opened with fair promises was about to close in despair. 
To our amazement and horror the Indian band was led 
by Beardy himself, the Indian we counted on to police us 
in just such emergencies. He was clamoring for the 
death of all the white women. Fortune favored us at 
this critical juncture for just as the Indians were enter- 
ing the house messengers arrived from Fort Walla 
Walla. The messengers knew Beardy well, and they 
advanced on him and inquired the reason for his wild 
language. 

Me poinsoned !" cried Beardy, "Me Killed. White 
squaw poisoned me. Me always white man's friend, 
now me enemy. White squaw must die." 

That would be a liberal translation of the Indian 
words. Then followed a colloquy between Beardy and 
the messengers, and from the language used we learned 
that Beardy had suffered from an overdose o' American 
pie, and not knowing about the pains that lie in wait 
after intemperate indulgence even in pie, he rushed to 
the conclusion that he had been poisoned. It required 
a long time for the messengers to convince Beardy that 
they were innocent of any intention to cause him pain, 
but that he was simply suffering from the effects of 
inordinate indulgence in an indigestible luxury. The 
messengers talked Beardy into a reasonable frame of 
mind; he called off his horde of savages and peace once 
more spread her wings over the William Gray mission. 
We were all happy that night — happy that Mrs. Saun- 
dres' pie had not been the means of a wholesale 
slaughter of white families on Christmas day. 

The messengers I speak of brought good news from 
the fort. Succor was at hand, and on December 29th 
we were moved to the fort and started down the river 
to The Dalles, January 3, 1848. The Christmas of the 
year 1847, as it was celebrated in this territory, offers 
something of a contrast to the yuletide merriment in all 
the churches and homes to-day. 

We have described the Whitman Mission, 
Whitman's mid-winter journey, his work for 
Oregon and the massacre. It remains to speak 
of the Cayuse Avar which followed as a nat- 
ural sequence. 



CHAPTER V 



THE CAYUSE WAR. 



Friends of Mr. McBean have come forward 
with an explanation of his treatment of the 
refugees from the Waiilatpu massacre. It is 
claimed tht his reluctance to do any act which 
appeared like befriending Americans was 
through fear of the Cayuse Indians and a be- 
lief that they were about to begin a war of ex- 
termination upon Americans, their friends and 
allies. Therefore it would be dangerous to 
assist such Americans as were then seeking re- 
fuge from massacre, outrage and torture. 

It was reserved for Americans, however, to 
take the initiative in this war. News of the 
Whitman tragedy stirred the hearts of genuine 
men ; men in whose veins ran the milk of hu- 
man kindness instead of ice-water. On the day 
following the massacre Vicar General Brouillet 
visited the Waiilatpu mission. He found the 
bodies of the victims unburied; he left them 
with such hasty interment as was possible, and 
soon after met Mr. Spalding whom he warned 
against attempting to visit the mission. This 
was. indeed, a friendly act on the part of the 
Vicar General, for the horrors of this tragedy 
did not come to a close on the first day. While 
it was safe for Brouillet, in close touch with the 
Hudson's Bay Company, to repair to that sad 
scene of desolation, it was not considered safe 
for any Americans to visit the spot. On Tues- 
day Mr. Kimball, who had remained with a 
broken arm in Dr. Whitman's house, was shot 
and killed. Driven desperate by his own and 
the sufferings of three sick children with him, 
he had attempted to procure water from a 
stream near the house. The same week Mr. 
Young and Mr. Bulee were killed. Saturday 
the savages completed their fiendish work by 



carrying away the young women for wives. Of 
the final ransom of the captives F. F. Victor, in 
"The River of the West," says : 

"Late in the month of December (1847) 
there arrived in Oregon City to be delivered to 
the governor, sixty-two captives, bought from 
the Cayuses and Nez Perces by Hudson Bay 
blankets and goods ; and obtained at that price 
by Hudson's Bay influence. 'No other power 
on earth,' says Joe Meek, the American, 'could 
have rescued those prisoners from the hands of 
the Indians,' and no man better than Mr. Meek 
understood the Indian character or the Hud- 
son's Bay Company's power over them." 

On December 7, 1847, from Fort Van- 
couver, James Douglas sent the following let- 
ter to Governor Abernethy : 

SIR: — Having received intelligence last night, by 
special express from Walla Walla, of the destruction of 
the missionary settlement at Waiilatpu, by the Cayuse 
Indians of that place, we hasten to communicate the 
particulars of that dreadful event, one of the most 
atrocious which darkens the annals of Indian crime. 

Our lamented friend, Dr. Whitman, his amiable and 
accomplished lady, with nine other persons, have fallen 
victims to the fury of these remorseless savages, who 
appear to have been instigated to this appalling crime by 
a horrible suspicion which had taken possession of their 
superstitious minds, in consequence of the number of 
deaths from dysentery and measles, that Dr. Whitman 
was silently working the destruction of their tribes by 
administering poisonous drugs, under the semblance of 
salutary medicines. 

With a goodness of heart and a benevolence truly 
his own, Dr. Whitman had been laboring incessantly 
since the appearance of the measles and dysentery 
among his Indians converts, to relieve their sufferings ; 
and such has been the reward of his generous labors. 

A copy of Mr. McBean's letter, herewith trans- 
mitted, will give you all the particulars known to us of 
this indescribably painful event. Mr. Ogden, with a 
strong party, will leave this place as soon as possible 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



35 



for Walla Walla, to endeavor to prevent further evil ; 
and we beg to suggest to you the propriety of taking 
immediate measures for the protection of the Rev. Mr. 
Spalding, who, for the sake of his family, ought to 
abandon the Clearwater mission without delay, and re- 
tire to a place of safety, as he cannot remain at the 
isolated station without imminent risk, in the present 
excited, and irritable state of the Indian population. 

I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient 
servant, JAMES DOUGLAS. 

i 

The reception of this letter was followed 
by intense excitement among" people in the 
Wallamet settlement. The governor was au- 
thorized to mobilize a company of riflemen, not 
exceeding fifty in number, their objective point 
being The Dalles, which they were instructed 
to garrison and hold until such time as they 
could be reinforced. Three commissioners 
were chosen to carry out such provisions. The 
commissioners addressed a circular letter to the 
superintendent of the Methodist Mission, the 
"merchants and citizens of Oregon" and the 
Hudson's Bay Company. This document is 
valuable as explaining existing conditions in 
Oregon at that date, December 17, 1847: 

Gentlemen : — You are aware that the undersigned 
have been charged by the legislature of our provisional 
government with the difficult duty of obtaining the 
necessary means to obtain full satisfaction of the Cayuse 
Indians for the late massacre at Waiilatpu, and to pro- 
tect the white population of our common country from 
further aggression. In furtherance of this subject they 
have deemed it their duty to make immediate application 
to the merchants and citizens of the country for the 
requisite assistance. 

Though clothed with the power to pledge to the 
fullest extent the faith and means of the present govern- 
ment of Oregon, they do not consider this pledge the 
only security to those, who, in this distressing emer- 
gency, may extend to the people of this country the 
means of protection and redress. 

Without claiming any special authority from the 
government of the United States to contract a debt to 
be liquidated by that power, yet from all precedents of 
like character in the history of our country, the under- 
signed feel confident that the United States government 
will regard the murder of the late Dr. Whitman and his 
lady, as a national wrong, and will fully justify the 
people of Oregon in taking active measures to obtain 
redress for that outrage, and for their protection from 
further aggression. 

The right of self defense is tacitly acknowledged 



to every body politic in the confederacy to which we 
claim to belong, and in every case similar to our own, 
within our knowledge, the general government has 
promptly assumed the payment of all liabilities growing 
out of the measures taken by the constituted authorities 
to protect the lives and property of those who reside 
within the limits of their districts. If the citizens of 
the states and territories, east of the Rocky Mountains, 
are justified in promptly acting in such emergencies, who 
are under the immediate protection of the general 
government, there appears no room for doubt that the 
lawful acts of the Oregon government will receive a 
like approval. 

Though the Indians of the Columbia have com- 
mitted a great outrage upon our fellow citizens passing 
through the country, and residing among them, and 
their punishment for these murders may, and ought to 
be, a prime object with every citizen of Oregon, yet, 
as that duty more particularly develops upon the gov- 
ernment of the United States, we do not make this the 
strongest ground upon which to found our earnest ap- 
peal to you for pecuniary assistance. It is a fact well 
known to every person acquainted with the Indian 
character, that by passing silently over their repeated 
thefts, robberies and murders of our fellow citizens, they 
have been emboldened to the commission of the ap- 
palling massacre at Waiilatpu. They call us women, 
destitute of the hearts and courage of men, and if we 
allow this wholesale murder to pass by as former ag- 
gressions, who can tell how long either life or property 
will be secure in any part of the country, or what 
moment the Willamette will be the scene of blood and 
carnage 

The officers of our provisional government have 
nobly performed their duty. None can doubt the readi- 
ness of the patriotic sons of the west to offer their 
personal services in defense of a cause so righteous. 
So it now rests with you, gentlemen, to say whether 
our rights and our firesides shall be defended or not. 
Hoping that none will be found to falter in so high 
and so sacred a duty, we beg leave, gentlemen, to sub- 
scribe ourselves, 

Your servants and fellow citizens, 
Jesse Applegate, 
A. L. Lovejoy, 
Geo. L. Curry, 

Commissioners. 

This patriotic communication produced a 
certain effect, though not, perhaps, financially 
commensurate with the hopes of its authors. 
The amount secured was less than five thousand 
dollars, but this sufficed to arm and equip the 
first regiment of Oregon riflemen. In the 
month of January they proceeded to the Cayuse 
country. 



36 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



We are now acquainted with the agency 
through which the ransomed missionaries, 
their wives and children reached the Willa- 
mette valley in safety. Concerning the people 
who were brought from Lapwai and Tchima- 
kin, it may be said to the credit of the Indians 
that though one band, the Cayuses, were mur- 
derers, two bands, the Nez Perces and Spo- 
kanes, were saviors. Few narratives are more 
thrilling than that relating to Fathers Eells and 
Walker, who attended the council of the Spo- 
kanes at Tchimakin, which council was to de- 
cide whether or no to join the Cayuses. On 
their decision hung the lives of the missionaries. 
Imagine their emotions as they waited with 
bated breath in their humble mission house to 
learn the result of the Indians' deliberations. 
Hours of animated discussion followed; argu- 
ment with the Cayuses emissaries; and finally 
the Spokanes announced their conclusions in 
these words : "Go and tell the Cayuses that the 
missionaries are our friends and we will defend 
them with our lives." 

The Nez Perces arrrived at the same con- 
clusion. Bold though these Cayuses were — 
the fiercest warriors of the inland empire — 
their hearts must have sunk within them as they 
saw that the Umatillas, the Nez Perces and the 
Spokanes and, even at that particular period, 
the Hudson's Bay Company, were all against 
them, and that they must meet the infuriated 
whites from the Willamette. The provisional 
government had entered upon the work of 
equipping fourteen companies of volunteers. 
The act of the legislature providing for this had 
been passed December 9, 1847. A large ma- 
jority of these volunteers furnished their own 
horses, arms and ammunition. This, too, with- 
out thought of pecuniary gain or reimburse- 
ment. The response to the circular letter of 
the commissioners had been prompt, open- 
handed and hearty. 

Coruelius Gilliam, father of W. S. Gilliam, 
of Walla Walla, was chosen colonel of the reg- 
iment. He was a man of superlative energy, 



brave and resourceful, and, pushing all neces- 
sary arrangements, he set forth from the ren- 
dezvous at The Dalles on February 27, 1848. 
Several battles occurred on the way into the 
Cayuse country, the most severe being at Sand 
Hollows, in the Umatilla country. Five Crows 
and War Eagle, famous fighters of the Cayuse 
tribe, had gathered their braves to dispute the 
crossing of this region with the Oregon rifle- 
men. Five Crows flamboyantly claimed that 
by his wizard powers he could stop all bullets 
while War Eagle's gasconade was couched 
in the boastful statement that he would 
agree to swallow all missies fired at him. 
This same spirit of braggadocio has, through- 
out all historical times, animated pagan sol- 
diers. During the war with the Filipinos the 
natives were solemnly told by their priests that 
all bullets fired by American soldiers would 
turn to water before reaching them. 

Mark the result of the engagement between 
the avengers of Dr. Whitman and the supersti- 
tious Cayuses. At the first onset the "Swallow 
Ball" was killed, and the "wizard" was so seri- 
ously wounded that he was compelled to retire 
from the war. 

Nevertheless the Indians maintained a 
plucky fight. A number of casualties were suf- 
fered by the whites. But at last the Indians 
were compelled to break, and the way for the 
first regiment of Oregon riflemen was clear to 
Waiilatpu. The desolated mission was reached 
by Colonel Gilliafn's command March 4. Here 
the soldiers passed several days to recuperate 
from the effects of a short but arduous cam- 
paign, and give to the remains of the martyrs 
of the Whitman massacre a reverent burial. 
Some of the dead had been hastily covered with 
earth by Vicar General Brouillet, and his com- 
panions; others when Ogden ransomed the 
captives, but afterward they had been partially 
exhumed by coyotes ; hyena-like allies of the 
dastradly Cayuses. 

The Indians had now fallen 'back to Snake 
river. Following them thither the whites were, 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



37 



somewhat, outgeneraled by the wily savages, an 
event that has been duplicated several times in 
Indian wars of more recent date. The Oregon 
riflemen surprised and captured a camp of 
Cayuse Indians among whom, as was afterward 
divulged, were some of the murderers of Dr. 
Whitman and his friends at Waillatpu. The 
Machiavellian Cayuses suddenly professed 
great friendship for the Oregon avengers, and, 
pointing to a large band of horses on a hill, 
declared that the hostiles had abandoned them, 
and gone across the. river. This deception was 
successful. Completely deluded the whites 
surrounded the camp and, rounding up the 
horses, started on their return. It was the hour 
of temporary Cayuse triumph. The released 
captives, mounting at once, began a furious at- 
tack on the rear of the batallion of riflemen 
which proved so harrassing that the volunteers 
were compelled to retreat to the Touchet river, 
and finally, although they repelled the Indians, 
they Avere forced to turn loose the captured 
horses. These animals the strategetic Indians 
immediately seized and with them vanished 
over the plains. They had outwitted Gilliam's 
men. Not only had they secured life and lib- 
erty for themselves, but had actually recovered 
the bait with which they had inveigled the vol- 
unteers into a trap. 

It was soon made evident that the Cayuse 
Indians had no real desire to fight. The whites 
insisted on a surrender of the murderers of Dr. 
Whitman and his people. Finding that the vol- 
unteers were in earnest in making this demand 
the treacherous tribe scattered in different di- 
rections; Tamsuky, with his friends, going to 
the headwaters of the John Day river. There, 
despite various efforts to capture them, they re- 
mained two years. In 1850, a band of Uma- 
tillas undertook the task of securing them, for 
trial, and after fierce and desperate resistance, 
killed Tamsuky and captured a number of his 
murderous compatriots. Of these captives five 
were hanged at Oregon City, June 3, 1850. 

The Cayuse Indians, however, assert that 



only one of these condemned and executed In- 
dians were really guilty of participation in the 
horrible deeds at Waiilatpu. That one, they de- 
clared, was Tamahas, who struck Dr. Whitman 
the fatal blow. The claim that the others were 
innocent may be true, so far as the actual mur- 
der of the doctor or his friends is concerned, 
but as accessories to a great — indeed, a national 
crime — they were, undoubtedly, guilty. If they 
Avere not, it is but one more instance of lament- 
able failure to apply either punishment or mercy 
accurately, which has characterized all Indian 
wars on both sides. The innocent have 
borne the sins of the guilty in more ways 
than one. 

In this Cayuse war many men, who after- 
ward became famous in Oregon and Washing- 
ton history took an active part. Among them 
may be named James Nesmith, who was United 
States Senator. He was the father of Mrs. Levi 
Ankeny, of Walla Walla, present United States 
senator from Washington. William Martin, of 
Pendleton, Oregon, was one of the captains in 
the corps of rifle men during this war. Joel 
Palmer, Tom McKay, J. M. Garrison and 
many others bore their part in the beginning, or 
later in the maturer development of the coun- 
try. Colonel Gilliam, who had shown himself 
to be a brave and sagacious commander, was 
accidentally killed on the return of his trooops, a 
most melancholy close of a career full of prom- 
ise to this country, then slowly unfolding its 
wealth of varied industries. 

In taking leave of this stirring epoch in the 
history of a certain portion of the, now, state of 
Washington, pursuit, capture and punishment 
of principals and instigators of the murder of 
Dr. Whitman, and his associates in missionary 
work, it may be said in the way of retrospec- 
tion that, grevious as was the end of Whitman's 
career, no doubt it will ultimately be seen to 
have produced greater results for this region 
and the world than if he had survived to have 
enjoyed a well-merited rest from his labors. 
Subsequent development of this section, the 



38 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



founding of Whitman College, and the whole 
train of circumstances arising from American 
occupation of Oregon may be seen, in some 
measure, to have grown out of the tragedy at 
Waiilatpu. Here, as elsewhere, martyrdom 
appears a necessary accompaniment to the most 
brilliant progress in civilization. 

While the offense of these Indians can not 
be condoned, charity compels the admission that 
the ignorant creatures were scarcely more re- 
sponsible than the wild beasts who, also, dis- 
puted this territory with civilized man. The 
very superstition which it is the duty of every 



missionary to eradicate from pagan minds as 
speedily as possible, is primarily to blame for 
the undoing of Dr. Whitman. Steeped in this 
barbaric superstition, pampered by the Hud- 
son's Bay Company, treacherously deceived by 
agents and emissaries of the great octupus of 
the Northwest Coast, w r e can not hold these 
savages to a higher degree of responsibility than 
the source from which they drew their grew- 
some inspiration. But in 1848 the progress of 
western civilization demanded their suppres- 
sion, if not ultimate removal, along with the 
coyote and rattlesnake. 



CHAPTER VI. 



OTHER INDIAN OUTBREAKS— 1855-1858. 



Previous to 1859 the territory of Oregon 
comprised the present states of Washington, 
Oregon and Idaho. It is not within the prov- 
ince of this history to follow the careers of In- 
dian "braves," Indian thieves and Indian raps- 
callions along the entire course of their devious 
warpaths throughout all of the country out- 
lined above. Of the Indian wars immediately 
affecting Washington, the territory covered by 
these annals, it becomes our duty to treat them 
in an impartial yet concise manner. 

The massacre of the Ward train, by the 
Snake Indians, occurred near Fort Boise in the 
autumn of 1854. Determined to show the In- 
dians that the government would not remain in- 
active in the face of such outrages Major Gran- 
ville O. Haller organized an expedition with 
which he pushed over into the Snake country, 
from Fort Dalles. Nothing tangible resulted 
from this march other than a demonstration in 
force ; the Indians retreated into the mountains ; 
Major Haller and his soldiers returned to The 
Dalles. During the summer of 1855, however, 



he made another attempt to reach the Snake In- 
dians, and this time successfully, finally captur- 
ing and executing the murderers of the Ward 
party. 

Discovery of gold in the vicinity of Fort 
Colville incited a stampede to that country. 
This was in the spring of 1855. At that period 
Governor Stevens was making his famous east- 
ern tour through the territory engaged in treat- 
ies and agreements with the various tribes, and 
this gold discovery so excited the members of 
his escort that it was with difficulty they were 
prevented from deserting. On meeting with 
the Kettle Falls, Pend d'Oreilles, Spokanes and 
Coeur d'Alenes Governor Stevens had told 
them that he would negotiate with them for the 
sale of their lands on his return. Offers to pur- 
chase lands by the whites had always been re- 
garded with suspicion by the Indians. To them 
it appeared the preliminary step toward sub- 
jugation and domination of the country which, 
perhaps was not an unusual view of the matter. 
The gradual but steady increase of the white 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



39 



men Avas far from pleasing to the Indians ; they 
were dissatisfied with the terms of treaties al- 
ready negotiated, and one chief Peupeumox- 
mox "Yellow Bird," was on the eve of repudi- 
ating the sale of certain territory. 

The first note of defiance was sounded by 
Pierre Jerome, chief of the Kettle Falls Indians, 
about August I, 1855. He declared emphat- 
ically that no white man should pass through 
his country. This declaration was soon fol- 
lowed by rumors of murders committed by the 
Yakimas. A number of small parties had set 
forth from the Sound en route to Fort Col- 
ville, via Nisqually pass and the Ahtanahm 
Catholic mission. Such was the report com- 
municated by Chief Garry, of the Spokanes, to 
A J. Bolon, special agent for the Yakimas. It 
was Bolon's intention to meet Governor Stev- 
ens on the latter's return from Fort Benton, and 
assist at the councils and treaties. But on re- 
ceiving these sanguinary reports Bolon rashly 
deflected his course for the purpose of investi- 
gating them. He went, unattended to the Cath- 
olic mission to meet Kamiakin, and was mur- 
dered by Owhi, a nephew of Kamiakin, and 
chief of the Umatillas, who treacherously shot 
him in the back. 

Then Kamiakin declared war on the whites, 
which war, he said, he was prepared to carry 
on five years, if necessary. The gauntlet had 
been thrown down and war was inevitable. The 
rumor of whites having been killed by the 
Yakimas was confirmed by miners returning 
from Fort Cloville, on September 20. A 
requisition for troops from Vancouver and 
Steilacoom was at once made by acting Gov- 
ernor Mason. Fears for the safety of Governor 
Stevens warranted sending a detachment to his 
assistance. A force of eighty-four men from 
Fort Dalles, under Major Haller, was ordered 
to proceed against Kamiakin and Peupeumox- 
mox, two chiefs most to be dreaded. Haller's 
objective point was the Catholic mission, the 
home of Kamiakin. He set forth October 3. 

Indians were discovered the third day out. 



A sharp skirmish ensued in the afternoon of 
that day, and at nightfall the Yakimas with- 
drew. Of Haller's force eight men were killed 
and wounded. On the following day the fight 
was renewed, the whites being without water 
and having but very little food. The Indians 
attempted to surround Haller. and so sharp was 
their attack that at dark a messenger was des- 
patched to Major Raines, at The Dalles, asking 
for assistance. On the third day of this en- 
gagement, which was in reality a signal defeat 
for the whites, the cavalry horses and pack ani- 
mads were turned loose to find water and grass. 
Haller determined to return to The Dalles, and 
was again attacked by the Indians who, for ten 
miles, harassed the retreating soldiers with a 
sharp, running fire. The force separated into 
two divisions, one of them being under the com- 
mand of Captain Russell. Two detachments 
of reinforcements failed to connect with Haller, 
for any effective stand against the enemy, and 
Major Haller reached The Dalles with a loss 
of five men killed, seventeen wounded and con- 
siderable government property. It was esti- 
mated that the Indians suffered a loss of forty 
killed. 

The disastrous result of this initial cam- 
paign against the Yakimas inflamed both sol- 
diers and civilians. Preparations for a war of 
considerable magnitude were hastily made. It 
was reported at Forts Vancouver and Steila- 
coom that there were fifteen hundred fighting 
braves in the field against the whites. One 
company of volunteers was called on from 
Clarke, and one from Thurston county, these 

' companies to consist of eighty-five men each. 

I Acting Governor Mason asked for arms from 
the commanders of the revenue cutter Jefferson 
Davis and sloop of Avar Decatur, which were 
furnished promptly. Company B, of the Puget 
Sound Volunteers, was organized at Olympia, 
Gilmore Hays, captain, James S. Hurd, first 
lieutenant, William Martin, second lieutenant, 
Joseph Gibson, Henry D. Cock, Thomas 
Prathar. and Joseph White, sergeants; Joseph 



4Q 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



S. Taylor, Whitfield Kirtley, T. Wheelock and 
John Scott, corporals. On the 20th they re- 
ported at Fort Steilacoom and on the 21st, un- 
der command of Captain Maloney, set out for 
White river to reinforce Lieutenant Slaughter, 
who had gone into the Yakima country with 
forty men. 

The history of Nesmith's campaign against 
the Yakima Indians is uneventful. J. W. 
Nesmith was placed in command of several vol- 
unteer companies, organized by proclamation 
of Acting Governor Mason, numbering, 
all told, about seven hundred men. They 
were enrolled at Seattle, Olympia, Van- 
couver and Cathlamet. James Tilton was 
appointed adjutant-general of the volun- 
teer forces and Major Raines was in com- 
mand of the regulars to cooperate with 
Nesmith. The volunteers and regulars formed 
a junction at Simcoe Valley on November 7. 
The day following there was a sharp skirmish 
with the Indians, but the latter finding the force 
of the whites greatly augumented were timid, 
and more inclined to retreat than advance. Be- 
ing supplied with fresh horses they could escape 
easily, and were driven up the Yakima river to 
a narrow gap in the mountains where they 
made a feeble stand. Haller and Captain Augur 
charged them, upon which they retreated and 
fled down the other side of the mountain, leav- 
ing the whites in possession. On the 10th they 
made another stand, and an attempt was made 
by the volunteers and regulars to surround 
them. Owing to a misunderstanding a charge 
was made at an inopportune moment, and again 
the wily foe were enabled to retreat in compar- 
ative safety. On reaching the Ahtanahm mis- 
sion it was found deserted and, after a number 
of unimportant movements, Nesmith pushed on 
to Walla Walla. Major Raines reported to 
General Wool, who had recently arrived in the 
territory. The latter was supplied with four 
thousand stand of arms, a large amount of am- 
unition and had with him fifty dragoons. 

General Wool at this period appears to have 



been extremely critical and fault-finding. He 
was particularly severe on the volunteers nor 
did he spare Majors Raines and Haller. One 
of General Wool's orders, which appears to 
have given great offense to the citizens of Ore- 
gon, was to disband the company enrolled to 
proceed to the relief of Governor Stevens, and 
this order was subsequently bitterly resented 
by the governor. The result of Wool's con- 
duct was what might have been expected ; con- 
tentions between the regulars and volunteers, 
rendering void their efficiency and making it 
impossible for them to co-operate. Practically 
future campaigns against the hostiles were in 
the hands of the volunteers. January 11, 1856, 
General Wool received information of Indian 
troubles in Southern Oregon and California, 
and he left for San Francisco, having first as- 
signed command of the Columbia River Dis- 
trict to Colonel George Wright, with head- 
quarters at The Dalles. 

In the Puget Sound district the year 1855 
was punctuated with a number of Indian trag- 
edies. Lieutenant McAllister and M. McCon- 
nell, of McConnell's prairie, were killed by the 
hostiles in October of that year. Sunday, the 
28th, in the White Valley, the Indians fell upon 
the farming settlements. W. H. Braman, wife 
and child, H. H. Jones and wife, Simon Cooper 
and George E. King and wife were killed. 
Others escaped to Seattle. The death of Lieu- 
tenant Slaughter, in December, 1855, cast a 
heavy gloom over the various communities then 
in the territory. While in command of sixty- 
five men, on Brannans' prairie, Lieutenant 
Slaughter was sitting at night in a small log 
house. For the purpose of drying their wet 
clothing the soldiers had started a small fire 
near the door of the cabin, and the Indians, 
guided by this light were able to shoot Slaugh- 
ter through the heart. Without uttering a 
word he fell dead from his chair. An attack 
on Seattle, in December of the same year, was 
repulsed with heavy losses to both sides, the 
sloop of war, Decatur, taking a prominent part 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



4i 



in this fight and doing good execution. Other 
United States vessels, including the Active and 
Massachusetts, were conspicuous in defense of 
the town. It was aboard the Decatur that the 
sanguinary Patkanim delivered the heads of In- 
dians for which a bounty was offered. Pat- 
kanim had entered into a contract with the ter- 
ritorial government by which he was to receive 
eighty dollars apiece for all heads of Indian 
chiefs, and twenty dollars for the heads of war- 
riors. Subsequently these ghastly trophies were 
forwarded to Olympia. In this horrible hunt 
for hostile heads Patkanim was assisted by 
eighty warriors of the Snoqualimich and 
Skokomish tribes, and, also, a chief called John 
Taylor. The United States navy at that time 
rendered most valuable services in repulsing 
Indian attacks along the shore-line of Puget 
Sound. Working in conjunction with the land 
forces of the whites the guns of the ships at 
times did terrible execution among the painted 
savages. On the morning of October 22, 1856, 
a party of Indians surrendered to the com- 
mander of the Massachusetts and we're taken 
to Victoria. It was generally supposed that the 
severe treatment accorded unfriendly Indians 
on the Sound would result in the abandonment 
of depredations in that vicinity. But on August 
11, 1857, a party of savages landed at Whidby 
Island, killed a man named I. N. Eby, decapi- 
tated him and looted his house before an alarm 
could be given. Nor was this the extent of 
later depredations. It became necessary for 
vessels heavily armed to cruise in the sound 
and through Fuca Strait. 

Our territorial limitations demand that we 
return to the Yakima country where Indian hos- 
tilities were renewed. In October, 1855 rumors 
were rife of a combination of Oregon and 
Yakima Indians. It was reported, also, that the 
Des Chutes, Walla Wallas and Cayuses were 
inclined to be unfriendly. To prevent such a 
combination Indian Agent Olney had been sent 
from The Dalles to Walla Walla. It was con- 
strued as an unfavorable circumstance that 



Peupeumoxmox should have been found on the 
north side of the Columbia. Other signs indi- 
cated the truculency of Peupeumoxmox, and he 
even denied that he had ever sold the Walla 
Walla valley. To Olney it seemed apparent 
that the chief was preparing to join the Ya- 
kimas in a war against the whites. It was de- 
cided in conference between Agent Olney and 
McKinlay, Anderson and Sinclair, officers of 
the Hudson's Bay Company, to destroy the 
amunition in Walla Walla to prevent it from 
falling into the hands of the Indians. It was, 
therefore, thrown into the river. All whites 
were then ordered to leave the country, and this 
order included Sinclair, who abandoned prop- 
erty in the fort valued at $37,000. 

To a winter campaign against the Indians 
in the Yakima valley, Colonel Nesmith was 
stoutly opposed. He directed attention to the 
fact that his horses and men were exhausted, 
some of the latter being severely frost-bitten 
and otherwise unfit for duty. One hundred and 
twenty-five of them had been discharged. How- 
ever, Governor Curry ordered Major M. A. 
Chinn to proceed to Walla Walla and join 
Nesmith. This order was followed by a general 
uprising of the Indians. Chinn resolved to 
fortify the Umatilla agency, and await rein- 
forcements, believing it impossible to form the 
contemplated union with Nesmith. Accord- 
ingly Chinn, who had arrived at the agency 
November 18, 1855, where he found the build- 
ings destroyed, erected a stockade and named 
the same Fort Henrietta, in honor of the wife 
of Major Haller. Later Kelly arrived and suc- 
ceeding reinforcements gave him four hundred 
and seventy-five men. The first sally from 
Walla Walla was made on December 2. The 
force of three hundred and ninety-nine men 
was met by Chief Peupeumoxmox. who carried 
a white flag at the head of a band of warriors. 
Following a conference the Indians were held 
as prisoners and, during a subsequent attack 
on Waiilatpu, were killed. The truculent chief 
of the Walla Wallas met his death earlv in the 



42 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



insurrection of which he was the instigator. 
The fight at Waiilatpu continued through the 
7th, 8th and 9th, the fortunes of war being tem- 
porarily with the Indians. Reinforcements for 
Kelly arrived on the 10th, from Fort Henrietta, 
thus enabling the whites to snatch victory from 
the jaws of defeat, and continue the pursuit of 
the Indians until nightfall. Kelly then built 
Fort Bennett, two miles above Waiilatpu. 

It is impossible to attempt a description of 
the battle between the upper and lower cascades 
of the Columbia river without being brought 
face to face with another blunder of General 
Wool. However valuable may have been his 
services during the Mexican war, and no one 
could justly censure any portion of his career 
in those campaigns, truth compels the state- 
ment that General Wool's knowledge of Indian 
warfare was limited. Undoubtedly his inten- 
tions were the best, but he appears singularly 
unfortunate in a number of his military orders 
while at the head of the troops in Washington 
and Oregon. 

About the middle of December, 1855, Kelly 
received news of the resignation of Colonel 
Nesmith. The latter was succeeded by Thomas 
R. Cornelius, and Kelly, anxious to return to 
civil duties, gave his command to Davis Layton. 
A. M. Fellows took the place of Captain Ben- 
nett, Fellows being succeeded by A. Shepard, 
and the latter by B. A. Barker. Thus was 
effected a partial reorganization of the volun- 
teer forces in the Walla Walla valley. On the 
return of Governor Stevens, who arrived in 
camp December 20, he expressed himself as 
highly gratified by the assistance rendered us 
by the Oregon trooops. During the ten days he 
remained in the Walla Walla valley, a com- 
pany of home-guards, composed of French 
Canadians, was formed and officered by Sidney 
E. Ford, captain, Green McCafferty, first lieu- 
tenant. It was decided, after discussion with 
the Oregon volunteers, to intrench Walla Walla 
and hold the same until the regular trooops 
were prepared to prosecute another campaign. 



Similar means of defense were provided for the 
Spokane and Colville. 

Before his return to Olympia Governor 
Stevens expressed his appreciation of the serv- 
ices of sixty-nine Nez Perce volunteers in a 
substantial manner. He directed that they be 
cordially thanked, mustered out of service and 
their muster rolls forwarded to Olympia for 
future payment. No one can gainsay this 
judicious measure, for it was of the utmost im- 
portance to retain the friendship of any tribe of 
Indians disposed to be at all friendly toward the 
whites. In return for the generous treatment 
by Governor Stevens the Nez Perces coven- 
anted to furnish horses with which to mount 
the Oregon volunteers. 

The return of Governor Stevens and Kelly, 
the one to Olympia, the other to Oregon City, 
was marked in each instance by a series of pub- 
lic ovations from the people. January 19, 1856, 
the governor was received with a salute of 
thirty-eight guns; Kelly was given a public 
banquet and escorted to the hall, an honor 
worthily bestowed on one who, without doubt, 
had prevented a dangerous coalition between 
the Indians of Northern Washington and 
Southern Oregon. But the praiseworthy 
efforts of Oregon were not to cease at this point. 
A proclamation was issued by Governor Curry 
on January 6, 1856, asking for five companies 
to be recruited in Yamhill, Polk, Clackamas, 
Marion and Linn counties, supplemented by 
forty men to round out the skeltonized company 
of scouts under Captain Conoyer. These troops 
arrived at Walla Walla about March 1. 

Nine days later the campaign was opened by 
Colonel Cornelius who started with six hundred 
men. The plan was to proceed along the Snake 
and Columbia rivers to the Palouse and Ya- 
kima; thence to Priest's Rapids and down the 
east bank of the Columbia to the mouth of the 
Yakima. During this march a few Indians 
were found, but no heavy engagement followed, 
and the command reached the Yakima March 
30. Here ominous reports were received. Be- 




-i H 1. 1 1 .l.ltLI.lii 



-^;mmmm5! ; ;i---^"""^'" 



The \V hitman Monument 




Tomb of Marcus Whitman 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



43 



tween the two cascades of the Columbia were 
a number of settlements. These had been at- 
. tacked by hostile Indians. 

One blunder of General Wool's, to which 
attention has been called, was made at this junc- 
ture. On his arrival from California he had 
found at Vancouver three companies of in- 
fantry. He ordered two of these to repair to 
Fort Steilacoom. The territory of the hostile 
Klikitats and Yakimas adjoined a portage be- 
tween the cascades, on which portage a large 
quantity of government stores was exposed. 
This was a strong inducement to the Indians to 
attack the point, and it should have been heav- 
ily guarded. On the contrary the company at 
the Cascades, on March 24, was sent away, 
with the exception of eight men under com- 
mand of Sergeant Matthew Kelly. The latter 
was a member of the 4th infantry. The upper 
and lower ends of the portage were connected 
by a wagon road. The stream above the port- 
age was named Rock Creek, on which was a 
saw mill. In this vicinity were a number of 
families and the trading post of Bradford & 
Company. An island in the river was con- 
nected with the mainland by a bridge. The first 
steamer to run on the Columbia, trading be- 
tween The Dalles and the Cascades, was the 
Mary. This craft was at her landing near Rock 
Creek. The block-house was] located about 
midway between the two cascades and near it 
lived the families of George Griswold and W. 
K. Kilborn. 

General Wool, after giving his orders, 
which resulted so disastrously, had returned to 
California. The force of Colonel Wright had 
moved from The Dalles; his rear left un- 
guarded. At the upper settlement of the Cas- 
cades, on the morning of March 26, a force of 
Klikitats and Yakimas appeared with hostile 
demonstrations. Some of the settlers had gone 
to their daily avocations, but the hour being 
early, the crew of the Mary had not reached 
the boat. The Indians who had taken their po- 
sition under cover of darkness opened the 



fight, if such an attack on almost defenseless 
settlers could be termed a fight, with a rapid 
rifle fire from the brush. One of the whites was 
shot dead and a number wounded at the first 
volley. It developed into an Indian massacre 
accompanied by all the horrid features inci- 
dental to such scenes, and those who fell vic- 
tims to rifle balls were immediately toma- 
hawked and scalped. Among the first to fall 
was the family of B. W. Brown. Himself, 
wife, a young boy and his sister, eighteen years 
of age, were slain and thrown into the river. 

Bradford & Company's store, a log struc- 
ture, appeared to be the only place of refuge, 
and to this fled the workmen on the bridge and 
a number of settlers. Then began the memor- 
able siege of the Cascades. Of the forty people 
gathered in the store building eighteen were 
able to make a defensive showing, and armed 
with nine government rifles which, with some 
ammunition, had been left of the store to be for- 
warded to Vancouver, they replied to the fire of 
the enemy to the best of their ability. All ad- 
vantages of position were with the hostiles. 
They were concealed on higher ground and, ap- 
parently, had the settlers at their mercy. It was 
in the first onslaught of this savage attack that 
James Sinclair, one of the Hudson's Bay Com- 
pany's agents, was killed. He was shot through 
an open door in a manner similar to the assas- 
sination of Lieutenant Slaughter. 

Providentially the steamer Mary was not 
captured. An attack was made upon the boat 
and the fireman, James Linsay, shot through the 
shoulder. A negro cook, having been wounded, 
leaped into the stream and was drowned. One 
Indian was shot and killed by the engineer, 
Buskminister, and John Chance, son of the 
steward, killed another hostile. To effect the 
escape of the boat it became necessary for Har- 
din Chenoweth, the pilot, to manipulate the 
wheel while lying prone on the floor of the pilot 
house. The families of Sheppard and Vander- 
pool ventured from the shore in skiffs, and were 
picked up in midstream. The gallant little 



44 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



Mary was then off up the river for succor. Sev- 
eral fatalities afterward occurred among the 
settlers and a number of hairbreadth escapes 
are recorded. The Indians fired the mill and 
lumber yards and tried desperately to burn the 
log store. The absence of water was added to 
the elements of horror surrounding the be- 
seiged settlers. Within the store one man was 
dead, Sinclair, and four others severely 
wounded. A few dozen bottles of ale and whis- 
key comprised the liquids available for thirty- 
nine people, the greater number being women 
and children. 

In this dire emergency justice demands that 
credit be given to a Spokane Indian in the party 
who risked his life to procure water from the 
stream. At first he succeeded in getting water 
only sufficient for the wounded, but the suc- 
ceeding day he was enabled to fill two barrels 
and convey them inside the store. Meanwhile 
the imprisoned settlers were harassed by fears 
for the safety of the Mary. The capture of this 
boat meant utter failure to receive reinforce- 
ments and relief. 

The attack on the block-house below Brad- 
ford & Company's store was simultaneous with 
the assault above. The garrison comprised nine 
persons, five of whom only were inside the 
structure at the time of the unexpected attack. 
The Indians had massed themselves on an ad- 
jacent hill. One of the garrison who had been 
caught outside the block-house was shot 
through the hip, but managed to crawl to the 
door, where he was admitted. Cannon was 
brought to bear on the enemy, and soon 
afterward the neighboring settlers came 
running to the rude fort for protec- 
tion. A number of them were killed, but such 
as reached the fort alive were taken inside. Dur- 
ing four hours a heavy fire was kept up by both 
sides, and an attempt to fire the block-house at 
night was repulsed. The Indians prowled about 
with horrid yells, and did what damage they 
could do to surrounding property. Some pro- 
visions were procured on the 27th from an ad- 



jacent house by three soldiers. The congres- 
sional report of "Indian Hostilities in Oregon 
and Washington Territories," 11-12, gives the 
names of the plucky garrison of this block- 
house. They were M. Kelly, Frederick Beman, 
Owen McManus, Lawrence Rooney (killed in 
the first attack), Smiley, Houser, Williams, 
Roach and Sheridan. On the second day of' the 
fight the latter four went out and returned 
with the dead and wounded. 

An attack on the Lower Cascades did not 
result in loss of lives. Many of the settlers 
were warned of the assault on the block-house 
by a half-breed boy, who informed W. K. Kil- 
born and urged him to leave the neighborhood. 
Kilborn owned a Columbia river freight boat, 
and by means of this craft he saved the lives of 
his own family and those of several others. Ar- 
riving at Vancouver Kilborn apprised the resi- 
dents of that place of the outbreak. This news 
threw the people into consternation, and they 
expected momentarily to be attacked. The dif- 
ficult problem presented was to send reinforce- 
ments to the Cascades and retain, at the same 
time, sufficient force to protect Vancouver. To 
the Hudson's Bay Company's fort, for greater 
safety, Colonel Morris removed the women and 
children of the garrison. In his "History of 
Washington, Idaho and Montana," Hubert 
Howe Bancroft states that Coloneil Morris 
"refused arms to the captain of the volunteer 
home guards in obedience to the orders of 
General Wool." Mr. Bancroft says further : 

"I take this statement from a correspondent 
of the Olympia Pioneer and Democrat of April 
25, 1856, who says that Kelly, of the volun- 
teers, went to the officer in command at that 
post and requested to be furnished with arms, as 
all the arms in the country had gone to furnish 
a company in the field — Captain Maxon's. 'He 
was insulted — told to mind his own business.' 
A few days later a consignment of arms from 
the east arrived, for the use of the territory, 
and the settlers were furnished from that 
supply." 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



45 



If such was the order of General Wool it 
certainly exhibits a marked degree of hostility 
toward the volunteers of Washington and Ore- 
gon, and unpleasantly emphasized one more 
blunder on the part of the veteran of the Mexi- 
can war. It will be noted in another portion of 
this chapter that the brunt of the fighting in the 
various Indian outbreaks fell upon volunteers. 
The efforts of the regulars were purely sup- 
plementary and were not conducted with the 
success worthy of the most ordinary tactician. 

Lieutenant Philip Sheridan, of whom we 
now hear for the first time in connection with 
military movements, on the morning of the 27th 
left on the steamer Belle for the Cascades. With 
him were a small detachment of one company 
assigned by General Wool for the protection of 
Vancouver. Fugitives were met, in the river; 
some of them on a schooner, others in a 
batteau. The men among these settlers, flying 
for their lives, immediately volunteered to re- 
turn and participate in the punishment of the 
hostiles, an exhibition of manliness which fully 
illustrates the spirit which invariably animated 
the Washington and Oregon volunteers, despite 
the severe and unwarranted strictures of Gen- 
eral Wool. A reconnoitre was made by Sheri- 
dan on arriving at the lower end of the portage, 
and the condition of affairs at the Cascades and 
the block-house was gleaned from some Cas- 
cade Indians. On the Washington side of the 
Columbia ' Sheridan landed his men ; the boat 
being sent back for more ammunition to Van- 
couver. Two of Sheridan's men were shot 
down while effecting a landing. Relief of the 
block-house was not effected immediately as 
the party was unable to advance during the day. 

On the steamer Fashion another relief party 
was enroute from Portland. Thirty men had 
been recruited by Benjamin Stark and H. P. 
Dennison on the 26th, and this number was in- 
creased by other volunteers from Vancouver. 
It was midnight, the 26th, that Colonel Wright 
received news of the attack on the Cascades. 
He had removed from The Dalles with his 



troops to Five-Mile Creek, where he was en- 
camped. With two hundred and fifty men he 
went back to The Dalles, boarded the steamers 
Mary and Wasco, and reached the Cascades on 
the morning of the 28th. At the latter place 
it was the belief of the garrison that the Mary 
had been captured by the Indians. With only 
four rounds of ammunition left, and in ignor- 
ance of the arrival of Sheridan, the settlers in 
their desperation had determined to board a 
government flat-boat and go over the falls 
rather than fall into the hands of the Indians. 
The pleasure with which they caught sight of 
the Mary and Wasco rounding the bend of the 
river can be better imagined than described. 
With the timely arival of these troops the In- 
dians disappeared. Under command of Colonel 
Steptoe two companies of the 9th infantry, a 
detachment of dragoons and the 3rd artillery 
advanced to the block-house and from this point 
to the landing below. Lieutenant Sheridan's 
command coming up at the same time alarmed 
the Indians and they vanished with remarkable 
celerity. Colonel Steptoe lost one soldier and 
one hostile was killed. Subsequently nine In- 
dians who were identified as having engaged 
in the massacre at the Cascades were captured 
and executed. 

It was the opinion of Governor Stevens, 
formed after his return to Olympia, that Indian 
hostilities in the immediate future were to be 
confined to the Yakima country and Walla 
Walla valley. January 21, 1856, in a special 
message addressed to the legislative assembly, 
he dwelt with great earnestness on the desirabil- 
ity of acquiring title to the country unincum- 
bered by Indian claims. This had been the mo- 
tive of his recent trip to the country of the Nez 
Perces, Coeur d'Alenes and other tribes far to 
the eastward of the Cascade range. He said 
that nearly all the different tribes whom he had 
interviewed had been, apparently, quite willing 
to concede this point. But the governor added 
that he had been deceived in this respect, and 
that it would now be necessary to send soldiers 



46 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



from the Sound into the Indian country east of 
the Cascades. Furthermore he was opposed to 
treaties and favored extermination. 

In this conclusion Governor Stevens was, 
as events subsequently proved, greatly de- 
ceived. So far from confining their depreda- 
tions to the Walla Walla valley the Indians 
were even then making preparations to raid the 
coast of the Sound. Althogh the ensuing Avar 
was, for a period, confined to the country north 
of the Steilacoom, terror ran riot in other iso- 
lated and unprotected localities. Many mur- 
ders were committed and a great deal of valu- 
able property destroyed by the remorseless sav- 
ages. Then it was that Governor Stevens re- 
turned to Olympia and ordered a portion of 
the southern battalion to the Sound country, 
During the spring of 1856 a decisive engage- 
ment with the Indians was had at White river, 
resulting in the complete rout of the savages, 
although they outnumbered the whites two to 
one. Governor Stevens proclaimed martial 
law. Fighting occurred on John Day river and 
in June, 1856, Major Layton captured thirty- 
four warriors. A spirited engagement between 
the Indians and Colonel Shaw took place on the 
Grand Rond, but following this the hostiles 
broke up into small bands, but sufficiently ag- 
gressive to create considerable activity among 
the troops. One of the most effective methods 
adopted to dishearten the enemy was that of 
stopping supplies and capturing the Indians' 
horses in various raids. Some of the savages 
were neutral; nearly all of them needy; and 
during a vigorous march through the country 
overtures made by the United States were, in a 
large number of cases, accepted. Of the 
Wasco, Des Chutes, Tyghe and John Day 
tribes, nine hundred and twenty-three surren- 
dered, and four hundred of the more truculent 
Yakimas and Klikitats surrendered to Colonel 
Wright. Following this they received gov- 
ernment aid. 

While these scenes were being enacted on 
the Sound it had been impossible for Governor 



Stevens to deploy troops east of the Cascade 
range. Of this fact the Indians in that country 
took advantage. It required the best diplomatic 
efforts of Lieutenant-Colonel Graig to hold the 
Nez Perces and Spokanes to their allegiance, 
and finally, July 24, Captain Robie informed 
Colonel Shaw that the Nez Perces had become 
recalcitrant, declared hostile intentions and re- 
fused all offers of government supplies. It was 
at this annoying juncture of affairs that Gov- 
ernor Stevens decided to go to, Walla Walla 
and hold a council. He found conditions de- 
cidedly worse than had been reported. Al- 
though Colonel Wright had been pressed to 
join the council he declined, urging that it 
would be better to establish at Walla Walla a 
strong military post with Stepoe in command. 

This council was not crowned with the 
most satisfactory results. The Cayuses, Des 
Chutes and Tyghes, although they arrived in 
the vicinity of the meeting place, were disposed 
to be sullen and unfriendly. They refused to 
pay a visit to Governor Stevens, exhibited signs 
of hostility by firing the grass and otherwise 
gave evidence of malevolence. Kamiakin and 
Owhi, Yakimas and Qualchin, of the Cceur 
d'Alenes, also refused to attend and passed their 
time sowing seeds of dissension whenever and 
wherever opportunity offered. On the nth of 
September the council opened and closed dis- 
mally on the 17th. It became necessary for 
Governor Stevens to remove to the immediate 
vicinity of Steptoe's camp through fear of vio- 
lence from the Indians. No pipe of peace was 
smoked and no satisfactory results achieved. 
The Indians demanded to be left in peaceful 
possession of all the country claimed by them 
as "domains," and declared most emphatically 
that no other terms would be accepted. It was 
with no little difficulty that Governor Stevens 
succeeeded in getting out of the country alive. 
His train was attacked on its way back to The 
Dalles and two of the escort killed. Following 
this humiliating repulse of the governor, and 
after his return to the Sound, Colonel Wright 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



47 



marched to Walla Walla and ordered all the 
chiefs to meet him in council. It was, evident- 
ly, the intention of Wright to adopt drastic 
measures, but few Indians attended the coun- 
cil, and, like the preceding" one, it bore no 
fruit. Those who came said, sullenly, that they 
were opposed to confirmation of the Walla 
Walla treaty. Troops were at once thrown 
into the various posts, including Mill Creek, 
Fort Dalles and the Cascades settlement, and 
preparations made to secure all from invasion 
during the approaching winter. 

•■ Throughout this summer and while at- 
tempts were being made to pacify the Indians 
east of the Cascade range, hostilities continued 
on the Sound. The Puyallups and Nisquallies, 
at a council held at Fox Island, August 4th, 
convinced Governor Stevens that an injustice 
had been done them through the limitations of 
their reservation. An enlargement was recom- 
mended by the governor, and a resurvey or- 
dered, which absorbed thirteen donation claims. 
Subsequently congress appropriated $5,000 to- 
ward improvements. 

The story of the capture and execution of 
Leschi is, perhaps, one of the most sensational 
Indian episodes in the career of Governor Ste- 
vens. Leschi, together with Nelson, Stahi, 
Quiemuth and the younger Kitsap, had been 
ringleaders in the attack on the Decatur, in the 
Sound, and now Governor Stevens desired to 
try them for murder. These Indians had at- 
tended the council with Colonel Wright, in the 
Yakima country, and Wright had paroled them. 
At that period an attempt was being made to 
quiet the Indians east of the Cascade range. 
In the opinion of Wright, of whom these five 
savages had been demanded, it would be unwise 
at this juncture to give them over to certain ex- 
ecution, but the governor was insistent in his 
demands, and again made requisition for the 
hostiles. To this demand nearly all the army 
officers were opposed, believing the policy to be 
unwise. 

In November Leschi was arrested. Slug- 



gia and Elikukah, two of his own people, be- 
trayed him into the hands of the whites. At 
that period Leschi was an outcast and, practi- 
cally, outlawed by both Yakimas and whites. 
The traitorous Sluggia and Elikukah found him 
and handed him over to Sydney S. Ford who 
forwarded him on to Olympia. Leschi was 
now to stand trial for the killing of A. B. 
Moses. At the first trial, November 14, the 
jury failed to agree. March 18, 1857, a sec- 
ond trial was had, resulting in conviction 
June 10 was the day set for his execution. 
The attorneys engaged for Leschi's defense 
appealed the case to the supreme court, and this 
appeal served as a stay of proceedings and de- 
ferred execution beyond the day assigned. 
However, the verdict of the lower court was 
sustained and January 22, 1858, was set as the 
day for the hanging of Leschi. McMullin, 
who had succeeded Stevens, was now governor 
of Washington. Friends of Leschi appealed to 
him for pardon; seven hundred settlers vigor- 
ously protested. The execution was to be at 
Steilacoom and on the day set there was a large 
audience. This time, however, the death pen- 
alty was delayed by friends of the condemned 
by a most peculiar legal manipulation. Shortly 
before the time for the execution the sheriff and 
his deputy were placed under arrest by a Uni- 
ted States marshal. The charge against the 
prisoners was that of selling liquor to Indians. 
In vain an attempt was made to reach the 
sheriff and secure the death warrant, without 
which it would be impossible to strangle Leschi 
legally. But that officer was retained in close 
custody until the period set for Leschi's hang- 
ing had passed. The "United States marshall" 
in these proceedings was Lieutenant McKibben, 
stationed at Fort Steilacoom, who had been ap- 
pointed for that express purpose. All in all 
this coup was in the nature of a ruse on the 
part of the regular army, between whom and 
the citizens of the territory there was at all 
times considerable friction. 

Indignation at this perversion of justice and 



48 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



palpable miscarriage of law ran high among the 
people. Public meetings of protest were held 
and the legislature appealed to. This body pro- 
ceeded to adjust matters in a most strenuous 
manner, repealing certain laws and enacting 
new ones until the legal coils around Leschi 
were deemed sufficiently strong to insure his 
punishment. Again the prisoner was tried and, 
although his counsel demurred to the jurisdic- 
tion of the court, he was overruled and Febru- 
ary 19, 1858, the Indian who had so success- 
fully fought off the hounds of law was hanged. 
It is a matter of historical record that few of 
the more active Indian participants in the vari- 
ous outbreaks on the Sound escaped. Three 
of them were assassinated by white men in re- 
venge for the murder of friends ; a number 
were hanged at Fort Steilacoom; one of his 
own people killed Kitsap in June, 1857, on 
Muckleshoot prairie, and Leschi's friends re- 
venged themselves by taking the life of the 
treacherous Sluggia. Comparative peace was 
restored to the Sound country, yet the horrors 
of the outbreak were long remembered. To 
the Puyallup and upper White River valley 
many of the settlers did not return until 1859. 

Patkanim, the horrible blood-hunter, who, 
for American gold, trafficked in human heads 
as nonchalantly as he would deal in wolf-pelts, 
did not long survive the war. The following 
estimation of this barbarian is given by the 
Pioneer and Democrat under date, January 21, 
1859 : "It is just as well that he is out of the 
way, as, in spite of everything, we never be- 
lieved in his friendship." 

Indemnity claims following Indian troubles 
on the Sound amounted to some twelve thous- 
and dollars, which sum was appropriated by 
congress. But the actual expenses incidental 
to the conduct of this war, a war in 'behalf of 
the peace and prosperity of Washington and 
Oregon, approached quite nearly six million 
dollars, or exactly $5,931,424.78, divided as 
follows: Washington, $1,481,475.45; Ore- 
gon, $4,449,949.33. Payment of $1,409,- 



604.53 was ma de to the Oregon, and $519,- 
593.06 to the Washington volunteers. At that 
period the eminent editor and publicist, Horace 
Greeley, had not advised the young men of the 
country to "go west," and he was unkind 
enough to say, in the New York Tribune: 
"The enterprising territories of Oregon and 
Washington have handed into congress their 
little bill for scalping Indians and violating 
squaws two years ago. After these (the 
French spoliation claims) shall have been paid 
half a century or so, we trust the claims of the 
Oregon and Washington Indian fighters will 
come up for consideration." 

The scene of Indian troubles now removes 
itself to a point in eastern Washington more 
immediately identified with the limitations of 
this history. In April, 1858, the mines in the 
vicinity of Colville had become attractive to 
"stampeders," and two white men pushing on 
into the "gold country," had been slain by a 
party of savages belonging to the Palouse tribe. 
A petition for troops, signed by forty residents 
of Colville, had been forwarded to Colonel 
Steptoe. The latter informed General Clarke 
of the fact and advised that an expedition be 
sent north to punish the savages and protect 
the settlers. Adding to the crime of murder 
the Palouses had gone down into the Walla 
Walla country and driven away a band of gov- 
ernment cattle. The Palouses who, it was 
claimed, had killed the Colville miners, were 
found by Colonel Steptoe at the Alpowah. 
Steptoe had left Walla Walla May 6, 1858, 
with one hundred and thirty dragoons en route 
for the country of the Nez Perces. On ap- 
proach of the whites the Indians fled. Because 
Steptoe placed no confidence in a report he re- 
ceived on the 1 6th that the Spokanes were 
making arrangements to attack him he, unfor- 
tunately, found himself surrounded with a force 
of six hundred miscellaneous "braves," includ- 
ing warriors of the Cceur d'Alenes, Palouses, 
Spokanes and Nez Perces. They were attired 
in war paint and had chosen a position where 




Xi co-a-h co-a-h cotes-Mm, no horns on his head 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



49 



from three sides they could assault Steptoe's 
detachment of troops. During a short parley 
the Spokanes confirmed the reports that they 
were on the war path, and announced that they 
purposed to do considerable fighting before the 
whites would be permitted to ford the Spokane 
river. Doubtless the Indians were emboldened 
in their conduct by the fact that these dragoons 
of Steptoe's were without other means of de- 
fense than their small arms. For this inexcus- 
able blunder no reason has ever been assigned, 
and none could be that would, at this day, be 
acceptable to a military man. The savages 
rode along side by side with the troops and 
hurled at them insults and cries of defiance. 
At nightfall the chiefs demanded to know the 
reason for this invasion of their country. 

No explanation was made that in any way 
pacified the chiefs, although Steptoe said that, 
having learned of trouble near Colville he was 
on his way thither to inquire into the cause of 
it. The chiefs pointed out the fact that he was 
not on the Colville road at all. Unfortunately 
he had been led astray by a guide, Timothy, by 
name. Without suitable arms, and otherwise 
unprepared for fighting, Steptoe decided to re- 
treat. He began his return to the Palouse on 
the 17th. A few miles away a party of Coeeur 
d'Alenes were gathering roots, and to them the 
Spokanes appealed asking their assistance in 
bagging an enemy whom the Spokanes, par- 
ticularly, did not intend to allow to leave the 
country alive. A Coeeur d'Alene chief, named 
Vincent, attempted to hold a parley with Colo- 
nel Steptoe, but firing was commenced by the 
Palouses and the skirmish soon resolved itself 
into a general engagement. Encumbered by a 
pack train, which it was necessary to guard; 
passing over ground rough and most favorable 
for Indians and their mode of warfare Step- 
toe's command labored under a serious disad- 
vantage, and were in no condition for any 
effective fighting. The savages charged a com- 
pany commanded by Lieutenant Gregg, but 
the prompt support given by Lieutenant Gas- 
4 



ton repulsed the Indians and they suffered se- 
verely at this point. Twelve of them were 
killed, including Jacques Zachary, brother-in- 
law of Vincent: James and Victor, the latter 
one of the powerful chiefs of the Coeur d' 
Alenes. Later on, while attemping to reach a 
stream of water, Lieutenant William Gaston 
and Captain Oliver H. P. Taylor were killed. 
The result of this "Battle of Steptoe Butte," 
fought at a place seven miles from the present 
town of Colfax, must be, impartially, recorded 
as a defeat for the whites. On the morning of 
the 19th the retreating troops reached Snake 
river and from this point continued on to Walla 
Walla. 

The animosity of the Indians exhibited in 
this disaster has been variously explained. The 
most plausible reason for it lies, probably, in the 
fact that the Cceur d' Alenes had been told of 
the proposed government road through their 
country, from the Missouri to the Columbia 
river. This was subsequently completed by 
Lieutenant Mullan, from Fort Walla Walla 
to Fort Benton. 

In June, 1858, active preparations were 
made to avenge the defeat of Steptoe. Quite a 
large body of troops were mobilized at Fort 
Walla Walla, some of them being brought 
from San Francisco and other California 
points; some from the Sound. Here for a 
period of time they were industriously drilled 
in the tactics of Indian warfare. This was to 
be an expedition against the Coeur d' Alenes 
and Spokanes ; another was being put in motion 
against the Yakimas. The campaign plan was 
to have Major Garnett move toward Colville 
with three hundred men, co-operate with Cap- 
tain Keyes, and "round up" the tribes of In- 
dians. Major Garnett was to leave August 
1 5 ; Captain Keyes left Walla Walla on the 
7th. Fort Taylor was built at the junction of 
Tucannon and Snake rivers, which, with its 
six hundred and forty acres of reservation, was 
intended as a permanent post. Here Colonel 
Wright arrived August 18. The expedition 



5o 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



consisted of one hundred and ninety dragoons, 
four hundred artillery and ninety infantry, the 
latter armed with Sharpe's rifles. Seventy-six 
miles north from Fort Taylor Indians appeared 
on the hills and fired on a company of Nez 
Perces Indians who had been enlisted as volun- 
teers by the whites and uniformed as regular 
soldiers. Soon afterward the hostiles retreated. 
They reappeared on September i, in force, 
and one of the most important battles of this 
particular Indian war was fought. The victory 
was plainly with the whites, the savages losing 
twenty killed and many wounded. 

But the Indians were desperate. Colonel 



Wright resumed his march September 5th, and 
was again attacked by the enemy. Shells from 
the howitzers burst among them ; the fire of the 
whites was deadly, and defeat of the Indians 
complete. On September 10 the Cceur 
d'Alenes surrendered, and the redoubtable 
Vincent was not the least active in inducing 
this submission. They had attempted to stay 
the progress of civilization through their wil- 
derness and civilization would not be stayed. 
Whatever of home or country they once had 
was gone. Henceforth enterprise, industry and 
intelligence were to supplant barbaric ignorance 
and Indian squalor. 



CHAPTER VII. 



TERRITORY AND STATE. 



"The West" of the days of the Revolution 
was embraced within the limits of the Atlantic 
coast and longitude 89 degrees west from 
Greenwich, or 12 degrees west from Washing- 
ton, D. C. Compare this narrow strip of terri- 
tory with the magnitude of the Northwest of to- 
day and remember, also, that the geographical 
center of the United States, from east to west, 
lies at a point in the Pacific Ocean six'hundred 
miles west from San Francisco, California. 
From the latter fact we are enabled to obtain a 
fair comprehension of the extreme western ex- 
tension of our Alaskan possessions. 

States have increased, territorially, since the 
surrender of Lord Cornwallis. The "midgets," 
smaller than many western counties, lie along 
the Atlantic shore. Washington, the "Ever- 
green State," of whose stirring and romantic 
past this history treats, is more than three- 
fourths the size of New York and Pennsyl- 
vania, combined, or more than equalling the 
size of all Kentucky, Connecticut, Massachu- 



setts, Delaware and Maryland. Its area is 
69,994 square miles. Its entire western boun- 
dary is washed by the waves of the Pacific ; the 
great "ill-tasting lake" of the Indians; discov- 
ered by Balboa and once claimed in all its sub- 
lime immensity by Spain as her own national 
property. From British Columbia it is sep- 
arated by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which 
forms its boundary until it reaches a point where 
the 49th degree of north latitude crosses the 
strait. Thence the northern boundary line of 
Washington runs east on the 49th parallel two 
hundred and fifty miles nearly to the 1 1 7th de- 
gree of longitude west from Greenwich, and 
thence south to the 46th degree of latitude; 
thence west on that degree until the Columbia 
river is reached, where Klickitat, Walla Walla 
and Yakima counties converge, the Columbia 
river then forming its southern boundary on to 
the coast. 

The Puget Sound Basin and the great val- 
ley of the Upper Columbia combine to greatly 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



5i 



diversify the topography of Washington. Be- 
tween these two distinctively marked territor- 
ies runs the Cascade Range of mountains, north 
and south, separating "The Inland Empire" 
from "The Coast," or variably, "The Sound 
Country." This mountain range is, in its en- 
tirety, one of the most imposing on the North 
American continent. Creeping upward from 
the far south, for hundreds of miles but a suc- 
cession of low hills, or chain of buttes, the range 
grows bolder, in contour and height until to the 
far north Mount St. Elias accentuates its most 
imposing altitude. Volcanic, snow-capped 
cones rise to heights of fifteen and twenty 
thousand feet, and a number of the highest of 
these are within the boundaries of Washington. 

In a preceding chapter outlining the "Ore- 
gon Controversy," it was noted that in 1846, 
when the southern line of British Columbia was 
finally determined, all that remained south of 
that boundary to the 42d parallel was called 
Oregon. In 1849 a territorial government was 
granted covering all the original Oregon. It 
was then an indefinite region embracing the 
lands lying between the Rocky Mountains and 
the Pacific Ocean, and north of the 42d parallel. 
In 1 85 1 steps were taken toward dividing Ore- 
gon. All that portion north and west of the 
Columbia river was thrown into a new territory, 
supplied with a distinct territorial government. 
No opposition having appeared either from the 
Oregon legislature or from congress the con- 
summation of this division was effected in 
1853. Then Washington embraced the rather 
indefinite territory of Idaho. Oregon became a 
state in 1859. Washington, then including 
Idaho, was under territorial government, re- 
maining thus until March 3, 1863, when the 
territory of Idaho was set off by congress. The 
eastern portion of Washington, from a line 
near the 117th degree of west longitude, and 
portions of Montana, Dakota and Nebraska 
combined to form the creation of Idaho at that 
period. 

Of the first inroads of civilization, aside 



from the Hudson's Bay Company, into the ter- 
ritory of Oregon, then including Washington, 
Archibald M'Vickar writes: 

The earliest emigration from the United States 
for the purpose of settlement in this territory was in 
1832. Three years afterward a small party went out 
by land with Nathaniel Wyeth, of the Boston Fishing 
and Trading Company under the direction of Rev. 
James Lee and David Lee, who established a mission 
settlement among the Callopoewah Indians, on the 
Willamette river. This colony afterward received some 
small accessions, and in November, 1839, Rev. James 
Lee sailed from the United States for the Columbia 
river with a party of fifty-four persons, among them six 
missionaries and a physician, with their families. This 
party arrived safely out, and the annual report of the 
missionary society of the Methodist Episcopal church, 
in May, 1841, presents a favorable account of their 
labors among the Indians. Some parties of young men 
had started for the Columbia from states bordering on 
the Mississippi. The whole number directly attached to 
the mission is only sixty-eight, including men, women 
and children. The first settlers along the river, accord- 
ing to Mr. Parker, who visited the country in 1835, 
consisted of Canadian Frenchmen formerly in the em- 
ployment of the Hudson's Bay Company. 

"The Oregon Controversy," and "Tragedy 
of Whitman's Mission," preceding chapters, 
have traced in outline the more important de- 
tails of this early settlement. Western Wash- 
ington, on the coast, was the first portion of the 
territory settled. The advantages of sea coast 
fishing and fur-trading, of course, account for 
this fact, together with its accessibility by voy- 
ages around the Horn, and proximity to the 
more fully developed settlements of California-. 
The name, "Puget Sound" was much more 
familiar to eastern people and students than the 
coasts of Oregon or Washington. Thus, in a 
general way, the resources of western Wash- 
ington became gradually known to a certain 
limited number of the inhabitants of the ex- 
treme east. Concerning the various enterprises 
of these pioneers of Washington Hubert Howe 
Bancroft has pertinently said in his "History of 
Washington, Idaho and Montana-" "In the 
previous chapters I have made the reader ac- 
quainted with the earlier American residents of 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



the territory north of the Columbia, and the 
methods by which they secured themselves 
homes and laid the foundation for fortunes by 
making shingles, bricks and cradling machines, 
by building mills, loading vessels with timber, 
laying out towns, establishing fisheries, explor- 
ing for gold and mining for coal. But these 
were private enterprises concerning only indi- 
viduals, or small groups of men at most, and I 
now come to consider them as a body politic, 
with relations to the government of Oregon 
and to the general government." 

The plan of this history demands that we 
pursue the same course in the treatment of our 
subject, and also to show how narrowly Wash- 
ington escaped being called "Columbia." The 
provisional government of Oregon adopted in 
1843 cn d noi include the terrritory north of the 
Columbia river. So late as 1845, at tnc time of 
the Hudson's Bay Company made a compact 
with this provisional government, there existed 
no county organizations north of that river with 
the exception of Tualatin and Clackamas "dis- 
tricts," which claimed to extend northward as 
far as 54 degrees 40 minutes. But these dis- 
tricts were not peopled by American citizens, 
and not until the compact went into effect was 
there established an American settlement in the 
region of Puget Sound, and a new district 
created called Vancouver. The first judges 
were M. T. Simmons, James Douglas, and 
Charles Forrest. John R. Jackson was 
sheriff. 

Lewis county was created December 19, 
1845. Primarily its northern limit extended to 
54 degrees, 40 minutes, or was supposed to, 
comprising territory north of the Columbia, 
and west of the Cowlitz, rivers. In 1846 it was 
represented in the legislature by W. F. Tolmie ; 
Vancouver county by Henry N. Peers, the lat- 
ter described as "a good versifier and fair leg- 
islator." He was an attache of the Hudson's 
Bay Company. The initial agitation for a new 
territory north of the Columbia was made July 
4, 185 1. At Olympia a number of American 



citizens of the Sound had assembled to appro- 
priately celebrate the day. In his oration Mr. 
Chapman alluded eloquently to "the future 
state of Columbia." His remarks awakened an 
enthusiastic response, and the same evening a 
meeting was held, the avowed object of which 
was to procure a separate territorial govern- 
ment. Of this meeting Clanrick Crosby was 
chairman ; A. M. Poe, secretary. H. A. Golds- 
borough, I. N. Eby, J. B. Chapman and C. 
Crosby addressed the audience. Their speeches 
were followed by the appointment of a commit- 
tee on resolutions which recommended that a 
meeting to be held August 29 at Cowlitz land- 
ing, the object of which "to take into care- 
ful consideration the present peculiar position 
of the northern portion of the territory, its 
wants, the best methods of supplying those 
wants, and the propriety of an early appeal to 
congress for a division of the territory." The 
convention thus called was attended by twenty- 
six delegates. It adjourned the following day, 
having defined the limits of twelve intended 
counties, requested the benefits of donation 
lands, petitioned congress for a plank road 
from the Sound to the mouth of the Cowlitz, 
and a territorial road from some point on 
Puget Sound to Walla Walla, and otherwise 
memorializing congress on the important sub- 
ject of division. It was the expressed inten- 
tion of the delegates to move, should their re- 
quest be denied, for immediate admission into 
the union as a state. It is needless to say that 
enthusiasm ran high at this meeting on the 
Cowlitz. At that period the population of 
the territory under consideration was less than 
four thousand souls. 

Nothing tangible resulted from this meet- 
ing, although The Columbian, a weekly news- 
paper, published at Olympia, continued the agi- 
tation for territorial division and independent 
organization. November 25, 1852, a conven- 
tion was held at Monticello, on the Cowlitz 
river, at that period an enterprising munici- 
pality of Northern Oregon. Congress was 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



53 



again memorialized and the document for- 
warded to Hon. Joseph Lane, territorial dele- 
gate. This memorial contains so concise and 
graphic a description of early territorial condi- 
tions that it is deemed best to reproduce it in 
full : 

To the Honorable, the Senate and House of Repre- 
sentatives of the United States, in Congress assembled: 

The memorial of the undersigned, delegates of the 
citizens of Northern Oregon, in convention assembled, 
respectfully represent to your honorable bodies that it 
is the earnest desire of your petitioners, and of said 
citizens, that all that portion of Oregon Territory lying 
north of the Columbia river and west of the great 
northern branch thereof, should be organized as a 
saparate territory under the name and style of the Terri- 
tory of Columbia, urging these reasons : In support of 
the prayer of this memorial, your petitioners would 
respectfully urge the following, among many other 
reasons, viz. : 

First: That the present Territory of Oregon con- 
tains an area of 341,000 square miles, and is entirely too 
large an extent of territory to be embraced within the 
limits of one state. 

Second: That said territory possesses a sea coast 
of 650 miles in extent, the country east of the Cascade 
mountains is bound to that on the coast by the strongest 
ties of interest; and, inasmuch as your petitioners be- 
lieve that the territory must inevitably be divided at 
no very distant day, they are of the opinion that it would 
be unjust that one state should possess so large a sea- 
board to the exclusion of that of the interior. 

Third : The territory embraced within the bound- 
aries of the proposed "Territory of Columbia," contain- 
ing an area of about 32,000 square miles, is, in the 
opinion of your petitioners, about a fair and just medium 
of territorial extent to form one state. 

Fourth : The proposed "Territory of Columbia" 
presents natural resources capable of supporting a popu- 
lation at least as large as that of any state in the union 
possessing an equal extent of territory. 

Fifth : Those portions of Oregon Territory lying 
respectively north and south of the Columbia river must, 
from their geographical position, always rival each 
other in commercial advantages, and their respective 
citizens must, as they now and always have been, be 
actuated by a spirit of opposition. 

Sixth : The southern part of Oregon Territory, hav- 
ing a majority of voters, have controlled the territorial 
legislature, and benefit from the appropriations made 
by congress for said territory, which were subject to the 
disposition of said legislature. 

Seventh : The seat of the territorial legislature is 
now situated, by the nearest practicable route, at a dis- 
tance of four hundred miles from a large portion of the 
citizens of Northern Oregon. 



Eighth : A great part of the legislation suitable to 
the south, is, for local reasons, opposed to the interests 
of the north, inasmuch as the south has a majority of 
votes, and representatives are always bound to reflect 
the will of their constituents, your petitioners can enter- 
tain no reasonable hopes that their legislative wants will 
ever be properly regarded under the present organiza- 
tion. 

Ninth : Exiprience has, in the opinion of your 
petitioners, well established the principle that in states 
having a moderate sized territory, the wants of the 
people are more easily made known to their representa- 
tives there is less danger of a conflict between sectional 
interests, and more prompt and adequate legislation can 
always be obtained. 

In conclusion your petitioners would respectfully 
represent that Northern Oregon, with its great natural 
resources, presenting such unparalleled inducements to 
immigrants, and with its present large population, and 
rapidly increasing by immigration, is of sufficient im- 
portance, in a national point of view, to merit the foster- 
ing care of congress, and its interests are so numerous 
and so entirely distinct in their character, as to demand 
the attention of a separate and independent legislature. 

Wherefore your petitioners pray your honorable 
bodies will at an early day pass a law organizing the 
district of country above described under a territorial 
government, to be named "The Territory of Columbia." 

Done in convention assembled at the town of Monti- 
cello, Oregon Territory, this 25th day of November, 
A. D., 1852. 

G. M. McConaha, President. 
R. V. White, Secretary. 

This memorial was signed by forty-one 
other delegates. Congressional Delegate 
Joseph Lane earnestly supported the bill for 
the formation of Columbia Territory subse- 
quently introduced. February 10, 1853, the 
bill, amended by Mr. Stanton, of Kentucky, 
striking out the word "Columbia"' and insert- 
ing in lieu thereof "Washington," passed the 
house by a vote of 128 to 29, and on March 2, 
without further amendment, it was passed by 
the senate. It should be taken into considera- 
tion that the bill, as passed by both houses, did 
not limit the new Territory to the boundaries 
prescribed by the memorial of the Monticello 
convention. Our national legislators took a 
broader view of the matter, and continued the 
line of partition from a point near Walla 
Walla, east along the 46th parallel to the Rocky 
Mountains. This was a far more equal di- 



54 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



vision, and included what is now the "Pan- 
handle" of Idaho, an area considerably larger 
than the present state of Washington. At that 
period, according to a census taken in 1853 by 
Marshal Anderson, the counties in the new 
Washington Territory contained the following 
population: Clarke, 1,134, Island, 195, Lewis, 
616, Jefferson, 189, King, 170, Pierce, 513, 
Thurston, 996, Pacific, 152; total, 3,965. Of 
these 1,682 were voters. 

The first Territorial governor of Washing-' 
ton was Isaac Ingalls Stevens, who was ap- 
pointed to this office and, also, made ex officio 
Superintendent of Indian Affairs of Washing- 
ton Territory, and by the secretary of war was 
given charge of an exploration and survey of a 
railroad from the headwaters of the Mississippi 
to Puget Sound. In a communication to A. A. 
Denny, dated at Washington, D. C, April 18, 
1853, Governor Stevens said: 

"Herewith you will find a printed copy of 
my instructions from the secretary of war, by 
which you will see an exploration and survey 
of a railroad from the headwaters of the Mis- 
sissippi to Puget Sound is entrusted to me 
* * * A military road is to be built from 
Fort Walla Walla to Puget Sound. Captain 
McClellan, an officer distinguished for his gal- 
lantry in Mexico, has command of the party 
who will make the exploration of the Cascade 
range and the construction of the military road. 
His undertaking of the task is a sure guarantee 
of its accomplishment. I expect to pierce the 
Rocky Mountains, and this road is to be done 
in time for the fall's immigration, so that an 
open line of. communication between the states 
and Sound will be made this year." 

Isaac Ingalls Stevens was born in the his- 
toric and classic town of Andover, Massachu- 
setts, and educated at West Point, from which 
military institution he was graduated with hon- 
ors in 1837. For several years the young of- 
ficer was in charge of the New England coast 
fortifications. During the war with Mexico 
he was attached to the staff of General Scott. 



Four years preceding his appointment as Ter- 
ritorial Governor of Washington he was asso- 
ciated with Professor Bache in the coast sur- 
vey. It will be seen that the duties assigned to 
Governor Stevens were manifold and ardu- 
ous. Aside from the appointive office of gov- 
ernor of a young, though important Territory, 
he was to superintend the construction of a mil- 
itary road from the Sound to the Rockies ; sur- 
vey the line of what eventually became the 
great transcontinental highway, the Northern 
Pacific Railroad, and at the same time superin- 
tend the complicated affairs of the savage and 
turbulent Indian tribes between the coast and 
the Rocky Mountains. Certainly a heavy re- 
sponsibility to be placed upon the shoulders of 
one man. The sagacity and efficiency with 
which he met these heavy responsibilities have 
been recorded in preceding chapters of this 
work. It was his destiny to be called hig-her. 
In May, 1861, news was received at Olympia 
of the surrender by Major Anderson of Fort 
Sumter. "The Irrepressible Conflict" be- 
tween North and South had for years worn 
heavily on the patriotic spirit of Governor Stev- 
ens. He was a pro-slavery democrat, yet he 
loved his country and placed her national and 
indisoluble interests above party or purely 
sectional benefits. In reply to a speech wel- 
coming him home from his perilous expedition 
among hostile tribes of Indians he said : "I con- 
ceive my duty to be to stop disunion." These 
were brave words, for at this period the Terri- 
tory of which he was chief executive wag 
thickly populated with avowed secessionists. 

Dissensions were rife in his own party. 
Assaults were made by the press upon his pa- 
triotism and even his personal character was 
assailed. He was accused of attempting a coali- 
tion with Lane and Grim for the purpose of 
forming an independent Pacific republic. Vis- 
ionary and chimerical as was this scheme; im- 
possible for one of the sterling patriotism of 
Governor Stevens to cherish for a moment, the 
charge found many professed believers among 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



55 



his opponents. With the darkening of war 
clouds Stevens, who had intended to stand for 
re-election, renounced the project and hastened 
to Washington to offer his services to the gov- 
ernment. July 31, 1 86 1, he was appointed col- 
onel of the 79th New York Infantry, and was 
among the first of the defenders of Washington 
and Arlington Heights. In March, 1862, he 
received a commission as brigadier general, and 
on July 4, was made a Major General of vol- 
unteers. Such was his rapid rise by promotion 
in the army. His death was a fitting close of a 
heroic life. At the battle of Chantilly he seized 
the flag which had fallen from the dead hand of 
a color sergeant, and was shot in the forehead, 
dying upon the field. Sudden was the revul- 
sion of feeling in Washington Territory when 
news of his death was received. The legisla- 
ture passed resolutions in his honor, and crape 
was worn by the members ten days. He died 
at forty-four years of age. In a letter touching 
upon the character of Governor Stevens, writ- 
ten by Professor Bache, of the coast-survey, 
he said : 

"He was not one who led by looking on but 
by example. As we knew him in the coast- 
survey office, so he was in every position of life. 
* * * This place he filled, and more than 
filled, for four years, with a devotion, an en- 
ergy, a knowledge not to be surpassed, and 
which left its beneficient mark upon our organ- 
ization. * * * Generous and noble in im- 
pulses, he left our office with our enthusiastic 
admiration of his character, appreciation of his 
services, and hope for his success." 

The apportionment for the first Washing- 
ton Territorial legislature was made by Gov- 
ernor Stevens soon after his arrival from the 
east. The proclamation concerning the same 
was made November 28, 1853, designating 
January 30, 1854, as the day for election of 
legislative members. February 27 was the 
time set for the meeting of the legislature and 
Olympia the place. Nine members composed 
the original council : Clarke county, D. F. 



Bradford, William H. Tappan; Lewis and 
Pacific counties, Seth Catlin, Henry Miles; 
Thurston county, D. R. Bigelow, B. F. Yantis; 
Pierce and King counties, Lafayette Balch, G. 
N. McConaha; Jefferson and Island counties, 
William P. Sayward. 

Twice this number of members composed 
the house, viz : Clarke county, F. A. Chenow- 
eth, A. J. Bolan, Henry R. Crosbie, A. C. 
Lewis and John D. Biles; Thurston county, C. 
H. Hall, L. D. Durgin, David Shelton and Ira 
Ward, Jr. ; Island county, Samuel D. Howe ; 
Pierce county, H. C. Moseley, L. F. Thompson 
and John M. Chapman ; Jefferson county, Dan- 
iel F. Brownfield ; King county, A. A. Denny ; 
Lewis county, H. D. Huntington and John R. 
Jackson ; Pacific county, John Scudder. 

In this legislative membership we have a 
fair roster of the pioneer statesmen of Wash- 
ington Territory. The most of them have been 
stricken by the hand of death, but the work 
they did in laying the foundation of Washing- 
ton's future territorial and commonwealth im- 
provement can never be stricken from the pages 
of history. One of these members, Hon. A. A. 
Denny, representative from King county, in a 
paper read before the Historical Society, at 
Tacoma, said : 

At the time of the Monticello convention, Thurston 
county embraced all the territory north of Lewis county 
to the British line, and the session of the Oregon legis- 
lature, just prior to the division of the territory, formed 
out of Thurston county Pierce, King, Island and Jeffer- 
son counties, making a total of eight counties in Wash- 
ington Territory when organized, Clarke county at that 
time extending to the summit of the Rocky Mountains. 
The first session of the legislature formed eight new 
counties. Walla Walla was formed at this session, em- 
bracing all the territory east of the mouth of the Des 
Chutes river and running to the forty-ninth parallel on 
the north and the parallel of forty-six degrees thirty 
minutes eastward to the summit of the Rocky Moun- 
tains, and I well remember that a board of county officers 
was appointed and representation in the legislature pro- 
vided for, but when the succeeding legislature convened, 
no members from Walla Walla appeared, and it was 
found that no organization of the county had been made 
for want of population, and the widely scattered condi- 
tion of the few who then inhabited that vast territory. 



56 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



It will be recalled that so early as 1852 the 
impetuous members of the Monticello conven- 
tion were determined to demand admission to- 
me union as a state should congress deny terri- 
torial division. But thirty-seven years were 
destined to pass before the culmination of such 
an event. And yet, during a large portion of 
the last half of this period Washington was a 
state in all but name. Her statesmen and poli- 
ticians indulged in commonwealthian struggles 
much the same as those at present exploited by 
older states in the union. In 1859-60 a cer- 
tain faction plotted for the removal of the Ter- 
ritorial capital from Olympia to Vancouver. It 
was secretely arranged by legislative manipu- 
lation to apportion Territorial institutions as 
follows : to Vancauver the capital ; to Seattle 
the university; to Port Townsend the peniten- 
tiary. An act to this effect passed both bodies 
of the legislature. It carried, however, two 
fatal defects ; no enacting clause was inserted, 
and it violated the terms of the organic act by 
attempting a permanent location of the capital. 
Consequently the law fell to the ground of its 
own legal impotence. As in Louisiana, in 
1872, two legislatures were in session in Wash- 
ington, or rather the regular body at Olympia 
and a "rump" organizing at Vancouver. The 
supreme court's decision on the removal law 
brought the factions again together at Olympia. 
In 1 86 1 the corner stone of a university was 
laid at Seattle, A. A. Denny donating eight, 
and Edward Lander two, acres of land for that 
purpose. In this circumstance, also, the Ter- 
ritory of Washington assumed many of the ef- 
fects of modern statehood, through subsequent 
"mismanagement" of university funds. Truly 
a state in all but name ! 

Quite similar in point of contention for the 
capital was the strugle for the possession of the 
custom-house between Port Townsend and 
Port Angeles. In August, 1861, Victor Smith 
arrived from Washington, D. C, with creden- 
tials as collector of United States revenue. 
Possessing the confidence of the national ad- 



ministration he was accused of utilizing it to 
further an intrigue for removal of the custom- 
house. It was openly charged that he was 
speculating in Port Angeles real estate and 
working for his personal financial interests. Be- 
sides this Smith was one of the original "car- 
pet-baggers," even at that early day detested 
by the democracy in Washington Territory, 
which party was, numerically, quite powerful. 
Removal of the custom-house from Port 
Townsend to Port Angeles was recommended 
by Secretary Salmon Portland Chase, and in 
June, 1862, congress passed a bill making the 
change. A subsequent act of congress was in 
the nature of "a bill for increasing revenue by 
reservation and sale of townsites." It was at 
this point that the crux of Smith's real estate 
enterprises became apparent. Port Townsend 
citizens were wild with excitement. They ac- 
cused Smith of a defalcation of $15,000, but he 
promptly repaired to the national capital and 
showed conclusively that the alleged crime was 
nothing more than the transference of one 
fund to another. This custom-house imbroglio 
continued for some time, in the course of which 
the guns of the revenue cutter Shubrick were 
shotted and brought to bear on the town of 
Port Townsend. Finally, after many serious 
complications, involving numerous arrests and 
much ill-feeling, the custom-house was re- 
moved from Port Townsend to Port Angeles. 
George B. McClellan, afterwards general 
commanding the army of the Potomac, had re- 
ported favorably upon the change of location. 
Here the institution remained until December 
16, 1863, when the town of Port Angeles was 
washed away, causing the death of Inspector 
William B. Goodell and Deputy Collector J. 
W. Anderson. In 1865 the custom-house was 
taken back to Port Townsend, and the same 
year Victor Smith was lost in the wreck of the 
steamship Brother Jonathan, wrecked near 
Crescent City, involving the loss of three hun- 
dred lives. 

For a number of vears the residents of 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



57 



Washington had been engaged in various wars 
with Indians. Therefore it was not unusual 
that some most excellent fighting material was 
to be found among the ex-volunteers of the 
Cayuse war, Steptoe's invasion and the im- 
portant battle of White River. In May, 1861, 
news of President Lincoln's call for volunteers 
was received at Olympia. Henry M. McGill 
was acting-governor; Frank Matthias adju- 
tant-general. The latter appointed enrolling 
officers in each county in the Territory, at this 
period comprising twenty-two, east and west 
of the Cascades. The same summer Wright, 
now brigadier general, was placed in command 
of the department of the Pacific, and Colonel 
Albermarle Cady of the district of the Colum- 
bia. Colonel Justin Steinberger came to the 
coast in January, 1862, and enlisted four in- 
fantry companies, one each from Port Madi- 
son, Walla Walla, Port Townsend and What- 
com. From the Olympia Standard, of July 20, 
1 86 1, it is learned that a company had prev- 
iously, in May, been enlisted at Port Madison, 
designated at the Union Guards, consisting of 
seventy men, officered as follows : William 
Fowler, captain; H. B. Manchester, first lieu- 
tenant ; E. D. Kromer, second lieutenant ; non- 
commissioned officers, A. J. Tuttle, Noah Falk, 
William Clendennin, Edgar Brown, S. F. 
Coombs, R. J. May, J. M. Grindon, John Tay- 
lor. The Lewis County Rangers, mounted, 
were organized in June, 1861, Henry Miles, 
captain; L. L. Dubeau, first lieutenant; S. B. 
Smith, second lieutenant. To the four com- 
panies enlisted by Colonel Steinberger four 
more were added from California, General Al- 
vord assumed command in July, and Colonel 
Steinberger went to Fort Walla Walla, where 
he relieved Colonel Cornelius, of the Oregon 
cavalry. These troops were stationed at Walla 
Walla and Fort Pickett. 

In i860 the discovery of valuable aurifer- 
ous deposits at Pierce City, Oro Fino, Oro 
Grande and other points along the Clearwater, 
in what is now Idaho, but was then included in 



Washington Territory, created a stampede 
which his seldon been equalled in the history 
of gold discoveries in the territory. At that 
period a treaty with the Nez Perces existed 
which, theoretically, estopped travel across the 
Indian country. Practically it did nothing of 
the sort. From a few hundred the number of 
miners increased to thousands. On the Colum- 
bia river lines of steamers plied between the 
western portions of the Territory to old Fort 
Walla Walla, conveying men and freight as 
near as possible to these seductive placer mines, 
where pay dirt was found averaging one hun- 
dred dollars a day to the miner. In May the 
steamer Colonel Wright came up the Columbia 
and Clearwater to within forty miles of Pierce 
City. At this landing was founded the "spas- 
modic" mining town of Slaterville, with its 
canvas saloons and rough board shanties. In 
July five thousand men were prospecting the 
country, or washing from ten to one hundred 
and fifty dollars a day from the earth. "Town 
lot" people and merchants reaped a substantial 
reward for their industry. It is stated that the 
weekly receipts of gold dust at Portland from 
the Clearwater district was $100,000. Deady's 
"History of Oregon" says: "The Colville and 
Oro Fino mines helped Portland greatly; and 
in 1 861 built up the Oregon Steam Navigation 
Company. Loaded drays used to stand in line 
half a mile long, unloading at night freight to 
go in the morning, that involved a fortune." 

It was but natural that the steadily increas- 
ing tide of immigration to this district should 
materially affect the political status of the Ter- 
ritory. From west of the Cascades the pendu- 
lum of political power swung to the east; to 
the vicinity of Shoshone and Walla Walla 
counties. More judges were required east of 
the mountains. District courts were estab- 
lished at the county seats. It was, however, the 
destiny of Washington Territory to lose the 
richest portions of these mining districts. Con- 
gress passed an act, which was approved by 
President Lincoln, March 3, 1863, organizing 



58 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



the Territory of Idaho out of all such territory 
of Washington lying east of Oregon and the 
117th meridian of west longitude. The popu- 
lation of the remaining Territory of Washing- 
ton was then only 12,519. Yet in i860 it had 
been less than half this number. 

Twelve years before the admission of 
Washington into the union agitation concern- 
ing this subject was precipitated. Congres- 
sional Delegate Jacobs in December, 1877, in- 
troduced a bill for admission, and when it was 
fully realized that a constitutional convention 
was to be ordered, the old question of 1852 
sprung to the front, "Washington" or "Col- 
umbia"? June 11, 1878, the convention as- 
sembled at Walla Walla. By the constitution 
then adopted a new eastern boundary was 
marked for the proposed state, including the 
Idaho "Panhandle" and much of the mineral 
territory lost in 1863. Twenty- four days were 
passed in "concentrating" and "smelting" the 
various provisions of this document, and, al- 
though no enabling act had been passed by 
Congress, the constitution was adopted by the 
people at the succeeding November election for 
delegates. As the entire proceedings of this 
convention were void and nugatory, it is need- 
less to devote space to their consideration. As 
illustrative of patriotic zeal and alert progres- 
siveness, however, the attitude of the people at 
this period is worthy of record. 

The administration of Governor Watson C. 
Squire was one especially worthy of commen- 
dation. He was appointed in 1884, succeeding 
William A. Newell. Squire was a man of rare 
executive ability, a veteran of the Civil war, 
and became one of the most prominent factors 
in advancing the interests of the Territory and 
promoting its progress toward statehood. He 
was born May 18, 1838, at Cape Vincent, New 
York, and in 1861 enlisted in the 19th New 
York Infantry as a private, rising to the rank 
of first lieutenant. He then resigned, was 
graduated from the Cleveland law school, in 
1862, and then recruited a company of sharp- 



shooters of which he was given the command, 
being assigned to the Army of the Cumberland. 
He served on the staffs of both Generals Rose- 
cranz and Thomas and was, after the war, 
agent for the Remington Arms Company. In 
1879 he located in Seattle, and ten years there- 
after was elected president of the statehood 
committee, holding its meeting in Ellensburg 
in January of 1889. In framing memorials 
afterward presented to congress in behalf of 
statehood he was most assiduously employed 
and his efforts met with cordial appreciation 
from the people of the Territory. 

During the administration of Governor 
Squire occurred the "Chinese Riots," on the 
coast, opinion of his policy in the Territory be- 
ing at that time divided. But it is certain that 
his courageous attitude in behalf of law and 
order won the approval of a large majority of 
the most influential and intelligent citizens of 
the nation at large. It was at this period, 1885, 
that the first attempts, under auspices of the 
Knights of Labor, were made to expel China- 
men from the Territory. Riots occurred; 
Chinese were killed and bloodshed and dis- 
order ensued at Seattle among the coal miners. 
Governor Squire, November 5, 1885, issued a 
proclamation commanding the establishment of 
peace, and to this so little attention was paid 
that disorder increased rather than subsided, 
and several Chinese houses were fired and the 
occupants driven away. Troops were promptly 
forwarded from Vancouver and, the secretary 
of war being informed of the conditions, Pres- 
ident Cleveland issued a proclamation couched 
in more drastic terms than had been that of 
Governor Squire. Its effect was temporary; 
in February, 1886, other outbreaks took place 
and in efforts to protect the "celestials" a num- 
ber of lives were sacrificed and conditions re- 
solved themselves into overt rebellion. Gov- 
ernor Squire declared martial law. Its pro- 
visions were carried out with firmness, if not 
severity. Order was restored, but the execu- 
tive found himself placed between the hostile 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



59 



attacks of the proletariat, and the hearty com- 
mendation of President Cleveland, his cabinet 
and the members of the Territorial legislature. 

Squire's administration was marked by 
healthy progress and steady improvement in 
the various industries and material welfare of 
the Territory. During his incumbency the 
penitentiary was built at Walla Walla, an addi- 
tion made to the penitentiary at Seatco, and an 
insane asylum erected at Steilacoom. At the 
close of 1885 the Territory was free from debt 
and with a surplus of $100,000. That his best 
efforts were ever directed to further the inter- 
ests of Washington is amply proven, not only 
by gratifying results, but by his carefully pre- 
pared and luminously written official reports. 
The one forwarded to the secretary of the in- 
terior in 1884 was a concise and valuable his- 
tory of the Territory for several years ante- 
rior to his administration, embracing much in- 
formation that had been ignored by preceding 
executives. In explaining his object in thus 
voluminously presenting these valuable statis- 
tics Governor Squire said : 

"I have diligently corresponded with the 
auditors and assessors of all the counties of the 
Territory, furnishing them with printed blanks 
to be returned, and with all the managers of 
various educational and business institutions. 
Besides drawing on my own knowledge of the 
Territory, gleaned during a residence here dur- 
ing the past five or six years, I have gathered 
and compiled a variety of important facts from 
leading specialists in reference to the geo- 
graphical, geologic, and climatic characteris- 
tics, the coal and iron mining, horticultural, 
agricultural, and manufacturing interests, the 
fisheries and the flora and fauna of the Terri- 
tory. The data thus offered, together with the 
summary reports of our charitable and penal 
institutions, and an exhibit of the financial con- 
dition of the Territory, if published, will not 
only be of great service in encouraging and 
stimulating our people, but will furnish re- 
liable information to the intending immigrant, 



and will indicate to congress the rightful basis 
of our claim for admission into the union of 
states." 

In the last paragraph of this quotation may 
be traced the central thought which appears to 
have actuated Governor Squire in his untiring 
efforts. To accomplish the admission of Wash- 
ington he spared no labor in collecting an ar- 
ray of statistical information that could be 
molded into powerful arguments for state- 
hood. And to these reports is due largely the 
great volume of immigration which flowed into 
the Territory on the wheels of the Northern 
Pacific railway. From 75,000 in 1880, the 
population increased to 210,000 in 1886. In 
the latter year this pioneer railroad company 
operated four hundred and fifty-five miles of 
railway within the boundaries of Washington; 
the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company 
two hundred and ninety-five miles ; the Colum- 
bia and Puget Sound Company forty-four 
miles, and the Olympia and Chehalis Company 
fifteen miles, which, together with other com- 
pleted lines, gave to the Territory eight hun- 
dred and sixty-six miles of railroad. The ef- 
fect on all industries may be easily conceived. 
The building of shipping tonnage was stimu- 
lated on the coast; the output of produce east- 
ward increased wonderfully. The wheat mar- 
ket was, at that period, still in the east, and in 
1886 the Northern Pacific Company trans- 
ported 4,161 tone of wheat and 1,600 tons of 
other grains to the Mississippi river; the Ore- 
gon Railroad and Navigation Company took 
out 250,000 tons of wheat, flour and barley to 
southeastern points. These appear, at this 
date, insignificant figures compared with the 
present volume of grain business, but eighteen 
years ago they gave indubitable proof to the 
people of the eastern states of the remarkable 
fertility of the soil of Washington Territory. 

Associated with Governor Squire in the 
Territorial offices were R. S. Greene, chief jus- 
tice; J. P. Hoyt, S. C. Wingard and George 
Turner, associate justices ; N. H. Owings, sec- 



6o 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



retary. The delegate to congress was Thomas 
H. Brents. The federal officers were John B. 
Allen, United States district attorney; Jesse 
George, United States marshal; C. Bash, cus- 
toms collector; C. B. Bagley and E. L. Heriff, 
internal revenue collectors ; William McMicken, 
surveyor-general ; John F. Gowley, registrar, 
and J. R. Hayden, receiver of the United States 
land office at Olympia; F. W. Sparling, regis- 
trar, and A. G. Marsh, receiver, of the Van- 
couver land office ; Joseph Jorgensen, registrar, 
and James Baden, receiver, at Walla Walla; J. 
M. Armstrong, registrar, and John L. Wilson, 
receiver, at Spokane, and R. R. Kinne, reg- 
istrar, and J. M. Adams, receiver, at Yakima. 

Governor Squire was succeeded in 1887 by 
Eugene Semple. Although a republican, he 
had won the confidence of a democratic admin- 
istration at Washington, , D. C., and was re- 
tained in office long after his place could have 
been conveniently supplied with a democratic 
partisan. His attitude during the Chinese riots 
had done much to establish him in the estima- 
tion of President Cleveland. At the time of 
Semple's accession the questions of statehood 
and woman suffrage were agitating the people. 
Affairs were somewhat disquieted. The suff- 
rage question had been defeated by popular vote 
in 1878, but the legislature of 1883-4 had 
passed an act conferring this privilege upon 
women, and the act had been declared unconsti- 
tutional by the courts, but not until the women 
of the Territory had enjoyed the benefits of 
voting, holding office and serving on juries for 
two years, were they disfranchised. In 1886 
woman suffrage became an exceedingly lively 
party issue ; the republicans favoring, the dem- 
ocrats opposing the same. There had, also, 
been a "capital removal" scheme injected into 
the campaign, and strong "North Yakima" and 
"Ellensburg" factions developed in the "In- 
land Empire." A large number of those favor- 
ing statehood had assumed, upon what logical 
grounds is rather obscure, that with admission 



into the union the "panhandle of Idaho, lost 
in 1863, would be restored to the state. This 
remote probability was, however, employed as 
an argument in favor of capital removal, but 
the strenuous "coasters" of the extreme west 
stoutly opposed a location of the seat of gov- 
ernment east of the Cascades, and the hopes of 
the Yakima Valley people were doomed to dis- 
appointment. During the second term of Gov- 
ernor Semple, Charles S. Voorhees succeeded 
Congressional Delegate Brents, and James 
Shields succeeded Hayden in the Olympia land 
office. N. H. Owings continued as secretary, 
R. A. Jones was chief justice, Frank Allyn, 
George Turner and W. G. Langford associate 
justices. 

The fight for admission continued bravely. 
In 1886 the Tacoma board of trade resolved 
that "The commercial independence of Wash- 
ington Territory acompanying the completion 
of the Northern Pacific railroad to tide-water 
should be supplemented by its political inde- 
pendence as a state of the American union. Ad- 
mission can not in decency be delayed many 
years longer, whatever party influences may 
sway congress. The census of 1890 will show 
a population within the present limits of the 
Territory exceeding 200,000, and a property 
valuation of at least $200,000,000." Prev- 
iously the claims of Washington for admis- 
sion had been urged by Governor Squire in one 
of his reports, in forceful language, assigning 
among other reasons "the sterling, patriotic, 
and enterprising character of its citizens; its 
present and prospective maritime relations with 
the world ; its position as a border state on the 
confines of the dominion of Canada, the most 
powerful province of Great Britain; its wealth 
of natural resources and growing wealth of its 
people ; the efficiency of its educational system, 
requiring that its school lands should be allotted 
and utilized; its riparian rights should be set- 
tled, capital and immigration encouraged, and 
the full management and control of municipal 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



61 



and county affairs should be assumed by the 
legislature, which is not allowed during the 
Territorial condition." 

According to the report of Governor 
Semple for 1888 the population of Washington 
Territory was 1 67,982 ; the taxable property 
was $84,621,182; the revenue produced by a 
tax of two and one-half mills, $212,734.92 ; the 
amount of coal mined, 1,133,801 tons; the lum- 
ber output 320,848,203 ; the estimated capacity 
of - the combined mills 1,043,796,000 feet; the 
total railway mileage 1,157.3, broad-gauge, 
and 40 miles narrow-gauge. The same year an 
insane asylum at Steilacoom was completed at a 
cost of $100,000 and $60,000 appropriated for 
a hospital for the insane at Medical Lake. The 
citizens of Vancouver donated land, and the 
legislature appropriated money for the erection 
at that point of a school for defective youth. 
The national guard consisted of two regiments 
of infantry and one troop of cavalry. 

Such, in rough outline, was the material 
condition of the Territory of Washington on 
the eve of statehood. On the anniversary of 
President Washington's birthday, February 
22, 1889, congress passed an enabling act pro- 
posing the terms on which the Territory might 
be admitted into the union. By these pro- 
visions the governor was, on April 15, 1889, 
to call for the election of seventy-five delegates 
on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in 
May, to meet in constitutional convention at 
Olympia on July 4, 1889, for organization and 
formulation of a state constitution. The en- 
abling act by virtue of which Washington Ter- 
ritory was permitted to call a constitutional 
convention embraced other territories. Its title 
was as follows : "An act to provide for the 
division of Dakota into two states and to en- 
able the people of North Dakota, South Da- 
kota, Montana and Washington to form con- 
stitutions and state governments, and to be ad- 
mitted into the union on an equal footing with 
the original states, and to make donations of 
public lands to such states." The land grant to 



Washington was : "For the establishment and 
maintenance of a scientific school, one hundred 
thousand acres; for state normal schools, one 
hundred thousand acres ; for public buildings at 
the state capital, in addition to the grant here- 
inbefore made, for that purpose, one hundred 
thousand acres; for state charitable, educa- 
tional and reformatory institutions, two hun- 
dred thousand acres." 

To defray the expenses of the constitutional 
convention the sum of $20,000 was appropri- 
ated by congress. It was further provided that 
tjhere should be appointed one district judge, 
United States attorney, and United States 
marshal ; the state to constitute one judicial dis- 
trict to be attached to the ninth judicial dis- 
trict; the regular terms of court to commence 
in April and November ; the clerks of the courts 
to have their offices at the state capital; the 
judge to reside in the district and receive a 
salary of $3,500 per annum, and the courts of 
the state to become the successors of the terri- 
torial courts. 

On July 4, 1889, the delegates elected to 
the constitutional convention proceeded to bus- 
iness at Olympia. Following is the represen- 
tation of the several counties : 

Stevens, S. H. Manley, J. J. Travis; 
Spokane, C. P. Coey, George Turner, J. Z. 
Moore, J. J. Browne, T. C. Grimtts, H. F. 
Suksdor, Hiram E. Allen; Lincoln, H. W. 
Fairweather, B. B. Glascock, Frank M. Dal- 
lam; Kititas, J. A. Shoudy, A. Mires, J. T. 
McDonald ; Whitman, J. P. T. McCloskey, C. 
H. Warner, E. H. Sullivan, J. M. Reed, James 
Hungate, George Comegys; Adams, D. 
Buchanan; Garfield, S. C. Cosgrove; Franklin, 
W. B. Gray; Columbia, M. M. Goodman, R. F. 
Sturvedant; Walla Walla, Lewis Neace, D. J. 
Crowley, B. L. Sharpstein, N. G. Blalock; 
Yakima, W. F. Prosser; Clarke, Louis Johns, 
A. A. Lindsley; Skamania, G. H. Stevenson; 
Pacific, J. A. Burk ; Wahiakum, O. A. Bowen ; 
Cowlitz, Jesse Van Name; Mason, Henry 
Winsor, John McReavy ; Chehalis, A. J. West ; 



62 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



Jefferson, Allen Weir, George H. Jones, H. 
C. Wilson; Skagit, James Power, Thomas 
Hayton, H. Clothier; Whatcom, J. J. Weisen- 
berger, E. Eldridge; Snohomish, A. Schooley; 
Island, J. C. Kellogg; Kitsap, S. A. Dickey; 
King, R. Jeffs, T. T. Minor, T. P. Dyer, D. 
E. Dwrie, John P. Kinnear, John P. Hoyt, M. 
J. McElroy, Morgan Morgans, George W. 
Tibbetts, W. L. Newton; Pierce, T. L. Stiles, 
P. C. Sullivan ; Gwin Hicks, H. M. Lillis, C. T. 
Fay,R. S. Moore, Robert Jamison; Thurston, 
John T. Gowey, T. M. Reed, Francis Henry; 
Lewis, O. H. Joy, S. H. Berry. 

J. Z. Moore, of Spokane Falls, was elected 
temporary chairman of the convention, and Al- 
len Weir, of Port Townsend, was chosen tem- 
porary secretary. Permanent organization was 
effected by the election of John P. Hoyt, of 
Seattle, president, John I. Booge, Spokane 
Falls, chief clerk, and Clarence M. Bartin, 
Tacoma, reading clerk. The deliberations of 
the session occupied fifty days. At the election 
of October i, 1889, the constitution framed by 
these seventy-five delegates, representing twen- 
ty-eight counties, was adopted by the people. 
All in all it was an instrument fairly well 
adapted to the requirements of the people of 
Washington. Although not extravagant the 
salaries allowed state officers were liberal; the 
corporations were treated impartially; it pro- 
vided for five supreme judges and ordained su- 
perior courts in all the counties ; fixed the num- 
ber of representatives at not less than sixty- 
three nor more than ninety-nine ; and the senate 
at nor more than half nor less than a third of 
that number; and claimed all tide-lands except 
such as had been patented by the United States. 
The question of woman suffrage, prohibition 
and capital removal were voted upon separately. 
Of the votes cast 40,152 were for adoption of 
the constitution and 11,879 against it. Pro- 
hibition was defeated by a vote of 31,487 to 
19,546; woman suffrage was again laid aside 
by 34,513 votes against, and 16,527 for, that 
question, and for location of the state capital 



Olympia received 25,490 votes; North Yakima, 
14,718; Ellensburg, 12,833; Centralia, 607; 
Yakima, 314; Pasco, 120; scattering, 1,088. 

At this initial state election John L. Wilson 
was chosen for congressman and Elisha Pyre 
Ferry for governor. The other state officers 
elected were Charles E. Laughton, lieutenant 
governor; Allen Weir, secretary of state; A. 
A. Lindsley, treasurer; T. M. Reed, auditor; 
William C. Jones, attorney general; Robert B. 
Bryan, superintendent of public instruction; 
W. T. Forrest, commissioner of public lands. 
Ralph O. Dunbar, Theodore L. Stiles, John P. 
Hoyt, Thomas J. Anders and Elman Scott 
were elected to the supreme brench. All of these 
succeessful candidates were republicans. Of 
the one hundred and five members of the legis- 
lature elected one senator and six representa- 
tives were democrats. Following is the per- 
sonnel of the first Washington state senate and 
house of representatives 

Senate — F. H. Luce, Adams, Franklin and 
Okanogan ; C. G. Austin, Asotin and Garfield ; 

C. T. Wooding, Chehalis; Henry Landes, 
Clallam, Jefferson and San Juan; L. B. Clough, 
Clarke; H. H. Wolfe, Columbia; C. E. For- 
sythe, Cowlitz; J. M. Snow, Douglas and Ya- 
kima; Thomas Paine, Island and Skagit; W. 

D. Wood, J. H. Jones, O. D. Gilfoil, John R. 
Kinnear, W. V. Reinhart, King; W. H. Knee- 
land, Kitsap and Mason; E. T. Wilson, 
Kittitas ; Jacob Hunsaker, Klickitat and Ska- 
mania; J. H. Long, Lewis; H. W. Fair- 
weather, Lincoln; B. A. Seaborg, Pacific and 
Wahkiakum; John S. Baker, L. F. Thompson, 
Henry Drum, Pierce; Henry Vestal, Snoho- 
mish ; Alexander Watt, E. B. Hyde, B. C. Van 
Houton, Spokane; H. E. Houghton, Spokane 
and Stevens; N. H. Owings, Thurston; Piatt 
A. Preston, George T. Thompson, Walla 
Walla; W. J. Parkinson, Whatcom; John C. 
Lawrence, J. T. Whaley, A. T. Farris, Whit- 
man. 

House — W. K. Kennedy, Adams; Will- 
iam Farrish, Asotin; L. B. Nims, J. D. Med- 



GENERAL HISTORY. 



63 



calf, Chehalis; Amos F. Shaw, John D. 
Geoghegan, S. S. Cook, Clarke; A. B. Luce, 
Clallam; A. H. Weatherford, H. B. Day, Col- 
umbia; Chandler, Huntington, Jr., Cowlitz; E. 

D. Nash, Douglas ;.C. H. Flummerfell, Frank- 
lin; W. S. Oliphant, Garfield; George W. 
Morse, Island; Joseph Kuhn, Jefferson; J. T. 
Blackburn, W. C. Rutter, W. H. Hughes, 
Alex. Allen, W. J. Shinn, George Bothwell, F. 
W. Bird, F. B. Grant, King; M. S. Drew, Kit- 
sap ; J. N. Power, J. P. Sharp, Kittitas ; Bruce 

F. Purdy, R. H. Blair, Klickitat ; S. C. Herren, 
Charles Gilchrist, Lewis; P. R. Spencer, T. C. 
Blackfan, Lincoln; John McReavy, Mason; 
Henry Hamilton, Okanogan; Charles Foster, 
Pacific ; George Browne, A. Hewitt, George B. 
Kandle, Oliff Peterson, James Knox, Stephen 
Judson, Pierce ; J. E. Tucker, San Juan ; J. E. 
Edens, B. D. Minkler, Skagit ; George H. Stev- 
enson, Skamania; Alexander Robertson, A. H. 
Eddy, Snohomish; J. W. Feighan, J. E. 
Gandy, S. C. Grubb, J. S. Brown, A. K. Clarke, 

E. B. Dean, Spokane ; M. A. Randall, Stevens ; 
W. G. Bush, Francis Rotch, Thurston; Joseph 

G. Megler, Wahkiakum ; Joseph Painter, Z. K. 
Straight, James Cornwall, Walla Walla; R. 
W. Montray, George Judson, Whatcom ; J. C. 
Turner, E. R. Pickerell, J. T. Peterson, R. H. 
Hutchinson, B. R. Ostrander, Whitman; John 
Cleman, Yakima. 

On joint ballot the republican majority of 
the legislature was ninety-six, thus insuring the 
election of two United States senators. Wat- 
son C. Squire and John B. Allen were elected, 
their respective votes on joint ballot being sev- 
enty-six and seventy-one. In the United States 
senate Mr. Squire drew the short term, expiring 
March 4, 1891, and Mr. Allen served the long 



term, expiring March 4, 1893. In January, 
1 89 1, Mr. Squire was re-elected for six years. 
The omission of the signiture of Governor 
Mason to a certificate accompanying a copy of 
the constitution adopted, caused a delay in the 
proclamation of President Harrison, and in 
consequence of this the legislature had assem- 
bled before Washington was actualy a state. 
On November n, 1889, the proclamation was 
issued by the President, attested by James G. 
Blaine, secretary of state, and Washington 
stepped into the ranks of that sisterhood at 
whom she had long looked with rather envious 
eyes. During the past fifteen years her course 
as a state has been one fulfilling the most san- 
guine expectations of her sponcors. Indeed, a 
retrospective glance shows scarcely one unwise 
step taken by the leading factors in her political 
and industrial history from the first agitation 
for territorial division until to-day. 

At the date of admission into the union 
Washington had, approximately, a population 
of 200,000. The census of 1900 accords the 
state 518,103, and the past four years have ma- 
terially increased these figures. From twenty- 
eight counties at the period of admission the 
state now has thirty-six, and Indian reserva- 
tions to the number of fourteen. We can not 
more fittingly close this portion of our history 
than with the words of the late Julian Ralph, 
written ten years ago : 

"Washington is in every material way a 
grand addition to the sisterhood of states. With 
the easy and rich fancy of the west, her people 
say that if you build a Chinese wall around 
Washington, the state will yield all that her 
inhabitants need without contributions from 
the outer world." 




Hee-oh ks-te-K.in, the Rabbit s Skin Lecfgms 



PART II 

HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY 



CHAPTER I 



CURRENT EVENTS— 1805 TO 1855. 



In the introductory chapters of this volume 
we have trenched upon the exploring expedi- 
tions of Captains Meriwether Lewis and Will- 
iam Clark; that is, so far as their exploits 
impinged on what was the "Oregon" and is 
now the State of Washington. On this "first 
across the continent" trip of one hundred years 
ago, this adventurous party traversed the pres- 
ent Walla Walla county. Therefore it is not 
our present purpose to again refer to their peri- 
lous journey, a journey crowned with such 
glorious results to Our nation, only as it im- 
mediately affected the territory of southeastern 
Washington of which we write. 

During the autumn of 1805, on their out- 
bound pilgrimage, the expedition struck the 
present territory of Washington State at the 
junction of the Snake and Clearwater rivers. 
This is where Lewiston, Idaho, now is ; with 
Clarkston, Washington, just on the opposite 
side of the river. From this point they won 
their way down the Snake river, in rudely con- 
structed boats, to the Columbia ; from there, by 
-the same mode of travel, down the Columbia 
to the Pacific Coast. It is evident, however, 
to any one who has coursed over any portion 
of this stream, that such means of travel con- 
5 



veyed to the explorers only a general and con- 
fused idea of the country through which they 
were passing. 

Their return trip was made overland, from 
near the mouth of the Walla Walla river to the 
junction of the Clearwater and Snake. Then 
it was that they traversed by land the terri- 
tory comprising the present counties of Walla 
Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin. We re- 
produce in full the journal c»f these inde- 
fatigable explorers covering this portion of 
their journey homeward : 

Sunday, April 27, 1806: We were detained 
until nine o'clock before a horse, which broke, 
loose in the night, could be recovered. We then 
passed, near our camp, a small river called/ 
Youmalolam; proceeded through a continuation, 
till at the distance of fifteen miles the abrupt 
and rocky hills, three hundred feet high, return 
to the river. These we ascended, and then crossed 
a higher plain for nine miles, when we again came 
to the waterside. We had been induced to make 
this long march because we had but little pro- 
visions, and hoped to find a Walla Walla village, 
which our guide had told us we should reach 
when next we met the river. There was, how- 
ever, no village to be seen, and as both the men 
and horses were fatigued we halted, and collect- 
ing some dry stalks of weeds and the stems of 
a plant resembling southern wood, cooked a small 
quantity of jerked meat for dinner. Soon after 



66 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



we were joined by seven Walla Wallas, among 
whom we recognized a chief by the name of 
Yellept, who had visited us on the 19th of Octo- 
ber, when we gave him a medal with the promise 
of a larger one on our return. He " appeared 
very much pleased on seeing us again, and in- 
vited us to remain at his village three or four 
•days, during which time he would supply us with 
the only food they had and furnish us with horses 
for our journey. After the cold, inhospitable 
treatment we have lately received this kind offer 
was peculiarly acceptable, and after a hasty meal 
we accompanied him to his village, six miles 
above, situated on the edge of the low country, 
and about twelve miles below the mouth of Lewis 
river. 

Immediately on our arrival, Yellept, who 
proved to be a man of much influence, not only 
in his own but in the neighboring nations, col- 
lected the inhabitants, and after having made a 
harangue, the purport of which was to induce the 
nations to treat us hospitably, set them an ex- 
ample by bringing himself an armful of wood and 
a platter containing three roasted mullets. They 
immediately assented to one part, at least, of 
the recommendation, by furnishing us with an 
abundance of the only sort of fuel they employ, 
the stems of shrubs growing in the plains. We 
then purchased four dogs on which we supped 
heartily, having been on short allowance for two 
days past. When we were disposed to sleep, the 
Indians retired immediately on our request, and, 
indeed, uniformly conducted themselves with 
great propriety. These people live on roots, 
which are very abundant in the plains, and catch 
a few salmon trout; but at present they seem to 
subsist chiefly on a species of mullet, weighing 
from one to three pounds. They now informed 
us that opposite to the village was a route which 
led to the mouth of the Kooskooskee, on the south 
side of Lewis river; that the road itself was good 
and passed over a level country, well supplied 
with water and grass, and that we should meet 
with plenty of deer and antelope. We knew that 
a road in that direction would shorten the dis- 
tance at least 80 miles, and as the report of our 
guide was confirmed by Yellept and other Indians, 
we did not hesitate to adopt that course; they 
added, however, that there were no houses or 
permanent residences of Indians on the road, and 
it was, therefore, deemed prudent, not to trust 
wholly to our guns, but to lay in a stock of pro- 
visions. In the morning, 

Monday, 28th: Therefore, we purchased ten 
dogs. While this trade was carrying on by our 
men, Yellept brought a fine white horse and pre- 
sented him to Captain Clark, expressing at the 
same time a wish to have a kettle; but on being 
informed that we had already disposed of the last 



kettle we could spare, he said he would be con- 
tent with any present we should make in return. 
Captain Clark therefore gave his sword, for which 
the chief had before expressed desire, adding one 
hundred balls, some powder, and other small 
articles with which he appeared perfectly satis- 
fied. We were now anxious to depart, and re- 
quested Yellept to lend us canoes for the purpose 
of crossing the river. But he would not listen 
to any proposal of leaving the village. He wished 
us to remain two or three days; but would not 
let us go today, for he had already sent to invite 
his neighbors, the Chimnapoos, to come down this 
evening and join his people in a dance for our 
amusement. We urged in vain, that by setting 
out sooner we would the earlier return with the 
articles they desired; for a day, he observed, 
would make but little difference.. We at length 
mentioned that as there was no wind it was now 
the best time to cross the river, and would merely 
take the horses over and return to sleep at. their 
village. To this he assented, and we then crossed 
with our horses, and having hobbled them, re- 
turned to their camp. Fortunately there was 
among the Walla Wallas a prisoner belonging to 
the tribe of Shoshonee, or Snake Indians, resid- 
ing at the south of the Multnomah, and visiting 
occasionally the heads of the Walla Walla creek. 
Our Shoshonee woman, Sacajaweah, though she 
belonged to a tribe near the Missouri, spoke the 
same language as the prisoner, and by their means 
we were able to explain ourselves to the Indians, 
and answer all their inquiries with respect to 
ourselves and the object of our journey. Our con- 
versation inspired them with much confidence, 
and they soon brought several sick persons, 
for whom they requested our assistance. We 
splintered the broken arm of one, gave some relief 
to another whose knee was contracted by rheu- 
matism, and administered what we thought bene- 
ficial for ulcers and eruptions of the skin on 
various parts of the body, which are very common 
disorders among them. But our most valuable 
medicine was eyewater, which we distributed, and 
which, indeed, they required very much, the com- 
plaint of their eyes, occasioned by living on the 
water, and increased by the fine sand of the 
plains, being now universal. 

A little before sunset the Chimnapoos, amount- 
ing to one hundred men and a few women, came 
to the village, and joining the Walla Wallas, who 
were about the same number of men, formed 
themselves in a circle around our camp and waited 
very patiently until our men were disposed to 
dance, which they did for about an hour to the 
time of the violin. They then requested to see 
the Indians dance. With this they readily com- 
plied, and the whole assemblage, amounting, with 
the women and children of the village, to several 
hundred, stood up and sang and danced at the 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



6 7 



same time. The exercise was not, indeed, very 
violent nor very graceful, for the greater part 
of them were formed into a solid column, round 
a kind of hollow square, stood on the same place 
and merely jumped up at intervals to keep time 
to the music. Some, however, of the more active 
warriors entered the square and danced round it 
sideways, and some of our own men joined in 
the dance to the great satisfaction of the Indians. 
The dance continued till ten o'clock. 

Tuesday, 29th: The next morning Yellept sup- 
plied us with two canoes in which we crossed 
with all our baggage by eleven o'clock, but the 
horses having strayed to some distance we could 
not collect them in time to reach any fit place 
to camp if we began our journey, as night would 
overtake us before we came to water. We there- 
fore thought it advisable to encamp about a mile 
from the Columbia, on the mouth of the Walla 
Walla river. This is a handsome stream, about 
fifty yards wide and four and one-half feet in 
depth; its. waters, which are clear, roll "over a bed 
composed principally of gravel, intermixed with 
some sand and mud, and though the banks are low 
they do not seem to be overflowed. It empties 
into the Columbia about twelve or fifteen miles 
from the entrance of Lewis river, and just above 
a range of high hills crossing the Columbia. Its 
sources, like those of the Towahnahiooks, Lapage, 
Youmaloam and Wollawallah, come, as the Indians 
inform us, from the north side of a range of 
Mountains which we see to the east and south- 
east, and which, commencing to the south of 
Mount Hood, stretch in a northeastern direction 
to the neighborhood of a southern branch of 
Lewis' river, at some distance from the Rocky 
mountains. Two principal branches, however, of 
the Towahnahiooks rise in Mount Jefferson and 
Mount Hood, which, in fact, appear to separate 
the waters of the Multnomah and Columbia. They 
are now about sixty-five or seventy miles from 
this place and although covered with snow, do 
not seem high. 

To the south of these mountains the Indian 
prisoner says there is a river running toward the 
northwest, as large as the Columbia at this place, 
which is nearly a mile wide. This account may 
be exaggerated, but it seems to show that the 
Multnomah must be a very large river, and that, 
with the assistance of a southeastern branch of 
Lewis's river, passing around the eastern extrem- 
ity of that chain of mountains in which Mounts 
Hood and Jefferson are so conspicuous, waters 
the vast tract of country to the south, till its re- 
mote sources approach those of the Missouri and 
Rio del Norte. 

Near our camp is a fish-weir, formed of two 
curtains of small willow switches matted together 
with wythes of the same plant, and extending 



across the river in two parallel lines six feet 
asunder. These are supported by several parcels 
of poles, in the manner already described as in 
use among the Shoshones, and are either rolled 
up or let down at pleasure for a few feet, so as 
either to suffer the fish to pass or detain them. 
A seine of fifteen or eighteen feet in length is then 
dragged down the river by two persons, and the 
bottom drawn up against the curtain of willows. 
They also employ a smaller seine like a scooping 
net, one side of which is confined to a semi- 
circular bow five feet long and half the size of 
a man's arm, and the other side is held by a 
strong rope which, being tied at both ends to the 
bow, forms the cord to the semi-circle. This is 
used by one person, but the only fish which they 
can take at this time is a mullet of from four 
to five pounds in weight, and this is the chief 
subsistence of a village of twelve houses of Walla 
Wallas a little below us, on the river, as well as 
of others on the opposite side of the Columbia. 

In the course of this day we gave small medals 
to two inferior chiefs, each of whom made us a 
present of a fine horse. We were in a poor con- 
dition to make an adequate acknowledgment for 
this kindness, but gave several articles, among 
which was a pistol, with some hundred rounds of 
ammunition. We have, indeed, been treated by 
these people with an unusual degree of kindness 
and civility. They seem to have been successful 
in their hunting during the last winter, for all 
of them, but particularly the women, are much 
better clad than when we saw them last, both 
sexes among the Walla Wallas, as well as the 
Chimnapoos, being provided with good robes, 
moccasins, long shirts and leggings. Their orna- 
ments are similar to those used below, the hair 
cut in the forehead, the queques falling over the 
shoulders in front of the body; some have some 
small plaits at the earlocks, and others tie a bundle 
of the docked foretop ini front of the forehead. 

They were anxious that we should repeat our 
dance of last evening, but as it rained a little 
and the wind was high we found the weather too 
cold for such amusement. 

Wednesday, 30th: Although we had hobbled 
and secured our new purchases, we found some 
difficulty in collecting all our horses. In the 
meantime we purchased several dogs and two 
horses, besides exchanging one of our least valu- 
able horses for a very good one belonging to the 
Chopunnish who is accompanying us with his fam- 
ily. * * * we have now twenty-three horses, 
many of whom are young and excellent animals, 
but the greater part of them are afflicted with 
sore backs. The Indians in general are cruel 
masters; they ride very hard, and as the saddles 
are so badly constructed that it is almost im- 
possible to avoid wounding the back, yet they 



68 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



continue to ride when the poor creatures are 
scarified in a dreadful manner. At eleven o'clock 
we left these honest, worthy people, accompanied 
by our guide and the Chopunnish family, and 
directed our course north 30 degrees east, across 
an open, level, sandy plain, unbroken except by 
large banks of pure sand, which has drifted in 
many parts of the plain to the height of fifteen 
or twenty feet. The rest of the plain is poor in 
point of soil, but throughout is generally short 
grass interspersed with aromatic shrubs, and a 
number of plants, the roots of which supply the 
chief sustenance of the natives. Among these we 
observe a root something like the sweet potato. 
At the distance of fourteen miles we reached a 
branch of Walla Walla river (Touchet), rising 
in the same range of mountains, and emptying 
itself six miles above the mouth of the latter. It 
is a bold, deep stream, about ten yards wide, and 
seems to be navigable for canoes. The hills of 
this creek are generally abrupt and rocky, but the 
narrow bottom is very fertile, and both possess 
twenty times as much timber as the Columbia 
itself; indeed, we now find, for the first time since 
leaving Rock fort, an abundance of firewood. The 
grow r th consists of cottonwood, birch, the crim- 
son haw, red and sweet willow, choke cherry, yel- 
low currants, gooseberry; the honeysuckle with a 
white berry, rose bushes, sumac, together with 
some corn-grass and rushes. The advantage of a 
comfortable fire induced us, as the night was 
come, to halt at this place. We were soon sup- 
plied by Drewyer with a beaver and an otter, of 
which we took only a part of the beaver and gave 
the rest to the Indians. The otter is a favorite 
food, though much inferior, at least in our estima- 
tion, to the dog, which they will not eat. The 
horse, too, is seldom eaten, and never except when 
absolute necessity compels them to eat it, as the 
only alternative to prevent their dying of hunger. 
This fastidiousness does not, however, seem to 
proceed so much from any dislike to the food as 
from attachment to the animal itself, for many 
of them ate very heartily of the horse-beef which 
was given them. 

Thursday, May 1, 1806: At an early hour in 
the morning we collected our horses, and after 
breakfast set out about seven o'clock and fol- 
lowed the road up the creek. The low grounds 
and plains presented the same appearance as that 
of yesterday, except that the latter were less 
sandy. At the distance of nine miles the Chopun- 
nish Indian, who was in front, pointed out an old 
unbeaten road to the left, which he informed us 
was our shortest route. Before venturing, how- 
ever, to quit our present road, which was level, 
and not only led us in the proper direction but 
was well supplied with wood and water, we halted 
to let our horses graze till the arrival of our other 



guide, who happened to be at some distance be- 
hind. On coming up he seemed much displeased 
with the other Indian, and declared that the road 
we were pursuing was the proper one; that if we 
decided on taking the left road it would be neces- 
sary to remain until tomorrow morning and then 
make an entire day's march before we could reach 
either water or wood. To this the Chopunnish 
assented, but declared that he, himself, meant to 
pursue that route, and we therefore gave him 
some powder and lead which he requested. 

Four hunters whom we had sent out in the 
morning joined us while we halted, and brought 
us a beaver for dinner. We then took our leave 
of the Chopunnish at one o'clock, and pursued our 
route up the creek, through a country similar to 
that we had passed in the morning. But at the 
distance of three miles the hills on the north side 
became lower, and the bottoms of the creek wid- 
ened into a pleasant country, two or three miles 
in extent. The timber, too, is now more abundant, 
and our guide tells us that we shall not want 
either wood or game from this place as far as the 
Kooskooskee. We have already seen a number of 
deer, of which we killed one, and observed great 
quantities of the curlew as well as some cranes, 
ducks, prairie larks and several species of sparrow 
common to the prairies. There is, in fact, very 
little difference in the general face of the country 
here from that of the plains of the Missouri, ex- 
cept that the latter are enlivened by vast herds 
of buffalo, elk, and other animals which give it 
an additional interest. Over these wide bottoms 
we continued on a course north 75 degrees east, 
till at the distance of seventeen miles from where 
we dined, and twenty-six from our last encamp- 
ment, we halted for the night. We had scarcely 
encamped when three young men came up from 
the Walla Walla village with a steel trap which 
had been left behind inadvertently, and which 
they had come a whole day's journey in order to- 
restore. This act of integrity was the more pleas- 
ing because, though very rare among Indians, it 
corresponded perfectly with the general behavior 
of the Walla Wallas, among whom we had lost, 
carelessly, several knives which were always re- 
turned as soon as found. We may, indeed, justly 
affirm that of all the Indians whom we have met 
since leaving the United States, the Walla Wallas 
were the most hospitable, honest and sincere. 

Friday, May 2d: We dispatched two hunters 
ahead; but the horse we had yesterday purchased 
from the Chopunnish, although closely hobbled, 
contrived to break loose in the night and went 
back to rejoin his companions. He was, however, 
overtaken and brought to us about one o'clock, and 
we then set forward. For three miles we followed 
a hilly road on the north side of the creek, oppo- 
site to a wide bottom, where a branch falls in 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



69 



from the southwest mountains which, though cov- 
ered with snow, are about twenty-five miles dis- 
tant and do not appear high. We then entered 
an extensive level bottom, with about fifty acres 
of land well covered with pine near the creek, and 
the long-leafed pine occasionally on the sides of 
the hills along its banks. After crossing the creek 
at the distance of seven miles from our camp, we 
repassed it seven miles farther, near the junction 
of one of its branches from the northeast. The 
main stream here bears to the south, toward the 
mountains where it rises, and its bottom then be- 
comes narrow, as the hills are higher. We fol- 
lowed the course of this northeast branch in a 
direction north 45 degrees east, for eight and 
three-quarters miles, when having made nineteen 
miles, we halted in a little bottom on the north 
side. The creek is here about four yards wide, 
and as far as we can perceive it comes from the 
east, but the road here turns from it into the high, 
open plains. The soil of the country seems to im- 
prove as we advance, and this afternoon we see in 
the bottoms an abundance of quamash (camas) 
now in bloom. We killed nothing but a duck, 
though we saw two deer at a distance, as well 
as many sand-hill cranes, curlews and other birds 
common to the plains, and there is much sign of 
both beaver and otter along the creeks. The three 
young Walla Wallas continued with us. During 
the day we observed them eating the inner part of 
the young, succulent stem of a plant very common 
in the rich lands on the Mississippi, Ohio and its 
branches. It is a large, coarse plant with a tunate 
leaf, the leaflets of which are three-leaved, and 
covered with a woolly pubescence, while the 
flower and fruitiflcation resembles that of the 
parsnip. On tasting this plant we found it agree- 
able, and ate heartily of it without any inconveni- 
ence. 

Saturday, 3d: We set out at an early hour 
and crossed the high plains, which we found more 
fertile and less sandy than below; yet, though 
the grass is taller there are very few aromatic 
shrubs. After pursuing a course north 2 5 degrees 
east for twelve miles we reached the Kinnooenim. 
This creek rises in the southwest mountains and, 
though only twelve yards wide, discharges a con- 
siderable body of water into Lewis's river a few 
miles from the narrows. Its bed is pebbled; its 
banks low, and the hills near its side high and 
rugged; but in its narrow bottoms are found some 
cottonwood, willow and the underbrush which 
grows equally on the east branch of the Walla 
Walla. After dining at the Kinnooenim, we re- 
sumed our journey over the high plains in the 
direction of north 45 degrees east, and reached 
at the distance of three miles a small branch of 
that creek about five yards wide. The lands in 
its neighborhood are composed of a dark, rich 



loam; its hillsides, like those of the Kinnooenim, 
are high; its bottoms are narrow and possess but 
little timber. It increased, however, in quantity 
as we advanced along the north side of the creek 
for eleven miles. 

At that distance we were agreeably surprised 
by the appearance of Weahkoonut, or the Indian 
whom we had called the "Bighorn," from the cir- 
cumstance of his wearing a horn of that animal 
suspended from his left arm. He had gone down 
with us last year along Lewis's river, and was 
highly serviceable in preparing the minds of the 
natives for our reception. He is, moreover, the 
first chief of a large band of Chopunnish, and 
hearing that we were on our return he had come 
with ten of his warriors to meet us, and we con- 
tinued up the bottom of the creek for two miles, 
till the road began to leave the creek and cross 
the hill to the plains. We therefore encamped for 
the night in a grove of cottonwood, after we had 
made a disagreeable journey of twenty-eight miles. 
During the greater part of the day the air was 
keen and cold, and it alternately rained, hailed 
and snowed; but though the wind blew with great 
violence, it was fortunately from the southwest 
and on our backs. We had consumed at dinner 
the last of our dried meats and nearly all that was 
left of the dogs, so that we supped very scantily 
on the remainder, and had nothing for tomorrow. 
Weahkoonut, however, assured us that there was 
a house on the river at no great distance where 
we might supply ourselves with provisions. We 
now missed our guide and the Walla Wallas who 
left us abruptly this morning and never returned. 
After a disagreeable night we collected our horses 
at an early hour. 

Sunday, 4th: We proceeded with a continua- 
tion of the same weather. We are now nearer to 
the southwest mountains, which appear to become 
lower as they advance toward the northeast. We 
followed the road over the plains north 60 degrees 
east, for four miles to a ravine, where was the 
source of a small creek, down the hilly and rocky 
sides of which we proceeded for eight miles to its 
entrance into Lewis's river, about seven miles and 
a half above the mouth of the Kooskooskee. Near 
this place we found the house of which Weah- 
koonut had mentioned, and where we now halted 
for breakfast. It contained six families, but so 
miserably poor that all we could obtain from them 
were two lean dogs and a few large cakes of half- 
cured bread made of a root resembling the sweet 
potato, of all which we contrived to form a kind 
of soup. The soil of the plain is good, but it has 
no timber. 

The range of the southwest mountains is about 
fifteen miles above us, but continues to lower, and 
is still covered with snow at its base. After giv- 
ing a passage to Lewis's river, near the north- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



eastern extremity, they terminate in a high, level 
plain between that river and the Kooskooskee. 
The salmon not having yet called them to the 
rivers, the greater part of the Chopunnish are now 
dispersed in villages throughout this plain, for the 
purpose of collecting quamash and cows, which 
here grow in great abundance, the soil being ex- 
tremely fertile, and in many places covered with 
the long-leafed pine, the larch, the balsam-fir, 
which contribute to render it less thirsty than the 
open, unsheltered plains. After our repast we 
continued our route along the west side of the 
river, where, as well as on the opposite shore, 
the high hills approach it closely, till at the dis- 
tance of three miles we halted opposite to two 
houses. The inhabitants consisted of five families 
of Chopunnish, among whom were Tetah, or Sky, 
the younger of the two chiefs who accompanied us 
in the autumn to the great falls of the Columbia, 
and also an old pilot who had conducted us down 
the river to the Columbia. They both advised us 
to cross here and ascend the Kooskooskee on the 
northeast side, this being the shortest and best 
route to the forks of that river, where we should 
find the Twistedhair, in whose charge we left our 
horses, and to which place they promised to show 
us the way. We did not hesitate to accept this 
offer, and therefore crossed with the assistance of 
three canoes; but as the night was coming on we 
purchased a little wood and some roots of cows, 
and encamped, though we had made only fifteen 
miles today. The evening proved cold and disa- 
greeable, and the natives crowded around our 
fire in such numbers that, we could scarcely cook, 
or even keep ourselves warm. 

******* 

Monday, 5th: We collected our horses, and 
at seven o'clock set forward alone; for Weahkoo- 
nut, whose people resided above on the west side 
of Lewis's river, continued his route homeward 
when we crossed to the huts. Our road was across 
the plains for four and one-half miles to the 
entrance of the Kooskooskee. 

Mr. Olin Wheeler in his entertaining 
"Trail of Lewis and Clark" states that the 
medal presented to Yellept was found in 1892 
on an island near the mouth of the Walla 
Walla river. He continues : 

"In the work of Rev. Gustavus Hines, 
entitled, 'Exploring Expedition to Ore- 
gon,' published in 185 1, and treating of 
life in Oregon in the 'forties, I find 
referred to at length what must be beyond 
doubt the incident of Yellept's death and burial. 



Yellept is not mentioned by name, but as 'the 
most successful warrior and renowned chief- 
tain of which the Walla Walla cotdd ever 
boast.' No wonder that the Lewis and Clark 
party recorded that 'we may, indeed, justly 
affirm that of all the Indians whom we have 
met since leaving the United States, the Walla 
Wallas were the most hospitable, honest and 
sincere.' 

"In going from the mouth of the Walla 
Walla to the Kooskooskee river, the expedition 
followed first the Touchet river to Waitsburg 
and Dayton - * * * thence slightly north- 
east from Dayton to a point a few miles below 
the junction of the Kooskooskee and Lewis, 
or Snake rivers. They crossed the latter 
stream between four and five miles below the 
junction. When about half way between Day- 
ton and Lewiston they met their old friend 
Weahkoonut, who, having heard that they were 
approaching, hastened out to meet them." 

Only a few years following this visit of 
Lewis and Clark the members of the British 
Hudson's Bay Company began to make history 
in the territory of the future Walla Walla 
county. They penetrated all portions of the 
Pacific Northwest ; the very atmosphere was 
permeated by a strong flavor of Hudson's Bay 
people's furs and skins ; several years before 
they built Fort Walla Walla their voyageurs 
and trappers passed up and down the Columbia 
river. 

On one of these expeditions, so early 
as 181 3, a clash occurred between the 
whites (Hudson's Bay Company's em- 
ployes), and Indians. The former were 
slowly poling their way up the Colum- 
bia. At a broad reach of the river, some 
distance below the mouth of the Snake, the 
water shoaled for a considerable space. The 
Indians came out from the shore, stopped the 
leading batteau, and demanded a present. To- 
bacco was given them ; they levied the same 
tribute on the next batteau, more natives wad- 
ing out from the shore. Thus it was continued 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



7* 



to the other batteau; the Indians continually 
augmenting in numbers, and all apparently 
surly, turbulent and dissatisfied. Congregating 
still closer around the boats some began han- 
dling various articles, and laid hands on the 
crafts, rocking them and evincing a threaten- 
ing disposition. This precipitated a fight; two 
of the Indians were killed and the rest of the 
band dispersed. But the whites dared not pro- 
ceed ; stopping on an island they remained there 
some days. As time passed the Indians were 
seen gathering in constantly increasing num- 
bers along the shore ; it became clear that they 
did not purpose to let the trappers go without 
further trouble. The whites at length decided, 
unwisely, on a policy of war, unfit as they were 
to prosecute it at this time and place. They 
could not stand a protracted siege on the island, 
and forming in order they marched to the north 
shore of the river, and were soon confronted 
by a large band of mounted and painted sav- 
ages of many tribes, through whom it seemed 
there could be no passage without fighting. 
The numbers of the hostiles were increasing; 
suddenly there came riding down the Indian 
line a young warrior, all animation and enthus- 
iasm. He at once began haranguing the as- 
sembled and fast increasing force of braves. 
So penetrating was his raucous, strident voice 
that he was plainly heard by the whites, and his 
words were rendered by an interpreter. It was 
a forceful specimen of Indian eloquence; it 
showed the manner in which chiefs secured and 
held their influence ; and the motives that were 
silently working arhong the more intelligent 
Indians. This oratorical warrior was against 
fighting the white men A free translation of 
his arguments is as follows : 

"My countrymen, what is this that you 
would do ? But three winters ago we were a 
miserable people at the mercy of our enemies. 
Our warriors were killed, our lodges burned, 
our wives enslaved. Now we are fed and 
clothed ; now we have horses by the thousands, 
and sweet sleep at night. Now our hearts are 



strong within us. What brought the change? 
The white man. For our horses and furs he 
gave us hatchets and guns, and taught us how 
to use them. These make our security for us; 
these make us a nation. Then why kill the 
white man? You would rob him, but did he 
ever rob you? Know you not that he is 
strong? That if you harm him he will come 
in force and cut you off, or else will say that 
you are bad men and will not come at all; 
then you shall be left to the mercy of your 
foes. Take what they offer for your dead; 
and be it known to you if there is to be fighting 
I will fight on their side." 

Reduced to a concise statement his appeal 
was to the effect that the whites were a benefit 
to the red man. The chief who made this 
address was a young warrior of the Walla 
Wallas, and was known as the Morning Star. 
Many scalps of his enemies he also boasted, 
especially the Snakes, from an expedition 
against whom he had recently returned with 
nineteen of these ghastly trophies. At once 
the sentiment of the Indians veered around; 
they agreed to accept the indemnity offered 
for the two slain Indians and promised unmo- 
lested navigation to the trappers. 

It was in 181 7 that a brigade of eighty- 
six men left Oregon for the "upper country." 
It had been determined by McKenzie to occupy 
the Snake river country, accessible as it was 
to valuable fur-producing territory. But at 
that period the Snake Indians were offensively 
disaffected. And yet, accompanied by eight 
men only, McKenzie successfully trapped in 
the Shoshone country. In fact, the magnates 
of the Hudson's Bay Company, then residing 
in Canada, had directed him to build a fort 
at some point near the confluence of the Snake 
and Columbia rivers. At a spot a little above 
the mouth of the Walla Walla river he decided 
to erect his rude fortification. To parties trav- 
eling between Forts Okanogan, Spokane and 
Kamloops, it would afford a convenient halt- 
ing place; also to those going- between the 



72 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY 



Columbia, Clearwater and Nez Perce country, 
to the east, and the Grande Ronde and Snake 
river country, southeast. But the partners at 
Astoria did not support McKenzie, although 
he was quite in earnest in his design. It is a 
historical fact that at this period the people 
at Astoria were nearly ready to abandon the 
Northwest Coast altogether, to say nothing of 
building new forts. The Canadian end of the 
company was not of this mind. Positive 
orders came in 1818 to the commandant at 
Astoria to furnish McKenzie men and means 
to prosecute to a conclusion work on the fort. 
Up the river with one hundred men went 
McKenzie. What is now Wallula he selected 
as the site of the fort. It is on the left bank 
of the Columbia. On the fringe of an im- 
mense sage brush plain was the fort; the Blue 
mountains fifty miles away, to the eastward. 
An unlimited plain stretched to the northward 
from the river, at this point nearly a mile wide. 
Not a green tree was in sight; the pebbly 
shingle of the river shore was more or less 
covered with drift wood. The high doors of 
the Walla Walla bluffs permitted the passage 
to the west of the river, green with grass only 
in the late winter or early spring; dun or sober 
gray were they for the rest of the way, when 
not powdered with snow. Truly it was, and 
is, a peculiarly picturesque spot. 

Driftwood, picked up along the shore was 
the only material accessible for building this 
proposed fort. Better timber was required ; 
a few of the men were dispatched one hundred 
miles up thef river to find it. Sullen and 
suspicious Indians gathered about the rising 
structure in daily augmented numbers. For 
whatever the whites wanted the savages de- 
manded pay, particularly for the driftwood 
which they considered their especial perquisite. 
In truth, it was quite valuable to them as their 
only supply of firewood. Considerable con- 
cern was felt by the whites because supplies of 
food were withheld. But at last the fort was 
completed ; quite a sufficient defense and by no 



means a mere palisade. One hundred feet 
square it was, surrounded by an outer wall of 
planks, whipsawed, thirty inches wide; six 
inches thick and twenty feet long. A balus- 
trade four feet high was at the top, provided 
with loop-holes and slip doors ; a gallery inside 
enabled a guard to pace the wall and keep an 
eye on the surrounding country. Twelve feet 
high, of sawed plank, was an inner wall. The 
houses, one of stone, and the rest built of drift- 
wood, were within this wall. At each angle 
was a tank to be drawn upon in case of fire, 
and there were two bastions. All in all Fort 
Walla Walla was substantial considering sur- 
rounding conditions. Indians were compelled 
to transact their trading at a small window, 
from the outside ; none was allowed within the 
fort. 

In after days here were enacted many 
stirring historic scenes ; some of the most prom- 
inent pioneer traders were at different times 
located at this strategic point. With the sus- 
picious Walla Wallas friendly relations were 
finally established ; the whites were to be per- 
mitted to hunt and trade; a remarkable inci- 
dent was the agreement of the Walla Wallas 
to make peace with the Snakes. With this 
latter tribe trouble had been stirred up by a 
band of Iroquois hunters, a large force of 
whom were employed as trappers by the Hud- 
son's Bay Company. 

Fort Walla Walla was built with a particu- 
lar view to strength. Originally it was called 
Fort Nez Perce. The attack by Indians on 
Ogden's party at this point is fully described 
in the chapter relating to Wallula. The tanks 
at the angles mentioned contained 200 gallons, 
each, of water. Practically it was a fort within 
a fort. There were two gates, one of them 
moved by a pulley; the main entrance was 
guarded by double doors. Despite all precau- 
tions, however, fire at last obtained the mastery ; 
when it was rebuilt adobe took the place of 
timber. This was in 1843. Ten years later 
it was abandoned by Captain James Sinclair, 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



73 



who feared it would fall into the hands of the 
Indians, and the location remained unsettled 
until 1 860- 1, when it became a steamboat land- 
ing and was renamed Wallula. 

W. H. Gray, who in company with a party 
of missionaries, visited the Hudson's Bay Com- 
pany's post in 1836, thus describes it in his 
history of Oregon : 



Old Fort Walla Walla, in 1836, when the mis- 
sion party arrived, was a tolerably substantial 
stockade, built of driftwood taken from the Co- 
lumbia river, of an oblong form, with two log 
bastions raised, one on the southwest corner, com- 
manding the river front and southern space be- 
yond the stockade; the other bastion was on the 
northeast corner, commanding the north end and 
east side of the fort. In each of these bastions 
was kept a small cannon, with a good supply of 
small arms. These bastions were always well 
guarded when any danger was suspected from the 
Indians. The sage brush, willow and grease wood 
had been cut and cleared away for a considerable 
distance around to prevent any Indians getting 
near the fort without being discovered. Inside 
the stockade were the houses, store and quarters 
for the men, with a space sufficiently large to 
corral about one hundred horses. The houses and 
quarters were built by laying down sills, placing 
posts at from eight to v twelve feet apart, with ten- 
dons on the top, and the bottom grooved in the 
sides, and for corner posts, so as to slip e'ach piece 
of timber, having also a tenon upon each end, 
into the grooves of the posts, forming a solid wall 
of from four to six inches thick, usually about 
seven feet high from roof to ceiling, or timbers 
overhead. The roofs were of split cedar, flattened 
and placed upon the ridge pole and plate-like rafters, 
close together, then grass or straw was put on 
4he split pieces, covered with mud and dirt, and 
packed to keep the straw from blowing off. The 
roofs were less than one-fourth pitch and of course 
subject to leakage when it rained. For floors split 
puncheons were used in the chief trader's quar- 
ters. In the corner of the room was a comfortable 
fireplace, made of mud in place of brick. The 
room was lighted with six panes of glass, seven 
inches by nine, set in strips of wood, split with 
a common knife, and shaped so as to hold the 
glass in place of a sash. The doors were also of 
split lumber, rough-hewn, wrought iron hinges 
and wooden latches; the furniture consisted of 
three benches, two stools, and one chair (something 
like a barber's chair, without the scrolls and 
cushions) ; a bed in one corner of the room upon 
some split boards for bottom; a rough table of 



the same material roughly planed. These, with 
a few old cutlasses, shot-pouches and tobacco 
sacks (such as were manufactured by the Indians 
about the post), constituted the room and furni- 
ture occupied by P. C. Pambrun, Esq., of the 
Honorable Hudson's Bay Company. 

In this connection it may be of some in- 
terest to note the personnel of the Hudson's 
Bay Company as organized on American soil. 
With the exception of the London governor 
and directors, there were nine grades of office 
and service. The local governor was first. 
He resided in America; his first headquarters 
being at Prince of Wales Fort; subsequently 
at York Factory, and later at Fort Garry. Over 
all the various establishments of the company 
his jurisdiction extended. The second chief 
factors might assume charge of a department, 
or of a factory, supplying the smaller forts of 
a district. Chief traders fell into the third class. 
Of some single, but important post they were 
usually in charge. 

Chief clerks who were frequently dis- 
patched with a crew of voyageurs or expedi- 
tions, or placed in charge of minor posts, were 
in the fourth class. Then there were a kind 
of forest midshipmen ; raw lads fresh from 
home or school, who attended their seniors; 
they were, in fact, apprenticed clerks and were 
in the fifth class. Postmasters, generally pro- 
moted for good behavior from the ranks of 
the laborers, comprised class sixth. Small sta- 
tions or outposts were placed in their charge. 
The interpreters fell into the seventh class. 
Usually they were laborers who had acquired 
a smattering of native dialects. Voyageurs 
and boatmen were in class eight; laborers em- 
ployed in various lines of work, chopping, 
carrying, mending, trapping, fishing, black- 
smithing, rough carpentering or boat building, 
were all in class nine. No higher than post- 
master could the laborer rise. But a chief 
factor or even governor might become an ap- 
prenticed clerk. The latter, after five years of 
faithful, intelligent service, was entitled to a 
clerkship; from ten to twenty years further 



74 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



service would place him in line for a chief 
tradership. The latter was a half shareholder, 
and might become within a few years chief 
factor, or full shareholder. As a rule the chief 
factor directed the affairs of the company; the 
chief trader acting - under him, managed the 
extensive traffic with the natives. 

Usually a rather tame existence was fort 
life. It was. perforce, passed in a bleak and 
dreary wilderness, the howl of the coyote and 
the warning rataplan of the rattlesnake the only 
bucolic music ; wild beasts and savages the 
only adjacent neighbors. However, there were 
exceptions to this rule. Convenience and home- 
like order prevailed in a few of these estab- 
lishments. At dawn bells were rung for the 
commencement of the diurnal toil of the labor- 
ers; again at eight or nine o'clock for break- 
fast; at one for dinner and six for supper. 
Then work was suspended. Separate tables 
were laid for officers and laborers. At certain 
factories tbe latter drew rations from the 
steward, as in the army. The sole and ultimate 
object of all was "strictly business," and all 
were busy. And when some isolated post- 
keeper was caught with no winter occupation 
on hand. then, indeed, did time drag wearily 
among these earliest of American pioneers. In 
1857 the House of Commons printed a report 
on the Hudson's Bay Company, in which it 
was stated that Fort Walla Walla was fre- 
quented by 300 Indians. 

The year 1 834 was accentuated by an event 
of historical importance to the Walla Walla 
country. That year Captain B. L. E. Bonne- 
ville penetrated the interior so far as Fort 
Walla Walla on the Columbia river. At the 
close of a winter journey that had been at- 
tended with many hardships, Bonneville and 
his party reached the fort March 4th. His 
object was to secure information concerning 
the country and the Indians with a view to 
the establishment of a trading post somewhere 
on the lower reaches of the Columbia river, 



"so as to participate in the trade lost to the 
United States by the capture of Astoria." 

By the representative of the Hudson's Bay 
Company at that post Bonneville was kindly 
received. But when he expressed a desire to 
purchase supplies that would enable him and 
his companions to return to the Rocky moun- 
tains he found it impossible to do so. The 
agent in charge of Fort Walla Walla explained 
that, however much he, personally, might feel 
disposed to serve him, he felt bound by his duty 
to the company he represented to do nothing 
which would facilitate or encourage the visits 
of other traders among the Indians in that 
part of the country. Only two days longer 
Bonneville remained at Fort Walla Walla ; his 
destitute condition, combined with the late- 
ness of the season, made it imperative that he 
should return immediately, only after in- 
credible hardships and privations he reached the 
rendezvous for his various expeditions. 

Of the Whitman massacre at Waiilatpu a 
full account is given in the general state his- 
tory of this volume. The character and con- 
dition of the Whitman Mission have not, how- 
ever, been so fully treated,. Undoubtedly the 
most important event in the earlier history of 
Walla Walla county was the founding of this 
mission by Dr. Marcus Whitman. Vivid and 
illuminating rays of light are thrown upon 
this episode by the diary of Mrs. Whitman, 
extracts from which we now, with pleasure, 
reproduce : 

"December 26, 1836: Where are we now, 
and who are we, that we should be thus blessed 
by the Lord? I can scarcely realize that we 
are thus comfortably fixed and keeping house 
so soon after our marriage, when considering 
what was then before us. 

"We arrived here on the 10th; distance 25 
miles from Fort Walla Walla. Found a house 
reared and the lean-to enclosed, a good chim- 
ney and fireplace, and the floor laid. No win- 
dows or doors except blankets. My heart truly 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



75 



leaped for joy as I alighted from my horse, 
entered and seated myself before a pleasant 
fire (for it was now night). It occurred to me 
that my dear parents had made a similar be- 
ginning and perhaps a more difficult one than 
ours. 

"We had neither straw, bedsteads or table, 
nor anything to make them of except green 
cottonwood. All our boards are sawed by hand. 
Here my husband and his laborers (two 
Owyhees from Vancouver, and a man who 
crossed the mountains with us), and Mr. Gray 
had been encamped in a tent since the 19th of 
October, toiling excessively hard to accomplish 
this much for our comfortable residence dur- 
ing the remainder of the winter. It is, indeed, 
a lovely situation. We are on a beautiful, 
level peninsula formed by the branches of the 
Walla Walla river, upon the base of which 
our house stands, on the southeast corner, near 
the shore of the main river. To run a fence 
across to the opposite river on the north from 
our house — this, with the river would enclose 
three hundred acres of good land for cultiva- 
tion, all directly under the eye. 

"The rivers are barely skirted with timber. 
This is all the woodland we can see. Beyond 
them as far as the eye can reach, plains and 
mountains appear. On the east, a few rods 
from the house, is a range of small hills cov- 
ered with bunch grass, very excellent food for 
animals and upon which they subsist during 
winter, even digging it from under the snow." 

T. J. Furnham, who wrote a book of 
"Travels Across the Great Western Prairies 
and Rocky Mountains," visited the Whitman 
Mission in September, 1839. He says: 

"I found 200 acres enclosed and 200 acres 
under good cultivation. I found forty or fifty 
Indian children between the ages of seven and 
eighteen years in school, and Mrs. Whitman an 
indefatigable instructor. One building was in 
course of construction and a small grist mill 
in running order. * * * It appeared to 
me quite remarkable that the Doctor could have 



made so many improvements since the year 
.1836; but the industry which crowded every 
hour of the day, his untiring energy of char- 
acter, and the very efficient aid of his wife 
in relieving him in a great degree from the 
labors of the school, enabled him, without 
funds for such purposes, 'and without other aid 
than that of a fellow missionary for short in- 
tervals, to fence, plow, build, plant an orchard, 
and do all the other laborious acts of opening 
a plantation on the face of that distant wilder- 
ness, learn an Indian language, and do the 
duties, meanwhile, of a physician to the asso- 
ciate stations on the Clearwater and Spokane." 

Dr. Jonathan Edwards says, in speaking 
of the Whitman Mission in 1842: "The 
Indians were cultivating from one-fourth to 
four acres of land, had seventy head of cattle, 
and some of them a few sheep." 

Mr. Nixon, in his book, says : "Up to the 
year 1838 the principal meat used as food by 
the mission was horse flesh. The cattle were 
■ too few to be sacrificed in that way. In 1837 
Mrs. Whitman writes in her diary : 'We have 
had but little venison furnished by the Indians, 
but to supply our men and visitors we have 
bought of the Indians and eaten ten wild 
horses.' " 

Joseph Drayton, who was a member of 
Commodore Wilkes' exploring expedition to 
the northwest in 1841, said of the mission at 
that date : 

"All the premises looked comfortable; the 
garden especially fine, vegetables and melons 
in great variety. The wheat in the field was 
seven feet high and nearly ripe, and the corn 
nine feet in the tassel. The Indians are great 
rovers, rarely staying at home more than three 
months at a time. * * * They are off 
after buffalo, off after salmon; not more than 
fifty or sixty remain during the winter." 

In the summer of 1852 a movement was set 
afoot to open a road over the Cascade moun- 
tains toward Walla Walla. A route was ex- 
plored up the Snohomish river by R. H. Lands- 



76 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



dale, via the Snoqualimich fork of the great 
falls ; thence eastward to the base of the moun- 
tains, where it followed up the south fork 
of the "Dewamps, or Black River," to the 
summit of the mountains. Directly toward 
the headwaters of the middle fork of the 
Yakima the trail turned, thence trending down 
the mountains toward the Columbia. By citi- 
zens of the United States this appears to have 
been the initial survey of the Yakima pass. 
An old Indian trail was a portion of this route. 

Landsdale resided on Whidby Island. It 
was his intention to begin the construction of 
the road the following spring. This would 
have deflected immigration to the lower part of 
the Sound. From that district Ebey was the 
member of the Oregon legislature. His efforts 
to obtain the approval of that body to establish 
a Territorial road from Snohomish Falls to 
Walla Walla resulted in failure. Per contra 
the assembly memorialized congress for a mili- 
tary road. However, a road law was secured 
by Ebey for the counties on Puget Sound; this 
partially accomplished the object in view. It 
provided for the accumulation of a road fund 
from a tax of four mills on the dollar, which, 
with the assistance of persons interested, would 
be sufficient to construct a good wagon road 
from the mouth of the Cowlitz to Olympia, and 
of another across the Cascade mountains. 

However, news was received, before work- 
could be begun in the spring, that congress had 
appropriated $20,000 for a military road from 
Fort Steilacoom to Fort Walla Walla. But 
the people determined to go ahead and work 
for themselves; they were afraid of govern- 
ment delay in furnishing the monev : they de- 
cided to have a road ready for the expected 
immigration, direct to Puget Sound. As a 
further invitation for congressional aid the 
people endeavored to bring the road to Fort 
Steilacoom, thereby securing a terminus near 
Olympia. Of the Naches Pass a survey was 
made, and the road brought down the vallev of 
White, to the junction of Green river, where 



it turned south across the Puyallup to Fort 
Steilacoom. About fifty men enlisted for this 
work, and the road company proceeded to its 
task. One hundred and fifty subscribers to 
the fund promised that they should be paid. 
Government surveyors were in the field before 
its completion. They were under McClellan, 
then at the head of the western division of the 
Stevens exploring expedition. The secretary 
of war, under date of May 9, 1853, had in- 
structed McClellan to use every exertion to 
open a road over the Cascades in time for the 
anticipated autumn immigration. It was past 
the middle of June before McCellan arrived 
at Fort Vancouver. July 7th he left and pro- 
ceeded northward, dividing his party and ex- 
amining both sides of the Cascade range. The 
sum total of McClellan's enterprise was to 
guarantee the payment of $1,300 earned by 
men working on the last division of the road 
west of the mountains ; promise to recommend 
the payment of $5,700 by congress, still due the 
citizens' company, and give his approval of the 
pass selected. 

Over this road a small immigration passed 
with wagons and cattle. With less suffering 
and discomfort than usual they won their way 
to their destination. But these pioneer road- 
makers were never reimbursed by congress. 
Richard Arnold, the next summer, exhausted 
the $20,000 appropriation without materially 
improving the road, making only a single 
change to avoid the steep hill on the Puyallup, 
where it had been customary to lower wagons 
by ropes and chains. Frankly, a miserable af- 
fair it was, like all other "military" roads on 
the coast. Quite soon it fell into disuse ; the 
people were unable to complete it; it was sub- 
sequently sealed up by a succession of Indian 
wars. 

The visit of Isaac Ingalls Stevens, first 
Territorial governor of Washington, to the 
Walla Walla country, in the autumn of 1853, 
is replete with historical interest. The party 
was then prosecuting its memorable exploring 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



77 



tour of that year, seeking a route for a rail- 
way line from St. Paul, Minnesota, to the 
Pacific Coast. This was a portion of the duties 
that had been assigned Governor Stevens, aside 
from those of governor of Washington Terri- 
tory. The governor's account of this visit 
to the Walla Walla country, in part, is as fol- 
lows : 

At two p. m. (November 1st) we arrived at 
the mouth of the Palouse, and crossing Snake 
river, we encamped on its southern bank, several 
Palouse Indians acompanying us, and among them 
a chief from a band but a few miles distant from 
our camp, Wi-ti-my-hoy-she. He exhibited a 
medal of Thomas Jefferson, dated 1801, given to 
his grandfather, as he alleges, by Lewis and Clark. 

November 2d: * * * Although in great 
suffering I determined to move with Garry from 
Snake river to Fort Walla Walla today, leaving 
Mr. Stanley to come on with my party and train 
in two days. I desired to save a day in order to 
collect information at Walla Walla, and to visit 
the Walla Walla valley. Accordingly we set off. 
It required me three hours to get my courage up 
to the sticking point, so that I could bear the pain 
growing out of traveling at a gait faster than a 
walk; but getting warm in the saddle, we in- 
creased our speed, and on reaching the Touchet 
we dismounted for a slight halt. Pushing on a 
little before two o'clock, we reached Fort Walla 
Walla at sundown, moving the last twenty-five 
miles at the rate of about eight miles an hour, and 
were there hospitably received by Mr. Pambrun, 
the factor in charge, and after a little conversa- 
tion I refreshed myself with reading some late 
papers. On the road my time was much occupied 
with studying the deportment of the mountain 
ranges in view, and all the peculiarities of the 
country about me, to judge something of its win- 
ter climate and the probable fall of snow, and on 
reaching Walla Walla I became satisfied from these 
things, and especially from a view of the highest 
spur of the Blue mountains in sight, that the 
snows of the Cascades could not be so formidable 
as they had been represented. I accordingly de- 
termined to search thoroughly into this matter at 
Walla Walla. 

November 3d, 8th: I remained in the Walla 
Walla country during these days, spending two 
days up the valley, and the remainder at the fort. 
Mr. Stanley, with the train, reached the fort on 
the 3d. 

November 4th: We started upon the trip 
through the valley, riding upon our horses. Arriv- 
ing at the Hudson Bay farm, we exchanged them 



for fresh ones. This farm is eighteen miles from 
Walla Walla, and is a fine tract of land, well 
adapted to grazing or cultivation. It is naturally 
bounded by streams, and is equivalent to a mile 
square. There is the richest grass there that we 
have seen since leaving St. Mary's. From this we 
went to McBane's house, a retired factor of the 
company, from whence we had a fine view of the 
southern portion of the valley, which is watered 
by many tributaries from the Blue mountains. 
Thirty miles from McBane's lives Father Chirouse, 
a missionary of the Catholic order, who with two 
laymen, exercises his influence among the sur- 
rounding tribes. 

November 5th: We remained with Mr. Mc- 
Bane over night, and returned to the fort today 
by way of the Whitman Mission, now occuiped by 
Bumford and Brooke. They were harvesting, and 
I saw as fine potatoes as ever I beheld, many 
weighing two pounds, and one five and one-half. 
Their carrots and beets, too, were of extraordinary 
size. Mr. Whitman must have done a great deal 
of good for the Indians. His mission was situated 
upon a fine tract of land, and he had erected a saw 
and grist mill. From Bumford's to the mouth of the 
Touchet are many farms, mostly occupied by the 
retired employes of the Hudson's Bay Company. 
On our return we met Peu-peu-mox-mox, the 
Walla Walla chief, known and respected far and 
wide. He possesses not so much intelligence and 
energy as Garry, but he has some gifts of which 
the latter is deprived. He is of dignified manner 
and well-qualified to manage men. He owns over 
two thousand horses, besides many cattle, and has 
a farm near that of the Hudson's Bay Company. 
* * * Peu-peu-mox-mox has saved up a large 
amount of money (probably as much as $5,000); 
still he is generous and frequently gives an ox 
and other articles of value to the neighbors. Some 
of his people having made a contract to ferry the 
emigrants across the river, who crossed the Cas- 
cades this year, and then having refused to exe- 
cute it, he compelled them to carry it out faith- 
fully, and, mounting his horse, he thrashed them 
until they complied. He has the air of a sub- 
stantial farmer. 

The proceedings of the first Washington 
Territorial legislature were unique. Among 
other counties created was Skamania. The bill 
passed was as follows : 

An act to create and organize the county of 
Skamania: 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislative 
Assembly of the Territory of Washington, that 
all that portion of Clarke county lying east of 
Cape Horn, be, and the same is, hereby organized 
into a county with all the powers, rights and priv- 



78 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



ileges of other counties in the territory; and that 
it shall be bounded as follows: Commencing at a 
point due north of a rock on the south bank of 
Columbia river, called Rooster Rock; running 
thence north to the parallel of 46 degrees, 30 min- 
utes north latitude; thence along said parallel east 
to Rocky mountains; thence along base of Rocky 
mountains to southeast corner of the Territory of 
Washington; thence down along the line of Oregon 
and Washington to place of beginning. 

Sec. 2. Said county shall be called Skamania. 

Before this session closed nearly all of 
Skamania comity was taken, and embraced in 
a new county to be known as Walla Walla, 
or Walla-Walla, as it was invariably written 
by the early legislators. The enabling Act as 
passed by the legislature of 1854 is as follows : 

An act to create and organize the couniy of 
Walla-Walla: 

Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Legislative As- 
sembly of the Territory of Washington, That all 
that portion of Skamania county within the follow- 
ing described boundaries, to wit: Commencing at 
a point opposite the mouth of Des Chutes river, on 
the north bank of Columbia river, thence running 
north to forty-ninth parallel; thence along said 
parallel to summit of Rocky mountains; thence 
south along summit of Rocky mountains to forty- 
sixth degree of parallel; thence west along said 
forty-sixth parallel to where it crosses the Colum- 
bia river; thence along said Columbia river to 
place of beginning, be, and the same is hereby 
constituted and organized into a separate county, 
to be known and called Walla- Walla county. 

Sec. 2. That all the Territory embraced within 
said boundaries shall compose a county for civil 
and military purposes, and shall be under the same 
laws, rules, restrictions and regulations as all other 
counties in the Territory, and entitled to elect 
the same county officers as other counties are enti- 
tled to elect. 

Sec. 3. The said county shall be attached to 
Skamania county for judicial purposes. 

Concisely stated the county of Skamania 
as first set off from Clarke, comprised all of 
eastern Washington Territory lying- east of 
Cape Horn, in the Columbia river. From this 
territory was set off and established the county 
of Walla Walla. Without minutely going into 
the history of the somewhat complicated 
features of early county organizations in 



Eastern Washington, a few facts relating to 
the territory of which we treat are absolutely 
necessary. Walla Walla county as created by 
the first Washington Territorial Legislature, 
in 1854, included all of what is now northern 
Idaho and western Montana ; most of the pres- 
ent Klickitat and Yakima counties, and all the 
rest of the territory in Eastern Washington. 
The ensuing January (in 1855), the Territorial 
Legislature once more, but unsuccessfully, at- 
tempted to organize this county, at that period 
comparatively void of any but Indian popula- 
tion. It will, also, be recalled that the legisla- 
ture of i860, by the creation of Spokane 
county, made Snake river the north and east 
boundary line of Walla Walla county, leaving 
with it (Walla Walla county), all except 
Klickitat county, lying between the Cascade 
range and the Columbia river. In January, 
1863, the legislature sliced off another portion 
west of the Columbia, along the borders of the 
British possessions, and north of the Wenatchee 
river, out of which Stevens was created, and 
attached to Spokane county, for judicial pur- 
poses. But, as a matter of fact, this county 
of Stevens, officially created by the legislature 
of 1863, was never organized. It and the 
original Spokane county were combined and 
became known as Stevens county. The terri- 
tory described was, however, taken from Walla 
Walla county, and the "mother of counties" 
was reduced to the territory now comprising 
Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin 
counties. 

Of this monster county the population was 
small and widely scattered, so that it became 
expedient to attach it to Skamania county, con- 
tiguous, on the west, for judicial purposes. 
This district was presided over by Judge 
Obadiah B. McFadden. One member of the 
legislature was allowed Walla Walla, Skamania 
and Clarke counties. Following is .the act to 
appoint officers for Walla Walla county : 

An act to appoint officers for Walla Walla 
county. 

Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the legislative assem- 




J~ - 1 sfe 



. i ■ ■ Bf* ■ iT 




* 0**'l 



I 




BBMBBE 




Fort Walla Walla 



HISTORY GF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



79 



bly of the Territory of Washington, That George 
C. Bumford, John Owens and Dominic Pambrun 
he, and they are hereby constituted and appointed 
the board of county commissioners; and that Nar- 
cies Raymo be, and is hereby appointed sheriff, 
and that Lloyd Brooke be, and is hereby oppointed 
judge of probate, and shall have jurisdiction as 
justice of the peace, all in and for the county of 
Walla Walla. 

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, that the 
county commissioners appointed in the first sec- 
tion of this act, shall have power to fill all offices 
not provided for in the first section of this act. 

Sec. 3. That the persons hereby constituted 
officers by the first section of this act shall, before 
entering upon the discharge of their duties, qualify 
in the same manner and with like restrictions, as 
those elected at an annual or general election. 

Following is the act locating the county 
seat at Walla Walla : 

An act to locate the. county seat of Walla 
Walla: 

Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the legislative assem- 
bly of the Territory of Washington, That the 



county seat of Walla Walla be, and the same is 
hereby, located on the land claim of Lloyd Brooke. 

Of the appointment of these pioneer county 
officers the history of Frank T. Gilbert, pub- 
lished in 1882, speaks as follows: 

"Some of these officers never knew of the honor 
that had been cast at their feet; and Mr. Pam- 
brun, in 1882, insisted to the writer that hitherto 
he had been ignorant of this early application to 
himself of Shakespeare's fancy, when he wrote 
that 'Some men are born great, some achieve 
greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 
them.' None of these parties acted officially in 
the positions to which they were chosen; and 
their appointment, in a region including less than 
a dozen American citizens, was a legislative ab- 
surdity." 

In the political chapter relating to Walla 
Walla county will be found full and complete 
data concerning future county officials, and 
further attempts to organize the county. 



CHAPTER II 



INDIAN WAR AND CURRENT EVENTS— 1855 TO 1863 



It is not our intention to here give a recapi- 
tulation of the Indian outbreak of 1855 in the 
Walla Walla valley. That event has been 
pretty exhaustively covered in the general state 
history prefacing this volume. There is one 
feature, however, the killing of Peu-peu-mox- 
mOx, which we feel called upon to treat more 
fully in detail. This chieftain, in 1855, had 
seized and plundered the old Hudson's Bay 
Company's fort at the present town of Wallula, 
which at that period had no garrison to pro- 
tect it, and distributed the goods there found, 
including a considerable supply of Indian 
goods, among his followers. In return for this 
the savages performed a war dance in front 
of his lodge, around a white's fresh scalp. 



These Indians, with the Umatillas and Cayuses, 
then drove the settlers from the Walla Walla 
valley, destroyed their houses and improve- 
ments and killed or ran off the stock. Again 
this country, which for the preceding three 
years had a scattered white settlement, passed 
into the blood-stained hands of the natives, 
and Walla Walla was without a resident. 

Of the death of Peu-peu-mox-mox, over 
which so much bitter controversy has taken 
place, the following account given by Mr. War- 
field, the man who actually killed him, is prob- 
ably the most authentic of any. At the re- 
quest of the writer he furnished the following 
statement : 

"Amos Underwood and I were guards over 



8o 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



the six Indian prisoners, Peu-peu-mox-mox, 
Klickitat Jimmy, or Wolfskin, Nez Perce 
Billy and three others. About four o'clock in 
the evening there were a number of soldiers 
around the guard and prisoners. Word was 
sent two or three times for those soldiers to 
come to the front ; but they did not go. 
Finally Colonel Kelly came and ordered them 
to the front. I said to the colonel, 'I want to 
go to the front. What will we do with 
these prisoners?' He replied, 'Tie them 
and put them in the house, if they will 
submit to you; if not. put them in anyhow." 
Major Miller was there present among the 
wounded, having been shot in the arm. Just 
at that time Wolfskin pulled his knife from 
his legging and struck at Major Miller, cutting 
his arm as it was thrown up to ward off the 
blow. In an instant someone broke a musket 
over the Indian's head, killing him. Then the 
fight began. Five of the Indian prisoners were 
killed, being either shot or struck over the 
head with the guns, Peu-peu-mox-mox being 
the last one. I showed him how to cross his 
hands so that I could tie him and put him in 
the house as the colonel had told us, when he 
grabbed my gun and tried to wrench it around 
so as to shoot me. I jumped back and grabbed 
him by the collar and threw him down, still 
keeping hold of my gun. I also shot at him, 
but missed, he being too close. He caught me 
by the breeches leg and tried to regain his feet. 
I again jumped back from him as he tried to 
get up, and struck him over the head with my 
gun, settling him for all time." 

To the writer one of these volunteers in after 
years confessed that so excited was he over 
the killing and wounding of the whites that 
he lost his head completely, and rushed back 
shouting, "Shoot the Indians and kill them!" 
Doubtless this, and the attempt to tie their 
hands inspired the savages with a belief that 
they were, certainly to be murdered, and incited 
their resistence. 

Speaking of Peu-peu-mox-mox it falls 



into line to give a correct translation of his 
Indian name. Major Lee Moorhouse, of 
Pendleton, who has given much attention to 
the history of the aborigines of this region, 
informs the writer that the name Peu-peu-mox- 
mox means Yellow Bird, and not Yellow Ser- 
pent, as a malicious half-breed French inter- 
preter, who had a grudge against this chief, 
translated it to the whites. The chief is de- 
scribed by A. P. Woodward as a man of middle 
age, six feet two inches tall, straight as an 
arrow, with piercing eye and a nose like a 
hawk — hence his name of Yellow Bird, or 
Hawk. 

An account of the battle of Walla Walla 
on the 8th of December, 1855, the day suc- 
ceeding the killing of Peu-peu-mox-mox, is 
thus given by Colonel Kelly in his official re- 
port : 

Early on the morning of the 8th, the Indians 
appeared with increased forces, amounting to fully 
six hundred warriors. They wei-e posted as usual 
in the thick brush by the river — among the sage 
bushes and sand knolls, and on the surrounding 
hills. This day Lieutenant Pillow, with Company 
A, and Lieutenant Hannon, with Company H, were 
ordered to take and hold the brush skirting the 
river and the sage bushes on the plain. Lieuten- 
ant Fellows, with Company F, was directed to take 
and keep possession of the point at the foot of the 
the hill. Lieutenant Jeffries, with Company B, 
Lieutenant Hand, with Company I, and Captain 
Cornoyer with Company K, were posted on three 
several points on the hills, with orders to maintain 
them and to assail the enemy on other points of 
the same hills. As usual, the Indians were driven 
from their position, although they fought with 
skill and bravery. 

On the ninth they did not make their appear- 
ance until about ten o'clock in the morning and 
then in somewhat diminished numbers. As I had 
sent to Fort Henrietta for Companies D and E, 
and expected them on the 10th, I thought it best 
to act on the defensive and hold our positions, 
which were the same as on the 8th, until we could 
get an accession to our forces sufficient to enable 
us to assail th'eir rear and cut off their retreat. 
An attack was made during the day on Companies 
A and H, in the brushwood, and upon B on the 
hill, both of which were repulsed with great gal- 
lantry by those companies with considerable loss 
to the enemy. Companies F, I and K also did 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



81 



great honor to themselves in repelling all ap- 
proaches to their positions, although in doing so 
one man in Company F and one in Company I were 
severely wounded. Darkness, as usual, closed the 
combat, by the enemy withdrawing from the field. 
Owing to the inclemency of the night the com- 
panies on the hill were withdrawn from their 
several positions, Company B abandoning its rifle 
pits which were made by the men of that company 
for its protection. At early dawn of the next day 
the Indians were observed from our camp to be 
in possession of all points held by us on the pre- 
ceding day. Upon seeing them, Lieutenant Mc- 
Auliff, of Company B, gallantly observed that his 
company had dug those holes, and after breakfast 
they would have them again; and well was his 
declaration fulfilled, for in less than an hour the 
enemy was driven from the pits and fled to an 
adjoining hill which they had occupied the day 
before. This position was at once assailed. Cap- 
tain Cornoyer, with Company K and a portion of 
Company I, being mounted, gallantly charged the 
enemy on his right flank, while Lieutenant Mc- 
Auliff with Company B dismounted, rushed up 
the hill in face of a heavy fire and scattered them 
in all directions. They at once fled to return to 
this battlefield no more, and thus ended our long 
contested fight. 

In making my report I can not say too much 
in praise of the conduct of the officers of the sev- 
eral companies and most of the soldiers under 
their command. They did their duty bravely and 
well during those four trying days of battle. To 
Second Major Chinn, who took charge of the compa- 
nies in the bush by the river, credit is due for brav- 
ery and skill; also to Assistant Adjutant Monroe 
Atkinson, for his efficiency and zeal as well in the 
field as in the camp. And here, while giving to 
the officers and men of the regiment the praise 
that is justly due, I can not omit the name of Hon. 
Nathan Olney, although he is not one of the vol- 
unteers. Having accompanied me in the capacity 
of Indian agent, I requested him to act as my aid 
on account of his admitted skill in Indian warfare; 
and to his wisdom in council and daring courage 
on the battle field, I am much indebted and I shall 
ever appreciate his worth. 

Companies D and E having arrived from Fort 
Henrietta on the evening of the 10th, the next 
morning I followed with all the available troops 
along the Nez Perce's trail in pursuit of the 
Indians. On Mill Creek, about twelve miles from 
here, we passed through their village, numbering 
one hundred and ninety-six fires, which had been 
deserted the night before. Much of their provis- 
ions were scattered by the wayside, indicating 
that they had fled in great haste to the north. 
We pursued them until it was too dark to follow 
the track of their horses, when we camped on 
6 



Coppei creek. On the 12th we continued the pur- 
suit until we passed some distance beyond the 
stations of Brooke, Noble and Bumford on the 
Touchet, when we found the chase was in vain, 
as many of the horses were broken down com- 
pletely and the men on foot. We therefore re- 
turned and arrived in camp on yesterday evening 
with about one hundred head of cattle which the 
Indians left scattered along the trail in their flight. 
On the 11th, while in pursuit of the enemy, I 
received a letter from Narcisse Raymond by the 
hand of Tintinmetzy, a friendly chief which I en- 
close, asking our protection of the French and 
friendly Indians under his charge. 

On the morning of the 12th I dispatched Cap- 
tain Cornoyer with his command to their relief. 
Mr. Olney, who accompanied them, returned to 
camp this evening, and reports that Captain Cor- 
noyer will return tomorrow with Mr. Raymond and 
his people, who now feel greatly relieved from 
their critical situation. Mr. Olney learned from 
these friendly Indians what before we strongly be- 
lieved, that the Palouses, Walla Wallas, Umatillas, 
Cayuses and Stock Whitley's band of Des Chutes 
Indians were all engaged in the battle on the 
Walla Walla. These Indians also informed Mr. 
Olney that after the battles the Palouses, Walla 
Wallas and Umatillas have gone partly to the 
Grande Ronde and partly to the country of the 
Nez Perces; and Stock Whitley, disgusted with the 
manner in which the Cayuses fought in the battle, 
has abandoned them and gone to the Yakima coun- 
try to join his forces with those of Kamiakin. We 
have now the undisputed possession of the country 
south of Snake river, and I would suggest the pro- 
priety of retaining such possession until such time 
as it can be occupied by the regular troops. The 
Indians have left much of their stock behind, 
which will doubtless be lost to us if we go away. 
The troops here will not be in a situation for some 
time to go to the Palouse country, as our horses 
at present are too much jaded to endure the jour- 
ney, and we have no boats to cross Snake river, no 
timber to make therfl nearer than this place; but I 
would suggest the propriety of following up the 
Indians with all possible speed, now that their 
hopes are blighted and their spirits broken. Unless 
this is done they will perhaps rally again. 

Today (December 14, 1855), I received a letter 
from Governor Stevens, dated yesterday, which I 
enclose. You will see that he is in favor of a 
vigorous prosecution of the war. 

I must earnestly ask that supplies be sent for- 
ward to us without delay. For the last three 
days none of the volunteers, except the two com- 
panies from Fort Henrietta, have had any flour. 
None is here and but little at that post. We are 
now living on beef and potatoes, which are found 
en cache, and the men are becoming much dis- 



82 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



contented with this mode of living. Clothing for 
the men is much needed as the winter approaches. 
Tomorrow we will remove to a more suitable point, 
where grass can be obtained in abundance for our 
worn out horses. A place has been selected about 
two miles above Whitman's station, on the same 
(north) side of the Walla Walla, consequently I 
will abandon this fort, named in honor of Captain 
Bennett of Company F, who now sleeps beneath 
its stockade, and whose career of usefulness and 
bravery was here so sadly but nobly closed. 
Very respectfully your obedient servant, 
JAMES K. KELLY, 
Lieutenant Colonel Commanding Left Column, 

W. H. FARRAR, 
Adjutant of Regiment, O. M. V. 

One of the coldest and most trying winters 
ever known in this country was that following 
the battle of the Walla Walla. Among the 
volunteers the veterans have left on record 
accounts of their sufferings; they are strong 
testimony that war in an Indian country is by 
no means a summer day's picnic. W. C. 
Painter has graphically described the exper- 
ience of sleeping, or trying to sleep, with 
scarcely any covering, and the mercury at 
twenty degrees below zero. 

As already noted Governor Stevens had 
negotiated a treaty with the Indians at Walla 
Walla in June. 1855. Thence he had passed 
on to the Blackfoot country, and into the lands 
of other tribes, where he was eminently suc- 
cessful in closing treaties with a number of 
bands of erstwhile hostile savages. That por- 
tion of Governor Stevens report as it bore on 
the situation in the Walla Walla valley, is as 
follows : 

The country between the Blue mountains and 
the Columbia was overrun with Indians, number- 
ing one thousand to twelve hundred warriors, in- 
cluding the forces at Priest Rapids under Ka- 
maiakin, who had sworn to cut me off; it was 
completely blocked up. One effect of the campaign 
of the regulars and volunteers in the Yakima coun- 
try under Major Rains, was to drive Kamaiakin 
and his people on our side of the Columbia river, 
and thus endanger our movement from the Spo- 
kane to the Nez Perce country. Thus we had been 
hemmed in by a body of hostile Indians through 
whom we could only have forced our way with 



extreme difficulty and at great loss of life. We 
might all have been sacrificed in the attempt. To 
the opening of the way to my party, I am solely 
indebted to the Oregon volunteers. Peu-peu-mox- 
mox, the celebrated chief of the Walla Wallas, en- 
tertained an extreme hostility toward myself and 
party, owing to imaginary wrongs he supposed to 
have been inflicted upon him in the treaty con- 
cluded with the Cayuses and Walla Wallas last 
June, and had been known repeatedly to threaten 
that I should never reach The Dalles. He was the 
first to commence hostilities by plundering Fort 
Walla Walla and destroying a large amount of 
property belonging to the United States Indian de- 
partment. * * * 

At Walla Walla I found some twenty-five set- 
tlers — the remainder having fled to The Dalles for 
protection. With these were one hundred friendly 
Indians. Special Indian Agent B. F. Shaw, colonel in 
the Washington Territory militia, was on the ground, 
and I at once organized the district, placed him in 
command and directed him, if necessary, to fortify, 
at all events to maintain his ground should the 
Oregon troops be disbanded before another force 
could take the field. The Nez Perce auxiliaries 
were disbanded and returned home. 

Thus we had reached a place of safety unaided, 
excepting by the fortunate movements of the Ore- 
gon troops. Not a single man had been pushed 
forward to meet us, although it was well known 
we should cross the mountains about a certain 
time, and arrive at Walla Walla about the time we 
did. Why was this? Arrangements had been 
made with Major Rains by Acting Governor Mason, 
to push forward a force under Colonel Shaw to 
meet me at Spokane about the time of my arrival 
there. A company had been enlisted, organized and 
marched to Fort Vancouver to obtain equipments, 
rations and transportation, which Major Rains had 
promised both Governor Mason and Colonel Shaw 
should be promptly furnished them. Some little 
delay ensued, and in the meantime Major General 
Wool arrived who immediately declined equipping 
the company, as promised by Major Rains, and 
stated that he could not in any manner recognize 
volunteers or furnish them equipments or trans- 
portation, and declined to supply their place with 
regular troops, of whom, at Vancouver, alone, were 
some three hundred and fifty men. * * * 

Mr. Secretary — Major-General Wool, command- 
ing the Pacific Division, neglected and refused to 
send a force to the relief of myself and party, when 
known to be in imminent danger, and believed by 
those who were less capable of judging, to be com- 
ing on to certain death, and this when he had at 
his command an efficient force of regular troops. 
He refused to sanction the agreement made be- 
tween Governor Mason and Major Rains for troops 
to be sent to my assistance, and ordered them to 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



83 



disband. It was reserved for the Oregon troops 
to rescue us. 

The only demonstration made by Major Rains 
resulted in showing his utter incapacity to com- 
mand in the field. As has heretofore been said, 
his expedition against the Yakimas effected noth- 
ing but driving the Indians into the very country 
through which I must pass to reach the settle- 
ments. 

I therefore prefer charges aginst General Wool. 
I accuse him of utter and signal incapacity, of 
•criminal neglect of my safety. I ask for an inves- 
tigation into the matter, and for his removal from 
■command. 

As a summary, having allowed Governor 
Stevens to tell his own story, vitriolic as it is, 
we may say that in the final struggle the In- 
dians obtained something the best of it. They 
secured what they wanted and the great Walla 
Walla war of 1855-6 must go down in history 
as an Indian victory — a victory obtained in the 
main through the crass incapacity of Major 
General Wool. By Wool's order Steptoe issued 
a proclamation that no whites should return 
to Walla Walla, except Hudson's Bay people 
and missionaries. October 19th Wool issued 
a general order expressing the hope that 
Wright, "warned by what has occurred, will 
he on his guard against the whites and prevent 
further trouble by keeping the whites out of 
the Indian country." With his eyes partly 
•opened by the sensational events of the season 
Steptoe ventured to suggest that a good, in- 
dustrious colony be _ permitted to settle in the 
Walla Walla valley On this suggestion Wool 
promptly stepped. "The Cascade range," he 
said, "formed, if not an impassable barrier, an 
excellent line of defense; a most excellent line 
of separation between two races always at war 
when in contact. To permit settlers to pass 
The Dalles and occupy the natural reserve is 
to give up this advantage, throw down the 
wall, and advance the frontier hundreds of 
miles to the east, and add to the protective 
labors of the army." 

This much did General Wool against the 
best interests of Walla Walla valley. And at 
the same time he was inveighing against wars 



in the eastern portion of the Territory, be- 
tween Indians and whites, the savages west of 
the Cascades were preparing for a bloody series 
of uprisings, as if in mockery of the bombastic 
vaporings of a general who knew less about 
Indians and Indian fighting than the most 
humble private in the ranks of the Oregon 
volunteers. Thus, at the close of 1856 the 
Walla Walla valley was, by military order, 
remanded to barbarism. In 1857 the present 
Fort Walla Walla was established and a force 
in charge of Lieutenant Colonel Steptoe lay 
inactive at the fort. 

When, in 1855, Governor Stevens and 
party met in the Walla Walla valley to treat 
with the Indians, the governor at once re- 
quested the military authorities to establish 
a fort in the valley. Says Hazard Stevens 
in his "Life of Isaac I. Stevens :" 

"The second day after reaching the valley 
Governor Stevens, hearing that Governor Wool 
had just arrived at Vancouver, wrote him a 
letter urging the importance of supplying the 
Walla Walla valley with a strong military 
force, preferably of cavalry, pointing out the 
central location of the point, and its strategic 
advantages for protecting the emigrant road, 
the trails to the Missouri on the east, the Puget 
Sound on the west, and for controlling the dis- 
affected Indians, particularly the Cayuses and 
Snakes. This, like other sound and, indeed, 
necessary measures recommended by the gov- 
ernor, was ignored by the self-sufficient Wool 
and his officers, until they were obliged to 
adopt them from necessity." 

At the council with the Walla Wallas, held 
in June, 1855, Governor Stevens had urged 
Colonel Wright to be present. He also re- 
quested him to send three companies of regu- 
lars, including all his mounted men, to the 
Walla Walla valley for that occasion. This 
courteous invitation to participate in the council 
was declined by Wright, but the latter signified 
his intention of sending Colonel Steptoe to 
Walla Walla for the purpose of establishing 



84 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



a post in that country. Thus the fort was at 
last built, in 1857, on Mill Creek, one and one- 
half miles west of the town of Walla Walla, 
and six miles from the junction of Mill Creek 
with the Walla Walla river. The necessary 
buildings were completed before November 
20th. 

It is needless to say that the autocratic atti- 
tude of General Wool was extremely distaste- 
ful to the whites. The following- resolution 
relative to citizens and settlers in Walla Walla 
county being driven from their homes and 
claims by the military authority of Washing- 
ton Territory, was passed by the Legislative 
Assembly January 15, 1858: 



Whereas, Certain officers of the United States 
army, commanding in the county of Walla Walla, 
have unlawfully assumed to issue orders prohibit- 
ing citizens of this territory from settling in cer- 
tain portions thereof, and in accordance with said 
orders have driven citizens and settlers from their 
claims and homes, acquired under the laws of the 
United States, to their great injury; therefore, 
he it 

Resolved, by the Legislative Assembly of the 
Territory of Washington, That in our opinion the 
said orders are without the authority of law, and 
that the acts done under said orders are a high- 
handed outrage upon the rights and liberties of 
the American people. 

Resolved, That the Governor be requested to 
give the proper authorities at Washington all 
necessary information on the subject of the out- 
rageous usurpation of the military over the civil 
authority. 

Resolved, That we believe the above usurpation 
to be the very worst form of martial law, pro- 
claimed by tyrants, not having feeling in common 
with us, nor interests identified with ours. 

Resolved, That a copy of the above resolutions 
be forwarded to our delegate in congress, and that 
he be requested to present the matter to the proper 
department at Washington City, to the end that 
the evil may be corrected. 



There was now, at this critical juncture, 
an impending change. September 13, 1858, 
the war department issued an order by which 
the department of the Pacific Coast was 
divided, the southern portion to be designated 
3.s the Department of California, although it 



included the Umpqua district of Oregon. The 
Department of Oregon was the name of the 
northern division. This embraced Oregon and 
Washington. Headquarters were at Van- 
couver. To California General Clarke was as- 
signed ; General W. S. Harney, fresh from a 
campaign in Utah, assumed command of the 
Oregon department. 

October 29th the latter arrived in Oregon. 
He issued an order, two days later, opening 
the Walla Walla country to settlement. By 
the legislative assemblies of both Washington 
and Oregon resolutions were adopted con- 
gratulating the people on the creation of the 
Department of Oregon, on the accession to 
command of General Harney, an old Indian 
fighter who understood the Indian character, 
and on the order reopening the country east 
of the Cascades to settlement, harmonizing 
with a recent act of congress extending the 
land laws of the United States over that por- 
tion of the territories. Meanwhile the short 
but vigorous campaign of General Wright had 
effectually subjugated the hostile Indians of 
Eastern Washington, and secured peace. Im- 
mediately the country commenced to develop. 
Along the lakes and streams rich tracts of land 
were taken by farmers; the extensive grazing 
lands were occupied by cattlemen. 

There was already a waiting population, 
and with the removal of the military interdict 
it poured into the Walla Walla valley. Public 
lands were surveyed. So early as April, 1859, 
1,000 people had become actual settlers. The 
whole of Eastern Washington was alive to 
opening opportunities. Mining discoveries 
awakened a keener interest, even, than agricul- 
tural inducements. No intervening legislation 
had abridged the limits prescribed by the legis- 
lative act of 1854 creating Walla Walla county. 
January 19, 1859, the legislature passed an 
act appointing officers for the county. This 
lawfully reorganized the county as an entity, 
though still unorganized, March 15, 1859, a 
quorum of the county commissioners named 
in the act appointed necessary officials to carry 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



85 



on a county organization. Other officers were 
appointed at subsequent sessions of the board. 
Following is the text of the act of January 
19th: 



Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Legislative As- 
sembly of the Territory of Washington, That John 
Mahan, Walter Davis and John C. Smith be, and 
they are hereby appointed county commissioners 
lor Walla-Walla county, and Edward Pearce is hereby 
appointed sheriff of Walla-Walla county, and that 
R. H. Reighart be and he is hereby appointed audi- 
tor of Walla-Walla county, and that Samuel D. Smith 
be and is hereby appointed probate judge for 
Walla-Walla county, and that J. L. Simms be and is 
hereby appointed justice of the peace in Walla- 
Walla county. 

Sec. 2. The officers named in the foregoing sec- 
tion shall, before entering upon the duties of their 
respective offices, qualify as required by the laws 
of this Territory, and shall hold their offices until 
the next annual election, or until their successors 
are elected and qualified. 

Sec. 3. This act to take effect and be in force 
from and after its passage. 



The county of Walla Walla was formally 
organized March 15, 1859. At last, after 
five years of war and delay, the county for 
"which provision had been made so early as 
1854, had at last a government. On the 15th 
there assembled in the town of Walla-Walla 
(the place is thus described in the record of 
the commissioners' proceedings, although it 
had first been called Steptoeville), John Mahan 
and Walter R. Davis, two of the county com- 
missioners. Little business was transacted 
aside from the appointment of one or two of- 
ficers, and setting the machinery in motion for 
the first county government in Washington 
Territory east of the Cascades. James Gal- 
breath was appointed auditor and Lycurgus 
Jackson, sheriff. These officers having quali- 
fied the board adjourned to meet March 26th. 

James C. Smith, the third county com- 
missioner was present at the second meeting of 
the board. Mr. Mahan was elected chairman. 
Other county officials were appointed, mention 
of whom will be found in the political chapter. 
Into two precincts the county was divided ; 



clerks of election were appointed. Whitman 
road district was created, and of this Narcisse 
Raymond was appointed road supervisor. This 
district included "the road as it now runs from 
Steptoeville to old Fort Walla Walla." 

While in many cases the Legislative As- 
sembly was woefully unsuccessful in inducing 
newly created counties to organize, it mani- 
fested a commendable spirit of perseverance. 
In short, the activity and energy of these 
pioneer legislators created new counties in- 
discriminately. One of these which concerns 
the territory of which we are writing was 
Klickitat. This county (first spelled Clickitat), 
was created by act of the Legislative Assembly, 
passed December 20, 1859. The boundaries 
were as follows : 

Commencing in the middle of the Colum- 
bia river, five miles below the mouth of the 
Clickitat river ; thence north to the summit 
of the mountains, the divide between the waters 
of the Clickitat and Yakima rivers ; thence 
east along said divide to a point north of the 
mouth of Rock creek; thence south to the 
middle of the Columbia river ; thence along the 
channel of said river to place of beginning. 

June 31, 1 86 1, the northern boundary line 
of Klickitat county was extended as far north 
as the northeast corner of Skamania county, 
from which point it was to run due east to a 
point from which, by running due south, it 
would strike the northeast corner of the prev- 
ious boundary of Klickitat county. The county 
was not organized until early in 1867. 

In 1859 the assembly passed an enabling 
act creating Spokane county, but no organi- 
zation was perfected. Another enabling act 
was passed in i860; this time the county was 
organized. It included all that territory north 
of Snake, and east of the Columbia river; 
Walla Walla was reduced to the territory now 
included in the counties of Walla Walla, 
Columbia, Garfield and Asotin, a small corner 
of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan, the greater part 
of Chelan, and a portion of each of Kittitas, 
Yakima and Klickitat. Bv the creation of 



86 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Stevens county, in 1863, which absorbed the 
previously created county of Spokane, Walla 
Walla county lost that portion of its territory 
lying north of the Wenatchee river, and west 
of the Columbia, embracing the northwest 
corner of the present Stevens, the whole of 
Ferry and Okanogan and the greater part of 
Chelan counties. 

Following the missionaries the first settler 
in Eastern Washington was Henri M. Chase. 
He entered the Walla Walla valley in 1851. 
Soon he was followed by Lloyd Brooke, 
George C. Bum ford and John F. Noble, these 
three for a time occupying the Whitman Mis- 
sion. Owing to Indian hostilities they were 
compelled to leave for a period between 1855 
and 1858. So large was Walla Walla county 
at a certain period in its romantic and stirring 
history, that one of its commissioners lived 
only about sixty miles from the present site 
of Missoula, Montana. It would have taken 
him six weeks- to make the trip. He did not 
qualify. But in 1863 Llaho Territory was 
cut off, and by the terms of a bill approved 
March 3. 1863. "all that portion of Wash- 
ington lying east of Oregon and the 117th 
meridian of west longitude" was thrown into 
Idaho. 

By an act of the Legislative Assembly 
passed January 27. i860, a district court for 
Walla Walla and Spokane counties was pro- 
vided, "to be held at the town of Walla Walla." 

A wonderful impetus was given to immi- 
gration by the rich gold discoveries in Orafino 
district in i860. With the opening of the 
year 1861 mining excitement was at fever 
heat. From all points of the compass flocked 
in adventurous prospectors. But although it 
was a typical stampede for the yellow metal, 
misfortunes were more in evidence than suc- 
cesses. An exceptionally severe winter was 
that of 1861-2. Almost incredible hardships 
were suffered by gold seekers, and, indeed, 
the settlers of Eastern Washington did not 
escape. For a short period only did the in- 



flux of population cease. The first small waves 
were swelled to a human sea in 1862. It was 
estimated that from five to fifteen, some said 
twenty, thousand people came in. 

However, a new civilization sprung from 
the harrowing misfortunes of this almost 
unparalleled gold fever; it really initiated the 
marvelous development which has taken place 
in the upper Columbia country. Early in 
1862 Lewiston, at the confluence of the Snake 
and Clearwater rivers, was surveyed and 
platted. But during the decade following 1863 
the increase in population north of the Smke 
river was slow. Only a few scattered settle- 
ments were in this region, not including the 
United States troops. For a number of years 
subsequent to the opening of the country in 
1859, Walla Walla contained the only settle- 
ment worthy of mention. 

Among those who located in this section 
during the closing months of 1858 may be 
mentioned Thomas P. Page, James Foster, 
Charles Russell, J. C. Smith, Christopher 
Maier, John Singleton, John A. Simms and 
Joseph McAvoy, all of whom long continued 
their residence there, being well known pion- 
eers. Mr. Simms subsequently became In- 
dian agent at the Colville reservation. Many 
settlers filed claims in 1859, along the various 
streams as far north as Dayton, on the Touchet 
river, now in Columbia county. But as yet 
Walla Walla county was stumbling along- 
with essentially no political organization. 

Following is the text of the act locating 
Walla Walla as the county seat: 

Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Legislative As- 
sembly of the Territory of Washington, That it 
shall be lawful for the citizens of the county of 
Walla Walla to vote at the next annual election 
for a site on which to locate the county seat of said 
county. 

Sec. 2. It is hereby made the duty of the county 
commissioners of said county, at their holding of the 
first term of court, to designate twa or more places 
or sites to be voted for at the election aforesaid. 
The site or place having the highest number of 
votes shall be adopted as the site or place on 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY 



87 



which the county seat of said county shall be lo- 
cated; hut this act shall not exclude the citizens 
of said county, when the interests, or majority 
wishes of the people of said county may demand, 
hy legislative enactment, another place or site for 
said county seat. 

Sec. 3. The county commissioners of said 
county shall issue in their order, at the next an- 
nual election, with other orders, for an expression 
of the people of said county, upon the county seat 
hy their votes. 

Sec. 4. All acts and parts oi acts conflicting 
with this act be, and the same are hereby repealed. 

Passed February 1, 1860. 

In detailing the earlier transportation 
facilities of this district, it becomes necessary 
to indulge in a retrospective glance. The 
Oregon Steam Navigation company, by legis- 
lative act, was created December 19, i860, 
"for the purpose of navigation and transporta- 
tion in the state of Oregon and Washington 
Territory." J. C. Ainsworth, Daniel F. Brad- 
ford, R. R. Thompson and J. S. Buckle were 
the incorporators. Following is the text of 
the bill : 

An act to incorporate the Oregon Steam Navi- 
gation Company. 

Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Legislative Assem- 
bly of the Territory of Washington, That J. C. 
Ainsworth, Daniel F. Bradford, R. R. Thompson 
and J. S. Buckle, and their associates in the asso- 
ciation known as the "Oregon Steam Navigation 
Company," and the successors, are hereby declared 
a body politic by the name and style of the "Ore- 
gon Steam Navigation Company," for the purpose 
of navigation and transportation in the state of 
Oregon and Washington Territory. 

Sec. 2. Said corporation shall have power to 
purchase and receive in all lawful ways, own and 
possess boats, vessels, lands, goods, chattels and 
effects of every kind; the same to use and dispose 
of in all lawful ways at pleasure; to contract and 
he contracted with, to implead and be impleaded, 
sue and be sued, in all courts; to have a common 
seal and the same to use and change at pleasure, 
and to ordain and establish such by-laws and 
regulations as it may deem expedient for its own 
government, and the efficient management of its 
own affairs, consistent with the constitution 
and laws of the United States and the laws of this 
Territory. 

Sec. 3. The capital stock of said corporation 
shall not exceed one million of dollars, and shall 



be divided into shares of not less than five hundred 
dollars each, transferable as their by-laws may 
provide. 

Sec. 4. Said corporation shall receive, possess 
and enjoy all the property, interests and rights 
of said association, and shall hold and have, and 
may enforce by legal remedies, all claims and obli- 
gations due or to become due, given or that may 
be given to said association, for the debts of said 
corporation each member thereof shall be person- 
ally liable to the extent of the amount of stock 
owned, held or subscribed for by him, for any debts 
contracted while he was such member. 

Sec. 5. This act to take effect and be in force 
from and after its passage: Provided, That noth- 
in herein contained shall be so construed as to 
prevent the amendment or repeal of this act by 
any future Legislative Assembly: Provided, also, 
That all steamers and other vessels belonging to 
said corporation company shall be registered and 
subject to taxation in this Territory- 
Passed December 19, 1860. 

LYMAN SHAFFER, 
Speaker House of Representatives. 
PAUL K. HUBBS, 
President of the Council. 

It proved a most fortunate venture. Soon 
afterwards news was received of gold dis- 
coveries on Oro Fino creek and other tribu- 
taries of Snake river. A cloud of eager miners 
nocked to the district in 1861. So great was 
their amount of freight that the new trans- 
portation company was swamped with the 
volume of traffic. A complete reorganization 
of the Oregon Steam Navigation Company 
was effected; it secured additional capital and 
absorbed the Oregon Transportation Line. 
Then the new chief stockholders were J. C. 
Ainsworth, R. R. Thompson, L. W. Coe, D. 
F. Bradford, Ladd & Tilton, J. S. Buckle, 
Henry Olmstead and G. S. Reed. So soon 
as they could be built or purchased new boats 
were put on the river. The superintendent of 
construction was J. W. Brazee. 

The Oregon Steam Navigation Company 
made the first attempt to navigate Snake river 
in April, 1862. The Tenino was dispatched 
from the mouth of the Des Chutes river; 
freight way-billed to Lewiston. Low water 
prevented her going above a point eight miles 
above Wallula. But one trial did not dis- 



88 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



courage the promoters of this undertaking. 
On the second attempt the boat reached Lewis- 
ton, at the confluence of the Snake and Clear- 
water rivers. 

The first steam railway lines in the north- 
west were the portage lines of this company. 
The first, of six miles in length, was on the 
north side of the river at the Cascades, and 
the second, of fifteen miles, was on the south 
side, between The Dalles and Celilo. Though 
a decided monopoly, the Oregon Steam Navi- 
gation Company was a great affair, and old 
settlers enjoy pleasant recollections when they 
call to memory the owners, captains, pursers, 
and even some of the deck liquids. Memory 
easily conjures up the polive, and yet determ- 
ined Ainsworth, the brusque and rotund Reed, 
the bluff and hearty Knaggs, the frolicsome 
and never disconcerted Ingalls, the dark and 
powerful Coe, the patriarchical beard of 
Stump, the loquacious Commodore Wolf who 
used to joint out the "diabolical strata" of 
the Columbia river banks to astonished 
tourists, the massive figure of Strang, the 
genial Dan O'Xiel. the suave and graceful 
Snow, the handsome Sampson; McNulty, with 
his rich, Scotch brogue. "Little Billy," the bold 
and much experienced Baughman, and es- 
pecially two of the "kid captains" of that early 
epoch, and even then, though boys, considered 
the best pilots on the river. Will Gray and 
John Thorp. 

After the inauguration of the steamboat 
lines to Wallula and Lewiston, in 1861, traffic 
by prairie schooners began between Walla 
Walla and Wallula, in 1862-3. But the com- 
pletion of the portage railroads gave the Ore- 
gon Steam Navigation Company such an ad- 
vantage that they were unable to make a com- 
promise by which they were given the ex- 
clusive right to the Columbia and Snake rivers, 
while the opposition line was to have a monop- 
oly of the Willamette. After the compromise 
had been effected the following schedule of 
charges was established: 



Freight from Portland to Wallula, per ton, 
$50; freight from Portland to Lewiston, per 
ton, $90; fare from Portland to Wallula, $18; 
fare from Portland to Lewiston, $28. 

The only means of transportation between 
Oregon and Washington and the outside world 
were, for many years, the line of boats and 
pieces of railway on the Columbia river, 
owned and operated by the Oregon Steam 
Navigation Company. Bottled up was the 
country; the company held the cork. High 
freights were the rule; little produce was 
shipped out of the country seaward; the cost 
of carriage was too great and an enormous 
freight bill went along- neck and neck with 
the merchant's stock oi goods. Yet despite 
this almost prohibitive tax the country con- 
tinued to develop its enterprises. A writer in 
the Columbia Chronicle of Dayton, said: 

"But its (the O. S. N. C), overpowering 
capacity prevented it from seeing what was 
for its own interests. * * * True,, the 
owners got rich, but it was not through any 
broad and liberal business policy. It was 
rather by grinding the very life out of the 
country. This policy had the tendency to make 
the settlers in the interior feel anything but 
kindly toward the company. It was no un- 
common thing in the '60s to hear it denounced 
in no complimentary terms on account of its 
outrageous freight charges." 

Another writer in the Chronicle under date 
November 20, 1897, said: 

"The old Oregon Steam Navigation Com- 
pany, a Portland institution, is yet a memory, 
a very clear memory, indeed, with a strong ac- 
cent on the 'dear'. Those were the days when 
it was a saying that it was not the first cost 
of a cambric needle, but the freight that made 
it sell so high in the interior. We were bottled 
up in those days. But in spite of the heavy 
tribute you levied upon us we prospered and 
became large producers of wheat. Every fall 
there was an increasing bulk of grain to be 
moved to the seaboard. The farmer was al- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



89 



ways anxious to get his wheat off his hands 
so soon after harvest as possible, so as to 
get ready for another crop." 

In 1 860- 1 the citizens of Walla Walla be- 
gan to cast about for means to advance the 
interests of their town and county. The fol- 
lowing is a copy of a memorial asking that the 
new land office created by congress for Wash- 
ington Territory be located at Walla Walla : 

To the President of the United States: 

Your memorialists, the Legislative Assembly of 
the Territory of Washington, would respectfully 
represent that owing to the great distance of the 
land office at Olympia from the recently surveyed 
lands east of the Cascade mountains, it has become 
a matter of necessity that the new land office pro- 
vided for in the law creating an additional land 
district for Washington Territory, should be lo- 
cated in the country east of the Cascade moun- 
tains. 

If the settlers of that region should be, as they 
are now, compelled to transact business at the 
land office at Olympia, the expenses of such attend- 
ance, in many cases, will amount to more than 
the first cost of the land. In order to relieve them 
of this great expenditure of time and money, your 
memorialists would respectfully pray that the new 
land office be located at the town of Walla Walla. 
Passed January 24, 1861. 

LYMAN SHAFFER, 
Speaker House of Representatives. 
PAUL K. HUBBS, 
President of the Council. 

December 6, 1861, the editor of the Wash- 
ington Statesmen wrote as follows concern- 
ing the Walla Walla country as it appeared to 
him upon his first visits in 1855-6, and again, 
contrasted, at the time of writing : 

Six years ago, while on a trip to the upper 
country, we stopped an hour at old Fort Walla 
Walla, then a Hudson's Bay trading post under 
the charge of Mr. James Sinclair. We found little 
there of interest, and felt that nothing but sheer 
necessity could ever induce us to take up our abode 
in such a place, or anywhere in the neighborhood. 
At that time the Hudson's Bay Company were 
doing a flourishing business there, trading with 
the Indians, and Peu-peu-mox-mox and his dusky 
followers held undisputed sway over the fertile 
valley. The Indian trade was the only business 
carried on in the country, and as all the profits 



derived from it went to enrich the coffers of a pow- 
erful monopoly in a distant land, but little benefit 
accrued to the country around. Though the com- 
pany had occupied the country for upward of 
twenty years, there were no evidences of improve- 
ment beyond the immediate grounds of the fort, 
and to the stranger, at least, the place presented 
an uninviting appearance. The following year we 
returned and found the place rendered even more 
desolate in appearance. An Indian war had 
broken out and the fort, with the exception of 
the old brown walls, had been burned to the 
ground. 

The Indian king had fallen, a victim to his 
own indiscretion, before the more powerful arms 
of the white man, while the remnant of his tribe, 
sounding their war-cry, had sought refuge in the 
surrounding mountains. Travelers were then com- 
pelled to trail over the country by stealth and at 
night, lest some wandering Indian should cross 
their paths, and claim their lives as a ransom for 
those of their brethren who had fallen before the 
rifles of the hardy volunteers. The white man 
then claimed a residence here, and Mother Nature 
reared her own crops undisturbed, and distributed 
her bounty alike to the bands of Indian horses and 
wild animals that roamed over her prairies. 

Five more years have passed and we return 
astounded to witness, and scarce able to realize 
the changes that have been wrought. The Hud- 
son's Bay Company claim no "possessory rights" 
today, and we find their fort rebuilt and occupied 
by the more enterprising American; the savage 
bands have been allotted homes upon reservations, 
beyond which they can claim no rights, and their 
former hunting grounds are now dotted over with 
the residences of hundreds of industrious and 
thrifty farmers, while the streams that furnished 
them with fish now sound to the click of the mill. 
Six years ago this country was described as a 
barren wild, unfit for the home of the white man, 
and beyond the reach of civilization. Today we 
see on every hand evidences of civilization and 
progress. Steamboats plow the Columbia to the 
old fort, carrying weekly their hundreds of pas- 
sengers, en route to and from the rich mining dis- 
tricts, beyond, and there we are met by a line of 
stages to convey us to this city, a town numbering 
its one thousand inhabitants and rivaling in busi- 
ness importance and population any point in the 
Territory. No one who then visited this country 
could in his wildest imagination have predicted 
that such a city would exist here today. The 
contrast is certainly great, yet, judging the future 
by the past, it may with certainty be said that the 
day of our prosperity is but just dawning. Situ- 
ated as we are, in the midst of a rich agricultural 
country, and in the direct route to the rich mining 
districts to the north and eastward, we have every 



9 o 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



assurance that whatever advantages other points 
may possess, Walla Walla is not behind them in 
any essential particular. 

The following, from the session laws of 
1 86 1 -2. are three memorials, one asking for a 
land office at Walla Walla city; the others 
requests for a weekly mail route into the Walla 
Walla country. It does not appear that any of 
these earlv requests for a land office at Walla 
Walla eventuated in anything tangible until 
1 87 1. an account of which is given in succeed- 
ing chapters : 

To the Honorable, the Senate and House of Repre- 
sentatives of the United States, in Congress 
assembled: 

Your memorialists, the Legislative Assembly of 
the Territory of Washington, represent that great 
inconvenience exists to the settlers on the public 
lands in the counties of Walla Walla, Spokane, 
Shoshone, Missoula, Nez Perce and Idaho, by con- 
sequence of their remote situation from any land 
office of the United States, and you are hereby 
respectfully petitioned to establish a land office 
at the city of Walla Walla, Walla Walla county. 
Passed Januuary 6, 1862. 

JAS. LEO FERGUSON, 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
A. R. BURBANK, 
President of the Council. 
To the Honorable, the Postmaster-General of the 
United States: 

Your memorialists, the Legislative Assembly of 
the Territory of Washington, would respectfully 
represent that the people now living in the eastern 
portion of this Territory are laboring under great 
inconvenience and expense from the fact of there 
being no mail facilities to the northward and east- 
ward of the town of Walla Walla. 

The great extent and richness of our gold fields, 
together with the unequaled grazing and farming 
lands east of the Cascade range of mountains, justi- 
fies the belief that there will soon be many thou- 
sand permanent settlers engaged in farming and 
mining in that portion of our Territory. In view 
of these facts your memorialists would pray that 
a weekly mail route be established between Walla 
Walla and Pierce City, via Lewiston. A weekly 
mail should also be established between Lewiston 
and Florence City, situated in the far-famed 
Salmon River mines. 

We would also respectfully request that a daily 
mail route be established between Vancouver City 
and Walla Walla, thus connecting with the over- 



land daily mail between Sacramento City, Cal., 
and Olympia, W. T. 

Passed January 6, 1862. 

Memorial to the Postmaster-General in refer- 
ence to the mail routes east of the Cascade moun- 
tains: 
To the Honorable Postmaster-General: 

We, your memorialists, the Legislative Assem- 
bly of the Territory of Washington, do respectfully 
represent that, whereas, there has been a weekly 
mail route between The Dalles and Fort Colville, 
via Walla Walla, and that that portion of the 
service on the route between Walla Walla and 
Colville has been discontinued, we do respectfully 
present the following facts for your consideration, 
viz.: 

Walla Walla County has now about one thou- 
sand inhabitants. There are five thousand men in 
the country north of Colville, whose only American 
office is that of Colville. 

There are now at least five thousand miners 
in the Nez Perces country east of Walla Walla, 
and, 

That there will be fifty thousand people in the 
country east of the Cascades before the close of the 
ensuing summer: 

There has been a semi-weekly line of steamers 
running with through connections between Port- 
land and Walla Walla, which semi-weekly line is 
to be increased to a daily line on the reopening 
of navigation on the Columbia in February. 

We would, in view of these facts, respectfully 
urge upon the postoffice department the increase 
of the present mail service between Portland and 
Walla Walla to a daily line. The increase of the 
mail service between Walla Walla and Colville to 
a semi-weekly line. 

The establishment by congress of a new mail 
route from Walla Walla via Lewiston and Pierce 
City to Elk City, distance 200 miles, and a branch 
route from Lewiston to Florence City, distance 85 
miles, with provisions for carrying a weekly mail 
on all the lines extending east from Walla Walla. 
Also a semi-weekly service between Walla 
Walla and the Hell Gate Ronde, distance 350 
miles, over the road recently constructed by Lieu- 
tenant John Mullan. 

Passed January 13, 1862. 

In the latter part of 1862 a line of stages 
was put on to pass over the emigrant road to 
Boise, and the Garrison City lost much of the 
trade advantage of the new region because 
of this fact; but, notwithstanding this, the 
energy and activity of her merchants secured 
a large portion of it. Two daily stage lines 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



91 



ran between Walla Walla and Wallnla were 
crowded with passengers at $5 fare, while 
freight between those two places was $20 per 
ton. July 1st, a tri-weekly mail from The 
Dalles was started, and the Statesman com- 
plained in August because the carrier was 
drunk at Umatilla and failed to get a mail 
through for over a week. 

January 28, 1862, the Legislative As- 
sembly passed an act declaring Walla Walla 
City to be the county seat of Walla Walla 
county. On the same date the assembly passed 
another act legalizing the acts of the county 
commissioners of Walla Walla county, thus 
avoiding possibility of the illegality of the acts 
because of the fact that the sessions had been 
held at Walla Walla City before it had been 
named as a county seat, but had been named, 
arbitrarily, by them, Walla Walla. 

The winter of 1861 and 1862 was ex- 
cessively severe. January 25th the Statesman 
said : "For four weeks past the weather has 
been constantly cold, continuing almost uni- 
formly so even through the middle of the 
day — the thermometer ranging from a freez- 
ing point down to as low as 29 degrees below 
zero. This was on Thursday of last week 
(Jan. 16) at five o'clock in the morning. At 
twelve o'clock of the same clay the thermometer 
stood at 20 degrees below, and at six in the 
evening it was at 24. This was the coldest 
day we had by several degrees ; the average 
cold was probably about 10 degrees below 
zero." 

February 26, the same paper added : "Out 
of the 30,000 head of cattle supposed to be 
in this valley last fall, it is doubtful whether 
5,000 head are living, and the numerous bands 
of sheep have almost disappeared. Out of one 
lot of 1,700 head only 300 are alive. At a 
moderate estimate this valley alone has sus- 
tained, by loss of stock, one million of dollars." 

A charter was granted to the "Walla Walla 
Railroad Company" by the legislature on Jan- 
uary 28, 1862, for the construction of a rail- 



road from Walla Walla landing on the Colum- 
bia river (Wallula) to the town of Walla 
Walla. The incorporators named in the charter 
were A. J. Cain, B. F. Whitman, L. A. 
Mullan, W. J. Terry, C. H. Armstrong, I. T. 
Abbott, I. T. Reese, S. M. Baldwin, E. L. 
Bonner, D. Craig, William A. Mix, Charles 
Russell, J. A. Simms, Jesse Drumhaller, James 
Reynolds, D. S. Baker, George E. Cole, S. 
D. Smith, J. J. Goodwin, William Way, Neil 
McGlinckey, J. G. Sparks, W. A. George, J. 
Van Syckle, W. W. DeLacy, A. Seitel, Will- 
iam Ball, B. F. Stone, J. W. Schwabacher, B. 

T. Standifer, T. Brown, Tatem and W. 

W. Johnson. In his history of Walla Walla 
county, published in 1882, Frank T. Gilbert 
says : 

It was estimated in advance of a survey that 
the road would cost from $6co,oco to $750,000. 
During the summer the "Washington Statesman" 
endeavored to spur the people on to action in the 
matter, urging them to subscribe enough tp en- 
courage capital from abroad to invest in the enter- 
prise. They were advised to organize under the 
charter, and December 22, 1862 it published a 
letter from Captain John Mullan, from New York, 
in which he stated that $250,000 could be easily 
procured on Wall street for the project and, if 
necessary, the whole amount could be raised there. 
It then stated that during the year 1862 an aver- 
age of 150 tons of freight per week was landed 
at Wallula, and from 50 to 600 passengers weekly. 
On the last day of the year a meeting was held at 
Walla Walla, with E. B. Whitman, president, and 
W. W. Johnson, secretary, when committees were 
appointed to solicit subscriptions in New York, 
Washington, Portland, Vancouver, San Francisco, 
The Dallas, Wallula and Walla Walla, and another 
committee to draw up articles of association and 
by-laws. March 14, 1863, the by-laws were 
adopted. Nothing definite was accomplished, and 
the time ' allowed for making a survey was per- 
mitted to lapse, and thus work a forfeiture of the 
charter. 

) 

By November, 1874, this road was com- 
pleted, the time of the franchise having been 
extended in 1864. The complications of this 
railroad company are detailed later on in an- 
other succeeding chapter. 

In 1862 the on speeding tide of gold- 



02 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



seekers failed not to trail in its wake a due 
quota of permanent settlers. The Walla 
Walla valley awakened a more grateful ap- 
preciation. Along the creeks and rivers, skirt- 
ing the base of the Blue mountains at the north 
and west quite a large number of immigrants 
located. Little to sell was produced by the 
ranchers; prices remained high. Another 
lli mring mill was erected by A. H. Reynolds 
on Yellowhawk creek. Originally this was 
known as the Frontier Mill ; later as the Star. 
In command of the emigrant escort of eighty 
men crossing the plains in 1862, was Captain 
Medorem Crawford. His statements, con- 
sidered as authentic as any data now available, 
estimated the number of wagons on the road 
en route for Washington Territory and the 
State of Oregon, at 1,600; the number of per- 
sons at 10,000. The Grande Ronde valley 
was settled principally by people from Iowa, of 
sterling worth and invincible courage, true 
basic elements of a prosperous commonwealth. 



At the head of this valley a sawmill was lo- 
cated; the town of LaGrande came into exist- 
ence, having, in the autumn of 1862, about 
fifteen houses. Per hundred-weight flour 
found ready sale at fifteen dollars. 

The town of LaGrande, in 1862, on the 
authority of the Washington Statesman, had a 
population of one hundred, two stores, one 
hotel and a blacksmith shop. Lewiston was 
surveyed and laid out as a town in March, 
[862; the following month Wallula gained a 
similar prestige. Less than one hundred 
houses had Walla Walla at the close of the 
year 1862. LaGrande, in the mountain val- 
ley ; the military trading post at The Dalles ; 
Pinkney City (Colville), then in Spokane 
county, constituted, with Walla Walla and 
Lewiston the village settlements between the 
Rocky mountains and Cascade range. There 
were, of course, aside from these primitive 
mining camps in the mountains. 



CHAPTER Hi 



CURRENT EVENTS— 1863 TO 1880. 



The tide of emigration to the new mines, 
which had been discovered in the Boise basin, 
in what is now the state of Idaho, set in in 
the spring of 1863, and this led to the estab- 
lishment of a new town at the confluence of 
the Columbia and Umatilla rivers, the name of 
the latter stream being given to the new 7 
village. From that point a line of stages was 
put in operation over the emigrant road to 
the Boise basin, and though Walla Walla suf- 
fered somewhat from this deflection of travel 
and traffic, yet the energy and enterprise of 
her merchants and citizens generally proved 
adequate to maintain her trade prestige to a 
large extent. This attracted many from ' the 
but slightly more direct route to the mines. 



Two stage lines afforded a daily service be- 
tween Walla Walla and Wallula, and these 
were taxed to their uttermost to accommo- 
date passengers who paid five dollars fare, 
while the transportation of freight between the 
two points was at a cost of $20 per ton. After 
July 1st a tri -weekly mail was received from 
and dispatched to The Dalles. Some idea 
of the amount of freight passing through the 
country may be gleaned from the fact that, 
upon the completion of their thirteen-mile 
Dalles and Celilo railway, the Oregon Steam 
Navigation Company sold to the government 
for the sum of $43,000 the teams they had 
used for the transportation of freight. 

The early spring of 1864 ushered in after 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



93 



an exceptionally mild winter, contributed a 
spontaneous revival to the trade and mining 
industries east of the Cascades. The first line 
of stages between Walla Walla and the Boise 
basin was put in operation in the spring of 
this year by George F. Thomas & Company, 
though within the preceding year three dif- 
ferent companies had been operating express 
business over the route in question. Near the 
headwaters of the Columbia river, in the 
British possessions, the Kootenai mines had 
been discovered, and this soon diverted much 
of the emigration from Boise to the new mines. 
All this tended to beget a greater confidence in 
the future of the Walla Walla valley, which 
was growing to be regarded as a most favor- 
able place for permanent settlement. 

The progress of the War of the Rebellion 
entailed an enrollment for a draft in the county 
in 1864. This enrollment indicated that there 
were 1,133 men in the county subject to mili- 
tary duty. But the Democrats made the claim 
at the time that fully three hundred of this 
number had been improperly enumerated, be- 
ing simply transients en route to the mines. 
However, this enumeration, taken in connec- 
tion with the ballot list of the last election, 
offers the only available data relative to the 
population of the county in 1864. 

The Statesman was authority for the in- 
formation that the debt of the county at the 
close of the year 1864 aggregated $17,000, of 
which $3,000 should be charged to defaulting 
officials, and $4,500 to loss by depreciation in 
the value of county scrip issued to pay for 
the county jail. The assessment rolls of the 
year give the property valuation of the county 
at $1,545,056— an increase of more than 
$400,000 over that of the preceding year. 

What was perhaps the most important 
event of the year, as bearing upon the develop- 
ment and substantial growth of this section of 
the country, was the fortunate discovery which 
is referred to by another writer as follows : 
"It was also found in 1864 that the uplands 



of the Walla Walla country would produce 
grain, one of the farmers having harvested 
33 bushels to the acre from a field of 50 acres. 
This had been sown the previous fall on the 
hills that heretofore had been considered use- 
less for the purposes of agriculture. This was 
a more important discovery that that of the 
mountain gold fields, for it was a bread-mine 
opened for millions that are yet to come. The 
drouth of 1864 did not prevent a bounteous 
wheat harvest, and a larger surplus of grain 
than ever before in the valley, much of which 
was sold at from one and a half to two cents 
per pound." 

The early spring of 1865 was marked by a 
renewed rush of emigrants to the mining dis- 
tricts in the north. As early as February it 
was reported that there were more than a 
thousand miners congregated in Portland. 
Here they awaited the opening of navigation 
on the Columbia that they might make their 
way onward to the mines of the "upper coun- 
try." They were followed by many other eager 
searchers for the hidden aurific deposits. 
Gradually agriculture was advancing in extent 
and importance in the Walla Walla country, 
and prices still continued high. In June eggs 
were selling in Walla Walla for forty cents 
per dozen and in September wheat commanded 
one dollar and a quarter a bushel. The States- 
man of December 22, 1865, sa id : 

For nearly a week, with occasional intervals, 
snow has continued to fall until at this writing 
the whole valley of Walla Walla is covered to a 
depth of from fourteen to eighteen inches. This 
was unprecedented; teamsters on their way out of 
the mountains, caught by the storm in Grande 
Ronde valley, left their wagons and made all possi- 
ble dispatch with their teams for safety. A large 
amount of stock on Powder river perished. Jan- 
uary 16th, following, a storm commenced that 
lasted three days and deposited in the valley 
eighteen inches of snow, and February 9th a 
chinook wind cleared the country of this fleecy 
carpet. On the 2 2d of the same month news 
reached Walla Walla that the Columbia river, be- 
ing cleared of ice, navigation was opened through 
to Portland. 



94 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



There was a great rush to the Montana 
mines in the spring of 1866. The Statesman 
of April 13th, this year, conveys a fair idea 
of the prevailing conditions of the country at 
this sensational epoch as follows : 

"In the history of mining excitements we 
doubt whether there ever has been a rush equal 
to that now going on to Montana. From every 
point of the compass they drift by hundreds 
and thousands, and the cry is, 'still they come !' 
The excitement promises to depopulate por- 
tions of California and from our own Terri- 
tory, as well as Oregon, the rush is unprece- 
dented. The stages that leave here go out 
loaded down with passengers, all bound for 
Blackfoot. In addition to the usual convey- 
ances men of enterprise have placed passenger 
trains on the route between Walla Walla and 
Blackfoot, and those trains go out daily with 
full passenger lists. The fare, with provisions 
furnished, is $80." 

It was not until 1867 that Walla Walla 
county owned a court house and jail. Up to 
March nth, of that year, throughout its en- 
tire history it had never been supplied with 
sufficient and proper accommodations. Only 
a skeleton was the jail; prisoners escaped at 
will, especially those confined on serious 
charges. The only method of preventing this 
was by ironing the prisoners, which was cruel 
and unjust to men charged simply with crimes, 
or misdemeanors of which they might be en- 
tirely innocent. It should be said, however, 
that this was resorted to only in extreme cases, 
and the jail deliveries continued merrily on. 
Ever and anon the grand jury would call 
attention to this deplorable condition of af- 
fairs. In 1866 an effort was made to patch 
up the old structure. For the privilege of using 
this "jail" the city of Walla Walla built a 
high fence around it, while the county ex- 
pended a small sum in plugging up the holes 
made by escaping prisoners, and in fitting up 
a room over the cells for the jailer to occupy. 
No better off was the county in the matter of 



offices. In 1864 the grand jury in its report 
had said : 

"We, the grand jury, find that it is the 
duty of the county commissioners to furnish 
offices for the different county officers. This 
we find they have not done. Today the offices 
of the officers are in one place, tomorrow in 
another, and we do hope at the next meeting 
of the board of county commissioners, that they 
will, for the sake of the integrity of Walla 
Walla county, furnish the different county of- 
ficers with good offices." 

No effort was made to do this until the 
meeting of March n, 1867, when a building 
was purchased of S. Linkton, on the corner of 
Alder and Third streets, to be paid for in thirty 
installments of $100 each. This was fitted up 
at an expense of $500 for county purposes, 
and for the first time since its organization 
Walla Walla owned a court house, although 
in appearance it was a structure deficient in 
everything calculated to impress the beholder 
or excite pride in the breasts of the citizens. 

One important feature of 1867 was the be- 
ginning of the exportation to the coast of 
flour, the one manufactured product of Walla 
Walla county. As an experiment a few barrels 
of this article were forwarded. For some rea- 
son the Oregon Steam Navigation Company 
advanced the rate of freight. This drew the 
following expostulation from the Statesman : 
"At a time when the rates of transportation 
are being lowered, and low freights are the 
order of the day, it will surprise the public to 
learn that the Oregon Steam Navigation Com- 
pany had advanced the rate on flour shipped 
from Wallula to The Dalles, from $7.50 to 
$17.50 per ton. It is only a few weeks since 
the business of shipping produce from this 
place was fairly inaugurated, and now before 
the experiment can fairly be said to have had 
a trial, the Oregon Steam Navigation Com- 
pany, by means of an exorbitant tariff, en- 
deavors to stifle the movement in its infancy." 

That the company had no such intention 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



95 



was proved by a reduction in April of the rate 
of clown freight. The amount of flour shipped 
to The Dalles and Portland from April 19th 
to June 2d, 1867, was 4,735 barrels, the 
charges being $6 per ton to both points. This 
was the beginning of the outward movement 
of the products of Walla Walla county, made 
as an experiment, under circumstances that 
proved the practicability of a steady exporta- 
tion of flour by the millers of this valley, and 
a consequent market for the vast quantities 
of grain it was capable of producing. Ex- 
periments were also made in shipments of 
wheat later in the season by Frank & Wert- 
heimer, merchants of Walla Walla. This firm 
forwarded 15,000 bushels with so satisfactory 
a result that it proved that wheat could be 
shipped down the Columbia at a profit. 

The year 1868 was accentuated by the first 
organized effort to secure a railroad to facil- 
itate transportation of the constantly increas- 
ing products of the valley. Experimental 
flour shipping was continued. Fifty barrels 
were shipped to New York by Philip Ritz 
(later of Ritzville, Adams county), selling at 
$10 and returning a profit of $1.55 per barrel. 
The cost of shipping wheat to San Francisco 
w r as $28 per ton ; at 40 cents per bushel in 
Walla Walla it would not pay for shipment, 
as it required $1.20 per bushel in San Fran- 
cisco to pay expenses. Of this expense $6 
per ton, or 17 cents per bushel was the freight 
from Walla Walla to Wallula. Thus it was 
natural that the question of a railroad between 
the two points should occupy the attention of 
business men. Finally, after considerable dis- 
cussion and a number of public meetings, the 
Walla Walla & Columbia River Railroad Com- 
pany was organized. The right of way was 
secured from congress by Delegate Flanders; 
permission was given the county to subscribe 
$300,000, provided an election on the propo- 
sition should prove favorable. But beyond 
this initiative no progress was made for several 
years ; development of the county was seriously 



retarded by lack of an outlet for its products. 

Slight change in the condition of the valley 
was witnessed during 1869, with perhaps the 
exception that it had no surplus grain or flour 
to export owing to a drouth, universal on the 
coast. In Walla Walla county half a crop was 
harvested; wheat was worth 75 to 80 cents 
per bushel; flour ranged from $5.50 to $6 per 
barrel. At such prices down river shipments 
were impracticable. However, a market was 
furnished at these prices by the miners for all 
that the short yield would provide. The total 
aggregate value of crops was about the same 
as the year before when wheat was worth only 
40 cents. 

For a number of years the financial con- 
dition of the county had been seriously im- 
paired. Like the sword of Damocles there 
hung over the county a debt of from $5,000 
to $20,000 constantly. To improve this de- 
plorable condition of the treasury the last 
board of county commissioners had gone reso- 
lutely to work. They demanded a thorough 
and more satisfactory discharge of their 
duties by the various officers. By May 1, 
1869, they had so far succeeded that the obli- 
gations of the county amounted to $9,569.13, 
against $9,209.18 of cash on hand. One of 
the shadows over this very flattering result 
was the fact that in November, 1868, Sheriff 
Seitel had resigned while indebted to the 
county, according to the report of the board, 
in the sum of $3,373.82 for delinquent taxes 
collected. 

Monday, July 14, 1869, was punctuated 
by a thunder storm of tropical severity. 
Within the valley a number of houses were 
struck by lightning and several people severely 
shocked, although no lives were lost. So far 
as concerned the white inhabitants of the 
county it was the heaviest storm they had ever 
experienced in that section of the county. 

Due appreciation of the official dignity in- 
volved incited the town of Waitsburg to yearn 
for county seat honors. This was in 1869. 



96 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



At that period an area of 3,420 square miles 
included Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and 
Asotin counties. This was an extensive county, 
territorially ; had it been thickly settled it might 
have been umvieldly. Far from the geographi- 
cal center, in one corner, was located the 
county seat, in the midst of the most populous 
district. A grist mill, saw mill, hotel, 
several stores and an excellent school building 
were at Waitsburg. Ambitious and enter- 
prising was this little town, but having no 
paper of its own its "concensus of opinion" 
was voiced by the Walla Walla journals. Had 
the upper portion of the county been settled 
as it was a few years later, division might 
have been desirable. Yet, even should that 
eventuate Waitsburg's locale was in too close 
proximity to Walla Walla to ever become an 
acceptable county seat, being necessarily, situ- 
ated in the extreme corner of the proposed 
new county. That this was true and that it 
would be only a few years before the seat of 
justice would be removed to another place in 
a more central location, were facts recognized 
by many of the business men of that village. 
Despite this condition, however, a petition was 
signed by 150 residents and presented to the 
legislature in October, 1869, a delegation of 
citizens of the aspiring town accompanying it 
to Olympia. The proposed division would 
segregate about one-half the area, and one- 
third the population and assessed valuation. 
The legislature declined to take any action in 
the matter, Waitsburg was not a natural center 
and no other existing town was ; the upper por- 
tion of the county was not thickly enough set- 
tled to demand a separate government, a com- 
bination of reasons sufficient to cause any con- 
servative legislative body to give pause. The 
dream of county seat honors was over; Day- 
ton sprang up a few years later and thoroughly 
convinced Waitsburg that her success would 
have been of a transitory nature. 

The short crop of 1869 was not repeated 
m 1870. Once again was the surplus of grain 



and flour for export a large one. Much of 
this was sent down river, yet so great was the 
expense that the price in Walla Walla county 
remained quite low. The court house square 
on Main street, which had, originally been set 
aside for this purpose, was by the city council 
of Walla Walla, deeded to the county commis- 
sioners in August, 1870. Quite properly the 
commissioners had declined to expend any 
money on a court house structure until the 
county possessed a clear title to the land; yet 
they again became dilatory after receiving a 
deed. 

The census taken this year contributed 
the following interesting statistics of Walla 
Walla county : 

Number of dwellings, 1,149; families, 
1,150; white male inhabitants, 2,999; white 
female inhabitants, 2,111; colored male in- 
habitants, in; colored female inhabitants, 81. 
Total population of county, 5,302. Average 
wages of farm hands, with board, $35; 
laborers, without board, $2.50; laborers with 
board, $1.50; wages of carpenters, $4; female 
domestics per week, $7 ; average price of board 
for laborer per week, $5 ; number of farms in 
county, 654; acres of improved lands, 52,620; 
bushels of spring wheat, 190,256; winter wheat, 
2,667; corn, 25,487; oats, 114,813; barley, 
21,654; pounds of butter, 99,780; cheese, 
1,000; tons of hay, 6,815; number of horses, 
5,650; mules, 627; milch cows, 4,772; work 
oxen, 292; other cattle, 8,046; sheep, 5,745; 
hogs, 4,768. 

Certainly this is a most flattering exhibit 
by Walla Walla county as the result of only 
ten years' growth. Taken in connection with 
the fact that there was no debt the people 
had real cause for satisfaction. 

In 1870 a memorial was forwarded to con- 
gress by the legislature of Oregon asking that 
such portion of Washington Territory lying 
south of Snake river be annexed to Oregon. 
Until this memorial was presented to congress 
the people in the region most interested in such 




The Historic Walla Walla River 




Scene on Mill Creek 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



97 



action were entirely ignorant of the movement. 
To a majority of them the proposition was dis- 
tasteful. They expressed their opinion freely 
and forcibly, and it may be added, effectually. 
The same session a bill was introduced to 
prepare for the admission of Washington and 
a portion of Idaho into the Union by permit- 
ting: the citizens to frame a constitution with 
that end in view. But neither of the measures 
was seriously considered by congress; for a 
time they were set aside. 

Again the question of transportation be- 
came a live issue in 1871. Only a little had 
been accomplished in this direction when the 
Northern Pacific Railroad Company made a 
proposition to survey a route from Wallula to 
Walla Walla provided the citizens would sub- 
scribe $2,000 toward expenses of such sur- 
vey. The plats and notes were to be turned 
over to the Walla Walla & Columbia River 
Railroad Company if the Northern Pacific 
Company decided not to build. For June 26, 
1 87 1, the county commissioners called an elec- 
tion. It was a question of subscription in 
county bonds, under the act of 1869. But this 
order for an election was revoked before the 
arrival of the appointed day. It became too 
evident that it would be a useless expense to 
hold it. But an election was held September 
18, 1 87 1 ; the result was adverse to the propo- 
sition. The Northern Pacific Company having 
decided not to build, had James Tilton, its 
chief engineer, report to the Walla Walla & 
Columbia River Railroad Company, in May, 
1871. This report showed the length to be 
31^ miles; maximum grade 59 feet; estimated 
cost, $673,236.71, or $21,271.30 per mile. 
At that period the principal stockholders of 
the W. W. & C. R. R. R. Co. were Dr. D. 
S. Baker, H. M. Chase, L. Morris, William 
Stephens, J. F. Boyer, B. L. Sharpstein, and 
other citizens of Walla Walla. The incentive 
to the unsuccessful election of September 18, 
1 87 1, had been a proposition from the W. W. 
& C. R. R. R. Co. for the delivery of $300,- 



000 in bonds to construct a T-iron road within 
a year; to place in the hands of the county 
commissioners all moneys received front 
dozvn freight as a sinking fund, and to give 
the board permission to fix the rates on such 
freights, provided that it should not be placed 
at less than $2, nor so high as to exclude 
freight from the road ; to give a first mortgage 
on the road to secure the county; and to give 
security that the bonds would be legitimately ' 
used in constructing the road. 

The defeat of this proposition on Septem- 
ber 1 8th came as a great surprise to the com- 
pany. The chief reason for the road was a 
demand for shipment of produce from the 
county; the regulation of dozvn freights was 
to be placed in the hands of the representatives 
of the people, who could fix it at $2 if so de- 
sired. This was less than one-quarter of the 
cost at that period for conveying grain from 
Walla Walla to the river. By the act of con- 
gress a favorable vote of two-thirds was re- 
quired; so far short of this did it fall that a 
majority of eighteen against the measure was 
cast, the total vote being 935. The bulk of the 
stock was owned by Dr. Baker; he decided to 
build and control the road himself; grading 
was commenced at Walla Walla in March, 
1872. 

Interwoven with this were a number of 
other railroad propositions; several public 
gatherings were held for the discussion of rail- 
road projects; a railroad from Walla Walla 
to La Grade was surveyed as far as Umatilla 
river and then abandoned. 

The founding of the town of Dayton in 
1872 was an event of no small importance. 
S. M. Wait and William Matzger, the fall 
before, had begun the erection of a large flour- 
ing mill on the Touchet; a town blossomed in 
the spring; by autumn it had ripened several 
stores, a hotel, a flouring mill, sawmill and 
five hundred people. An account of the 
burglary of the county safe in April, 1872, is 
recited in the history of Walla Walla. 



9 8 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY 



The railroad question remained paramount 
during the years 1873 and 1874. Many pro- 
jects were placed afoot that eventually failed 
to materialize. Some of them, however, were 
pushed to completion. Mass meetings were 
held for the purpose of discussing various 
propositions of various companies. Among 
these were the Seattle & Walla Walla, The 
Portland, Seattle & Salt Lake, Dayton & 
Columbia River, and a company for the im- 
provement of navigation by a railroad and 
canal at The Dalles and Cascades. In survey- 
ing these various lines considerable money was 
expended; the only actual work of construc- 
tion was carried on by the Walla Walla & 
Columbia River Railroad Company, which 
touched the Touchet, a distance of fifteen miles 
from Wallula, in March, 1874. It soon be- 
gan receiving grain for shipment. 

Merely to obtain an expression of the tax- 
payers a vote was taken on the question of 
building a court house There was quite a 
large minority vote, but the commissioners de- 
cided to abide by the will of the majority. 
Plans were prepared; in February, 1873, those 
by F. P. Allen were accepted, for a brick court 
house on a stone foundation. The design was 
for a main building, with an ell, that would 
afford ample accommodation for all the county 
officers, court and jury rooms, and in the base- 
ment a jail with twelve cells. Two stories were 
above the basement ; the whole was surmounted 
by a dome, making a structure of considerable 
architectual beauty. As has been shown before 
the county now had a clear title to the court 
house square on Main street. Several people 
who desired to advance the value of their 
property on the city's outskirts, offered to 
donate land to the county upon which to erect 
buildings. All of these offers were considered, 
rejected, and court house square selected as 
the site. But there remained a disagreeable 
surprise for the citizens of Walla Walla county. 
Two weeks later the commissioners rescinded 
the court house square order and accepted the 



offer of four blocks of land between Second 
and Fourth streets, and one-fourth mile north 
of Main street. Some of the citizens declared 
that they did not want "a court house located 
where it would take a Sabbath day's journey 
to reach it." Then the board altered the plans, 
reduced the size of the building; took off the 
dome, and stripped it of all ornamental 
features. In appearance it resembled, on paper, 
a huge barn. Finally and farcically the com- 
missioners decided to erect no building at all. 

There was a stampede for gold in October, 
1873. Alleged discoveries were made on the 
Swank, a tributary of the Yakima river. 
Many visited the "mines" only to find that 
"all that glitters is. not gold." 

In 1874 the universal topic of discussion 
was the annexation of a portion of Idaho to 
Washington and admission of the whole as 
one state into the Union. This was especially 
favored by the people of Walla Walla county. 
It would increase the strength of the country 
east of the Cascades; enable the resident to 
demand and enforce rights that residents west 
of the mountains were inclined to ignore Peo- 
ple on the Sound fell in line with the project 
because it would increase the population and 
aid materially in securing admission. Residents 
of the interested section of Idaho favored it for 
the same reason ; they would become a portion 
of a real State. Mlass meetings were held in 
Walla Walla county and in Idaho; memorials 
were forwarded to congress. Yet the question 
of holding a constitutional convention was sub- 
mitted to the people and decided adversely. 
It was the general opinion that the movement 
was premature. In Walla Walla county 260 
votes were cast on the proposition ; 24 of them 
only favored it. 

The year 1875 witnessed the completion 
of the Walla Walla & Columbia River Rail- 
road from Wallula to Walla Walla. By 
private capital the project had been pushed 
ahead slowly. Citizens of Walla Walla county 
had subscribed $26,478; in October they had 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



99 



the satisfaction of seeing shipments of grain 
from Walla Walla over this line. Other rail- 
road propositions were in the air. ■ Mass meet- 
ings were held at Dayton and Waitsburg to 
consider the question of a road from those 
towns to Walla Walla. The P. D. & L. Com- 
pany's, and the Columbia River Improvement 
Company's schemes alternately elevated the 
people to a high pinnacle of expectancy, or 
dashed their hopes. From Walla Walla to 
Baker City a telegraph line was one of the 
improvements of 1875. 

January 21, 1875, will long be remembered 
owing to a sad accident that occurred that day. 
It was a fatal snow slide. That morning a 
man named Tate left his home at the base of 
the mountains. Returning in the evening he 
found it demolished by an avalanche. His 
wife and two children had been killed; the 
baby was found unharmed slumbering peace- 
fully in the only part of the building that had 
•escaped destruction. The main structure had 
been swept away by the resistless force of the 
slide. The poor mother had, evidently, ex- 
tricated herself and then, digging the two chil- 
dren out, had laid them in the shed. The 
girl's neck had been broken; the mother had 
laid her on her back with her little hands 
crossed over her breast. The boy was found 
lying on his face with his back and one leg 
broken. It was thought that he must have 
been alive, when taken from the ruins by his 
mother. The wife had her jaw and one arm 
shattered besides receiving internal injuries. 
Yet desperately had she struggled to save her 
children. She had started for help; so deep 
was the snow that she had fainted and was 
compelled to abandon the attempt. Efforts to , 
return to her children had been unavailing; 
she had sunk exhausted in the snow and died. 
Such was the melancholy greeting for the 
father and husband on his home coming. 

In 1869 Waitsburg had made an abortive 
attempt to divide the county. In 1875 this was 
repeated by Dayton with more success. In 



the upper end of the county during those six 
intervening years settlement had steadily 
progressed. Very valuable for agricultural 
purposes were found to be the high bench 
lands; hundreds of families had settled upon 
them. Dayton was now a place of considerable 
commercial importance. It ■ was located far 
enough from Walla Walla to be relieved of 
the disadvantages under which Waitsburg had 
struggled in its efforts to become a county 
seat. The history of Columbia county will 
afford the reader an account of the slicing of 
Walla Walla county under the act of Novem- 
ber 11, 1875. 

In a highly prosperous condition the Cen- 
tennial year found Walla Walla county. And 
yet it had lost two-thirds of its territory. The 
assessed valuation in 1875 was $2,792,065, 
while in 1876 the property left in the county 
following the division was assessed at $2,296,- 
870. There were reported 239 mules, 5,281 
horses, 11,147 cattle, 13,233 sheep, 4,000 hogs, 
1,774 acres of timothy, 700 of corn, 2,600 of 
oats, 6,000 of barley, 21,000 of wheat and 700 
fruit trees. The Walla Walla & Columbia 
River railroad was carrying wheat and the 
product of six flouring mills from the county, 
and signs of prosperity were visible on 
every hand. The county treasury contained 
$5,271.61 on the first of May, while only 
$2,816.56 were due on outstanding warrants. 
The commissioners raised the roof of the 
court house on Alder street five feet, and built 
a two-story addition 20x24 feet. They also 
constructed three brick vaults for the preserva- 
tion of the county records. 

We now approach the second attempt of 
Oregon to secure the territory then known as 
Walla Walla county. No little dissatisfaction 
had been aroused among the people of Walla 
Walla and Waitsburg by the division of the 
county in the fall of 1875. It had been accom- 
plished by the votes of members of the legis- 
lature living west of the mountains. It was at 
this critical juncture that the Walla Walla and 



(■hOFC, 



IOO 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Waitsburg people were in a mood to sever all 
connection with the residents of the Sound 
country. They declared emphatically that the 
Sound people cared nothing for Eastern Wash- 
ington beyond the amount of tax that could 
be raised here. Financial, political and other 
ills might be effectually cured by annexation. 
In the mouths of many this was a strong argu- 
ment. Several newspapers in the coveted 
territory which, when a previous attempt had 
been made to annex Walla Walla county to 
Oregon, had strenuously opposed it, now 
warmly advocated the project. There was, 
undoubtedly, a strong undercurrent of feeling 
in favor of leaving Washington Territory and 
becoming a part of the old State of Oregon. 
It was in vain that the Idaho people protested 
that such a step would leave them entirely un- 
provided for. They were told that Walla 
Walla purposed to look to its own interests 
first and those of its neighbors afterwards. 
They declared that they had become convinced 
that many years must elapse before Washing- 
ton could be admitted as a state, even with a 
portion of Idaho added, and they purposed to 
secure the advantages of a state government 
at once by joining themselves to Oregon. 

When the proposed scheme was unfolded 
to the people of the Sound their indignation 
knew no bounds. They stoutly declared that 
such a step would delay admission to the 
Union indefinitely. In reply the Walla Walla 
people asserted that this region had been used 
by them simply as a source of revenue long 
enough and that if annexation could be secured 
it would be had at all events, no matter what 
the opinions of the Sound people might be. 

At this period Hon. James K. Kelly, of 
Oregon, was United States senator from that 
state. In the senate he introduced a bill pro- 
viding for a submission to the voters of Walla 
Walla and Columbia counties the question of 
their annexation to Oregon, thus including all 
territory south of Snake river. But there was 
a strong demurrer; Dayton citizens who had 



favored division of the county, were re- 
calcitrant when it came to the question of an- 
nexation to Oregon. They did not join in 
the loud cry for separation voiced by Walla 
Walla. They could see no reason for it that 
had not existed before, in fact, not so much in 
view of the rapid settlement of the country 
which would soon secure admission to the 
Union on the old plan. To think was to act 
with the enterprising Columbians. They at 
once memorialized congress protesting against 
the bill introduced by Senator Kelly. Walla 
Walla, also, became active. It bestirred itself ; 
held mass meetings and also forwarded a 
memorial to Washington, D. C, in hearty sup- 
port of the bill. But it failed to pass. Repre- 
sentative Lane, of Oregon, in the house intro- 
duced a bill of similar import, naming the 
next' November election as the day on which 
to vote upon the question. The committee on 
Territories reported favorably on this meas- 
ure, but it did not pass the house. 

Undoubtedly many people were, for the 
time, bitterly disappointed. But they had by 
this time cooled off considerably and their 
better judgment told them that they had been 
in error. Walla Walla county concluded to 
get back into the traces and work heartily 
with the rest of the Territory for admission 
as a state. 

During these two years the financial status 
of the county was excellent. The report of the 
year ending April 30, 1877, showed the re- 
ceipts to have been $46,657.11, and the ex- 
penditures $43,797.99. The cash on hand was 
$8,130.73, while but $746.55 we're due on 
county warrants. A population of 5,056 and 
901 dwellings were reported by the assessor. 
The report in 1878 showed $46,800.43 re- 
ceipts, $33,436.07 expenditures, $21,468.09 
cash on hand, and $894.80 outstanding war- 
rants. 

During the years 1877 and 1878 the minds 
of the people were engrossed by the usual 
number of railroad schemes. Promineint- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



IOI 



among these was the Seattle & Walla Walla 
road. This company sought to obtain sub- 
sidies from the county. At the Cascades a 
survey of a canal was made in the spring of 
1877, for which purpose an appropriation had 
been made by the government. During the 
autumn of the same year the Walla Walla 
& Columbia River Railroad Company also sur- 
veyed an extension of its line from Whitman 
Junction to Weston. The Northern Pacific 
Railroad Company, in the summer of 1878, 
surveyed a route across the Cascade moun- 
tains, and government work on the canal at 
the Cascades was begun. In the development 
of Walla Walla county these projects played 
no unimportant part and became topics of ab- 
sorbing interest to the people. In the ship- 
ment of products great advance had been 
made, and all branches of industry were con- 
stantly expanding. This is shown by the 
amount of freight handled by the railroad in 
Walla Walla county in 1877. There were 
received 8,000 tons, of which 3.500 tons were 
agricultural implements. There were for- 
warded 19,884 tons of wheat, 4,653 of flour, 
917 of oats and barley, 326 of flaxseed, 81 of 
wool, 172 of bacon and lard and 280 tons of 
miscellaneous freight, footing a total of 26,- 
313 tons sent out of the country tributary to 
Walla Walla. Dayton people and others in 
that vicinity and further east, shipped via the 
Snake river. 

While the matter of transportation through 
the Walla Walla country is worthy of a chap- 
ter by itself, we propose to deflect the thread 
of our narrative sufficient to give a short re- 
capitulation of traffic affairs from 1863. 
Through the establishment of an overland mail 
route in 1864, between Walla Walla and Salt 
Lake City, a new departure was made in the 
postal service. Ben Holladay secured this 
contract, and he' put on stages connecting with 
his other overland line from California. Over 
this route the first mail left Walla Walla July 
1, 1864; the first mail received from the east 



came on the 20th. Great impetus was given 
to trade and travel in this section by dis- 
coveries in the rich Montana mines in 1865-6, 
and new markets for products were opened. 

It is undeniable that about this period the 
Oregon Steam Navigation Company discrimin- 
ated against Walla Walla. In April, 1867, 
they raised the rate from The Dalles to 
Wallula from $32.50 to $35 per ton. Many 
teamsters, accordingly, began hauling to Walla 
Walla, but this competition between mule 
teams and steamboats was short lived. Owing 
to rapid increase of settlement in the county 
there was a surplus of products over and above 
the demands of the home market. But owing 
to extremely high freight rates there was small 
encouragement for farmers. This was, also, 
the case with flour and wool, the other great 
staple products. Wheat was worth $1.25 per 
bushel in Walla Walla in 1865 ; two years later 
increased production had lowered it to thirty 
cents. The same year flour was emoted at $10 
per barrel; in 1868 it was shipped to New 
York and sold for the same price. Thus it 
will be seen that shipping wheat at thirty cents 
per bushel and flour at $5.30 per barrel was 
by no means a lucrative business. What was 
the remedy ? Reduction in the cost of transpor- 
tation. Therefore it appeared reasonable that 
the building of a railroad between Walla Walla 
and Wallula was of vital moment. One article 
published in the Statesman advocated a horse 
railway if nothing better could be secured. But 
an account of the construction of the Walla 
Walla & Columbia River Railroad has been re- 
lated in an earlier portion of this chapter. 

The Grande Ronde & Walla Walla Railroad 
Company was incorporated in the spring of 
1872. The same year a line was surveyed to 
the Umatilla river, thirty-six miles, where work 
was stopped for the winter and never resumed. 
A bill was introduced in congress in the spring 
of 1873 granting the right of way for a road 
from the Northern Pacific line at Spokane 
river via Penawawa, Dayton, Waitsburg, 



102 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Walla Walla, LaGrande, Baker City and Boise 
City to some point on the Southern Pacific 
road. But this bill failed to pass. 

On the Sound, in 1873, tne Seattle & Walla 
Walla Railroad Company was organized. In 
August A. A. Denny and J. J. McGilvra vis- 
ited Walla Walla in the interests of this road. 
At Walla Walla, Waitsburg and Dayton mass 
meetings were held. Through the Snoqualmie 
pass the Cascade mountains were to be crossed ; 
the road was to be 260 miles long; the estimated 
cost was $4,500,000. Men who a few days 
later declared their inability to raise $40,000 to 
aid in completing a road from Wallula, grew 
optimistic and even enthusiastic over a road to 
cost above four millions. They agreed to raise 
five-thirteenths of the money provided Walla 
Walla was made the ferminus, and they were 
permitted to name five of the thirteen directors. 
Accordingly the incorporation was amended ; S. 
Schwabacher, W. F. Kimball, Jesse N. Day, 
W. P. Bruce and W. M. Shelton were chosen 
the five directors to represent this region. 

Several days after this new project had been 
taken up, September 22, 1873, a meeting was 
held at Walla Walla to consider a proposition 
made by Dr. Baker. At first, utilizing wooden 
rails, he had been quietly and slowly building his 
road. Then he placed strap-iron on the wood, 
and he now proposed to strap-iron it to Walla 
Walla provided the people would subscribe 
$40,000 to the capital stock, or take that 
amount of bonds. But so full of big railroads 
and million dollar propositions were the heads 
of the people that they would give no money to 
the little, unostentatious road, in reality the 
only one that had exhibited any sign of vitality. 
Alone and unaided Dr. Baker plodded along. 

The minds of the people of Walla Walla 
county were, also, diverted from the little road 
by another project. For several years The 
Portland, Dalles & Salt Lake Railroad Com- 
pany had been organized. It proposed to 
cheapen transportation on the Columbia in op- 
position to the Oregon Steam Navigation Com- 



pany and to build a road from Umatilla, or 
some point on the river, to the Central Pacific 
railway near Ogden. Eastern Oregon and 
Idaho, as well as Walla Walla, favored this 
enterprise, and it was from the latter place that 
it was the intention to build a branch to some 
point on its main line. Congress was asked 
to guarantee the interest on this company's 
bonds, in the spring of 1874, to the amount of 
$10,000 per mile; the company offered to carry 
the United States mail free of charge. This 
bill was introduced by Senator Mitchell, of 
Oregon, but did not pass. In 1875 another 
strong effort was made to secure congressional 
aid for this road, but again the measure was 
defeated. But another bill providing for a 
preliminary survey of the road became a law. 
A dispatch was received March 13, 1875, to 
the effect that arrangements had been made 
with English capitalists to furnish $18,000 per 
mile to finance the road, which was to be com- 
pleted within five years. Throughout the 
Walla Walla country jubilees were held and 
there was much rejoicing until it was learned 
that this contemplated arrangement had totally 
collapsed. 

In August, 1874, the Dayton & Columbia 
River Transportation Company filed articles 
of incorporation. A narrow gauge road from 
Dayton to Wallula via Waitsburg and Walla 
Walla, thence by steamer and rail portages at 
The Dalles and Cascades continuing their line 
to the mouth of the Columbia, was the end in 
view. This enterprise, however, was beyond 
the means of its projectors, although it would, 
doubtless, have proved of great advantage to 
Walla Walla county and vicinity. 

It was in March, 1874, that the Walla 
Walla & Columbia River Railroad Company 
completed its track from Wallula to theTouchet, 
a distance of fifteen miles. From this stream, 
the same year, it carried 4,021 tons of wheat 
and brought in 1,126 tons of merchandise. 
Then began a transportation "see-saw" and 
shilly-shally, but which eventually resulted in 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



103 



something tangible. The company proposed, 
in January, 1875, to at once complete the road 
if the people would subscribe $75,000 to the 
capital stock. Such a sum could not be raised, 
was the decision at a meeting held at Walla 
Walla. Another and final proposition was sub- 
mitted by the company. They would immed- 
iately connect Walla Walla with the Columbia 
river by rail if the people would give them 
title to three acres of ground for depot and 
side-tracks, secure the right of way for nine 
miles west of the depot, and subscribe $25,000. 
This proposition was accepted at a mass meet- 
ing held January 26, 1875, and a committee 
named to raise the amount. After $20,065 
had been subscribed the matter began to cool. 
Then the journals in the vicinity threw a scare 
into the community by insinuating that the 
road might find terminal facilities at Whitman 
station six miles below, which would be dis- 
astrous to Walla Walla; the subscription was 
immediately increased to $26,478.05, many 
farmers turning in wheat at 30 cents per bushel. 
A number of meetings were held at Dayton and 
Waits,burg to consider the practicability of 
connecting these towns with Walla Walla by 
a narrow gauge railway; nothing eventuated. 
October 23, 1875, the road was completed to 
Walla Walla with 25-pound T-iron. The same 
year 9,155 tons of wheat were hauled over it. 
At Walla Walla, in 1876, a war between the 
people and the railroad was inaugurated. From 
$5 to $5.50 per ton freights were advanced. 
Although this was less than one-half the 
amount charged prior to the completion of the 
road, feeling on both sides was bitter. In an 
article headed "Citizens vs. Railway Rates," 
Mr. Frank T. Gilbert says : 

It was claimed that the $25,000 bonus given to 
complete it had been worse than thrown away; 
that the sum would have completed a good wagon 
road, which would always have served as a check 
upon the railroad and compelled its construction 
to Walla Walla without subsidy. The wagon road 
to Wallula was a bad one, and the papers urgently 
renewed the demand they had been making for 



several years, for the county commissioners to put 
it in good condition. An appropriation of $5,000 
was made for that purpose in February, and a 
committee of merchants waited upon Dr. Baker 
to ask for a reduction of down freight. He con- 
vened the board of directors, who voted not to 
grant the request. The business firms to the num- 
ber of fifty-three, nearly every one of consequence 
in the city, then endorsed a resolution passed by 
the Grange Council, not to ship by the railroad, 
nor trade with any firm that did so. The Grangers 
also investigated the question of a canal from 
Whitman Mission to Wallula.' Several hundred 
tons of wheat were forwarded in wagons by the 
merchants for $5 a ton, and merchandise brought 
back at the same rate. The people of Dayton and 
vicinity hauled their grain to the mouth of the 
Tucanon, where the Oregon Steam Navigation 
Company received and took it to Portland for $8 
per ton. It cost $4.50 to put it on the boat. 
Special arrangements were made to receive freight 
at the mouth of the Tucanon, where a little place 
called Grange City sprang up. The Oregon Steam 
Navigation Company, which had been alternately 
flattered and abused, was now looked upon for a 
time as a good institution, because, in its own 
interest, it was endeavoring to draw freight Jo the 
river above Wallula. Still, when Captain J. T. 
Stump offered to build a boat suited to the Snake 
river trade, and carry freight in opposition to that 
company, the Grangers aided him with money for 
that purpose, the firm of Paine Bros. & Moore sup- 
plying the funds. This boat, the "Northwest," 
was run as an opposition by Captain Stump and 
Smail Brothers until 1878, when it entered the 
Oregon Steam Navigation Company's service. The 
attempt to compete with the Railroad by teams 
was soon abandoned as impracticable, as it was 
found that even if the road was making too much 
profit at $5.50 per ton, it was a cheaper rate than 
the teamsters could afford to haul for. The Ore- 
gon Steam Navigation Company received at Wal- 
lula in 1876, 16,766 tons, 15,266 of which came 
by Baker's railroad and 1,500 by other convey- 
ances. It delivered 4,034 tons of up freight, of 
which the railroad forwarded all but 513. Two- 
thirds of the shipments were of wheat and the 
balance was flour, bacon, wool, etc. 

In the fall of 1876 a number of other new 
railroad projects appeared on the transporta- 
tion horizon. In March the Walla Walla & 
Dayton Railroad Company was incorporated. 
The object was to connect these two points with 
Dayton the headquarters. The trustees named 
were Jesse N. Day, E. Ping, A. H. Reynolds, 



io4 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY 



S. M. Wait, and H. M. Chase. Still, nothing 
permanent resulted from this organization. At 
Portland, in September, the Oregon Pacific 
Railroad Company was incorporated. It pro- 
posed to construct a line from Portland along 
the Columbia to Umatilla county; thence east- 
ward through Idaho to the Union Pacific road 
near Ogden. Wealthy capitalists of Portland 
were the incorporators. Practically this line 
was the successor of The Portland, Dalles & 
Salt Lake Company and was to follow nearly 
the same route. In the Oregon legislature a 
bill was introduced to lend this company 
$24,000 for each 20 miles of track completed. 
The measure did not pass and the company 
vanished. In September, 1877, it was suc- 
ceeded by The Portland, Salt Lake & South 
Pass Railroad Company, organized to accom- 
plish the same object and to secure advantage 
of the laches of the Northern Pacific Railroad 
Company, whose extended land grant was 
about to expire. 

From the Walla Walla country shipments 
by rail largely increased in 1877: They con- 
sisted of wheat, 22,200 tons ; flour, oats, barley, 
flaxseed, wool, bacon, lard, etc., 6,606 tons, 
of which two-thirds were flour. Of up freight 
there were 8,368 tons. Of this 3,500 tons 
were agricultural implements. There were 
8,500 tons of wheat exported in 1878; 6,514 of 
flour, etc., and 10,450 tons of merchandise im- 
ported. Via Wallula the average railway 
freight was $4.50 per ton. 

Dr. Baker refused to sell the Walla Walla 
& Columbia River Railroad to the Oregon 
Steam Navigation Company. The latter or- 
ganization wanted it badly. It was their in- 
tention to build a general system of roads in 
this region. However, negotiations were con- 
tinued until January, 1879, when Dr. Baker 
disposed of six-sevenths of his stock to Cap- 
tain J. C. Ainsworth, W. S. Ladd, S. G. Reed 
and C. E. Tilton. At that period there were 
32 miles of this road valued at $10,000 per 
mile, with 100 cars and four locomotives. The 



purchasers of this stock had bought it as in- 
dividuals, although they were chief owners of 
the Oregon Steam Navigation system. But 
the two companies neither combined nor be- 
came dependent on each other. Dr. Baker, in 
the fall of 1877, na d had a survey and estimate 
made of an extension of his road from Whit- 
man Junction to Weston ; under the new man- 
agement work was commenced. 

During the autumn of this year a last effort 
was made by the Seattle & Walla Walla Rail- 
road Company to secure financial aid to throw 
its line across the Cascades, thus forestalling 
the Northern Pacific Company, then about to 
resume active operations. Under suspension 
of the rules, during the closing hours of the 
legislature, in November, a bill in its interests 
was passed. This measure provided that the 
Seattle & Walla Walla road should amend 
its articles of incorporation so as to continue 
the road from Walla Walla through Dayton to 
Colfax. There was, also, provision for a 
special election to be held April 9, 1878, to vote 
on the question of a subscription to its stock 
by the various counties, the amount of each 
being designated ; an adverse decision by both 
King and Walla Walla counties was to nega- 
tive the whole matter. Before a vote was 
reached, however, opinion obtained that author- 
ity had been exceeded by the legislature, the 
organic act of the Territory containing a clause 
forbidding the legislative assembly to issue or 
authorize the issuance of any obligations ; the 
matter dropped into oblivion. 

Quite an important transportation for a 
number of years was the Northwestern Stage 
Company. In 1871 it ran through Washing- 
ton, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada and Utah, con- 
necting the Columbia river with the Pacific 
Railroad in Utah, and carrying passengers, 
the United States mail and Wells, Fargo & 
Company's express. It lost the government 
contracts in 1878, and passed out of existence. 
Beyond Boise City it was not running at that 
period. Of daily stage line it had been operat- 




On a Walla Walla County Ranch 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



105 



ing 435 miles; from Boise to Umatilla, 290 
Miles; Umatilla to The Dalles, no miles; and 
a branch from Cayuse to Walla Walla, 35 
miles. It employed 300 horses, 22 coaches; 
had 34 stations, about 150 employes, and con- 
sumed annually 730,000 pounds of grain and 
825,000 pounds of hay. From Kelton, Utah, 
to The Dalles, connecting at Pendleton for 
Walla Walla was the route of the new con- 
tractor. To other parties was let another 
route from Walla Walla to Colfax via Waits- 
burg, Dayton, Pomeroy and Almota, and one 
from Dayton to Lewiston. At various points 
shorter routes branched out from the main 
lines. 

In 1878 a couple of projects to cheapen 
transportation were placed afield. U. B. Scott 
& Company, of Portland, who had been run- 
ning opposition boats on the Willamette river, 
in May of this year, offered to place a complete 
line on the Columbia including railroads at The 
Dalles and Cascades, provided a company with 
a cash capital of $350,000 was organized. A 
meeting was called at Walla Walla, but the 
business men declined to attend it. Another 
convention to be composed of delegates from 
each election precinct east of the Cascades was 
called at the same town, for June 8th, but they 
never assembled. That summer a proposition 
to the people of the upper Columbia was made 
by Governor David P. Thompson. He offered 
to construct railroads at The Dalles and Cas- 
cades, with necessary wharf boats, etc., to cost 
$300,000, provided they would subscribe half 
that sum. All freight offered he agreed to 
carry around the Cascades for $1 per ton, and 
around The Dalles for $2 ; wheat and flour to 
be taken at half that rate. This idea of the 
Scott people was the same one that had 
prompted the Baker combination in 1864; that 
facilities for portage being thus in the hands 
of a common carrier compelled to accept all 
freight and passengers offered, would enable 
independent boats to multiply on the river to an 
extent that would materially reduce freight 



rates. It was urged that rates then collected 
by the Oregon Steam Navigation Company 
would show the following sharp contrasts : 

O. S. N. Co. New Rate. 

Portland to The Dalles $10.00 $4.00 

Portland to Umatilla 20.00 8.00 

Portland to Wallula 25.00 9.00 

Portland to Palouse 32.40 10.00 

Portland to Almota 37.50 11.00 

Portland to Lewiston 40.00 12.00 

The sum of $150,000 was greater than 
could be raised here, although the scheme was 
regarded with high favor. The idea was 
abandoned by U. B. Scott & Company, who 
turned their attention in other directions. 

One of the phenomenal enterprises that 
have swelled to vast proportions under the in- 
fluence of unlimited capital, is the Oregon 
Railroad & Navigation Company. It is not 
within our province to record the history of 
this great system in its entirety, but simply 
to treat such portion of it as impinges on 
Walla Walla county. With the creation of 
this system through the business genius of 
Henry Villard, it secured control at the outset 
of all rivers, ocean lines, portage roads and the 
road from the Columbia river to Walla Walla. 
These became the nucleus of that great rail- 
way and navigation system that now traverses 
the ocean, the rivers and Puget Sound. Within 
a trifle over three years this company con- 
structed new railway lines from Portland to 
Walla Walla and beyond to Snake river at 
Riparia, with a branch to Waitsburg and Day- 
ton. Great improvement in shipping facilities 
was afforded Walla Walla in 1879 and 1880 
when the Walla Walla & Columbia River road 
was sold to the Oregon Railroad & Navigation 
Company, who changed the line to a broad 
gauge and otherwise improved the equipment. 
Today it is the principal road through the 
county. 

It now falls within the province of this 
chapter to tell a portion of the story of the 



io6 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



great Northern Pacific Railroad since 1863. 
Its anterior history, or rather the history of 
its inception, is related elsewhere. By the 
Act of July 2, 1864, the Northern Pacific Rail- 
road Company was incorporated and granted a 
right of way. In aid of its construction the 
company was given the odd numbered sections 
of public lands lying within ten miles of the 
road in the states, and within 20 miles in the 
territories. In ineffectual efforts to secure a 
sufficient amount of capital, and to induce the 
government to guarantee bonds of the com- 
pany, several years were subsequently spent. 
With Jay Cooke & Company, in 1870, a con- 
tract was made to serve as financial agents of 
the road and procure money for its construc- 
tion. One year before this, in the summer 
of 1869, a party of gentlemen, officials and en- 
gineers of the Northern Pacific road, passed 
from the Sound east, across the continent. As 
pioneer inspectors of the route we find them 
communicating the following expressions of 
appreciation of a Walla Walla citizen and his 
efforts in the interest of the Northwest. It 
is an extract from a private letter, dated at 
Camp No. 6, six miles north of Spokane river, 
is signed by Thomas H. Canfield, W. Milnor 
Robeson, Samuel Wilkeson, W. A. Johnson, 
W. E. C. Moorhead and is in the following 
language : 



During the few weeks we accompanied each 
other in the important reconnaissance we are now 
making, we have seen more than we have ever 
before met with in the same space of time; and 
we are glad to have it in our power to say that 
your glaring statements of the natural advantages 
of this wonderful region on the Pacific Slope have 
not been overstated — that - so far as we have 
advanced from Puget Sound on our way to the 
summit of the main divide between the Pacific 
and Atlantic waters they are fully sustained. 

At no distant period, when the Northern Pa- 
cific Railroad shall have become a fixed fact, and 
when trains of cars shall be daily passing between 
Puget Sound and the Atlantic cities, your name, 
will ever be honorably associated among the pio- 
neers who have been instrumental in securing pub- 
lic attention to this remarkable route, and in has- 



tening the actual construction of a grand trunk 
continental railroad over it. 

To Philip Ritz this letter refers, and to 
him it was written. In this connection it may 
be stated that as early as 1866 Mr. Ritz com- 
menced investigation by exploration of this 
northern route, making several trips across the 
mountains in that direction. So thoroughly im- 
pressed was he with its importance and feasibil- 
ity that, in the winter of 1867 and 1868 he de- 
termined to visit Washington to urge the pro- 
ject. For that purpose he crossed the con- 
tinent in a stage coach in mid-winter. 

At the instance of the directors of the 
Northern Pacific road, in March, 1868, he con- 
tributed to the press an article entitled, "The 
Agricultural and Mineral Resources of the 
Northwestern Territories on the Line of the 
Northern Pacific Railroad." Upon the desk 
of every member of congress a copy of this 
letter was laid; it was extensively circulated 
throughout the country and referred to in a 
number of speeches made on the subject. Mr. 
Ritz was informed by General Cass and Will- 
iam B. Ogden, two of the earliest and wealthiest 
directors, and to whom the great enterprise is 
mainly indebted for its existence, while visit- 
ing this country a number of years afterward, 
that his letter was the means of attracting their 
attention to the scheme of building a railroad 
along the northern route. Of Mr. Ritz the 
editor of the Helena (Mont:) Herald, which 
journal published his letter, said : 

More than any other man he has endeav- 
ored to further the interest of the country about 
which he writes. He has ever been a warm advo- 
cate of the immediate construction of the Northern 
Pacific Railroad, and by his many able expositions 
of the importance of this grand enterprise, 
he has *been greatly instrumental in direct- 
ing the attention of railroad corporations 
and capitalists to this route. He is thor- 
oughly familiar with the region of the North- 
west, of which he is one of the pioneers. This 
fact, combined with his ability as a writer, and 
his peculiar faculty of making intelligent observa- 
tions during his travels, renders his views regard- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



107 



ing the opening of lines of communication between 
the various prominent points of the Territories re- 
ferred to, valuable for reference or information 
to our people and outside capitalists, as well as 
entertaining to the general reader. It cannot 
fail to interest all of our readers and we com- 
mend it to their attentive perusal. 

October 21, 1880, the Oregon Improve- 
ment Company, capitalized at $5,000,000, was 
incorporated. Its powers and scope included 
the owning and management of any kind of 
property that might invite investment. This 
corporation became interested in the Walla 
Walla country in a rather peculiar manner. 
Enterprising citizens of Walla Walla and Day- 
ton, realizing the demand for lumber and tim- 
ber for fuel, fencing, and building purposes, 
inaugurated business projects that included the 
ownership of timber land and lumber mills 
in the adjoining mountains and the construction 
of water flumes to connect their saw mills with 
the valley, down which to float lumber, fire- 
wood, railroad ties, etc. But they had under- 
taken more than they could carry through ; they 



became insolvent. By their failure progress 
of the country and completion of railroads was 
delayed. Realizing this condition the Improve- 
ment Company took over considerable of their 
property, including the flume to Dayton, in 
Washington Territory, and then the one to 
Milton, Oregon, each nearly thirty miles in 
length. To a successful conclusion they carried 
both enterprises. 

Incomplete would be this synopsis of rail- 
road connections in Walla Walla county were 
no reference made to the Great Northern line. 
True, it does not penetrate the county, yet 
through its traffic arrangements with the Ore- 
gon Railroad & Navigation Company it af- 
fords, practically, the benefit of another trans- 
continental line. At times Walla Walla has 
been handicapped by the fact of not being on 
either one of the main lines, but there has been 
steady improvement during the last half de- 
cade; with confidence she may look to the 
future with well-founded anticipations of cheap 
and satisfactory transportation facilities. 



CHAPTER IV 



CURRENT EVENTS— 1878 TO 1905 



recognition. 



Eleven years prior to the admission of 
Washington to the Union, there was rife a 
demand from the people for such 
And yet, when a constitution had 
been framed and the machinery for admission 
was running smoothly, many of these same peo- 
ple voted stoutly against the adoption of the 
constitution. The vote in Walla Walla county 
was 89 only, for the constitution ; 847 against 
it. Reference to the political chapter will show 
that a much smaller majority was cast against 
the convention at the county election of Novem- 
ber 7, 1876. This heavy vote against a con- 
stitution is, however, readily explained by the 
status of the annexation scheme at that period. 



It was Territorial Delegate Jacobs who, 
during the congressional session of 1877-8, first 
urged the passage of .a bill admitting Wash- 
ington as a state. It was within the scope of 
his plan to include the three northern counties 
of Idaho. At that period these counties were 
Kootenai, Shoshone and Nez Perce. Latah, 
has since been cut off from Nez Perce county, 
and the Idaho territory that was to accompany 
Washington into the Union now comprises 
four counties. With great persistence Dele- 
gate Jacobs urged the issue, supporting his 
position by arguments to the effect that the 
people of Washington Territory were about 
to frame a constitution, and were sufficiently 



io8 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



strong, financially and in point of population, 
to maintain a state government. But about 
this time another memorial was presented to 
congress by Senator Mitchell ; a revival of the 
old annexation scheme, which had been only 
"scotched," not killed. The Walla Walla 
L T nion was still heartily in favor of the annex- 
ation of the county to the state of Oregon and 
earnestly voiced its sentiments. But congress 
neither passed the admission bill nor took 
action on the annexation plan. 

This failure, or indifference rather, on the 
part of congress did not deter the people of 
Washington from their purpose to frame a con- 
stitution. The Territorial legislature passed 
a bill in November, 1877, providing for a 
special election to be held April 9, 1878, to 
select delegates to a constitutional convention to 
meet in Walla Walla the second Tuesday in 
June. Fifteen delegates from Washington 
and one from Idaho were to comprise the per- 
sonnel of this assembly, although the Idaho 
delegate was not given a vote. Only about half 
the popular vote of the Territory was cast, 
4,223. The members of this convention were : 

W. A. George, Walla Walla, at large; 
Edward Eldridge, Whatcom, at large; S. M. 
Gilmore, Klickitat, at large; S. M. Wait, 
Columbia, First judicial district; B. F. Denni- 
son, Columbia, Second judicial district; C. H. 
Larrabee, Columbia, Third judicial district ; 
C. M. Bradshaw, Jefferson, Clallam Island, 
Jefferson and San Juan ; Henry B. Emery, 
Kitsap, Snohomish and Whatcom; L. B. An- 
drews, King; D. B. Hannah, Pierce, Pierce, 
Chehalis and Mason; Frank Henry, Thurston, 
Thurston and Lewis; A. S. Abernethy, Cow- 
litz, Pacific and Wahkiakum ; G.- H. Steward, 
Clark, Clark, Skamania, Klickitat and Yakima ; 
O. P. Lacy, Walla Walla, Walla Walla ; J. V. 
O'Dell, Whitman, Columbia, Whitman and 
Stevens ; Alonzo Leland, Nez Perce, Idaho. 

At 12 o'clock m., Tuesday, June 1-1, 1878, 
the delegates assembled at Science Hall, Walla 
Walla. They were called to order by W. A. 



George. A temporary organization was ef- 
fected by the election of A. S. Abernethy, presi- 
dent. This was succeeded by a permanent or- 
ganization with Mr. Abernethy still president, 
W. B. Daniels and William Clark, secretaries, 
and Henry D. Cock, sergeant-at-arms. The 
convention was in session forty days ; a con- 
stitution had been framed for submission to the 
people at the next general election. But little 
enthusiasm was manifested by the electors ; the 
total vote on the constitutional question fell 
3,000 short of that cast for Territorial Dele- 
gate, being 6,462 for, and 3,231 against, in a 
total of 9,693. The reason assigned for this 
apathy was that the people considered the 
movement premature. 

The Bannock war of 1878, as it affected 
Washington Territory, has been fully treated 
in the general history chapters of this volume. 
The center of interest:, however, was in Uma- 
tilla county, Oregon. Yet it cannot be denied 
that, during the progress of this uprising, there 
was considerable excitement and uneasiness 
throughout Walla Walla county. 

The Bannocks of Southern Idaho and 
Eastern Oregon went on the war-path in June. 
Meanwhile Chief Moses, who had been com- 
porting himself in a rather cavalier manner for 
several years, became at this critical juncture 
an object of suspicion. The presence of Gov- 
ernor Elisha P. Ferry, who had come to Walla 
Walla and kept himself posted on the condition 
of affairs, exerted a soothing effect on the peo- 
ple; apparently they were waiting for him to 
become first excited. Consequently the "scare" 
of the year previous was not. repeated; the 
actual danger was far greater. 

When the hostiles came upon the Umatilla 
reservation it was supposed that they were 
moving steadily north, and with the intention 
of crossing the Columbia. This, if true, was a 
doleful prospect; they would mingle with the 
tribes of the Upper Columbia, already restless 
and uneasy, inject the virus of discontent and 
win them, also, over to the war-paint and the 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



109 



war-path. It cannot be denied that this pros- 
pect was alarming. Under W. C. Painter 
forty volunteers hastened from Walla Walla 
to Wallula where Major Kees assumed com- 
mand of them. They patroled the Columbia 
in a steamer; this prompt action effectually 
blocked the anticipated crossing-. These Walla 
Walla volunteers, however, were within a few 
days relieved by a company of soldiers that had 
been ordered to the scene, and returned to 
Walla Walla. Thus was this county brought 
into direct touch with the Bannock war of 
1878. 

The new transportation features presented 
in 1879 and 1880, were the sale of the Walla 
Walla & Columbia River Railroad to the Ore- 
gon Railroad & Navigation Company, and its 
change to a broad gauge line. Of great ad- 
vantage to this county was the increase of 
facilities for handling freight; assurance of 
greater improvement in the future was afforded 
by the magnitude of the new company; all 
kinds of business received the stimulus of new 
life and vigor; there was increased activity 
among manufacturers and producers, a con- 
dition that heretofore had been seriously handi- 
capped by low markets and limited shipping 
facilities. 

The years 1881 and 1882 were marked by 
an extension of the lines of the Oregon Rail- 
road & Navigation Company through W^aits- 
burg to Dayton; the construction of a line to 
Texas Ferry and an extension from Whitman 
Junction toward Weston. Through these enter- 
prises the county of Walla Walla was rapidly 
developed; settlers flocked in and each one of 
them became a potent advertiser of the county's 
resources. A narrow gauge line up Mill and 
Dry creeks, constructed by Dr. Baker, mater- 
ially aided in the development of that section 
of the county. During the past two years the 
Oregon Railroad & Navigation Company had 
been extending its line down the Columbia 
river with a view of affording direct communi- 
cation with Portland. The Northern Pacific 



Company was running a line east to meet the 
extension from that direction. 

The agricultural feature of Walla Walla 
county is, doubtless, the most prominent in the 
history of this rich and productive alluvial 
section. To satisfactorily cover our ground it 
becomes necessary to here recapitulate condi- 
tions and events since 1863 and through suc- 
ceeding years. 

East of the Cascades, in 1864, the great 
Pacific drouth was felt, and felt rather severely. 
No rain fell in the Walla Walla country in 
July or August. This fact evoked from the 
"Statesman" the remark ^'Notwithstanding the 
long-continued dry weather there will be some 
corn raised in the valley." Thirty days later 
the editor added : "Farmers have an abundance 
this year, many having sold their grain at 
from one and one-half to two cents per pound, 
while others are holding for better figures." 
It was in this memorable year, under discourag- 
ing conditions, that the discovery was made 
that hill lands would produce grain. This was 
a truth that was now gradually unfolding 
throughout the whole of Eastern Washington, 
and portions of Oregon awakened to the fact 
later on. This discovery was made by a farmer 
whose name, unfortunately, has been lost from 
the historic annals of Walla Walla county. 
But in the fall of 1863 he sowed fifty acres on 
the highlands; he harvested 1,650 bushels of 
excellent wheat in 1864. Concerning the flour 
product and recent improvement in quality of 
both flour and wheat grown and manufactured 
in the Blue mountain region the "Statesman" in 
November, 1864. said: 

"The flour now manufactured by the Walla 
Walla valley mills is fully equal in quality to 
any which finds its \vay into the market from 
Oregon, and the 'extra superfine' is far superior 
to much of that put up in the Willamette 
region. A year or two ago the reverse of this 
was true. * * * Our millers have within 
the last year made all the necessary improve- 
ments in the way of bolting machines, and 



no 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



are enabled to manufacture a good article of 
flour and sell it about as fast as it is put up, 
at the same rates as flour from the lower coun- 
try. Our farmers, too, have generally procured 
good and clean seed wheat in the place of the 
filthy mixed wheat which was formerly so 
abundant in the valley, and in this way have 
contributed immensely toward the improvement 
of the flour." 

Eggs were selling for 40 cents per dozen 
in June, 1865; butter at the same price per 
pound. Crickets destroyed half the crop along 
the Touchet Coppei creek. Wheat was sold 
for $1.25 per bushel in September, and Walla 
Walla manufactured flour sold at $10 per 
barrel; ten per cent, less than the California 
product could be delivered for in the same 
place. Following are among the Walla Walla 
products exported in 1865: Flour, 7,000 bar- 
rels ; hay, 583 tons ; oats and barley, 228 tons ; 
onions. 29 tons; potatoes, 21 tons; cabbages, 
lYi tons; bran, 7 tons; wool, 15,504 tons. 

In the spring of 1866 there was a steady 
demand for agricultural products to supply the 
populations in various mines. It was the ex- 
pressed opinion of the "Statesman" that such 
markets served "to stimulate our farmers to 
the utmost, and under this influence the pro- 
ductive resources of the valley are likely to be 
taxed to their utmost." Apparently in these 
days the people little realized the vast resources 
of this valley and surrounding country, in 
which the land area cultivated that season was 
only 17,921 acres, against 62,649 in 1879, 
and many thousands of acres additional 
within the past quarter of a century. 
November 2, 1866, a conservative estimate of 
the wheat yield between the Cascade and Rocky 
mountains was made. It gave to 'Walla Walla 
200,000, to Grande Ronde valley 100,000, to 
Powder river, Payette, and Boise valleys, 100,- 
000, and to Umatilla, Colville, Nez Perce, 
Bitter Root and adjoining valleys, 100,000 
bushels, the whole totaling half a million 
bushels of wheat. That year the threshing tolls 



were, wheat 8 cents, oats 6 cents and barley 
10 cents per bushel. 

July 9th of that year an assemblage of citi- 
zens gathered at the court house in Walla 
Walla and organized an agricultural society. 
These were the initial officers selected: H. P. 
Isaacs, president ; A. Cox and W. H. Newell, 
vice presidents; J. D. Cook, treasurer; E. R. 
Rees, secretary, and Charles Russell, T. G. Lee 
and A. A. Blanch, executive committee. It was 
decided to hold a county fair on the 4th, 5th 
and 6th of the coming October. The executive 
committee named above were selected as man- 
agers, and the executive committee for the pro- 
posed fair were J. D. Cook, H. P. Isaacs and 
W. H. Newell. 

The grain product of the Blue mountain 
region in 1867 rather exceeded the demand, 
which was purely local. The county, owing to 
lack of suitable transportation, was threatened 
with a general paralysis of agricultural in- 
dustries. An attempt was made to avert this 
by shipping the surplus down the Columbia to 
the seaboard. At this period freights on flour 
were: From Wallula per ton to Lewiston, $15; 
to The Dalles, $6 ; to Portland, $6. By June 
13th there had been shipped by the Oregon 
Steam Navigation Company 5,311 barrels, 
divided as follows : To Portland, between May 
27th and June 13th, 4,156 barrels; to The 
Dalles, between April 19th and June 2d, 578 
barrels; to Lewiston, between April 18th and 
May 14th, 577 barrels. 

From Walla Walla the same year Frank & 
Wertheimer shipped down the Columbia 
15,000 bushels of wheat, really the inception 
of the great outflow of bread products from 
the interior. There was a short crop in 1869. 
This was due to drouth, and farmers had not 
received sufficient encouragement to induce 
them to crop heavily. In the light of the sale, 
of only one lot, by Mr. W. H. Babcock, of 
$50,000 worth of wheat, for which he received 
a single check for the amount in the fall of 
1.904, and the sale by the Drumheller Bros, of 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



in 



93,000 bushels for a check for $63,175 in 1905, 
it certainly seems strange to read of such dis- 
heartening industrial conditions in Walla Walla 
county in 1869. Still, in consequence of this 
short crop wheat in the county rose to 80 cents 
per bushel and flour to $5.50 per barrel. Hay 
sold for $17 per ton in November; oats and 
barley 2 cents per pound and butter 37K cents. 

While we have analyzed industrial condi- 
tions in the county at their gloomiest and most 
depressing periods, 1868 and 1869, let us 
glance at some of the causes which led up to a 
revival of agriculture and the heartening of 
agriculturists in Walla Walla county. It 
should not be overlooked that the farmers along 
the little valleys and creeks nearer the mines 
than was the vicinity of Walla Walla, were at 
this period supplying the principal mountain 
demand; the only hope left, and that rather a 
barren one, was to ship produce to tidewater. 
But this had been experimented with and the 
disagreeable discovery made that with present 
transportation facilities this was impracticable. 
Farmers were dolefully reluctant to dip deeply 
into a non-profitable industry. What was the 
status ? Simply there was not freight sufficient 
to warrant the Oregon Steam Navigation Com- 
pany in placnig extra steamers on the river. 
In view of these conditions the outlook was, 
indeed, gloomy. 

The inevitable result of all this was agita- 
tion for railway connections, and the result of 
the agitation was what was familiarly known 
as "Baker's railroad," at first a wooden rail, 
strap-ironed concern and narrow gauge at that. 
And this was Walla Walla's only connection 
with navigable waters. Of course, primitive as 
was this little line, it encouraged farmers to 
sow grain for a surplus ; it encouraged the Ore- 
gon Steam Navigation Company to increase its 
facilities for grain shipments; it resulted in a 
reduction of freight tariffs all along the line; 
practicably it made it possible for the farmer 
to inherit his God-given rights and cultivate the 
soil at a profit. 



True, our survey of early Walla Walla 
county agricultural conditions has been brief, 
but we must leave the subject — a topic upon 
which might be written a volume that would 
awaken keen interest among the pioneers of the 
county. For a pen picture of the topography, 
soil, climate, of this section the reader' is 
referred to the "Descriptive Chapter." 

By an act of congress in the spring of 187 1, 
the Walla Walla Land District was created! 
The office was located in the city of Walla 
Walla. Originally the district embraced all of 
Washington Territory lying east of the Cas- 
cade mountains, having been severed from the 
Vancouver district. Anderson Cox was ap- 
pointed receiver and William Stephens register. 
July 17, 1 87 1, these two gentlemen opened 
their office for business. Mr. Stephens was 
succeeded as register in 1875 by P. B. Johnson 
and in 1878 the latter's successor became E. H. 
Morrison. Upon the death of Mr. Cox in 
1872 J. F. Boyer became receiver and in turn 
was succeeded by W. C. Painter in May, 1876. 
Mr. Painter was followed in July, 1878, by 
Alexander Reed. In 1876 this land district 
was divided, and Colfax District created; but 
the new office was not opened until April, 1878. 
The Yakima District was cut off in 1881, ma- 
terially diminishing its area. Several other 
changes have since been made, but they are not 
of great public interest at the present day. 

Between the Cascade and Rocky mountains 
the first efforts to grow fruit trees were made 
by Missionaries Spalding, on the Clearwater, 
and Whitman at his mission on the Walla 
Walla river. Both of these experiments were 
made in the spring of 1837, when seeds were 
planted. 

Red Wolf, a chief of the Nez Perce tribe, 
living at the mouth of Alpowa creek, was the 
third to make the attempt. The seeds were 
planted for him by Rev. Spalding possibly in 
the spring of 1837, but probably in 1838. Dur- 
ing the spring of 1859 a Mr. Clark set out a 
nursery about one and one-half miles south of 



112 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



the town of Walla Walla, on Yellow Hawk 
creek. James W. Foster, in the fall of the 
same year brought fruit trees from over the 
Cascade mountains and set them out on a 
ranch. It was thus that Mr. Clark became 
the initial nursery man and Mr. Foster the first 
to plant an orchard, after Missionaries Whit- 
man and Spalding, between the Cascade and 
Rocky mountains. Mr. A. B. Roberts planted 
and set out what was subsequently known as 
the "Ward orchard," within the city limits of 
Walla Walla. Philip Ritz, coming from Ore- 
gon in 1 86 1, sold fruit trees to W. S. Gilliam 
on Dry creek, S. H. Irwin, Dobson and Mc- 
Kay, Jesse Drumheller, to Robert Moore on the 
Tumalum and Mr. Short, on the Umatilla, all 
of whom grew fine orchards. One and one- 
half miles south of Walla Walla, in 1862, Mr. 
Ritz opened a nursery of about 60,000 trees. 
In 1872 this was increased from 500,000 to 
1 ,000,000. 

The first man to graze stock in the Walla 
Walla valley, after the Hudson's Bay Com- 
pany, was Dr. Marcus Whitman. In 1836 he 
brought with him into the valley several cows. 
Having afterward taken possession of the 
Whitman Mission for headquarters, Brooke, 
Bumford and Noble became grazers. Since that 
early period more or less cattle have lived upon 
the grass of Walla Walla county. The census 
returns of 1863 gave to that region 1,455 
horses, 438 mules, 1,864 sheep, 3,957 meat 
cattle and 712 hogs. The same year a wool 
shipment of 15,000 pounds is noted by the 
"Statesman," which is too great a quantity of 
wool for that number of sheep. 

In 1864 the same paper observes that the 
recent attention of farmers having been turned 
to the raising of hogs may help to dispose of 
some of the surplus grain of the valley, and its 
issue of January 20, 1865, contains the follow- 
ing : "As a business hog-raising has been here- 
tofore almost entirely overlooked by farmers 
of Walla Walla valley, cattle, horses and sheep 
having been raised in large quantities. There 



is not enough to supply home demand for pork, 
bacon or lard, all of which is shipped from the 
Willamette." The following paragraph in- 
cludes stock driven out between 1875 an d 1878 : 

1875-6, Shadly & D. W. Lang, 4,000; 
1876-7, M. Ryan & D. W. Lang, 4,000; 1877, 
Everhardy & Spratly, 2,000; Kelly, 4,000; 
Charles Bush, 6,000 ; Joe Taylor, 2,000 ; Hunt- 
ington, 2,500; Carpenter & Robinson, 8,000; 
Auloy, 2,000; Jurden & Lloyd, 2,000; Nails 
Brothers, 6 ; ooo; Philip & Wilson, 2,000; 
Wheeler & Russell, 5,000; Gilispie, 4,000; 
Booth, Thompson & Company, 2,000; Nodine, 
4,000; Newman, 4,000; S. Hawes & Evans, 
4,000; Echust, 1,000; Taylor & Tinny, 25,000; 
N. R. Davis, 10,000; Kelley & Everhardy, 
4,000; Rand & Brig-gs, 4,000; Dowell & 
Brother, 6,000; Ora Haley, 2,000; Arthur, 
2,000; D. Harrer & Son, 6,000; Joseph Teal, 
4,000; Hayden & Scribner, 2,000; Belworth 
& Cunningham, 2,000; Henry Lovell, 6,000; 
Thomas Foster & Snodgrass, 4,000; Wyatt & 
Hubbs, 2,000; G. B. Growe, 1,000; Stewart 
& Company, 4,000; Taylor, 1,000; Scott & 
Hank, 4,000; Russell & Bradley, 4,000; Daley 
& Kirkman, 4,000; P. T. Giverson, 400; 
1877-8, M. Ryan & D. W. Lang, 11,000; 
1878-9, M. Ryan & D. W. Lang, 13,000; 1876 
to 1880, Insley & Boettcher, 4,000; Sewright 
& Brother, 20,000; 1879-80, M. Ryan & D. W. 
Lang; 1876 to 1880, Lee & Blewett, 14,000; 
1878, John Wilford, 700. 

With the admission of Washington to 
statehood, in 1889, powerful impetus was im- 
parted to new enterprises everywhere. Es- 
pecially true was this of the Walla Walla coun- 
try. Even then the valley was famed for pros- 
perous farms and well-to-do people. Those 
who came there to establish their lares et 
penates remained to grow wealthy. Many new 
fields for investment were opened ; profits were 
sure for the sagacious and industrious. With 
some of the citizens energy and ambition were 
their sole capital ; the valley did the rest. 

It is yet a matter of interest and pride to 




Falls of the Coppei 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



ii3 



Walla Walla county to note that the last 
Territorial Delegate, John B. Allen, and the 
last Territorial Governor, Miles C. Moore, were 
citizens of the county's capital. In the conven- 
tion which was summoned to meet in 1890 for 
the purpose of framing- a constitution for the 
new state, Judge B. L. Sharpstein, Dr. N. G. 
Blalock and-D. J. Crowley represented Walla 
Walla. It is needless to report, yet creditable 
to say, that Walla Walla county has always 
been largely represented in state issues. Of the 
congressional delegates from 1857 to 1888, 
four were citizens of the county. These were 
George E. Cole, elected in 1863; Alvin 
Flanders, in 1867; Thomas H. Brents, in 1878, 
1880 and 1882, and John B. Allen, in 1888. 
A trio of distinguished Walla Walla citizens, 
J. D Mix, B. L. Sharpstein and N. T. Caton 
were nominees of the democrats but not elected. 

In 1880 the population of Walla Walla 
county was 8,716. In 1890 it had risen to 
12,224, an d in 1900 it was accorded by the 
United States census a population of 18,680, 
divided among the precincts as follows : 

Baker, 737; Clyde, 521; Coppei, 283; 
Dixie, 544; Eureka, 312; Frenchtown, 246; 
Hadley, 229; Hill, 237; Lower Dry Creek, 
146; Lower Touchet, yy; Mill Creek, 231; 
Prescott, 657; Ritz, 1,310; Russell Creek, 
Small, Waitsburg, co-extensive with Waits- 
burg City, 1,011; Walla Walla City, 10,049; 
Wallula, 437; Washington, 497. 

Following is the nativity : 
males, 9,419; females, 6,071; 
males, 1,827; females, 741; colored males, 
negro descent, Chinese, Japanese and Indians, 
males, 528; females., 43. Negroes, males 38; 
females, 13. 

The year 1901 in the county was enlivened 
by considerable real estate business. Accord- 
ing to the records of Auditor McLean there 
were filed in his office during that year 1,185 
deeds to farm and city property. For the same 
year the mortgage records were, in many re- 
spects, remarkably satisfactory. Satisfactions 



Native born 
foreign born 



to the number of 365 were filed during the 
year, showing that on an average, one man a 
day, including Sundays, cleared his home of 
incumbrance during the entire year. Yet 
against this flattering record must be certified 
the fact that the same year 435 mortgages 
were filed, or a number slightly in excess of the 
relinquishments. But when we give pause, and 
consider the large amount, of land newly set- 
tled upon, and that fully half these mortgages 
were placed on such lands, and also that many 
of them were renewals, at reduced amounts, 
the record is really one of solid and increasing 
prosperity, and certain reduction of indebted- 
ness. 

October 1st to 7th, 1900, inclusive, was 
held the Fourth Annual Fruit Fair of the Walla 
Walla valley. This was the most successful 
and satisfactory exposition in all respects ever 
before exploited in southeastern Washington. 
This applied to the financial results equally 
with the rare quality of fruit displayed. 

For the latter feature, of course, nature was 
responsible, as she is and ever has been, for 
so much that makes for the prosperity of Walla 
Walla county. The fair of 1899 had con- 
tinued six days, but this year there was devoted 
to it a full week. The attendance exceeded 
that of 1899 by over three thousand paid ad- 
missions. Not restricted to Walla Walla and 
its immediate vicinage were the visitors ; from 
Waitsburg, Dayton and other neighboring 
localities came fully one thousand ; five hundred 
from Pendleton, Milton, Athena and various 
points in Oregon. The scope of this annual 
exposition was broadening; exhibits were be- 
ing received from an evei increasing extent 
of territory. 

Of this fourth annual fair the gross pro- 
ceeds were over seven thousand dollars ; eleven 
hundred of this was net profit. A Seattle mili- 
tary band, T. H. Wagner's provided music, 
giving concerts each afternoon and evening. 
The solo vocalist was Mrs. Jennie Houghton 
Edmunds; Herr Rodenkirchen, then famous 



ii4 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



east and west, was the cornet soloist. An Indian 
war dance was one of the features of this fair. 
Half a dozen squaws and a score of bucks were 
the performers. They were in from the Uma- 
tilla reservation, and the proximity of these 
redskins awakened memories in the minds of 
some of the visitors of days when the presence 
of Indians was something to be seduously 
avoided. 

This year the woman's department was 
under the direction of Mrs. John B. Catron ; it 
formed the most interesting' and tasteful dis- 
play at the fair. Indian curios and relics were 
features, and this display was always crowded 
with sightseers. Also on exhibition were many 
of Lee Moorhouse's photographs of Indians 
and scenes on the Umatilla reservation. S. C. 
Wingard and E. A. Coull presided over a 
Belgian hare exhibit, a feature not before seen 
at these fairs. It contained hundreds of dol- 
lars' worth of Belgian hares and fancy stock ; 
perhaps the most valuable at the fair, and of 
great interest owing to its novelty. A most 
'active interest was taken in this exposition by 
railroads centering, or transacting business in 
Walla Walla. The Northern Pacific and 
Washington & Columbia River Railways took 
the cue of the Boxers, and they designed an 
attractive fashoda. Near the band pavilion this 
structure was erected ; for accommodation of 
ladies and children seats were provided. The 
fashoda was constructed of native woods and 
artistically finished with moss brought from 
Tacoma. Electricity added its illumination to 
the evening attractions. To Manager McCabe 
and Passenger Agent Calderhead, of the Wash- 



ington & Columbia River Railway Company, 
is due the credit for this idea. 

Near the main entrance to the grounds was 
the booth of the Oregon Railroad & Navigation 
Company. It was a neatly planned, square 
building, finished and trimmed with grains and 
fruits taken from the company's experimental 
farm near Walla Walla. Of a variety of hand- 
somely colored wools in the unwoven state, was 
the ceiling ; they blended with artistic effect. 
With attractive pictures were hung the walls 
of this booth ; chairs and choice reading matter 
offered rest and entertainment to all who de- 
sired to avail themselves of these privileges. 
In charge of General Agent Burns and C. F. 
Van De Water was this booth. 

For the year 1900 the officers of the asso- 
ciation were : W. A. Ritz, president ; C. F. 
Van De Water, secretary ; O. R. Ballou, super- 
intendent ; Mrs. John B. Catron, superintendent 
of the woman's department. 

By the statistician in the office of the secre- 
tary of state the population of Walla Walla 
county in 1905, was estimated at 29,570. This 
estimate is based on the school census. 

Very little of historical interest transpired 
in this county between the closings of the years 
1 90 1 and 1905. Wheat remains king, and to 
the cultivation of this standard cereal are de- 
voted the energies of a majority of the resi- 
dents of Walla Walla valley. Recent bumper 
crops and good prices have tended to swell 
the volume of commercial transactions, and 
the enterprise and industry of the people will 
continue to hold Walla Walla county in the 
front rank among the political divisions of the 
state of Washington. 




Main Street in Walla Walla 




Main Street in Walla Walla, 1877 



CHAPTER V 



THE CITY OF WALLA WALLA 



Here we stand on historic ground. Much 
that is interwoven in the romantic story of the 
uplifting of the grand state of Washington 
centers in this picturesque locality. It has been 
the chosen council ground from time im- 
memorial of all the great Indian tribes whose 
habitat was between the Cascade range and the 
western spurs of the Rocky mountains. Here 
fore-gathered the Walla Wallas, Spokanes, 
Yakimas, Nez Perces, Cayuses and many less 
important tribes; kindled their council fires; 
smoked the pipe of peace or swirled in a fine 
frenzy through the fantastic evolutions of the 
wild war dance. 

There was no town of Walla Walla in 
1858; there was in 1859, and it came into 
existence through the expartc ruling of the 
first board of county commissioners. The first 
two meetings of this board were held March 
15th and 26th, 1859. In their official record 
the place was referred to as Walla- Walla. And 
then, without further notice, we find that at 
their subsequent meetings, January 6th and 
July 2d, it was called "Steptoeville." In the 
record of the meeting of the last named date 
appears the following: 

"On motion the name of the town of Step- 
toeville was changed to Wieletpn." Despite 
this official action we find that at the meeting 
held September 5th, the county seat town is still 
referred to as Steptoeville. But at the next 
meeting, November 7th, the town is spoken of 
as Walla-Walla, and the following proceeding 
is recorded in regard to the name : "On motion 
the town of Wieletpu was changed to Walla- 
Walla." 



The definition of Waiilatpu, or Wieletpu, 
is "the place of rye grass." The moving spring 
of this action on the part of the county com- 
missioners was, doubtless, the following peti- 
tion presented to the board asking for the 
change in name from "failetpu" to Walla- 
Walla. In the spring of i860 this petition was 
spread upon the county records, although it had 
been, doubtless, presented to the board the 
preceding fall, previous to the actual change : 

To the Honorable Board of County Commissioners: 
Gentlemen — The undersigned petitioners do 
pray of you to alter the name of the town of 
Failetpu to Walla-Walla. E. B. Whitman, I. T. 
Reese, W. A. Ball, J. Foresyth, Baldwin & Brother, 
P. J. Bolte, Dr. D. S. Baker, William Stephens, 
James Buckley, Charles H. Case, Frank Stone, 
Robert Oldham, Charles Albright, Richard War- 
mack, John M. Cannady, John M. Silcott, Francis 
Pierre, R. H. Regart, Samuel F. Legart, H.' H. Hill, 
S. T. Moffitt, D. D. Brannan, A. D. Pambrun, 
William McElhaney, N. B. Dutro, John Cain, F. 
M. Archer, R. Powel, Neil, McGlinchey, Louis A. 
Mullan, Patrick Markey, William B. Kelly. 

Recorded March the twelfth, A. D., I860, one 
thousand eight hundred and sixty. 

I. T. REESE, 
County Auditor and Recorder. 

From the establishment of Fort Walla 
Walla — not the old fort at Wallula — may be 
dated the birth of what subsequently grew 
into the city of Walla Walla. This was in 
1857. Naturally the first business of the re- 
gion was supplying goods and produce to the 
post. The first trader in the place was William 
McWhirk. He pegged up a tent for a store 
near the present corner of Main and Second 
streets in the spring of 1857. Another tent 



n6 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



store was opened in the autumn of that year 
by Charles Bellman. This was located near 
what was subsequently known as Jack Daniels' 
saloon. Concerning the erection of the first 
actual building there is some difference of 
opinion. By certain ones it is claimed that Mc- 
Whirk built a cabin on the north side of what 
is now Main street in the summer of 1857. 
However, in the fall of that year Charles Bell- 
man constructed a rude building of poles and 
mud a trifle farther to the east. A slab and 
shake structure was run up in April of the 
succeeding year, by Louis McMorris. This 
was built for Neil McGlinchey, and was located 
on the southwest corner of Main, near the 
present corner of Third street. Various other 
primitive structures were erected in the fall 
of 1858; some for residence purposes, some for 
saloons, by James Galbreath, W. A. Ball, Harry 
Howard, Michael Kinney, William Terry, 
Mahan & Harcum, James Buckley and Thomas 
Riley. On what is now the northwest corner 
of Main and Third streets was erected the first 
building that contained a floor, doors and glass 
windows. R. Guichard and William Kohl- 
hauff owned this structure. 

For this budding town of Walla Walla 
there were then two rival sites. Bellman, Mc- 
Glinchey and McWhirk had one on the point 
of the creek ; the other was at a cabin built by 
Harry Howard, half way between Mill Creek 
and the fort, and known as the Halfway House. 

Properly and technically speaking, Walla 
AYalla dates its municipal birth from November 
7, 1859. Prior to that time, although the place 
had been dc jure, the county seat of Walla 
Walla county for several months, it had had 
no official existence ; was not de facto, the capi- 
tal of the county, and was without a name that 
would remain the same over night. Following 
is a petition asking for a survey of the town 
as it was presented to the board of county com- 
missioners. It was recorded March 12, i860, 
but had, doubtless, been presented the preceding 
fall before the survey was ordered : 



To the Honorable Board of County Commissioners: 
Gentlemen — We, the undersigned petitioners, 
do pray of you to grant us the order of a survey of 
the town of Waieletpu in the territory of Wash- 
ington and county of Walla Walla. Charles H. 
Case, N. A. Ball, B. Stone, Joseph Hilmuth, I. T. 
Reese, P. J. Bolte, E. B. Whitman, J. Foresythe, 
F. L. Borden, Baldwin & Brother, D. D. Baldwin, 
Dr. Thomas Wolf, Dr. D. S. Baker, William 
Stephens, R. G. Moffit, D. D. Brannan, Patrick 
Markey, Neil McGlinchey, James Buckley, Frank 
Stone, Robert Oldham, Charles Albright, Richard 
Warmack, John M. Cannady, John M. Silcott, 
Francis Pierre, R. H. Reighart, W. B. Dutro, N. 
Eastman, A. D. Pambrun, William M. Elrag, J. 
Clark, John May, A. G. P. Nardle, James Mc- 
Auliff. 

Recorded March 12, A. D., 1860, one thousand 
eight hundred and sixty. 

I. T. REESE, 
County Auditor and Recorder. 

The new county seat was on government 
land ; therefore no title to the property could be 
obtained without some kind of government 
provision over the territory in question. To 
remedy this and make possible the founding of 
a town, the county commissioners, on Novem- 
ber 7th, spread upon their record the following 
preceedings which, while somewhat unique, 
answered all purposes : 

On motion there was a county seat ordered 
to be located (boundaries as follows): Commenc- 
ing in the center of Main street at Mill creek; 
thence running north four hundred and forty 
yards; thence runing west one half mile to a stake; 
thence running south one-half mile to a stake; 
thence running north to the point of commenc- 
ment. 

On motion the town of Wailetpu was changed 
to Walla Walla. 

On motion I. T. Reese was appointed town re- 
corder. 

However, despite this record, James Gal- 
breath was appointed town recorder, vice 
Reese, resigned, to take effect November 5, 
1 86 1. We continue the proceedings: 

On motion T. S. Worden, Samuel Baldwin and 
Neil McGlinchey were appointed town trustees of 
the town of Walla Walla. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



117 



On motion the price of town lots in the town 
of Walla Walla was set at five dollars and record- 
ing the purchase of same one dollar. 

On motion no person or persons shall be al- 
lowed to purchase more than two lots. 

On motion sixty feet front and one hundred 
and twenty feet deep to be the size of town lots 
in the Walla- Walla. 

On motion ten acres shall be reserved in the 
center of the town platt for the purpose and benefit 
of a public square for the erection of county build- 
ings. 

On motion the survey of the town of Walla 
Walla shall run parallel with Main street. 

On motion the width of the streets of Walla 
Walla were ordered to be one hundred feet, run- 
ning east and west, and cross streets to be eighty 
feet, running north and south. 

November 8th further proceedings were had 
concerning the town, as follows : 

The county surveyor was ordered to survey the 
town of Walla-Walla by the first of December, 
A. D. 1859. 

On motion the survey of the town of Walla- 
Walla was ordered to be comenced at the center 
of the street, on the bank of Mill creek. 

On motion the purchasers of lots are required 
to fence them within six months, and build upon 
them within twelve months. 

On motion the county surveyor was ordered to 
furnish the town with a town platt, to be kept 
in the recorder's office. 

November 30, 1859, the commissioners re- 
duced the area of the public square from ten 
acres to one block, and selected block nine, ac- 
cording to the plat of the survey, which had 
then been made. H. H. Case surveyed the 
townsite. 

By those who had built in the vicinage of 
the Halfway House it was thought, for a time, 
that a thriving town might be established at 
that place. Among those builders were Michael 
Kenny, saloon, William Terry, the Bank Ex- 
change saloon, Mahan & Harcum, a store, 
James Buckley and Thomas Riley, a saloon, 
and Thomas Riley, a saloon, and a bakery by 

one Meyo. A plaza was laid off ; facing 

it were the buildings mentioned. For a while 
the prospect was quite flattering for the suc- 



cess of the Halfway House site; but the peo- 
ple on Mill Creek had the advantage and main- 
tained it. In the fall of 1858 they were joined 
and reinforced by James McAuliff, J. D. Bald- 
win, Frank Warden, James Galbreath, E. B. 
Whitman, Frank Stone, P. J. Bolt, a tinner 
named Bogart and others. Then it was dis- 
covered that packers and freighters were de- 
termined to go to Mill Creek to camp ; there 
they would trade at the nearest store or saloon ; 
this condition forced both stores and saloons 
from the Halfway House to the creek locality, 
and this commercial situation ended the divi- 
sion on a townsite. 

I. T. Reese was the first purchaser of real 
estate; he bought lot 5, block 13; Edward 
Everts bought lot 2, in the same block, and 
both sales were recorded November 30, 1859. 
The same year, December 22c!, the survey of 
150 acres of land into town property was re- 
corded by Thomas Wolf and L. C. Kinney. 
January 10, i860, the former disposed of his 
interest in the land. The original plat Of the 
town, not having been preserved, these recorded 
entries of location are referred to as evidences 
of this early survey. The original- plat was, 
doubtless, lost in the fire of 1865 ; the earliest 
survey on record was a plat by W. W. John- 
son, made in October, 1861. It purports to be 
a correction of the work of H. H. Case. This 
is the order of the board of county commission- 
ers authorizing the survey : 

"That the balance of the eighty acres upon 
which the town now stands be surveyed in ac- 
cordance with the original plan and survey of 
said town, as surveyed by H. H. Case, except 
that portion of said town at or near the cross- 
ing of Mill Creek on Main street, which shall 
be surveyed to correspond with the survey of 
the addition of A. J. Cain; and W. W. John- 
son be, and he is hereby appointed to make 
such survey, and report the same to this board 
at its next regular session, provided that the 
county surveyor be absent or unable to make 
the survey." 



n8 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



E. H. Baron was appointed justice of the 
peace to succeed W. P. Horton, October 14, 
i860. November 1, 1861, the survey, made 
in accordance with the above order, was de- 
clared official. During the autumn of this 
year the matter of obtaining title to the lands 
upon which the town of Walla Walla was 
builded was a live issue November 6th the 
board of county commissioners appointed At- 
torney Wyatt A. George an agent for the 
county to apply to the United States land ofhce 
for the pre-emption and entry of the land upon 
which the town was situated. Mr. George was 
authorized to obtain the title in fee by pre- 
emption and entry of the same in the name and 
in behalf of Walla Walla county, in trust, for 
the establishment of a seat of justice therein, 
or that he apply for and secure the title to 
the land as a townsite in trust for the use 
and benefit of the occupants of the land. Mr. 
George's duties were also to look after the 
interests of the county in all matters and con- 
troversies between the county and inhabitants 
of the town in regard to the town lands and 
the public streets and alleys. W. W. John- 
son was also appointed an agent of the county 
to visit the land office at Vancouver to take 
necessary measures to secure title to the lands. 
He failed to do so, and thus temporarily ended 
operations by the county to conduct a city gov- 
ernment, or 1 procure title to land where they 
had located the county seat. 

The historian, Hubert Bancroft, is re- 
sponsible for the statement that Walla Walla 
"from its first settlement was the business 
center of the region east of the Cascades, 
whence radiated routes to the mines, and later 
to all the other points in that division of the 
country." To partially recapitulate : 

In October, 1861, by order of the com- 
missioners, Walter W. Johnson, a civil en- 
gineer, surveyed the original townsite of Walla 
Walla, on the south half of the southwest 
quarter of section 20, township 7 north, range 
36 east. The site consisted of 17 full blocks 



and parts of twelve others. The streets as laid 
out in the original survey, were Bireh, Poplar,. 
Alder, Main, or Nez Perce, Rose and Sumach, 
running northeast and southwest; while those 
northwest and southeast were First, Second, 
Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth. 

Although the original survey was made in 
1 86 1 and the town built in accordance with 
it, the plat was not filed until several years 
later. The city clerk had the site resurveyed 
in 1865, as the following official papers will 
testify : • 

Territory of Washington, City and County of Walla 

Walla, ss.: 

I, H. M. Chase, City Clerk of the City of Walla 
Walla and Territory aforesaid, do hereby certify 
that the within plat is the original map of said city 
as made and surveyed by W. W. Johnson, Esq., 
city surveyor of said city, in the month of July, 
A. D., 1865, and the said plat was duly approved 
and received by the board of common council of 
said city, and that the deeds of conveyance here- 
tofore made and executed by the said city authori- 
ties to the inhabitants of said city, were based 
upon the same. 

Witness my hand and official seal herto affixed 
this 25th day of September, A. D., 1866. 

H. M. CHASE, City Clerk. 

This plat was filed and recorded in the 
office of the county auditor on July 5, 1867. It 
did not differ from the one of 1861, except that 
names to three short streets, which had been 
unnamed in the former plat, were given names. 
These streets were East, Seventh and Cherry. 
On the second map prepared the principal street 
is labeled Main, the Nez Perce substitute hav- 
ing been dropped. 

The following is from the record of the 
county commissioners' proceedings of October 
14, 1861 : 

"On motion it was ordered that the balance 
of the eighty acres upon which the town now 
stands be surveyed in accordance with the 
original plan and survey of said town, as sur- 
veyed by H. M. Chase, except that portion of 
said town a!c and near the crossing of Mill 
creek, on Main street, which shall be surveyed 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



119 



to correspond with the survey of the addition of 
A. J. Cain, and W. W. Johnson be, and he is 
hereby appointed to make such survey and re- 
port the same to this board at its next regular 
session, provided that the county surveyor be 
absent, or unable to make the survey." 

This survey was made by Mr. Johnson, and 
his plat was accepted as the official plat of the 
town. 

From the initial issue of the Washington 
Statesman, published in November, 1861, Ave 
are enabled to glean an idea of the general 
business of the town at that period. In the 
first few issues of the paper the advertisements 
of local firms were represented by H. C. Coul- 
son, attorney at law; Dr. I. H. Harris, phy- 
sician and surgeon ; Dr. L. Danforth ; W. A. 
George, attorney at law; Dr. J. A. Mullan; 
Dr. R. Bernhard; Walter W. Johnson, civil 
engineer ; L. Terry, physician and surgeon ; 
R. T. Allen, auctioneer; Moss & Brooks, con- 
tractors ; W. Phillips, hardware, etc. ; J. R. 
Cardwell, visiting dentist ; Way, Bush & Com- 
pany, lumber dealers; Kohlhauff & Guichard, 
general merchandise; I. N. Smith, attorney at 
law; Miller & Blackmor, proprietors Walla 
Walla & Dalles Stage Company; J. McCrarth, 
wholesale and retail liquor dealer ; J. C. Abbott, 
livery stable and proprietor stage line to the 
old fort (Wallula) ; L. C. Kinney, physician 
and surgeon ; M. L. Frank & Company, whole- 
sale and retail cigars and variety store ; Dr. 

D. G. Campbell ; Mastin & Fisher, grocery and 
provision store; Dr. J. G. Craig, druggist; 
John Selby. proprietor Blue Mountain Hotel 
and Restaurant; E. Meyer, proprietor City 
Brewery and Bakery; S. M. Nolan, proprietor 
Cosmopolitan Restaurant; Edward E. Kelly, 
news depot ; D. S. Baker, wholesale and retail 
general merchandise ; Kyger & Reese, depart- 
ment store; Brooks & Cranston, general mer- 
chandise; Mossman & Company, express line 
to Nez Perce mines and all parts of Oregon ; 

E. M. Sammis, photographer; Jacobs & Com- 
pany, wholesale and retail general merchandise ; 



Marony & Cosgrove, Bank Exchange Saloon; 
Wheeler & Ralston, Arcade Saloon; Mathison 
& McKinney, Snug saloon ; Graham & Ryan, 
Brook saloon. 

The first issue of this paper was well filled 
with attractive advertisements. Portland, The 
Dalles and San Francisco houses were, also, 
well represented. In the fall of 1861 the city 
of Walla Walla claimed a population of 1,000 
people. This included the soldiers at the fort. 
Some idea of the amount of business transacted 
may be gleaned from the fact that between 
forty and fifty thousand dollars 3 worth of goods 
had been sold to the Salmon river trade within 
the space of one week. Of this amount three 
houses alone disposed of upwards of $15,000 
worth. All of these were cash sales. And 
within that same week 1 50 pack animals loaded 
with goods, and four large wagons, conveying 
goods and provisions, left for the mines. 

January 11, 1862, there was passed in the 
Legislative Assembly a bill granting a city 
charter to Walla Walla. The boundaries, as 
described in the act, were : "That portion of 
land known and designated upon the surveys 
of the United States, in the Territory of Wash- 
ington, as the southwest quarter of section 
number twenty, in township number seven, 
north of range number thirty-six east, Willa- 
mette Meridian." The government of the city 
was vested in a mayor, recorder and a common 
council of five members. Other elective officers 
were to be a city marshal, assessor, treasurer 
and surveyor, while provision was made for 
the appointment of a city attorney. The first 
officers of the city, named by the legislative 
assembly, were : B. F. Standerfer, mayor ; 
James Galbreath, recorder; H. C. Coulson, B. 
F. Stone, B. F. Whitman, D. S. Baker and Mr. 
Schwabacker, members of the council; George 
H. Porter, marshal. No salary was to be al- 
lowed for the services of mayor and council 
until the city had gained a population of 1,000; 
the salaries of the other officials were to be 
fixed by the city council. 



120 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



The charter granted by the Legislative As- 
sembly provided that the first election in the 
city of Walla Walla should be held on the first 
Tuesday in April of each year. In 1862 this 
fell on April 1st. The initial meeting of the 
city council, the members of which had been 
appointed by the assembly, had been held 
March 1, 1862. There were present all the 
members of the council with the exception of 
Messrs. Schwabacker and Coulson; the former 
was ineligible ; ' the latter a non-resident. In 
their stead James McAuliff and George E. Cole 
were appointed. S. F. Ledyard was named 
clerk of the board. 

April 1st, under the charter, occurred the 
first city election in Walla Walla. There were 
cast 422 votes. The following served as offi- 
cers of election : John G. Sparks, E. L. 
Bridges and B. F. Robinson. It was claimed 
at the time that of these 422 votes, 300 only 
were deposited by legitimate voters residing 
within the limits of the city, and that transient 
strangers and men in town from the country 
had been permitted to cast votes unchallenged, 
thus giving the city an apparent voting popula- 
tion far in excess of the actual number. Fol- 
lowing is the official canvass : 

For Mayor — E. B. Whitman, 416. 

For Councilmen — I. T. Reese, 415; J. F. 
Abbott, 410; R. Jacobs, 413; B. F. Stone, 
412; B. Sheideman, 400. 

For Recorder— W. P. Hcvton, 239 ; W. W. 
De Lacy, 183. 

For Marshal — George H. Porter, 289; A. 
Seitel, 136; A. J. Miner, 17. 

For Attorney — Edward Nugent, appointed. 

For Assessor — L. W. Greenwell, 413. 

For Treasurer — E. E. Kelly. 219; D. S. 
Baker, 200. 

For Surveyor — A. I. Chapman, 305 ; W. 
W. Johnson, no. 

For Clerk — S. F. Ledyard, appointed. 

April n, 1862, W. Phillips was appointed 
councilman in place of J. F. Abbott. The 
council minutes of January 20, 1863, note J. 



Helmuth as councilman in place of B. F. Stone. 
W. P. Horton resigned January 20, 1863. J. 
W. Barry was chosen at a special election held 
January 31, 1863. The Washington States-' 
man of February 28, 1863, notes H. B. Lane 
as assessor. April n, 1862, Henry Howard 
was appointed treasurer, and the same day W. 
W. De Lacy was appointed surveyor. The 
council minutes of January 20, 1863, note H. 
B. Lane as clerk. 

It is, perhaps, well in a vein of retrospec- 
tion, to reflect that at this pioneer period Walla 
Walla was by no means the beautiful place of 
residence we see it to-day. Business was 
transacted in small frame structures or log 
houses instead of handsome and expensive 
brick blocks that now impart such an appear- 
ance of solidity to Main street. In place of 
broad, inviting lawns and ample shade trees 
which now contribute so much to the orna- 
mentation of the city, there was then to be 
seen only a dry, cheerless plain, with but a 
slight fringe of trees along the streams. It 
was regretfully observed by the Statesman in 
May, 1862; "Some very tasteful and well ar- 
ranged private dwellings adorn the city ; but in 
all our periginations about town we have not 
noticed a rose bush or shrub of any kind about 
any of them." The profusion of flowers, vines 
and trees now in evidence affords a sharp con- 
trast to conditions in- 1862. 

Through the streets of Walla Walla, on the 
night of June n, 1862, for the first time 
echoed the dread cry of "fire!" To the scene 
of this sudden and baleful illumination citizens 
hastened rapidly; they discovered the theater 
of J. B. Robinson wrapped in flames. For 
subduing them there were no available facil- 
ities ; the structure was burned to the ground ; 
it was the forerunner of hundreds of similar 
cases in the Territory and State of Washing- 
ton, utter lack of fire-fighting apparatus. Only 
about one year previous had this building been 
erected ; its destruction was supposed to have 
been the work of an incendiary. The energetic 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



121 



Mr. Robinson at once fitted up Buckley's hall, 
which was thrown open to the public in Octo- 
ber of the same year. 

The advisability of devising some means of 
fire protection was suggested to the business 
men of Walla Walla by this costly blaze. A 
subscription paper for the purpose of securing 
funds with which to purchase a fire engine was 
circulated by Joseph Helmuth. A meeting for 
the purpose of organizing an engine company 
was called for October i8th. Still, citizens re- 
mained apathetic; they could not yet fully 
realize the necessity for action. But Mr. Hel- 
muth persevered; he was indefatigable. Sub- 
scriptions were received to the amount of 
$1,600; a hand engine and hose to cost $2,100 
was ordered; it arrived in December. It was 
simply an old Hunneman tub engine, and was 
purchased in San Francisco, having gone 
there second-hand from Massachusetts. Of 
this archaic machine the Washington Engine 
Company was organized to take charge. How- 
ever, this company fell off in membership, 
languished and was twice reorganized, up to 
the spring of 1867; then the fierce blaze on 
Alder street revived determination to have a 
competent company of fire-fighters, and the 
Washington Engine Company became a "fire 
department," of which the foreman was made 
chief. 

Although it falls somewhat out of our 
chronology, it may be best to here trace the 
fire department history of Walla Walla a few 
years ahead of other events. The city pur- 
chased a Silsby steam fire engine, No. 3, in the 
summer of 1871, which, with two hose-carts, 
cost $9,000. Tiger Engine Company No. 2 
was organized in 1872 to take charge of the 
hand engine. Then the city council passed an 
ordinance to the effect that John G. Justice be 
elected chief engineer; in 1873 he was suc- 
ceeded by P. Bentley. In 1874, after a bitter 
contest, in which considerable rivalry was 
manifested, A. J. Kay was elected by a small 
majority. As the council had threatened to re- 



peal the ordinance creating the office of chief 
engineer, Mr. Kay resigned. In retaliation for 
the action of the council Tiger Company met 
April 23d, passed resolutions censuring the 
council for its action, turned their engine over 
to the city authorities and disbanded. It was 
not again reorganized until 1875. 

Vigilant Hook and Ladder Company, No. 
1, was organized in 1879. Ordinances 53 and 
54 were passed in September of that year, pro- 
viding for a fire department. December 20th 
these were annulled by ordinance 66, which 
provided for a fire department to consist of a 
chief engineer, first and second assistants, presi- 
dent, secretary, treasurer, and a board of dele- 
gates composed of two from each company. 
January 12, 1880, the first election was held 
for officers to serve until the following Octo- 
ber, resulting in the selection of John G. 
Justice, chief engineer; A. R. Tyler and C. 
T. Thompson, first and second assistants. 
Under the former ordinance the delegates had 
been elected. They were M. F. Colt and John 
N. Fall, Washington No. 1 ; C. E. Whitney and 
Sherman B. Ives, Tiger No. 2 ; F. M. Thomp- 
son and Robert Crane, Vigilant No. 1. John 
N. Fall was chosen president, James A. Jacobs, 
secretary, and John Lux, treasurer. 188 1 : R. 
M. McCalley, chief engineer, A. R. Tyler and 
Richard Kelling, assistants; H. H. Brodeck, 
president; Henry Kelling, secretary; M. F. 
Colt, treasurer ; N. T. Caton and C. F. Craft, 
delegates Washington No. 1 ; W. C. Painter 
and H. H. Brodeck, of Tiger No. 2 ; Robert 
Stott and Robert Crane, of Vigilant No. 1. 
1882: Jacob Betz, chief engineer; P. Bentley 
and J. H. Miller, assistants; H. H. Brodeck, 
president; E. P. Edson, secretary; M. F. Colt, 
treasurer; N. T. Caton and C. F. Craft, dele- 
gates of Washington, No. 1 ; H. H. Brodeck 
and John Alheit, of Tiger No. 2 ; Robert Stott 
and H. AYentler, of Vigilant No. 1. 

In 1882 the department was 169 strong. 
That year a new Silsby engine. No. 4, was 
purchased for the use of Washington Company. 



122 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



The price was six thousand dollars, a sum 
larger than the city could pay or become re- 
sponsible for, as it would increase the city debt 
beyond limits provided by law. To pay the 
first installment due the citizens subscribed 
$ 1,000. 

The revenue of Walla Walla for the first 
six months of 1862 totaled $4,283.25. One- 
third of this was from taxes ; balance from fines 
and licenses. Gaming- and liquor licenses alone 
amounted to $1,875. This year the city nearly 
doubled the number of its buildings and ma- 
terially increased in population. During this 
and succeeding seasons several thousand pack 
animals were constantly employed in carrying 
goods from Walla Walla to the Oro Fino, 
Boise, Salmon, Powder River, Owyhee, 
Kootenai and. finally, the Blackfoot mines. 
October 18, 1862, the Statesman said: 

"In a walk about town the editor counted 
upwards of fifty buildings that had been erected 
in Walla Walla during the summer, and thirty 
more that were in process of erection. At the 
head of Second street A. J. Miner is erecting 
a planing mill, sash and door factory, a much 
needed institution. The streets as far back as 
the claim of Mr. Sparks, are dotted with new 
buildings, and beyond the city limits in that 
direction, Mr. Meyer has erected a large 
brewery. Cain's addition, which boasted of 
only eight dwellings last fall, has now more 
than double that number. A new warehouse 
just erected by Mr. Cain, adjoining his resi- 
dence, gives that side of the street a busi- 
ness air, and with the completion of the bridge 
across Mill Creek, other buildings of a like 
character will doubtless follow. The improve- 
ments of the present season exceed by far those 
of any former year." 

The same season a line of stages was es- 
tablished from Wallula, another having prev- 
iously been started from The Dalles ; in April 
express offices were opened at Walla Walla and 
in the mines, by the Wells-Fargo Company, 
and the same month a line of stages was put 



on between Walla Walla and Lewiston. The 
great military highway, known as the "Mullan 
Road," to Fort Benton, was opened in 1862, 
and congress established mail routes from 
Walla Walla to Elk City, via Lewiston and 
Pierce City, and to Hell Gate by the way of 
Antoine Plant's and the Coeur d'Alene Mission. 
Three miles below Walla Walla was laid out 
the Pioneer Race Course. 

In November of this year Waiilatpu was 
the name of the postoffice at this point. Then 
it was changed to correspond with that of the 
town it represented. The city's revenue for 
the last quarter of this year was $2,714.19, 
derived chiefly from licenses, but expenditures 
had been so large that New Year's Day, 1863, 
found only $4.39 in the city treasury. Green- 
backs in those parlous days of Civil War were 
at a heavy discount and taxes were paid in 
gold. The assessed value of city property in 
1862 was $300,000; the 3ucceeding year this 
was increased to $500,000. 

There was only one ticket in the field at the 
city election of 1863, and the vote was, con- 
sequently, light. It was held April 7th, and 
resulted in the choice of the following gentle- 
men; Mayor, J. S. Craig; councilmen, R. 
Guichard, A. Kyger, E. E. Kelly, W. J. Terry 
and G. Linkton ; recorder, E. L. Massey ; 
marshal, A. Seitel ; assessor, H. B. Lane; 
treasurer, J. W. Cady ; surveyor, W. W. John- 
son. E. L. Bridges was appointed city at- 
torney and H. B. Lane, clerk. Mr. Massey 
resigned November 10, 1863 and W. P. Horton 
was chosen to succeed him at a special elec- 
tion in November of the same year. Novem- 
ber 17th the city council abolished the office 
of city attorney. In the council minutes of 
October 6, 1863, we note the name of A. L. 
Brown as city clerk in place of H. B. Lane, 
elected. 

Steady, substantial growth was a marked 
feature of Walla Walla during the year 1863. 
New People settled here, new buildings were 
erected, new business houses established. All 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



123 



J. W. Cady; sur- 
A. L. Brown was, 



public and private enterprises were in a most 
prosperous condition; the immense inland 
traffic with the mines continued. Still, it must 
be candidly admitted that the city was overrun 
with thieves and gamblers ; socially below par. 
In mining parlance it was decidedly a "lively 
camp." Since the opening of the mines this 
unwholesome condition had existed. The 
purification of the moral atmosphere came only 
through the vigorous and drastic measures of 
a vigilance committee of which we shall have 
more to say further on in this chapter. 

Similar to the election of 1863 was that 
of April 5, 1864; only one ticket appeared in 
the field. The result was as follows : Mayor, 
Otis L. Bridges; councilmen, George T. 
Thomas, Dr. A. J. Thibodo, J. F. Abbott, 
George McCully and P. M. Lynch ; recorder, 
W. P. Horton; marshal, A. Seitel ; assessor, 
A. L. Brown ; treasurer, 
veyor, W. W. Johnson, 
also, named as city clerk. 

Philip Shouble's addition to the city of 
Walla Walla was recorded April 14, 1864. It 
was the first recorded addition to the original 
townsite and was on the west side of Mill 
Creek. An addition on the extension of Main 
street, across the creek, had been previously 
surveyed for A. J. Cain, but the plat was not 
recorded until November 5, 1865. 

The first fire of grave consequence oc- 
curred on the evening of May 8, 1864. Ex- 
cellent work was clone by the engine company ; 
for two hours the flames were fought and 
checked in time to save the city hall. There 
were destroyed in this conflagration eight 
buildings, including the court house, entailing 
a loss of $12,000. There were numbered 
among the industries of the city this year, 
two breweries, a distillery, three flouring mills, 
a tannery, one planing mill and sash factory, 
and a number of blacksmith, harness, shoe and 
carpenter shops. For the first time, in Septem- 
ber, the city was visited by a circus. A line of 
stages was put on from Walla Walla to Boise 



City in the spring of 1864; there was opened 
in July an overland mail route from Walla 
Walla to Salt Lake. 

The city council decided in the spring of 
1865, to unite with the county in the use of 
the county jail. Forty dollars a month they 
had been paying for a building prior to that 
time. This matter, however, has been fully 
covered in the chapters relating to the county 
history. 

The city was out of debt at the close of 
the municipal year. The amount of taxable 
property had been small during the first two 
years of corporate existence, and expenses 
large ; the city had run behind financially, but 
in 1864 the lost ground was fully recovered. 
At the spring election of that year, April 4, 
1865, the result was as follows: 

Mayor, George Thomas ; councilmen, Fred 
Stine, S. G. Reese, William Kohlhauff, W. A. 
Ball, E. H. Massam; recorder, S. B. Fargo; 
marshal, E. Ryan; assessor, A. L. Brown; 
treasurer, H. E. Johnson ; surveyor, W. W. 
Johnson; clerk, A. L. Brown.. 

The baleful influence of adjacent mines 
was felt in Walla Walla. Scant respect was 
paid to the Sabbath ; as good a day as any other 
on which to transact business was Sunday; 
for the saloons a much better one. It was 
finally decided by the business men to change 
this state of affairs ; in May all signed a paper 
pledging themselves to close their business 
house on the Sabbath. This exerted an immed- 
iate effect on the morals of the people and 
order of the city. 

April 3, 1865, Walla Walla was visited by 
a conflagration of great magnitude. A little 
after noon it broke out in the City Hotel, on 
the north side of Main between Third and 
Fourth streets. Despite exertions of citizens 
and the fire department fully one-third of the 
city was destroyed; the loss was estimated by 
the Statesman at $184,500. On either side of 
Main, from Third street to the jail, nothing 
was left standing. City records, county assess- 



124 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



ment rolls and plat books were burned. Though 
the merchandise stocks destroyed were valu- 
able, the building's in which they were con- 
tained were mainly small, wooden structures 
of little account. It was impossible to check 
the flames in blocks of such buildings, closely 
huddled together, and at that time everything 
was as dry as tinder. 

It was in 1864-5 tnat the Vigilantes or- 
ganized. It has been admitted that, like every 
other city in the northwest in those tumultuous 
days, Walla Walla had its quota of gamblers, 
thieves and all-around toughs and thugs. To 
adequately cope with these evil doers courts 
were powerless. There were a number of 
well-organized gangs of cattle thieves; they 
formed into relays a little distance apart, be- 
tween which stock was driven, and thus swiftly, 
but surely, run out of the country. But with 
the formation of this vigilance committee the 
trees of Walla Walla county began bearing 
a strange, if somewhat ghastly fruit. A com- 
mon sight it was to see dead men dangling from 
their limbs. Thirty-two were reported to have 
been mysteriously hanged within the space of 
one month. When once the Vigilantes had 
marked a man it appeared impossible for him 
to escape their clutches. One old pioneer ob- 
served : "There was only one way to get out 
of their hands when once they had started for 
you, and that was to literally fly." 

A negro, Slim Jim, was hanged for having 
assisted to liberate two garroters confined in 
the county jail; Ferd. Patterson was shot to 
death in a barber's chair for having killed a 
young captain in the Union army. These are 
but two incidents of many, but the whole list 
would prove only repulsive and ghastly 
reading. • 

The sentiments of the Vigilantes found ex- 
pression in politics. With the opening of the 
Civil War southern sentiment was entirely in 
the ascendancy in Walla Walla. To speak 
in favor of the Union was almost worth a man's 
life. But one of the striking facts in regard 



to that period in Walla Walla's history was the 
degree to which politics were determined by 
the business men of the place. These men 
became framers of political ideas and policies ; 
they came in daily contact with people of the 
town and vicinity in the lines of trade; they 
were familiar with the business interests of 
their customers as well as with the community 
in which they had cast their lot. A majority of 
this class of men were of northern origin and 
sympathies, and though for a period they were 
outnumbered, in time the political pendulum 
swung to the Union side and they became more 
and more influential in political affairs. So 
potent was this influence that they converted 
many to a belief in the policy of the Union 
administration. 

Prominent in the management of both busi- 
ness affairs and politics may be mentioned 
J. F. Boyer, Dr. D. S. Baker, I. T. Reese, 
A. Kyger, the Schwabacher Brothers, William 
Stephens, Abraham Sig, Louis B. Scheideman, 
Judge Guichard, the Adams Brothers, Fred 
and William, B. F. Stone, Hollon Parker, 
Frank and John Paine, M. C. Moore, H. P. 
Isaacs, and the Jacobs Brothers, Richard and 
Samuel. Stronger than the newspapers or law- 
yers were these individuals in managing poli- 
tics. It is by reference to the names of these 
men of sterling character and unquestioned 
probity that we appreciate the fact that the 
city of Walla Walla was not, in pioneer days, 
entirely given over into the hands of thugs, 
thieves and gamblers. 

During the winter of 1865-6, by order of 
Colonel Curry, the military post was aban- 
doned, with the exception of a small, detach- 
ment under Captain Noble to preserve it from 
destruction. Quite a severe blow was this to 
the city; the presence of a large body of troops 
is generally beneficial to any business center. 

At the close of the fiscal year of 1866 it was 
found that the revenues of the city were 
$15,358.97 of which $9,135.13 had been de- 
rived from licenses. Expenditures exceeded 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



125 



receipts by $93.10. The chief revenue of the 
city at this formative period was secured from 
liquor, hurdy-gurdy saloons and gaming 
houses; about one-half of the total receipts 
of the city. Per contra, police and jail ex- 
penses were the heaviest ever borne by the 
city. Following are the city officials elected at 
the spring election of April 2d : 

Mayor, E. B. Whitman ; councilmen, 
Colonel P. Winesett, J. J. Ryan, J. W. McKee, 
George Baggs, Fred Stine; recorder, W. P. 
Horton ; marshal, W. J. Thompkins ; assessor, 
O. P. Lacy ; treasurer, H. E. Johnson ; clerk, 
J. L. Roberts. Councilman J. J. Ryan was 
killed November 29, 1866, and B. N. Sexton 
was appointed in his place. J. W. McKee 
resigned February 19, 1867, and William 
Phillips was appointed. The seat of George 
Baggs was declared vacant February 19th, 
and B. F. Stone was appointed, -Fred Stine re- 
signed and R. Guichard was named in his 
place December 13, 1866. The vote for assessor 
having been a tie between H. L. Boyle and 
O. P. Lacy, the latter was appointed by the 
council. September 18, 1866, the clerk's office 
was declared vacant and H. M. Chase was ap- 
pointed. 

This spring I. T. Reese erected another 
flouring mill and a distillery. Main street 
was graded the following summer; Whitman 
Seminary was built ; Hartman's Hotel and a 
large number of business houses and private 
residences were erected. The first attempt was 
made this season to establish water works. H. 
P. Isaacs, J. D. Cook and H. Kyger were 
granted a water franchise to remain effective 
twenty years; above the city they began the 
construction of a reservoir. This plant, how- 
ever, consisting of a few small pipes on Main 
street, was quite an inconsequential affair. The 
military post was, temporarily, reoccupied in 
November by a company of cavalry in com- 
mand of Lieutenant Converse. July 4th a fire 
occurred on Alder street destroying a planing 
mill, the Masonic hall and several buildings be- 



tween First and Third streets, entailing a loss 
of about $40,000. A destructive flood raced 
through Walla Walla during the last three days 
in January, 1867. Damage to property 
amounted to $18,000. Warm rains on the 
mountains precipitated the melting snow into 
Mill Creek which soon overflowed its banks, 
converted the lower end of the town into a 
lake and wrought general havoc. Previously 
floods had occurred annually, but had seldom 
clone much damage ; this one was unprece- 
dented. 

Financially the city had been running be- 
hind during the past two years; in April, 1866, 
its debt stood at $2,898.25 ; in 1867 it had 
risen to $4,982.48. Of the year's receipts, 
$19,137.90, $8,324.39 had been expended in 
street improvements, and $3,222.75 for police 
service. The burning issue for the spring cam- 
paign of 1867 was retrenchment; the vote was 
the heaviest cast for several years. Result : 
Mayor, James McAuliff; councilmen, C. P. 
Winesett, William Kohlhauff, N. Brown, I. 
T. Reese and J. F. Abbott; recorder, O. P. 
Lacy; marshal, E. Delaney; assessor, M. Leidy; 
treasurer, H. E. Johnson; surveyor, W. L. 
Gaston. The council appointed H. M. Chase 
city clerk, and January 17, 1868, appointed 
Frank P. Dugan city attorney. 

Two thousand dollars' worth of property 
was destroyed by a fire April 12, 1867, on 
Alder street. Conditions attendant upon the 
fighting of this fire were adverse; citizens were 
compelled to man the engine as the fire com- 
pany had disbanded. Steady growth and com- 
parative prosperity marked the city's progress 
this year. An eight-passenger Concord coach 
was completed by Fred Stine, doubtless the first 
manufactured on the coast outside of San Fran- 
cisco ; certainly the first in the Columbia dis- 
trict. 

There was a revision of the city charter of 
Walla Walla in 1868; the date of election was 
changed from April to July; the recorder was 
made ex officio clerk and other changes were 



126 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



made in the conduct of the municipality. A 
light vote was polled July 6th, with results as 
follows : Mayor, James McAuliff ; council- 
men, A. Kyger, J. F. Abbott, Fred Stine, Will- 
iam Kohlhauff and H. Howard ; recorder and 
clerk, L. Day ; marshal, E. Delaney ; assessor, 
C. Leidy; treasurer, H. M. Chase; surveyor, 
Charles Frush. 

Governor Marshal F. Moore visited Walla 
Walla in May of this year, and being the first 
governor who had thus honored the place he 
was received with unbounded enthusiasm. 
Following is the result of the election of July 
12, 1869: Mayor, Frank Stone; councilmen, 
James Jones, W. S. Mineer, Thomas Tierney, 
P. M. Lynch and Thomas Quinn ; recorder 
and clerk, O. P. Lacy; marshal, E. Delaney; 
attorney, Frank P. Dugan, appointed ; assessor, 
J. E. Bourn ; treasurer, H. E. Johnson ; sur- 
veyor, A. H. Simons. 

All lines of trade were active in 1869. 
Pack animals with heavy loads trailed along the 
routes between Walla Walla and the Blackfoot 
mines, Kootenai, Missoula and other points. 
Flour, a home product and chief staple, was the 
principal commodity transported by packers 
and freighters. 

There is an important event to record of the 
spring of 1870. With Portland via Wallula, 
telegraphic communication was established; 
Mayor Stone sent the initial message : 

To the Mayor of Portland — Greeting: Allow 
me to congratulate you upon the completion of 
the telegraph that places the first city of Wash- 
ington Territory in direct communication with the 
first city of Oregon, and to express the hope that it 
is hut the precursor of the iron rail that is to 
unite us still more indissolubly in the bonds of 
interest and affection. 

To this an appropriate response was made 
by the mayor of Portland. There were chosen 
at the election of July nth: Mayor, Dr. E. 
Sheil; councilmen, J. F. Abbott, N. T. Caton, 
H. M. Chase, William Kohlhauff and G. P. 
Foor ; recorder and clerk, W. P. Horton ; mar- 



shal, E. Delaney; assessor, James Rittenhouse; 
treasurer, H. E. Johnson; surveyer, A. H. 
Simmons. 

The City Hall association was incorporated 
in the fall of 1870. Capital stock to the amount 
of $10,000 was subscribed to build a hall to 
be utilized as- a theater and for public gather- 
ings. The building was completed in January, 
1 87 1, and opened by a series of dramatic per- 
formances by Carrie Chapman, Lon McCarty, 
Annie and Minnie Pixley and Ned Campbell. 
B. F. Stone, H. Howard, A. Frank, F. Epstein 
and F. W. Paine were officers of this associa- 
tion. 

A census of the city in 1870 gave a popula- 
tion of 1,394, divided as follows: white males, 
802; white females, 544; colored males, 37; 
colored females, n. Chinese and Indians are 
not included. There were 361 dwellings and 
345 families. During the mining excitement 
there had been a much larger population, but 
composed mainly of a floating element, creating 
nothing but public expense. This summer the 
Washing-ton Territory Agriculture, Mining and 
Art Fostering Society laid out fair grounds 
three miles from Walla Walla. A series of 
fairs began that year which continued until 
1873. But these grounds were considered too 
far from the city ; they were subsequently sold. 

The Walla Walla Land District was created, 
by act of congress, in the spring of 1871. All 
of Washington territory east of the Cascades 
was first embraced in this district; since then 
the Yakima and Colfax districts have been cut 
off. The election of July 10, 1871, resulted 
as follows: Mayor, E. B. Whitman; council- 
men, R. Jacobs, P. M. Lynch, N. T. Caton, 
G. P. Foor and F. Orselli ; recorder and clerk, 
W. P. Horton ; marshal, E. Delaney ; assessor, 
M. W. Davis ; treasurer, H. E. Johnson ; sur- 
veyor, A. L. Knowlton. The board appointed 
F. P. Dugan city attorney. 

In the fall of 1871 the city was threatened 
with an epidemic of small pox; careful 
measures prevented this, and, having claimed 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



127 



five victims, the scourge was stamped out. 
June 11, 1872, fire destroyed William Stephens' 
warehouse, occupied by Paine Brothers & 
Moore and Joseph Freeman's blacksmith 
shop, on the north side of Main street 
in Cain's addition; loss $6,000. With the 
exception of mayor, treasurer and surveyor 
all the offices were contested at the election of 
July 8, 1872. Result : Mayor, E. B. Whitman ; 
councilmen, Sig. Schwabacher, M. C. Moore, 
N. T. Caton. J. H. Foster, John Stahl ; re- 
corder and clerk, O. P. Lacy; marshal, John 
G. Justice; attorney, Thomas H. Brents, ap- 
pointed; assessor, M. W. Davis; treasurer, H. 
E. Johnson ; surveyor, A. L. Knowlton. 

A bill was passed by congress in the spring 
of 1872 providing for the sale of the military 
reservation at Walla Walla and permitting the 
secretary of the interior to divide it into lots, 
blocks and streets. This was done although 
no lots were offered for sale. Following the 
Modoc War of the spring of 1873 the com- 
mandment of the department advised the re- 
tention of this post as being one especially 
adapted for. reaching points of possible Indian 
troubles. The wisdom of this opinion was fully 
demonstrated in the Indian wars of 1877-8. 
The post was not sold ; six companies were on 
garrison duty there. From a commercial view 
point it is of inestimable value to Walla Walla. 

At 10:03 p. m. Saturday, December 4, 
1872, Walla Walla experienced a seismic dis- 
turbance lasting half a minute. No damages 
resulted with the exception of broken glass and 
crockery, although buildings rocked danger- 
ously from southwest to northeast. Pell-mell 
into the street rushed affrighted people, many 
of them in their night clothes. More severe 
than in Walla Walla was this earthquake shock 
felt in British Columbia, Oregon, Idaho and 
Montana. 

The erection of a large, three-story brick 
hotel was commenced in the spring of 1883, 
on the corner of Fourth and Main streets, by 
Fred Stine. It was known as the Stine House. 



In July, 1874, it was opened with eclat by Mr. 
O'Brien, the proprietor. For several years the 
city's finances had been in a far from satis- 
factory condition. In 1872 the debt had 
reached $10,862.64. That year it was reduced 
by rigorous economy to $4,352.61. Receipts 
of the treasury had been $24,995.70. In the 
spring of 1873 tne assessment valuation 
amounted to $988,682. Following is the result 
of the city election of July 14, 1873; Mayor, 
E. B. Whitman ; councilmen, N. T. Caton, 
William Neal, J. H. Foster, J. N. Fall, M. C. 
Moore; recorder and clerk, J. D. Laman; mar- 
shal, J. G. Justice; attorney, E. C. Ross, ap- 
pointed ; assessor, M. W. Davis ; treasurer, H. 
E. Johnson ; surveyor, A. L. Knowlton. Mr. 
Johnson resigned April 7, 1874, and F. Kim- 
merly was appointed. Mr. Knowlton, not be- 
ing- a resident of the city at the time of the elec- 
tion, the office was declared vacant, and he was 
appointed August 18, 1873, to ^ u tne vacancy. 

August 9, 1873, Walla Walla was visited 
by another disastrous blaze. It broke out, 
about eight o'clock in the evening, in a feed 
stable on Fourth, near Main street, and the 
flames, fanned by a strong wind, reached a 
number of neighboring frame structures. • By 
the united efforts of two engine companies this 
fire was confined to the block in which it orig- 
inated. The flames wiped out Colley's stables 
and Wintler's shop, the entire loss approximat- 
ing - $10,000. The one hundred soldiers who 
came from the fort did yeoman's service in 
fighting this conflagration. 

In 1874 there was a pressing demand for 
an adequate water system. In June, W. N. 
Horton, of Olympia, made a survey with a view 
to conveying- water from Mill Creek to a supply 
reservoir above town, thence to be conducted 
through large wooden pipes to the bridge at 
Main street, thus giving it a head of 100 feet. 
Smaller mains were to run thence through the 
city. Mr. Horton offered to complete this 
work for $10,000 in city bonds. As the city 
had no power to issue bonds of any description, 



128 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



this offer was, perforce, declined. The city 
debt was still further reduced June 30, 1874, 
by $2,243.07, and, by a change in the charter, 
the city was divided into four wards ; one coun- 
cilman was allowed to each. From the office 
of recorder the duties of clerk were severed, 
and the council was authorized to appoint a 
clerk who would be ex officio auditor. With 
the exception of marshal there was a complete 
change of city officials at the election of July 
13, 1874. Result: Mayor, James McAuliff; 
councilmen, first ward, F. P. Allen; second, 
Z. K. Straight; third. William Kohlhauff; 
fourth, E. C. Ross ; recorder, O. P. Lacy ; mar- 
shal, J. G. Justice; attorney, W. A. George; 
assessor, James B. Thompson ; treasurer, C. T. 
Thompson ; surveyor, P. Zahner ; clerk and 
auditor, C. E. Whitney. There was a tie vote 
between Z. K. Straight and James Jones, which 
was decided in Mr. Straight's favor by the 
council. 

In the summer of 1874 Main street was 
converted into a Broadway by being widened 
to 100 feet. For the year 1874-5 the revenue 
of the city was $11,438.38. Owing to street 
improvements and other large drafts on the 
treasurv enough warrants were issued to con- 
sume this and increase the debt of the city to 
$10,358.88. The city election of July 12, 1875, 
resulted as follows : Mayor, James McAuliff ; 
councilman, first ward, O. P. Lacy, second, 
D. C. Belshee; third, William Kohlhauff, 
fourth, E. C. Ross; recorder, J. D. Laman; 
marshal, J. G. Justice ; attorney, W. A. George, 
appointed ; assessor, S. Jacobs ; treasurer, F. 
Kimmerly; surveyor, P. Zahner; clerk, C. E. 
Whitney. Mr. Ross resigned and A. H. Rey- 
nolds was appointed March 7, 1876. 

A race track was fitted up this summer by 
C. S. Bush, also fair grounds about one mile 
up the creek from Main street. Then was 
formed the Walla Walla Agricultural Society; 
in October was held the first fair in the county 
since 1872. For the purpose of promoting 
immigration a society was formed by the citi- 



zens of Walla Walla in 1875. But beyond the 
printing and circulation of literature little was 
accomplished. The Walla Walla Water Com- 
pany constructed a reservoir on Mill Creek 
some distance above town the same summer. 
Six-inch log pipes were laid to the city limits, 
and in October they were connected with the 
iron mains previously laid on Main street. 

On Monday, October 18, 1875, occurred 
the most extensive fire that had visited the city 
for years. That this was of incendiary origin 
is, doubtless, true, as efforts had been made to 
shut off the water supply from the new water 
works. The flume leading from the creek to 
the reservoir had been cut ; no water could flow 
into the latter and it had become drained by use 
in the city. Flames burst from the rear of the 
Oriental Hotel about 8 o'clock p. m. ; the alarm 
of fire echoed through the streets. Quickly 
the engines were at work ; firemen and citizens 
fought with desperation; women worked 
heroically ; Chinamen volunteered their aid. In 
strong contrast to this was the "hoodlum" ele- 
ment; they refrained from working, but abused 
the Chinamen, several of Avhom were injured. 
At City Hall, which was saved, the fire was 
checked. The total loss footed $25,000; 
Oriental Hotel, $8,000; William Stephens, 
$5,000; Wertheimer Brothers, $2,000; Harry 
Howard, $2,000, and $8,000 distributed among 
other parties. 

January 8, 1876, the "Statesman" said: 

With the month of July, 1872, the affairs of 
this city passed under the control of a "ring" that 
from that day to this have plucked and robbed the 
city much after the style of Boss Tweed and his 
ring of thieves. Up to the advent of the ring the 
entire expenditure on account of police did not 
exceed $100 per month, and other city expenses 
were graduated on a like economical scale. In 
this way the expenditures were kept down and the 
outlay was always proportioned to the revenue. 

This was the condition of affairs when the ring 
took office, but with their advent the rule of 
economy came to an end. The appropriation on 
account of police was run up to nearly $300 per 
month, and pickings and stealings added consid- 
erably over that amount. To add to the plunder 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



129 



new offices were created and a regular reign of 
thievery inaugurated. This extravagance at once 
swelled the city expenditures from the modest sum 
of $7,000 per annum to over $15,000, and this 
without having any substantial improvements to 
show for the money. The result of all this is, that 
at the end of a period of less than four years the 
city treasury is sucked dry, and we have an out- 
standing indebtedness estimated at $12,000. 

With a knowledge of these facts, the late legis- 
lature acted wisely in prohibiting the imposition 
of a license tax upon the various branches of 
business. By cutting off the revenue the ring 
thieves are forced to practice economy, and to that 
extent their grasp upon the pockets of tax-payers 
is relaxed. We make this explanation in order 
that our readers may understand the origin of the 
muddle that now taxes the ingenuity of the ring, 
and has brought our local Boss Tweed and all his 
followers to grief. 

But during the Centennial Year of 1876 
the city debt was reduced $2,141.20. The 
revenue of that year was $11,042.77. The of- 
fice of recorder was abolished and the duties 
were discharged by a justice of the peace. The 
following officers were chosen at the city elec- 
tion of July 10, 1876: Mayor, James McAuliff ; 
councilmen, first ward, O. P. Lacy'; second, G. 
P. Foor; third, William Kohlhauff ; fourth, A. 
H. Reynolds; marshal, J. G. Justice; attorney, 
W. A. George, appointed; assessor, S. Jacobs; 
treasurer, H. E. Holmes; surveyor, P. Zahner; 
clerk, C. E. Whitney. 

In Walla Walla the Centennial Fourth of 
July was observed with appropriate demonstra- 
tions. Within the city limits was a population 
of 2,500, nearly double that accorded by the 
census of 1870. In all elements of material 
prosperity had Walla Walla advanced, aside 
from population. Assessment rolls showed 
property valuations to the amount of $1,023,- 
595 ; to the townsite a number of large addi- 
• tions had been made ; building operations rad- 
iated from the city's center in all directions; 
there were one furniture factory, two broom 
factories, two large planing mills, one cooper 
shop, four breweries, two excellent hotels, 
shops, stores and offices in abundance and the 
railroad depot and warehouse. 



- The year 1877 saw the city's revenue re- 
duced to $8,830.75. Still, the debt was de- 
creased $1,500. Result of city election, July 
9, 1877:- Mayor, M. C. Moore; councilmen, 
first ward, W. P. Winans; second, W. P. 
Adams; third, J. A. Taylor; fourth, A. H. 
Reynolds ; marshal, J. G. Justice ; attorney, W. 
A. George, appointed ; assessor, Samuel Jacobs ; 
treasurer, H. E. Holmes ; surveyor, P. Zahner ; 
clerk, C. E. Whitney. 

So far as the Nez Perce war of 1877 was 
concerned Walla Walla had little to do with 
it. But there was a general "scare" throughout 
the whole of eastern Washington. Thomas P. 
Page, L. K. Grim and J. F. McLane com- 
manded a company of volunteers that served 
two weeks in Idaho. From the outlying settle- 
ments many refugees flocked into Walla Walla. 
A man named Ritchie was killed north of 
Snake river by a renegade Snake Indian June 
23d. This occurred soon after the massacre in 
Idaho, and it started a report on the wings of 
rumor that all northern Indians had taken the 
war path. N. A. Cornoyer rode into Walla 
Walla with twenty-nine unarmed Indian chiefs 
and leaders of the Umatilla and Cayuse tribes, 
with the citizens they conversed freely and as- 
sured them of their friendliness. This com- 
mendable effort to allay excitement among the 
whites was successful in so far as fear of these 
tribes was concerned. But reports of an out- 
break north of Snake river floated in within a 
few days, and the "scare" temperature again 
rose to fever heat. Ranges were deserted by 
the stock men on Crab creek; later a band of 
Columbia River Indians on their way home 
from digging roots on Camas prairie, found 
houses deserted and pillaged them. Returning 
settlers saw in this signs of a "raid"; again 
sped the report of an Indian uprising-. Two 
men came in to Walla Walla and stated that 
Chief Moses was at the Spokane with 200 
painted warriors. The only report with the 
least foundation was that of the defeat of Idaho 
troops and many deaths among the soldiers. 



13° 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



All sorts of rumors were humming through the 
air ; a mass meeting was convened and the 
following dispatch forwarded to the governor : 

Walla Walla, W. T., July 6, 1877. 
Gov. E. P. Ferry — Dispatches today from the 
Indian war show that Lieutenant Rains, ten sol- 
diers and two citizens have heen killed. Moses 
with a large band of armed Indians said to be 
encamped at Spokane bridge. Walla Walla is 
filled with refugees, panic stricken, from Crab 
creek and other portions of Whitman and Stevens 
counties. Indians are driving off stock and com- 
mitting depredations of every character. Author- 
ize some citizen to raise two companies of men 
each for immediate service. Your presence here 
is most urgently requested, that you may become 
fully acquainted with the position. Also forward 
immediately such arms and ammunition as may 
be within your power. The indications are that 
the militia will have to be called out. Answer. 
Done at a meeting of 2 00 citizens. 

MILES C. MOORE, Chairman. 

Meanwhile business was stagnated; travel 
obstructed. But finally quiet was restored; 
settlers returned to their homes ; the country 
reverted to its normal condition. The war 
never crossed Snake river; it never entered 
this territory. 

Just east of the city cemetery the Masonic 
and Odd Fellows' lodges purchased four and 
one-half acres of land, in the spring of 1878. 
They here laid out two fraternal burial 
places which they tastefully improved and 
ornamented. June 7, 1878, a special elec- 
tion was called to decide the question of 
abandoning the old city charter and or- 
ganizing under the provisions of an "Act 
to Provide for the Incorporation of Cities," 
passed in 1877. This would increase the new 
council to seven ; confer more ample powers 
in governing ; permit it to pledge the city's 
credit to the amount of $15,000, no more, and 
to appoint all minor officers except the marshal. 
By a vote of 163 for, 121 against, this new 
form of government was adopted. Under this 
law the election of city officials resulted as fol- 
lows : Mayor, James McAuliff ; councilmen, 
first ward, Fred Stine, W. P. Winans; second, 



F. W. Paine, Z. K. Straight ; third, John Tay- 
lor, William Kohlhauff; fourth, M. F. Colt; 
marshal, J. G. Justice. The following were 
appointed: J. D. Laman, justice of the peace; 
J. D. Mix, attorney ; Samuel Jacobs, attorney ; 
H. E. Holmes, treasurer ; P. Zahner, surveyor ; 
C. E. Whitney, clerk; J. E. Berryman, street 
commissioner; Dr. J. M. Boyd, health officer. 

Professor Clark of the Wheeler United 
States Surveying Expedition, in August, 1878, 
erected a monument in the court yard, giving 
the exact location of the city. The latitude is 
46 degrees, three minutes, 55^ seconds north; 
longitude 41 degrees, 17 minutes, 5 seconds 
west from Washington ; difference in time be- 
tween it and the national capital, 2 hours, 45 
minutes and 8K seconds; altitude above sea 
level, 915 feet. Chief Moses was arrested in 
December by the sheriff of Yakima county. 
This caused something of a flutter; it was 
feared his band would take the war path and, 
consequently, troops were held in readiness for 
immediate service. Under marching orders, 
also, were the Walla Walla guards ; their serv- 
ices were not required. 

In August of this year the city council re- 
ceived an application from John Burgess for a 
street railway franchise. This was granted 
him in January, 1879, authorizing him to run a 
line from the foot of Main street to the race 
track, with exclusive rights for thirty years. 
It was stipulated that the road was to be com- 
pleted within four years, but nothing was done 
at that time to utilize this right. The city of- 
ficials elected and appointed July 14, 1879, were 
these : Mayor, James McAuliff ; councilmen, 
first ward, A. S. Legrow, H. M. Chase; second, 
J. M. Welsh, A. Jacobs ; third, William Kohl- 
hauff, William Harkness, George T. Thomas; 
marshal, John McNiel; appointive officers; E. 

B. Whitman, justice of the peace; J. D. Mix, 
attorney ; Samuel Jacobs, assessor ; H. E. 
Holmes, treasurer; H. D. Chapman, surveyor; 

C. E. Whitney, clerk ; J. B. Brooks, street com- 
missioner; J. E. Bingham, health officer. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



131 



Into three wards had the city at this date 
been divided, instead of four. To the first and 
second wards two councilmen each were ac- 
corded, and three to the third. Of these gen- 
tlemen four were elected to serve one year, and 
three two years. The terms of all councilmen 
thereafter were two years. The largest vote 
ever cast in Walla Walla was polled July 8, 
1880. Result: Mayor, James McAuliff; coun- 
cilmen, first ward, L. Ankeny ; second, R. 
Jacobs ; third, William Kohlhauff , John Dovell ; 
marshal, J. G. Justice ; appointed, O. P. Lacy, 
justice of the peace; J. T. Anders, attorney; 
Samuel Jacobs, assessor; H. E. Holmes, treas- 
urer; H. D. Chapman, surveyor; J. L. Sharp- 
stein, clerk ; J. B. Brooks, street commissioner ; 
J. E. Bingham, health officer. 

The citizens of Walla W T alla still opposed 
water works in 1881. The vote of July nth 
was small, resulting as follows : Mayor, James 
McAuliff; councilman, first ward, William 
Glassford; second, Edward Baumeister; third, 
A. H. Reynolds; marshal, J. G. Justice; ap- 
pointed: O. P. Lacy, justice of the peace; W. 
G. Langford, attorney ; Samuel Jacobs, as- 
sessor ; H. E. Holmes, treasurer ; H. D. Chap- 
man, surveyor; Le F. A. Shaw, clerk; J. B. 
Brooks, street commissioner; A. N. Marion, 
health officer. For water works, 130; against 

'95- 

An elegant court house, costing $60,000 

was erected in 188 1-2; the Catholics built a 

handsome brick church at an expense of 

$20,000, a number of residences and stores 

were erected at a cost of from $1,000 to 

$12,000, and illuminating gas was introduced. 

Charles M. Patterson organized the Walla 

Walla Gas Company, at whose head was A. 

Pierce, president and chief stockholder. The 

sum of $25,000 was expended in laying mains 

and supply pipes, and fitting up a plant. At first 

the gas was made from pitch pine. Headed 

by the energetic and enterprising Dr. Baker, 

the Mill Creek Flume and Mill Company was 

another valuable addition to the city. In 1882 



another heavy vote was polled, the office of 
marshal being the storm center of interest. 
Result : Mayor, James McAuliff : councilmen, 
first ward, W. P. Winans ; second, Thomas J. 

j Fletcher; third, N. T. Caton, John Dovell; 

J marshal, J. G. Justice; appointed: O. P. Lacy, 
justice of the peace; W. G. Langford, attorney; 
Samuel Jacobs, assessor; Richard Jacobs, 
treasurer ; John B. Wilson, surveyor ; Le F. A. 
Shaw, clerk ; J. B. Brooks, street commissioner ; 
Dr. T. W. Sloan, health officer. 

In 1880 the population of Walla Walla was 
3,588. In 1882 it was estimated at fully 4,000. 
At the latter date the various industrial, pro- 
fessional, educational and religious interests 
and institutions were classified numerically as 
follows : General merchandise stores, 4 ; drug 
stores, 3 ; dry goods stores, 8 ; gun stores, 2 ; 
music stores, 2 ; agricultural implement stores, 
5 ; . furniture stores, 3 ; furniture factories, 2 ; 
saddlery stores and shops, 6; paint and oil 
stores, 3 ; hotels, 9 ; lodging houses, 3 ; livery 
stables, 10; millinery stores, 3 ; breweries, 5; 
photographic studios, 2 ; blacksmith shops, 8 ; 
barber shops, 7; grocery stores, 10; hardware 
stores, 4; jewelry stores, 3 ; crockery stores, 1 ; 
book and stationery stores, 3 ; fruit, tobacco 
and confectionery stores, 10; boot and shoe 
stores and shops, 6 ; junk stores, 2 ; liquor 
stores, 3 ; restaurants, 7 ; saloons, 26 ; under- 
takers' establishments, 3 ; meat markets, 4 ; 
wagon shops, 4 ; paint shops, 3 ; cooper shops, 
1 ; carpenter shops, 3 ; plumber shops, 2 ; plan- 
ing mills, 2 ; flour mills, 3 ; soap factory, 1 ; 
steam dye works. 1 ; wood yards, 2 ; hide depot. 
1 ; insurance and real estate offices, 5 ; attorneys, 
15; newspapers, daily, 3; banks, 2; private 
schools and seminaries, 5 ; brick buildings, 38 ; 
tailor shops, 4; tin shops. 4; foundry, 1 ; chop 
mills, 2 ; bag factory, 1 ; lumber yards. 2 ; brick 
yards, 2 ; sewing machine offices, 3 ; Chinese 
laundries, 9; physicians and dentists. 16; 
newspapers, weekly, 4: public school buildings, 
3 ; churches, 7. 

The United States land office must be added 



132 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



to these as well as the post, express, telegraph, 
stage offices; gas and water works. Court 
House, City Hall and station house, Odd Fel- 
lows' Temple, warehouse, flume. United States 
military post and garrison, two railroad offices, 
office of the Oregon Improvement Company, 
fair grounds, three fire and two militia com- 
panies, free library, club room and fourteen 
secret societies. 

During the 1883 session of the Legislative 
Assembly the city of Walla Walla was rein- 
corporated, the bill being approved by the gov- 
ernor November 28th, and bearing title, "An 
act to incorporate the city of Walla Walla, and 
to particularly define the powers thereof." As 
this charter was the only one of the kind then 
in the territory, it is of peculiar interest. The 
result of this year's election was as follows : 
Mayor, T. R. Tannatt ; councilmen, first ward, 
William Glassford; second ward, H. Winder; 
third ward, A. S. Bowles; marshal, T. J. Rob- 
inson ; attorney, W. G. Langford ; treasurer, F. 
W. Paine; health officer, Dr. A. M. Marion; 
surveyor, J. B. Wilson ; street commissioner, 
J. B. Brooks ; assessor, William Harkness ; 
clerk Le F. A. Shaw. 

February 22, 1884, ordinance No. 185 was 
passed by the city council. It was entitled, "An 
ordinance to divide the city of Walla Walla 
into wards, and apportionment of councilmen." 
Following is the text of the ordinance : 

Sec. 1. The city of Walla Walla shall be and 
is hereby divided into four wards, to be known as 
the first, second, third and fourth wards. 

Sec. 2. The first ward shall, be bounded as fol- 
lows: Commencing at a point where the center of 
Main street intersects the center of Third street, 
thence southerly along the center of Third street 
to the center of Birch street; thence easterly along 
the center of Birch street to the center of Second 
street; thence southerly along the center of Second 
street to the south boundary of the city; thence 
along the south boundary of the city easterly to 
the southeast corner of the city; thence northerly 
along the east boundary of the city to the center 
of Mill creek; thence down Mill creek to the 
center of East Main street; thence along the cen- 
ter of East Main and Main streets in a westerly 
direction to the place of beginning. 



Sec. 3. The second ward shall be bounded as 
follows: Beginning at the intersection of Main 
and Third streets; thence southwesterly along 
the center of Main street to the west boun- 
dary line of the city; thfence south along the 
west boundary line of the city to the southwest 
corner of the city; thence easterly along the south 
boundary of the city to the center of Second 
street; thence northerly along the center of Sec- 
ond street to the center of Birch street; thence 
west along the center of Birch street to the center 
of Third street; thence northerly along Third 
street to the place of beginning. 

Sec. 4. The Third ward shall be bounded as 
follows: Beginning at the center of Main and 
North streets where they intersect, thence running 
northerly to the center line of North Third street 
to the center of Elm street; thence northeasterly 
on the center line of Elm street to the center of 
North Second street; thence northerly on the cen- 
ter line of North Second street to the northern 
boundary line of the city; thence east along said 
northern boundary line of the city; thence east 
along said northern boundary line of said city to 
the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of 
section twenty (20), in township seven (7) north, 
range thirty-six (36) east; thence south to the 
northeast corner of the southwest quarter of the 
northeast quarter of said section twenty (20); 
thence east to the northeast corner of the city; 
thence south to the center of Mill Creek; thence 
down the center of Mill creek to the center of 
East Main and Main streets to the place of begin- 
ning. 

Sec. 5. The fourth ward shall be bounded as 
follows: Commencing at the center of Main and 
North Third streets where they intersect, thence run- 
ning northerly to the center line of said North Third 
street to the center of Elm street; thence north- 
easterly to the center line of Elm street to the 
center of North Second street; thence northerly 
on the center line of North Second street to the 
northern boundary line of the city; thence west on 
said northern boundary line to the northwest cor- 
ner of said city; thence south along said boundary 
line to the United States military reservation; 
thence easterly and then southerly on the line of 
said military reservation to the center of Main 
street; thence easterly on the center line of Main 
street to the place of beginning. 

Sec. 6. The number of councilmen to which 
each ward is entitled shall be as follows: First 
ward, two councilmen; second ward, two council- 
men; third ward, two councilmen; fourth ward, 
one councilman. And they shall be elected as is 
provided in section 7 of this ordinance. 

Sec. 7. There shall be elected from the first, 
second and third wards each at the next general 
election and at ever general election thereafter, one 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



133 



councilman, and in the fourth ward at the next 
general election and thereafter biennially, one coun- 
cilman. 

Sec. 8. All ordinances and parts of ordinances, 
so far as they conflict herewith, are hereby re- 
pealed. 

The city was then divided into eight elec- 
tion precincts, designated as follows : Lewis, 
Clark, Whitman, Steptoe, Mullan, Fremont, 
Stevens and Simms. Result of the city elec- 
ion of 1884: Mayor, T. R. Tannatt; council- 
men, first ward, A. M. Porter; second, Will- 
iam O'Donnell; third, Thomas Ouinn; fourth, 
W. H. Kent; marshal, T. J. Robinson; clerk, 
Le F. A. Shaw; attorney, W. G. Langford; 
treasurer, O. P. Lacy; justice of the peace, E. 
B. Whitman; health officer, W. G. Alban; 
street commissioner, J. B. Brooks; sexton, J. 

A. McNeil. 

Between the years 1884 and 1900 the his- 
tory of Walla Walla city was uneventful. 
"Wheat was king," and to its cultivation a 
majority of the farmers devoted their attention, 
prospered and were contented. It is, however, 
important to give the list of city officials who 
served terms from 1885 to 1905 inclusive. 
Here they are : 

1885 — Mayor, J. M. Boyd; councilmen, 
first ward, J. W. Esteb; second, J. Picard; 
third, L. H. Bowman; marshal, T. J. Robin- 
son; clerk, Le F. A. Shaw; justice of the peace, 
J. D. Laman ; attorney, W. J. Langford ; treas- 
urer, Joel Chitwood; surveyor, J. B. Wilson; 
street commissioner, J. B. Brooks; assessor, J. 

B. Wilson; health officer, W. G Alban; sex- 
ton, J. A. McNeil. 

1886 — Mayor, J. M. Boyd; councilmen, 
first ward, William Stine; second, John 
Manion; third, J. M. Hill; fourth, H. G 
Tobin ; marshal, T. J. Robinson ; clerk, Henry 
Kelling ; treasurer, R. G Parks ; attorney, J. L. 
Sharpstein; surveyor, L.' A. Wilson; justice 
of the peace, J. D. Laman; street commissioner. 
Charles Berg; assessor, William Harkness; 
health officer, H. R. Keylor; sexton, J. A. Mc- 
Neil. 



1887 — Mayor, James McAuliff; council- 
men, first ward, D. W. Small ; second, John 
Picard ; third, George Dacres ; marshal, T. J. 
Robinson ; clerk, Henry Kelling ; attorney, J. 
L. Sharpstein; treasurer, R. G Parks; justice 
of the peace, A. J. Gregory; assessor, M. H. 
Paxton ; surveyor, J. B. Wilson ; street com- 
missioner, Charles Berg; health officer, H. R. 
Keylor ; sexton, Henry Sanderson. 

1888 — Mayor, G. T. Thompson; council- 
men, first ward, W. H. Upton; second, John 
Manion ; third, J. M. Hill ; fourth, R. M. Mc- 
Calley ; marshal, T. J. Robinson ; clerk, Henry 
Kelling ; attorney, J. L. Sharpstein ; treasurer, 
R. G. Parks; justice of the peace, A. J. 
Gregory; assessor, M. H. Paxton; surveyor, 
A. J. Anderson; health officer, Dr. Y. C. 
Blalock; sexton, Henry Sanderson. 

1889 — Mayor, Dr. N. G Blalock; council- 
men, first ward, D. W. Small and J. H. Stock- 
well (unexpired term) ; second, Z. K. Straight; 
third, J. L. Roberts and J. F. Brew'er (unex- 
pired term); marshal, T. J. Robinson; treas- 
urer, R. G Parks; clerk, Henry Kelling; at- 
torney, J. L. Sharpstein; justice of the peace, 
John A. Taylor; assessor, M. H. Paxton; sur- 
veyor, W. G Sayles; health officer, Y. C. 
Blalock ; sexton, Henry Sanderson. 

1890 — Mayor, N. G Blalock; councilmen, 
first ward, J. H. Stockwell ; second, John 
Picard; third, A. H. Reynolds; fourth, R. M. 
McCalley; marshal, T. J. Robinson; clerk, 
Henry Kelling; attorney, J. L. Sharpstein; 
treasurer, R. G Parks ; justice of the peace, 
V. D. Lambert ; assessor, M. H. Paxton ; sur- 
veyor, L. A. Wilson; health officer, Dr. Y. C. 
Blalock ; street commissioner, D. A McLeod ; 
sexton, Pardon Bentley. 

1891 — Mayor, John L. Roberts; council- 
men, first ward, H. S. Young; second, Jacob 
Betz; third, A. J. Evans; marshal, T. J. Robin- 
son; treasurer, R. G Parks; clerk, Henry 
Kelling; attorney, W. T. Dovell ; justice of 
the peace, John A. Taylor; assessor, M. H. 
Paxton ; surveyor, L. W. Loehr ; health of- 



134 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



ficer. Dr. Y. C. Blalock ; street commissioner, 
D. A. MlcLeod; sexton, Pardon Bentley. 

1892 — Mayor, John L. Roberts; council- 
men, first ward, B. D. Crocker; second, J. G. 
Muntinga ; third, E. H. Massam ; fourth, J. 
L. Jones; marshal, T. J. Robinson; clerk, 
Henry Kelling ; attorney, W. T. Dovell ; treas- 
urer, R. G. Parks; justice of the peace, T. 
T. Burgess; assessor, M. H. Paxton; surveyor, 
L. W. Loehr; health officer, W. G. Alban; 
street commissioner, W. PI. Brown; sexton, 
Pardon Bentley. 

1893 — Mayor, John L. Roberts; council- 
men, first ward, Daniel Stewart ; second, Jacob 
Betz; third, N. F. Butler; marshal, T. J. Rob- 
inson ; clerk, Henry Kelling ; attorney, W. T. 
Dovell; treasurer, R. G. Parks; justice of the 
peace, W. T. Arberry ; assessor, J. B. Wilson ; 
surveyor, E. S. Clark ; health officer, W. M. 
Ely ; street commissioner, W. H. Brown ; sex- 
ton, P. D. Bentley. 

1894 — Mayor, John L. Roberts; council- 
men, first ward, Milton Evans; second, M. 
Martin; third, E. H. Massam; fourth, Stephen 
Ringhofer; marshal, Yv. F. Halley ; clerk, 
Henry Kelling; attorney, W. T. Dovell; treas- 
urer, R. G. Parks ; justice of the peace, W. T. 
Arberry; assessor, T. H. Jessup; surveyor, E. 
S. Clark ; health officer, W. G. Alban ; street 
commissioner, W. H. Brown ; sexton, P. D. 
Bentley. 

1895— Mayor, John L. Roberts; council- 
men, first ward, A. K. Dice; second, Jacob 
Betz; third, J. D. Lamb; marshal, M. Ames; 
clerk, Alex. McKay; attorney, W. T. Dovell; 
treasurer, R. G Parks ; justice of the peace, 
H. W. Eagan; surveyor, E. S. Clark; street 
commissioner, D. A. McLeod ; health officer, 
W. G. Alban; sexton, P. D. Bentley 

1896 — Mayor, Jacob Betz; councilmen, 
first ward, Milton Evans; second, J. P. Kent; 
third, E. H. Massam; fourth, V. D. Lambert; 
marshal, M. Ames ; clerk, J. E. Williams ; at- 
torney, C. M. Rader; treasurer, John M. Mc- 
Ghee, Jr.; surveyor, E. S. Clark; street com- 



missioner, W. H. Brown ; health officer, W. G. 
Alban ; sexton, P. D. Bentley. 

1897- — Mayor, Jacob Betz; councilmen, 
first ward, A. K. Dice; second, F. M. Pauley; 
third, Oliver Cornwell ; marshal, J. J. Kauff- 
man; clerk, C. N. McLean; attorney, H. S. 
Blandford ; treasurer, J. W. McGhee, Jr. ; 
justice of the peace, J. J. Huffman ; surveyor, 
E. S. Clark ; street commissioner, W. H. 
Brown; health officer, W. G Alban; sexton, 
P. D. Bentley. 

1898 — Mayor, Jacob Betz; councilmen, 
first ward, E. H. Nixon; second, Marshall 
Martin; third, J. F. Brewer; fourth, Albert 
Niebergall ; marshal, J. J. Kauffman; clerk, 
C. N. McLean; attorney, H. S. Blandford; 
treasurer, John W. McGhee, Jr. ; justice of the 
peace, J. J. Huffman; assessor, Fred A. Colt; 
surveyor, E. S. Clark ; street commissioner, D. 
A. McLeod; sexton, P. D. Bentley. 

1899 — Mayor, Jacob Betz, councilmen, 
first ward, G W. Babcock; second, Fred M. 
Pauly; third, E. S. Isaacs; marshal, J. J. Kauff- 
man ; clerk, P. P. Reynolds ; attorney, H. S. 
Blandford; treasurer, Le F. A. Shaw; justice 
of the peace, William Glasforcl ; assessor, W. L. 
Cadman ; street commissioner, W. H. Brown ; 
surveyor, E. S. Clark; health officer, W. G. 
Alban ; sexton, P. D. Bentley. 

1900 — Mayor, Jacob Betz; councilmen, 
first ward, J. F. McLean ; second, Marshall 
Martin ; third, J. F. Brewer ; fourth, Albert 
Niebergall ; marshal, J. J. Kauffman ; clerk, 
R. P. Reynolds ; treasurer, Le F. A. Shaw ; 
attorney, H. S. Blandford ; justice of the peace, 
William Glasford; assessor, W. L. Cadman; 
surveyor, E. S. Clark ; street commissioner, H. 
H. Crampton; health officer, W. E. Russell; 
sexton, P. D. Bentley. 

1901 — Mayor, G W. Babcock; council- 
men, first ward, John F. McLean, W. A. Will- 
iams; second, M\ Martin, J. Z. Smith; third, 
J. F. Brewer John Kirkman ; fourth, A. Nieber- 
gall ; clerk, R. P. Reynolds ; attorney, H. S. 
Blandford; treasurer, Le F. A. Shaw; mar- 



io6 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



135 



shal, J. J. Kauffman ; justice of the peace, Will- 
iam Glasford ; street commissioner, H. H. 
Crampton ; health officer, W. G. Alban ; sur- 
veyor, Edwin S. Clark; sexton, P. D. Bentley; 
poundmaster, H. A. Crowell ; chief fire de- 
partment, Y. C. Blalock. 

1902 — Mayor, Gilbert Hunt; councilmen, 
first ward, John F. McLean ; second, J. Z. 
Smith, W. P. McKean; third, J. F. Brewer, 
John Kirkman ; fourth, F. W. Martin ; clerk, 
. R. P. Reynolds; attorney, H. S. Blandford; 
treasurer, Le F. A. Shaw ; marshal, J. J. Kauff- 
man; justice of the peace, William Glasford; 
street commissioner, H. H. Crampton ; health 
officer, W. G Alban ; surveyor, Edwin S. 
Clark; sexton, P. D. Bentley; poundmaster, 
I. A. McKenzie; chief fire department, William 
Weber. 

1903 — Mayor, Gilbert Hunt; councilmen, 
first ward, John F. McLean, William Glasford ; 
second, J. Z. Smith, W. P. McKean ; third, 
J. F. Brewer, Eugene Boyer ; fourth, F. W. 
Martin; clerk, R. P. Reynolds; attorney, H. 
S. Blandford;' treasurer, Le F. A. Shaw; mar- 
shal, Alvah Brown; justice of the peace, J. J. 
Huffman; street commissioner, H. H. Cramp- 
ton; health officer, C. P. Gammon; suryevor, 
Edwin S. Clark ; sexton, P. D. Bentley ; pound- 
master, I. A. McKinzie; chief fire department, 
Robert J. Wolf. 

1904. — Mayor, Gilbert Hunt; councilmen, 
first ward, J. G. Bridges, William Glasford; 
second, J. Z. Smith, W. P. McKean; third, 
D. H. Cox, Eugene H. Boyer; fourth, F. W. 
Martin; clerk, R. P. Reynolds; attorney, H. 
S. Blandford; treasurer, R. G. Parks; mar- 
shal, Alvah Brown ; justice of the peace, J. 
J. Huffman; street commissioner, H. H. 
Crampton ; health officer, J. W. Ingram ; sur- 
veyor, J. B. Wilson ; sexton, P. D. Bentley ; 
mounted policeman, George Roff ; assessor, R. 
J. Berryman ; chief fire department, William 
Metz ; assistant chief, Robert J. Wolf ; water 
registrar, R. F. McLean ; park commissioner, 
J. F. McLean. 



I 9°5 — Mayor, Gilbert Hunt; councilmen, 
first ward, J. G. Bridges, William Glasford ; 
second, Alfred Bachtold, W. P. McKean ; third, 
D. H. Cox, W. H. Kirkman; fourth, F. W. 
Martin; clerk, R. P. Reynolds; attorney, H. 
S. Blandford; treasurer, R. G. Parks; marshal, 
Alvah Brown ; justice of the peace, J. J. Huff- 
man; street commissioner, H. H. Crampton; 
health officer, J. W. Ingram; surveyor, J. B. 
Wilson ; sexton, P. D. Bentley ; mounted police- 
man, George Roff ; assessor, R. J. Berryman ; 
chief fire department, William Metz ; assisstant 
chief, Robert J. Wolf; water registrar, R. F. 
McLean; water superintendent, E. A. Knight; 
park commissioner, J. F. McLean. 

A year of unusual prosperity was that of 
1 90 1. As there are so many indirect methods 
of computation it is unnecessary to revert to 
the details of the private business of indi- 
viduals. Suffice it to say that the concensus 
of opinion of the city's business men was one 
story of the increase of sales and healthier col- 
lections. Evidences of prosperous times 
abounded on every hand ; new business houses 
and residences were erected in all quarters of 
the city. By far the greater majority of them 
were paid for in cash. It was estimated by the 
Statesman that between 80 and 100 residences 
were built this year. A number of large and 
handsome business blocks were completed ; a 
greater length of asphalt sidewalk was laid 
than ever before in the same period of time; 
a complete sewerage system 25 miles in length 
was finished and accepted by the city at a cost 
of $100,000. Street grading was an important 
feature of the numerous municipal improve- 
ments of 1 90 1. This year, and it is a conserva- 
tive statement, the volume of Walla Walla 
business increased 25 per cent. 

As given by the United States census of 
1890, the population of Walla Walla was 4,709. 
By wards it was : ward 1, 1,427 ; ward 2, 1,349 ; 
ward 3, 954; ward 4, 979. By 1900 the popu- 
lation had risen to 10,049. According to the 
statistical department of the secretary of state's 



136 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY 



office the population of the city of Walla Walla 
in 1905 — an estimate based on the school 
census — is 17,000, a very material increase in 
the last half decade. A franchise has been 
granted for a street railway, and the tracks 
are, at this writing, being laid. 

Walla Walla has a history covering half 
a century. During the greater portion of that 
period it has been an important business center. 
On a level tract of fertile land, elevated 915 
feet above sea level, it is pleasantly situated on 
Mill Creek, a tributary of Walla Walla river. 
It is ornamented with fine shade trees, tasteful 
lawns and handsome and ornate residences, the 
city surrounded on all sides with well improved 
farms and lying almost under the shadow of 
the Blue mountains. It appears to lack little 
that could be desired in the way of nature's 
handiwork. 

THE STATE PENITENTIARY. 

Concerning the Washington State Peni- 
tentiary, Professor W. D. Lyman has written 
a graphic description of this institution, which 
was published in 1901. We quote: 

The penitentiary became a Walla Walla insti- 
tution in 1887, having been removed to this place 
from Seatco. It was largely due to the persistent 
interest of Mr. Frank Paine that this step was 
taken. Walla Walla people raised $5,000 toward 
expenses of removal. Governor Squire was favora- 
ble to it. The various wardens in charge, up to 
1900, in order of service, are as follows: F. L. 
Edmiston, John McClees, J. H. Coblentz, Thomas 
Mosgrove, J. B. Catron. * * * A farm of 165 
-acres, with 40 acres additional to be deeded to 
the state by the federal government, is now de- 
voted to the uses of the institution. On this farm 
is raised a considerable part of the food supply of 
the penitentiary. The value of the products 
raised during the last year was $6,646.20. Had it 
not been for an unfortunate attack of hog cholera 
it is estimated that the income of the farm would 
have amounted to about $9,000. 

We find within the enclosure of the peniten- 
tiary a large number of well-equipped and well- 



furnished buildings, together with a jute mill and 
brickyard, the output of which constitutes a great 
item in the income of the penitentiary. * * * 
We discover the population of the prison on Feb- 
ruary 21, 1901, to be four hundred and fifty. 
About three-fourths of the entire number are white 
males. During the past two years there have been 
but five females consigned to the penitentiary. 
Nearly half of the convicts are between the ages 
of twenty and thirty. Of four hundred and five 
convicts on September 30, 1900, thirty-two only 
were illiterates. There were two college gradu- 
ates and one graduate of a theological seminary. 
* * * So far as we can judge the whole ten- 
dency of the prison discipline and management 
is humane and sympathetic. Discipline is, of 
necessity, firm and, when occasion demands, se- 
vere. The state has been liberal in appropria- 
tions for comforts and conveniences in the peni- 
tentiary. The most important structure made dur- 
ing the past year was the new dining hall and 
kitchen. This cost but six thousand dollars, and 
the results are truly surprising. We find a brick 
building, first class in every respect, one hundred 
and sixty-five feet long and forty-three feet wide, 
with a ceiling of paneled steel, both substantial 
and artistic. This same building is also employed 
as a prison chapel. On January 7, 1900, it was 
dedicated to this purpose with appropriate re- 
ligious and musical services. We find an excellent 
hospital and a prison library of seven hundred and 
seventeen volumes. The convicts also have the 
convenience of bath rooms and suitable lighting 
and heating. * * * 

The most important industrial feature of the 
penitentiary is the jute mill. This is the result 
of the thoughtful observation of Messrs. F. Paine 
and W. K. Kirkman, who observed the evil effects 
on the prisoners of lack of exercise and occupa- 
tion. Messrs. F. Paine, P. Preston and Loudon 
were the commissioners at that time, and to them 
is due the jute mill. This is one of the most 
completely equipped manufactories of grain bags 
and other jute fabrics in the country. When oper- 
ated to its full capacity the jute mill employed two 
hundred and forty-five hands. The output of the 
mill averages about one hundred and forty thou- 
sand grain bags per month, at the same time con- 
siderable quantities of hop cloth, mattings, special 
bags, twine, etc. For the period of two years 
ending September 30, 1900, the sales of jute fab- 
rics, together with stock on hand, amounted to a 
total of $142,195.07, being a profit of $10,548.37. 
The output of the brick yard was for the same two 
years $3,854.39, representing a net profit of 
$647.64. 




State Penitentiary 



CHAPTER VI 



WALLA WALLA'S CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES 



A city of churches as well as homes is 
AYalla Walla. The former embrace the Meth- 
odist Episcopal, Methodist Church, south, First 
Presbyterian, Congregational, Cumberland 
Presbyterian, Baptist, Catholic, Episcopal, 
Lutheran, German Congregational, German 
Methodist, Seventh Day Adventist, Christian 
Science and Salvation Army. 

From one of the oldest pioneers we have 
been handed some reminiscences from which it 
appears that the first religious organization in 
the city was a Catholic church built in 1859. 
The "McGillivary place" was its location. It 
was a primitive affair constructed of poles in- 
serted in the ground and covered, walls and 
roof, with rough shakes. Its seating capacity 
consisted of one long bench ; it was without a 
floor. On the corner of Fifth and Alder streets 
was erected the second church, Methodist, built 
by members of that denomination, headed by 
Father Berry. Subsequently this rude structure 
was moved and utilized as a house for the hose 
cart of the fire department. But its degenera- 
tion and humiliation were not yet complete ; it 
was afterward, by the addition of a second 
story, converted into the celebrated "Blue 
Front," burned a few years prior to 1900. 
Among the first denominational edifices of 
permanence may be mentioned the Church of 
St. Patrick, Catholic. 

This was the second church of that denomi- 
nation and was erected in 1861. Near the 
present St. Vincent's Academy was its loca- 
tion. Under the general supervision of Rt. 
Rev. Bishop Blanchett was it built ; Rev. A. 



Younger was the first resident parish priest. 
The latter was succeeded by Rev. J. B. Brouil- 
let, who had been in the Walla Walla coun- 
try a large portion of his time since 1847. He 
it was who established St. Vincent's Academy, 
in 1864, a full account of which will be found 
in the chapter devoted to education in Walla 
Walla county. St. Mary's hospital was added, 
in 1870, to the already large interests of the 
Catholic church. With untiring energy, 
crowned with eminent success, Father Brouillet 
conducted these allied and growing interests 
- of his growing parish. Having - at intervals 
been relieved by Revs. Halde and Manz, in 
1875 he resigned to assume charge of the In- 
dian bureau at Washington, D. C. His suc- 
cessor was Rev. Thomas Duffy. But beyond 
the limits of the then existing church the con- 
gregation had expanded ; a more commodious 
edifice was a necessity. During the summer of 
1 88 1 the present elegant structure was erected. 
Father Duffy, owing to precarious health, re- 
signed and retired to California, where he died ; 
Rev. Father Flohr succeeded him. Events 
which attracts large audiences are the Catholic 
church programs for Christmas and Easter, 
where superb musical numbers are offered to 
the accompaniment of a fine organ. 

Concerning' the First Methodist Church a 
valuable brochure was issued in 1900. It was 
entitled "Historical Report of the First Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church at Walla Walla, Wash- 
ington : Its Organization and Work as Re- 
ported and Adopted by the Second Quarterly 
Conference held at Walla Walla February 7, 



138 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



1900, by J. M. Hill and E. Smith, Committee." 
We reproduce this report in full : 

On page seventy-four of Rev. H. K. Hines' 
"Missionary History of the Pacific Northwest," we 
find that the first sermon preached west of the 
Rocky mountains was delivered by Rev. Jason Lee 
at Fort Hall, on Sunday, July 27, 1834. And in a 
book entitled "Wild Life in Oregon," on pages 
176-7, we find that the first Methodist sermon 
preached at, or near, Walla Walla was by the 
Rev. Gustavus Hines, on May 21, 1843, at Dr. 
Whitman's mission, six miles west of this city. 
Rev. Gustavus Hines also preached at Rev. H. H. 
Spalding's Lapwai mission, Sunday, May 14, 1843. 

We find that the first Methodist Episcopal 
church organization that was perfected in Walla 
Walla, or in that part of the country known as 
eastern Oregon or eastern Washington, was in 
1859, and at that time the Walla Walla valley 
was just commencing to be settled up with stock- 
raisers and traders. The town of Walla Walla 
was the principal or most important point, the 
United States military post being located here, 
and this section having become the wintering 
place for miners, packers and freighters from the 
mines north and east of this country. 

The Oregon conference of the Methodist Epis- 
copal church, having jurisdiction over the church 
work in this section, took up the matter of sup- 
plying it with the gospel, and at the annual con- 
ference held at Albany in August, 1859, appointed 
Rev. J. H. Wilber at presiding elder of this field, 
calling it the Walla Walla circuit, which took in 
most of that part of the country east of The 
Dalles, Oregon, comprising the Grande Ronde, Walla 
Walla, Snake river and Columbia river valleys as 
far north as the British line and east to the Rocky 
mountains, and appointed Rev. G. M. Berry as 
pastor for Walla Walla circuit. 

Brother Wilber and Brother Berry at once 
started for their field of labor. They came to 
Walla Walla and commenced the work by holding 
meetings at different places, at the homes of some 
of the people and at times in the old log court 
house at the corner of Main and Fifth streets. 
Soon after taking up the work Brother Wilber and 
Brother Berry decided to organize a class at Walla 
Walla, and on Monday, October 11, 1859, met and 
organized the first class in the district; also held 
their first quarterly conference. The quarterly 
conference was called to order by the presiding 
elder, Rev. J. H. Wilbur, and opened with singing 
and prayer. The pastor, Rev. G. M. Berry, was 
appointed secretary of the meeting. The follow- 
ing named brothers were elected as the first board 
of stewards: S. M. Titus, William B. Kelly, John 
Moar, A. B. Roberts and T. P. Denny. A. B. Rob- 
erts was elected as the recording steward. 



In January, 1860, the class decided to build a 
church in the town of Walla Walla, and appointed 
a building committee to undertake the work, con- 
sisting of the pastor, Rev. G. M. Berry, Brother 
Thomas Martin and Brother John Moar. At a 
meeting held in April, 1860, the committee re- 
ported that they had selected for a church site lots 
6 and 7, block 10, at the corner of Alder and Fifth 
streets, and that Rev. G. M. Berry had made ap- 
plication to the board of county commissioners ask- 
ing them to donate the lots to the church. At a 
meeting held on May 21, 1860, the first board of 
trustees of the church of Walla Walla was ap- 
pointed, being Brothers T. P. Denney, S. M. Titus, 
John Moar, Thomas Martin and William B. Kelly; 
and on May 22, 1860, lots 6 and 7 of block 10 of 
the original town of Walla Walla were transferred 
to the above named trustees for the church by the 
board of county commissioners of Walla Walla 
county. 

The building committee — the pastor, Rev. G. 
M. Berry, as its chairman — with the few members, 
at once took up the work of building the church, 
which was completed in the fall of 1860. It was 
the first church of any denomination built in Walla 
Walla, and was built at a cost of $1,046.52, with 
unpaid bills of $131.02. These items are taken 
from the report of the auditor of the accounts of 
the building committee as reported at the third 
quarterly conference, held at Walla Walla on June 
24, 1861, by Andrew Keys, auditor. The pastor, 
Rev. G. M. Berry, has practically been Sunday- 
school superintendent, as well as pastor, ever since 
the organization of the class until the church was 
completed. We fail to find any record of the dedi- 
cation of this church. 

The Oregon annual conference of 1861 created 
the Walla Walla district and appointed the Rev. 
John Flinn as presiding elder and pastor at Walla 
Walla. At the Oregon annual conference held in 
1867, the Walla Walla district was divided into 
one station and four circuits, viz.: Walla Walla 
station, Waitsburg, Grand Ronde and Umatilla 
circuits. 

In 1868 the class having become strong, and 
desiring a new location for their church build- 
ing, the board of trustees procured lots on the cor- 
ner of Poplar and Second streets. Bought on May 
30, 1868, from W. J. and Abel Arner, for $250, and 
deeded to the following named trustees: H. Parker, 
T. P. Denney, J. L. Reser, Joseph Paul and John 
W. McGhee. The. old church was removed to the 
new location, repaired and enlarged, and a parson- 
age was fitted up just east of the church, facing 
on Poplar street. 

At the Oregon annual conference held at Eu- 
gene, August 5th to 9th, 1869, all the membership 
and appointments formerly denominated Walla 
Walla station, Walla Walla circuit and Dry Creek, 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



139 



were formed as one charge and called Walla Walla 
circuit, to which Rev. John T. Wolf was appointed 
as pastor and Rev. Charles H. Hoxie as assistant 
pastor. 

Rev. James B. Callaway was presiding elder 
of the district and on September 18, 1869, called 
together at Walla Walla all of the official members 
of the new circuit and organized the first quarterly 
conference, electing the following board of trus- 
tees: Charles Moore, T. P. Denney, D. M. Jesse, 
M. Enerick, Benjamin Hayward, A. H. Simmons, 
M. McEverly, William Holbrook and Oliver Gal- 
laher. At the Oregon annual conference held at 
Vancouver August 25, 1870, Walla Walla station 
was again made a station, separating it from the 
Walla Walla circuit, and Rev. H. C. Jenkins was 
appointed as pastor. 

Early in the spring of 1878, under the leader- 
ship of the pastor, Rev. D. G. Strong, the class 
undertook the erection of a new church building. 
The old church was sold to Mr. J. F. Abbott, for 
two hundred and fifty dollars, and moved off of 
the lots, and through the efforts of the pastor and 
his board of trustees, consisting of B. F. Burch, 
J. E. Berryman, H. Middough, John Berry and O. 
P. Lacy, together with the faithful members and 
friends, the new church was completed at a, cost of 
about ten thousand dollars, receiving from the 
church extention society a donation of one thou- 
sand dollars and a loan of five hundred dollars. 
The loan in due time was paid back. After the 
completion of the new church Rev. W. G. Simpson 
was the first pastor and Brother E. Smith was the 
first Sunday-school superintendent. For some 
reason not on record the church was not dedicated 
until August, 1879. The collection and services 
at the dedication were in charge of Bishop Haven, 
he being the bishop for the annual conference held 
at Walla Walla August 7th to 12th, 1879. 

It having been discovered in 1883 that the 
board of trustees had never been incorporated un- 
der the laws of the Territory of Washington, the 
quarterly conference directed that articles of in- 
corporation should be prepared. B. L. and J. L. 
Sharpstein, attorneys, were employed to prepare 
incorporation papers, and on February 9, 1883, 
they were signed and acknowledged by the follow- 
ing board of trustees: Donald Ross, C. P. Head- 
ley, S. F. Henderson, J. M. Hill, H. C. Sniff, H. C. 
Chew, E. Smith and G. H. Randall, and filed with 
the Territorial auditor and the auditor of Walla 
Walla county. At the first meeting of this board 
of trustees they elected the following officers: J. 
M. Hill, president; Donald Ross, secretary; C. P. 
Headley, treasurer. 

During the summer of 1887 the class under 
the leadership of the pastor, Rev. Henry Brown, 
with the ladies of the church and the trustees, con- 
sisting of J. H. Parker, C. P. Headley, S. F. Hen- 



derson, J. M. Hill, H. C Sniff, H. C. Chew, G. H. 
Randall and E. Smith, undertook the building of a 
new parsonage, and with the bequest of five hun- 
dred dollars from the estate of our departed 
brother, E. Sherman, designated by him to be used 
for a new parsonage, and $596.47 raised princi- 
pally by the efforts of the ladies T parsonage com- 
mittee, a two-story, seven-room parsonage was 
erected on the grounds of the old parsonage, facing 
Poplar street, and this was turned over to the 
board of trustees free of debt and fairly well fur- 
nished. 

During 1887, through the efforts of Rev. J. H. 
Wilber, a small church was built in the eastern 
part of the city and called Wilber Chapel. Brother 
W. J. White donated a lot for that purpose, three 
hundred dollars being received from the church 
extension society, part of the balance being sub- 
scriptions from friends; but the greater part being 
given by Rev. J. H. Wilber himself. The church 
cost one thousand five hundred dollars, and was 
deeded to the trustees of the First Methodist 
Episcopal church of Walla Walla, viz.: J. H. 
Parker, J. M. jHill, C. P. Headley, S. F. Henderson, 
H. C. Sniff, H. C. Chew, G. H. Randall and E. 
Smith. The church was sold to the German Luth- 
eran society for the sum of one thousand six hun- 
dred dollars, on September 5, 1892, returning to 
the board of the church extension about four hun- 
dred dollars due them in principal and interest. 
The dedication of Wilber Chapel was by Rev. N. 
E. Parsons, presiding elder, assisted by Rev. J. H. 
Wilber and Rev. Henry Brown. During 1894 the 
church under the leadership of Rev. V. C. Evers, 
the pastor, with the trustees, enlarged the present 
church by extending it to the north line of the 
property, increasing the seating capacity of the 
church with lecture room to five hundred and 
twenty-five persons. 

Our church property at this time is free from 
debt and consists of one church building and lot, 
value $11,500; one parsonage and fraction of lot, 
value $2,000; total, $13,500. 

The following are the names of the pastors at 
Walla Walla and time of service: 1859 to 1861, 
Rev. George M. Berry; 1861 to 1863, Rev. John 
Flinn; 1863 to 1865, Rev. William Franklin; 1865 
to 1866, Rev. -James Deardoff; 1866 to 1867, Rev. 
John L. Reser; 1867 to 1869, Rev. John T. Wolfe; 
1869 to 1870, Rev. C. H. Hoxie; 1870 to 1872, 
Rev. H. C. Jenkins; 1872 to 1873, Rev. J. W. 
Miller; 1873 to 1874, Rev. S. G. Havermale; 1874 
to 1875, Rev. G. W. Grannis; 1875 to 1876, Rev. 
S. L. Burrell; 1876 to 1878, Rev. D. G. Strong; 
1878 to 1880, Rev. W. G. Simpson; 1880 to 1882, 
Rev. G. M. Irwin; 1882 to 1883, Rev. A. J. Joslyn; 
1883 to 1884, Rev. W. C. Gray; 1884 to 1885, 
Rev. J. D. Flenner; 1885 to 1886, Rev. D. G. 
Strong; 1886 to 1889, Rev. Henry Brown; 1889 to 



140 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



1892, Rev. W. W. Van Dusen; 1892 to 1896, Rev. 
V. C. Evers; 1896 to 1899, Rev. W. C. Reuter; 
1899 to 1900, Rev. Lee A. Johnson; 1900 to 1901, 
Rev. M. H. Marvin; 1901 to 1902, Dr. Whitefield; 
1902 to 1903, Dr. H. Brown; 1903 to 1904, Dr. 
Whitefield. 

The following are the names of presiding elders 
of Walla Walla district and time of service: 1859 
to 1861, Rev. J. H. Wilber; 1861 to 1864, Rev. 
JohnFlinn; 1864 to 1866, Rev. Isaac Dillon; 1866 
to 1869, Rev. J. B. Calloway; 1869 to 1870, Rev. 
W. H. Lewis; 1870 to 1874, Rev. H. K. Hines; 
1874 to 1878, Rev. S. G. Havermale; 1878 to 1882, 
Rev. D. G. Strong; 1882 to 1885, Rev. W. S. Tur- 
ner; 1885 to 1886, Rev. Levi L. Tarr; 1886 to 
1888, Rev. N. E. Parsons; 1888 to 1892, Rev. D. 
G. Strong; 1892 to 1898, Rev. T. A. Towner; 1898 
to 1900, Rev. M. H. Marvin; 1900 to 1905, Rev. 
E. E. Gibson, Rev. Gabriel Sykes. 

The membership of the church in 1901 was 
over three hundred. 

January 17, 1872, St. Paul's Episcopal 
church was organized : Rev. Lemuel H. Wells, 
subsequently bishop of the diocese of eastern 
Washington, was the first rector. So early as 
1864 services of the Episcopal church were held 
in AValla Walla in church edifices of other 
denominations. They were led by Bishop 
Scott, of Portland, and Rev. T. A. Hayland. 
In the old court house, later the Star Brewery, 
corner Alder and Third streets. Rev. Wells 
conducted services. Later an edifice was built 
at the corner of Third and Poplar streets, cost- 
ing $5,400. Not more than a dozen persons 
did the congregation number, and not more 
than half of these were Episcopalians. But 
within a short time the court house was in- 
adequate to the wants of the church ; the neces- 
sity for more room overshadowed the desire 
for more comfortable and convenient quarters. 

In a proportionate ratio to the increases of 
the church congregation was the Sunday school 
gain. Phenomenal workers were these little 
Christian soldiers ; in many ways they aided in 
furnishing the church ; they contributed gen- 
erously to the bell fund. Sometimes their 
Easter offerings exceeded one hundred dollars. 
For ten years Rev. Wells continued as rector. 
with the exception of one year and one-half. 



which interregnum was filled by Rev. J. D.~ 
Conkey. Rev. Dr. Lathrop succeeded Rev. 
Wells. He was followed by Revs. McEwan, 
Tichnor, Dr. Nevins White, Goss, Dr. Law, 
Palmer and Bard. The financial condition of 
St. Paul's Church is excellent; the vestry is 
composed of enterprising men whose manage- 
ment of church affairs is eminently satisfactory. 
The church is supplied with a very fine pipe 
organ. 

From a publication entitled "Manual of the 
First Congregational Church, of Walla Walla, 
Washington," issued in 1894, contributing a 
complete history of the church, Ave take the 
following excerpt : 

The story of the life of the First Congrega- 
tional Church of Walla Walla is not a story of 
uninterrupted ease on the part of its members, 
or of continuous success and steady advancement 
on the part of the organization itself. It came into 
existence as the logical result of the most extraor- 
dinary efforts by its founders and it has lived only 
by the sacrifice and earnest prayer and labor of its 
members. 

In May, 1864, Rev. P. B. Chamberlain settled 
in Walla Walla for the purpose of occupying the 
field. This purpose he fulfilled by preaching occa- 
sionally in the Methodist church and by conduct- 
ing a school. The growth of this school and the 
need of a place of worship led Mr. Chamberlain 
to buy ground and erect thereon a building for 
a school and religious worship, a little west of the 
house now occupied by our good Deaconess Cham- 
berlain. In this Congregational cradle the Congre- 
gational infant of Washington, rocked by Con- 
gregational hands and fed on wholesome Congre- 
gational food, thrived until July 11, 1868, when 
the little church which represented such great 
sacrifice on the part of its builders, was destroyed 
by fire. 

January 1, 1865, the First Congregational 
church of Walla Walla, and the first in the State 
of Washington, was organized by Rev. Cushing 
Eells and wife, Rev. P. B. Chamberlain and wife, 
J. W. McKee and wife and Edwin Eells, and the 
"Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was adminis- 
tered to the new church and to the other Chris- 
tians present." The church grew slowly but 
steadily in numbers and strength, and when its 
place of worship was destroyed had sufficient en- 
ergy to immediately undertake the task of build- 
ing a new structure. The result of its labors, 
augmented by generous contributions from the 
citizens, we are now enjoying. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



141 



The society was incorporated January 16, 1869, 
by Cushing Bells, John B. Stowell, G. W. Somerin- 
.dyke, Robert Thompson, P. B. Chamberlain and 
Edwin Eells, the first board of trustees be- 
ing composed of G. W. Somerindyke, J. B. 
Stowell and Robert Thompson. Edwin Eells 
was the first church clerk. The church flourished 
for a year or two till, from the removal of mem- 
bers and other causes, its fortunes changed, and 
from 1870 its cause waned and weakened, and in 
1880 its doors were closed, to remain so until the 
arrival of Rev. N. F. Cobleigh in the spring of 
1882. 

Interest was somewhat restored and the church 
prospered under his leadership for several years, 
until he was called to the missionary field of East- 
ern Washington. The most notable official event 
during his pastorate was the election of the first 
deacon of the church, Dr.' A. -J. Anderson, who was 
chosen to fill the office for three months. 

Rev. Ezra Haskell succeeded to the pastorate 
July 8, 1894, soon after which the church seemed 
to receive a new inspiration and a new life, every 
member working vigorously and successfully for 
its interests. During this pastorate the amount 
subscribed for the pastor's salary was raised from 
$40 to $60 per month, the amount asked from the 
missionary society being correspondingly reduced. 
It was during this pastorate, too, that the Chris- 
tian Endeavor Society was formed, that valuable 
auxiliary to the church work being the result of 
special effort on the part of the pastor and the 
then few young people of the church. By reason 
of disagreement between the pastor and the church 
the spiritual health of the latter became impaired 
and the relation of pastor and people ceased at the 
end of the second year. 

September 8, 1886, Rev. H. R. Foster, one of 
God's most gifted and consecrated servants, was 
called to the pulpit, but was compelled to resign 
because of ill health on June 20th of the next 
year. During this short pastorate the spiritual 
power of the church was increased most marvel- 
ously and it seemed to the members that God was, 
indeed, smiling on their efforts. However, this 
was but God's preparation for the future condi- 
tions. 

. In the early years of the pastorate of Rev. E. 
R. Loomis, who was next called to be our leader, 
the cause flourished to the great satisfaction of 
the members. Many important modifications were 
adopted during this period, notable among which 
were the adoption of the new constitution of the 
church; a reincorporation by which the women 
were given the privilege of becoming members of 
the corporate body; the relief of the mis- 
sionary society from the burden it had so 
long generously and faithfully borne; the 
formation of a Junior Endeavor Society; and the 



closer union of the church and Sunday-school. 
After the resignation of Mr. Loomis the pulpit 
was supplied by him for some time, and afterwards 
for a few months by Rev. Mr. Hague, of Maine. 

The church was fortunate enough to have 
among its members several preachers who con- 
ducted the services until we were blessed by the 
arrival among us of our present pastor, Rev. E. 
L. Smith, whose labors speak for him and require 
no comments. 

Here we are in the year 18 9 4, as a strong man 
to run a race, well equipped for the work, earnest 
to do the Master's bidding, laboring for the salva- 
tion of souls and desirous of building up the Chris- 
tian sentiment of the community in every way 
possible, but especially in the way of building a 
solid foundation and superstructure of Congrega- 
tionalism in this part of the great Northwest. 



Subsequent work of the church fully real- 
ized these hopes. Until 1898 Rev. E. L. Smith 
continued to minister spiritual advice to the 
congregation ; he was succeeded by Rev. Aus- 
tin Rice. On the corner of Palouse and Alder 
streets an elegant church edifice was built in 
1899, and the same has been occupied since 
January, 1900. The latter year the Sunday 
school was under the superintendency of Presi- 
dent S. B. L. Penrose. In 1901 the officers 
of the church were : Standing Committee, 
Daniel Burr, A. H. Reynolds, John Baker, Mrs. 
Isabel Kirkman, Mrs. Eva Williams and Miss 
Anna Hill. Trustees : W. D. Lyman, A. H. 
Reynolds, F. J. McGougan ; Clerk, W. S. 
Clark ; Treasurer, Jay Williams. At that period 
the total membership was two hundred and 
twenty-three. 

An organization of the First Cumberland 
Presbyterian Church was effected January 5, 
1873. Those primarily interested in this move- 
ment were Rev. Harrison W. Eagan and seven 
members ; the first elders of the church were 
Joel Hargrove, J. M. Reed and W. B. Simon- 
ton. Until January 1, 1882, Rev. Eagan min- 
istered to the church. More than two hundred 
members were received during the decade of 
his pastorate. Rev. J. N. Crawford followed 
him, and he, in turn, was succeeded by Rev. 
J. C. Van Patten. During two years Rev. W. 



142 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



VV. Peck presided over the destinies of the 
society, his pastorate beginning in 1886. For 
five years thereafter Rev. E. G. McLean, D. D., 
was pastor, and he was succeeded by Rev. R. F. 
Powell, who was followed by Rev. Duncan 
Wallace. The latter resigned in 1900, and re- 
moved to California. Rev. G. A. Blair sup- 
plied his place, and the membership at that 
period was two hundred. To every moral and 
spiritual interest this church has ever been 
signally awake ; 'its collateral organizations are 
active and beneficient ; these include the Young 
People's Society of Christian Endeavor, the 
Pilgrim and Missionary societies. In igoi- 
the officers of the church were : Elders, W. P. 
Winans, N. F. Butler, J. W. Armstrong, W. S. 
Offner, Dr. N. G. Blalock, G. H. Sutherland 
and A. M. Cation ; Deacons : H. E. Johnson, 
George Startett, J. F. McLean, A. J. Evans, 
A. J. Beard, P. M. Winans, Samuel McBride, 
Marvin Evans and M. E. Brewer. 

Originally the services of this church were 
held in the old court house. At the expiration 
of a year space was inadequate to accommodate 
the society ; a requisition was made on the City 
Hall. In 1876 an edifice was erected on a lot 
on the southwest corner of Third and Poplar 
streets, at a cost of $6,000. January 4, 1880, 
this building was dedicated free from debt. 
The money required for the erection of this 
church was subscribed by the citizens of Walla 
Walla, a worthy testimonial of their liberal 
and broad-minded character. 

In the autumn of 1878 the Christian Church 
comprised an organization of eight people. A 
permanent organization of eleven members was 
effected March 31, 1879. Clerk of this church 
was Judge N. T. Caton ; the membership in- 
creased to thirty-two within one year. No 
regular minister served the church for several 
years, but the Waitsburg pastor occasionally 
visited it, as well as other ministers who 
chanced to pass that way. Frequently Brother 
Neal Cheetem was here. From time to time 
meetings were held in several of the old church 



buildings. Later, for a short period, the old 
opera house was used. Then, until the church 
moved into its new building, on Third, between 
Birch street and Stahl avenue, Baumeister's 
hall was used for devotional services. July 31, 
1 89 1, under the name of the First Christian 
Church of Walla Walla, Washington, the or- 
ganization was incorporated. The first trustees 
were S. C. Calvert, F. N. Bowman and William 
Preston. Those who served as pastors previous 
to the building of the new church, were Neal 
Cheetem, A. H. Foster, J. H. Hollis, J. B. 
Johnson and R. H. Lotz. At the conclusion of 
his sermon, Sunday morning, September 20, 
1891, Pastor Lotz announced that Judge J. A. 
Lasater offered the congregation a suitable lot 
for building purposes, providing the members 
would erect a church edifice. Immediately 
steps were taken to avail themselves of this 
liberal offer. The building committee were 
S. G. Calvert, chairman, F. M. Bowman, E. 
W. Thornton, B. W. Schell and William Pres- 
ton. They at once entered upon the work 
of collecting funds and securing plans for the 
prospective new edifice. 

A cash donation of $500 was contributed 
by A. C. Dickinson, of the Waitsburg congre- 
gation; a loan of $1,000 was secured from the 
Church Extension Society of the Christian 
Church. Liberal contributions were made by 
the members and friends of the church; soon 
after Judge Lasater' s offer the building was 
commenced. April 2d, of the following spring, 
the edifice having been completed, William F. 
Cowden, missionary in the northwest for the 
American Home Board of the Christian Church, 
dedicated the handsome and commodious build- 
ing. The congregation rapidly increased ; the 
loan against the building was repaid. Since the 
dedication of the church edifice the following 
served as pastors up to 1901 in the order 
named: J. B. Daisley, C. P. Smith, J. F. 
Ghormley, O. J. Gist, L. O. Herrold. In 1901 
the board of trustees comprised C. J. Hall, 
Henry Lasater and D. W. Coward. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



143 



So early as 1870 services according to the 
forms of the Baptist church were held in Walla 
Walla. Rev. W. H. Pruett presided. But a 
formal church organization was not perfected 
until nearly a decade thereafter. In August, 
1896 the Walla Walla "Union" published a 
historical edition in which appeared the fol- 
lowing : 

To attempt to write a history of a church now 
in the zenith of its glory is like trying to write the 
biography of a great and good man while he is 
still in the prime of his usefulness. The history 
of the First Baptist Church of Walla Walla is a 
history of trials and triumphs. This church, like 
most of the western churches in early days, had a 
hard struggle for existence. The Baptists were 
late in effecting an organization in this city, which 
caused a great deal of hard work and patience 
to obtain a foothold. Many of the prominent 
families of the city were Baptists and had be- 
longed to Baptist churches in the east, but on 
coming to Walla Walla found no Baptist church 
organization, so joined churches of other denomi- 
nations. 

On May 11, 1879, the First Baptist Church of 
Walla Walla was organized with five members, 
and Rev. J. L. Blitch, of Dixon, California, be- 
came the first pastor and served the church -for 
a year and a half. After remaining pastorless for 
several months the church extended a call to Rev. 
D. J. Pierce, of Laramie, Wyoming, which was 
accepted. Mr. Pierce was well known on the 
coast, having served the First Baptist Church of 
Portland, Oregon, previous to this. It was dur- 
ing the two years of Mr. Pierce's pastorate that 
the present church edifice was erected, at a cost 
of $4,500, not including the lot, which cost about 
$2,000. With but twenty-seven members, Mr. 
Pierca commenced the work of building, and car- 
ried it through to completion. After leaving Walla 
Walla Mr. Pierce became pastor of the First Bap- 
tist church of Seattle. Rev. A. B. Banks, pastor 
of the First Baptist church of Laramie, Wyoming, 
succeeded Mr. Pierce as pastor. During the two 
years of Mr. Banks' pastorate the church con- 
tinued to increase in membership and influence. 
At the close of his pastorate the church extended 
a call to Rev. S. W. Beavan, during whose pastor- 
ate of a year and a half the church was greatly 
strengthened. Mr. Beavan was succeeded in his 
pastorate by his brother, Rev. J. H. Beavan, who 
served as pastor for five and one-half years with 
great success. The church then extended a call 
to Rev. J. W. Neyman, but at that time it was not 
accepted. A call was then given to Rev. M. C. 



Cole, of New Orleans, which he accepted. Mr. 
Cole served the church as pastor for nearly three 
and one-half years. This church has made a 
steady growth from the first. The church has 
always been liberal in its gifts to carry on mis- 
sion work at home and in foreign lands. The 
property of the church is valued at about $9,000, 
including the parsonage. 

The call extended to Rev. J. W. Neyman 
in 1896 was accepted. The church exhibited 
a healthy growth in all branches of work under 
his pastorate; it increased in membership; this 
has been true, also, during the pastorates of 
his successors, Rev. J. F. Huckleberry, who 
was in charge seven months, and Rev. H. B. 
Turner. A mission chapel is maintained at the 
corner of Ninth and Rees streets. Thoroughly 
vital in the discharge of their various functions 
are the auxiliary organizations maintained by 
the church society. 

In October or November, 1875, the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church, South, was organized 
by F. W. D. Mays. At first it was a class 
limited to a small membership. Among them 
were the old pioneers, J. M. Jesse and J. M. 
Gose, and their wives. For quite a period F. 
W. D. Mays used the United Brethren Church 
building for religious services, their class being 
then without a pastor. Their property was for 
sale ; Mr. Mays made arrangements to pur- 
chase it. The Board of Missions in Nashville, 
appropriated the necessary money. However, 
the officers of the United Brethren church de- 
cided not to dispose of the property ; the funds 
donated by the Nashville board were used to 
buy two lots on Fourth and Sumach streets. 
There was a dwelling still standing on one of 
these lots ; the lower front of this was converted 
into a hall for church services. They were 
here held for two years. 

Rev. Mays was returned in 1876 by con- 
ference appointment. The annual conference 
assembled in Walla Walla in 1876 in this hall, 
Bishop H. N. McTyiere presiding. As pastor 
for the ensuing year J. W. Compton was ap- 
pointed. F. W. D. Mays again appeared as 



144 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



pastor in 1878. He sold the lot, in 1879, on 
which stood the building, and erected the pres- 
ent church edifice which, however, was not 
completed until several years subsequently. A 
number of pastors served the charge during 
the succeeding twenty years. Among them 
were J. S. Burnett, W. T. Haggard, P. M. 
Bell, M. V. Howard, E. G. Michael, W. M. 
Fancher, A. Y. Skee, C. T. McPherson and 
E. P. Greene. J. W. Compton was again 
named as pastor in 1900; in 1901 the board 
of trustees comprised T. F. Ladd, J. B. Cash 
and J. M. Keeler. 

To provide for the maintenance of German 
preaching in Walla Walla the first religious 
denomination was the Methodist Episcopal. In 
its endeavor to sustain these services it was 
for a number of years alone. It was in 1884 
that the German Methodist Episcopal Church 
was organized in the city of which we write. 
The first pastor was Rev. William Esslinger; 
Rev. F. Baum the first presiding elder. The 
membership was small at first; they were un- 
able to erect an edifice of their own; services 
were held in the First Methodist Episcopal 
church. But the German population and mem- 
bership increased rapidly; the necessity for a 
building of their own became urgent. An 
effort was made and persistently maintained 
to secure the required funds. Eventually the 
society owned a handsome, commodious edifice 
entirely free from debt. In 1901 this building 
and grounds were valued at $5,000. Rev. C. 
A. Wentsch was, at that period, pastor. 

There arrived in Walla Walla, June 24, 
1877, Revs. E. N. Condit, F. M. Boyd and 
Robert Boyd, graudates of Princeton Theologi- 
cal Seminary. By the Presbyterian Board of 
Home Missions they had been commissioned. 
Active work was immediately commenced by 
Rev. Mr. Condit. His object was the organiza- 
tion of a church; but after preaching along 
these lines for six weeks, with good prospects 
of success, another field of labor called him 
away. Robert Boyd, however, continued this 



work so 'well planned and begun; August 12, 
1877, ne preached for the first time in Walla 
Walla in the court house. Finally an organiza- 
tion was effected by Rev. W. H. Stratton, 
synodical missionary for the Synod of Colum- 
bia, assisted by Rev. Boyd. This constituted 
the First Presbyterian church of Walla Walla. 
Nineteen persons comprised the total member- 
ship. From November, 1877, until January, 
1882, services were held in the court house; 
then until 1884 in the building of the United 
Brethren church, at which period the First 
Presbyterian church was completed. 

Rev. Robert Boyd served as pastor from the 
organization of the church until March, 1886. 
Rev. T. M. Gunn succeeded him, March, 1886, 
to June, 1888; Rev. E. M. Sharp from June, 
1888, to March, 1891 ; Rev. M. L. Belden from 
then until November, 1894. Until January, 
1897, the church was without a pastor, the 
pulpit being supplied occasionally as the session 
could find means and men to do so. Rev. E. 
N. Condit, in January, 1897, accepted a call 
from the congregation, remaining until his 
death, in June, 1900. 

FRATERNAL AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. 

There are many fraternal and social or- 
ganizations in Walla Walla ; the affairs of each, 
with few exceptions, are in a flourishing con- 
dition. Throughout the city the various social 
and benevolent organizations exercise their 
several functions ; numerically with the popu- 
lation of the "Garden City" they are in 
harmony. 

In Walla Walla the ancient and honorable 
order of Free Masons is represented by two 
blue lodges, one chapter, a commandery and a 
chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star. 

Walla Walla Lodge, No. 7, F. & A. M., 
came into existence in i860. August 18, 1859, 
Grand Master McElroy issued a dispensation 
to Alvin B. Roberts, W. M. ; Charles Siever- 
man, S. W. ; Henry Bruning, J. W. ; Charles 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA . COUNT Y. 



145 



R. Allen, J. Friedman, Brazille Grounds, 
Thomas P. Page, R. H. Reigart and William 
Whitney to open a lodge to be called Walla 
Walla, No. 7, but as only eighteen days would 
elapse before the annual communication of the 
grand lodge, the dispensation was made re- 
turnable in the following year. The unique 
position of this lodge and the vastness of its 
jurisdiction are worthy of remark. The lodge 
nearest it was one hundred and forty miles to 
the west, at The Dalles, Oregon. The nearest 
lodges to the south were in California; to the 
east in Nebraska and Minnesota; and to the 
north, beyond the north pole! 

The charter was granted on September 3, 
i860. The name of William Whitney had then 
disappeared from the role of those to whom 
the dispensation was granted and the following 
names were added : J. M. Cannady, William B. 
Kelly, C. A. Brooks, William V. Woolridge, 
A. D. Super, W. H. Babcock, A. Barnet, A. 
J. Cain, James Galbreath, C. Leyde, G. Silver- 
man and J. Whiting, Master Masons; M. B. 
Davis, C. Frush, Ninevah Ford, C. C. Holcum, 
A. Jacobs, S. D. Smith and W. J. Terry, Fel- 
lowcrafts; and Elias B. Whitman, Entered 
Apprentice. The first officers of the lodge 
under the charter were Alvin B. Roberts, W. 
M. ; C. Silverman, S. W. ; Henry N. Brunning, 
J. W. ; J. M. Cannady, treasurer; William B. 
Kelly, secretary ; C. A. Brooks, B. D. ; Thomas 
P. Page, J. D. ; and William V. Woolridge, 
tyler. The lodge erected a two-story building 
in 1864, corner of Third and Alder streets. 
This structure was destroyed by fire two years 
later; for a period the lodge assembled in Odd 
Fellows' Temple. In the Dooley block, on East 
Main street, rooms were at a later date fitted 
up, and were known as Knights Templar Hall: 
In 1901 this lodge had a membership of sev- 
enty-five, the officers being: T. S. Steel, wor- 
shipful master; Wellington Clark, senior 
warden; L. S. Wilson, junior warden; Rev. 
Duncan Wallace, chaplain; Joel Chitwood, 
treasurer; R. C. Gastob, secretary; H. J. Jones, 
10 



senior deacon; S. E. King, senior steward; 
J. D. Jones, junior steward; Maurice Murphy* 
tyler. 

Blue Mountain Lodge, No. 13, F. & A. M., 
was organized in 1868. Members of Walla 
Walla Lodge had withdrawn for that purpose. 
On March 28, 1868, Grand Master Biles issued 
his dispensation for the new lodge at Walla 
Walla, to Fred Stine as W. M. ; Lewis Day, 
S. W. ; William O'Donnell, J. W. ; Benjamin 
L. Sharpstein, John F. Boyer, Ralph Guichard, 
James D. Laman, E. S. Crockett, William P. 
Adams, J. Bauer, E. Brown, Charles Herzog, 
Henry Howard, A. Kyger and P. T. Shupe. 
The first meeting was held April 20, 1868. 

Quite strong, financially, is this lodge, and 
in 1 90 1 it numbered a membership of one hun- 
dred. In that year its officers were : F. M. 
Pauly, worshipful master; J. S. Schrock, 
senior warden; J. H. Stockwell, junior 
warden; H. E. Johnson, treasurer; Y. C. 
Blalock, secretary; Richard McLean, junior 
deacon; William Van Patten, senior steward; 
R. A. Horn, junior steward ; James Dorr, tyler. 
Regular meetings are held in Masonic Hall 
on the first and third Mondays of each month. 
A chapter of the Royal Arch Masons, Walla 
Walla Chapter, No. 1, was organized Septem- 
ber 20, 1 87 1, with the following charter mem- 
bers : E. S. Kearney, J. H. Blewett, A. B. 
Elmer, Z. K. Straight, P. A. Preston, T. J. 
Peabody, A. B. Carter, J. B. Dexter, Alfred 
Thomas and H. C. Paige. Of this capitular 
body the original officers were: E. S. Kearney, 
high priest; E. B. Whitman, king; W. P. 
Adams, scribe; E. S. Crockett, captain of the 
host; A. B. Carter, principal sojourner; R. P. 
Olds, royal. arch captain; Fred Stencil, master 
of the third veil ; W. S. Mineer, master of the 
first veil ; J. Shepherd, master of the second 
veil; Z. K. Straight, guide; W. P. Adams, 
treasurer ; R. Guichard, secretary. A member- 
ship of one hundred was claimed for this chap- 
ter at this period, and it then owned consider- 
able property. The 1901 officers of the chapter 



146 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



•were : J. H. Stockwell, high priest ; Levi An- 
keny, king ; F. W. Rees, scribe ; W. P. Winans, 
treasurer ; W. E. Russell, secretary ; Y. C. 
Blalock, principal sojourner; Henry Osterman, 
captain of the host; D. T. Kyger, royal arch 
captain; J. S. Schrock, master of the third 
veil : F. M. Pauly, master of the first veil ; 
Maurice Murphy, tyler. 

By a dispensation granted April 19, 1882, 
Washington Commandery, No. 1, K. T., was 
formed. It was issued by M. E. Grand Master 
Benjamin Dean, of Massachusetts. The com- 
mandery was instituted a short time afterward 
with a good charter membership. In Decem- 
ber, 1900, the officers were as follows: J. L. 
Jones, eminent commander; Henry Osterman, 
generalissimo; F. M. Pauly, captain of the 
guard ; G. W. Babcock, treasurer ; Y. C. 
Blalock, secretary; G. H. Chamberlain, senior 
warden; W. E. Russell, junior warden; D. T. 
Kyger, standard bearer; Levi Ankeny, sword 
bearer; G. H. Snell, warder; Maurice Murphy, 
sentinel. 

May 21, 1892, at Walla Walla, was or- 
ganized Alki Chapter, No. 25, Order of the 
Eastern Star. The following were charter 
members : Le F. A. Shaw, Emma E. Shaw, 

C. L. Whitney, J. L. Roberts, Ollie Roberts, 
G. H. Snell, Clara J. Snell, D. T. Kyger. 
Addie Kyger, F. M. Pauly, Mary Pauly, E. 
R. Parkes, Laura B. Parkes, Mary Masterson, 
Sadie R. McLean, J. C. Lewis, Mary E. Lewis 
and H. E. Yannatta. In 1901 the chapter num- 
bered one hundred and one members, and was 
in excellent financial condition. On the first 
and third Tuesdays of each month regular con- 
vocations of the chapter are held in Knight 
Templars' Hall. In December, 1900, the of- 
ficers were : Nettie M. Gibson, W. M. ; F. M. 
Pauly, W. P. ; Ida McLean, A. M. ; Stella M. 
Hawley, conductor; Nora S. Russell, A. S. ; 

D. T. Kyger, treasurer; W. E. Russell, secre- 
tary; Laura B. Parkes, chaplain; Ferdinanda 
Horn, Adah; Clara J. Snell, Ruth; Gertrude 
Parmela, Esther ; Elizabeth Hill, Martha ; Luti 



M. Stiles, Electa; Sarah J. Smith, warder; 
W. E. Graham, sentinel ; Addie Kyger, mar- 
shal ; Flora C. Stockwell, organist. 

A strong and enthusiastic following has 
Odd Fellowship in the city of Walla Walla. 
Here is located the Odd Fellows' Home of the 
state. It is a w^ell-managed, finely equipped 
institution. In Walla Walla there are three 
lodges of this order, one encampment, one can- 
ton and two lodges of the Daughters of Re- 
bekah. 

Here was established the second lodge of 
Odd Fellows in the Territory of Washington. 
This was forty-two years ag _ o. From its in- 
ception until the present date it has enjoyed 
uninterrupted prosperity. Other organizations 
equally representative in nature have sprung 
from this mother lodge. As No. 1, instead of 
No. 2, this Walla Walla lodge merits the dis- 
tinction, and for this reason : Olympia Lodge, 
No. 1, the first in the Territory, had sur- 
rendered its charter in 1861, and until 1865 
did not resume it. 

January 24, 1863, A. G. Hovey, grand 
master of the grand lodge of Oregon, signed a 
dispensation authorizing and empowering 
Messrs. A. H. Purely, James McAuliff, William 
B. Kelly, L. A. Burthey and Meyer Lazarus to 
organize Enterprise Lodge, No. 2. February 
23, 1863, the lodge was duly instituted with the 
above named gentlemen as charter members.. 
The first officers of Enterprise Lodge were : 
James McAuliff, noble grand ; William B. 
Kelly, vice grand ; A. H. Purely, secretary and 
treasurer. E. B. Whitman was the first district 
deputy grand master and the first -representative 
to the grand lodge. Of this pioneer fraternal 
society Mr. Alexander McKay, in 1897, wrote 
as follows : 

As above stated the first charter was issued by 
the grand master of Oregon, but the souvereign 
grand lodge subsequently decided that Oregon had 
no rights in a Territory, so on September '26, 1865, 
granted a new charter, under which the lodge 
worked until Washington became a state, when a 
new charter was issued from our own grand lodge, 



/ 




^^^H 



£3^1 f 



JT=T 



T" :: ' ■■ r 




Odd Fellows Home 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



147 



-while H. E. Holmes was grand master and Le F. 
A. Shaw grand secretary. 

When Enterprise Lodge was ushered into exist- 
ence Odd Fellowship was a comparative stranger 
in the great northwest. Our first meeting was 
held in James Conlan's building on Main street, 
near Fourth. Here we were burned out in 1864, 
without serious loss. We then removed to what 
was then known as Robert's Grove, where we 
rented a building jointly with the Masons, but 
this being remote from the city, Brother J. F. 
Abbott fixed us up a lodge room on the premises 
now known as the Cayuse stable. Here the lodge 
was very prosperous for a time. Candidates were 
numerous and our sick few. Everybody had 
money then, and if perchance we found one poor 
and destitute, he was usually so from choice. Since 
that time things have changed. In 1865 the Ma- 
sons built a fine hall on the corner of Third and 
Alder streets, and as our quarters were becoming 
too small, we moved to this new hall, and again 
for a short season were prosperous and happy, 
until on the Fourth of July, 1865, a fire broke out 
which swept away that hall, together with our 
records, paraphernalia, and all we possessed, ex- 
cept our written constitution, signed by the mem- 
bers as they were initiated. We then secured new 
quarters over Brechtel's bakery, procured a new 
outfit, and the good work continued. We hus- 
banded our means, put our money where it did 
the most good and finally, in 1880, were enabled 
to build our present fine Temple on the corner of 
Main and Fifth streets, at a cost of about $20,000, 
which is at present worth at least $26,000. But it 
is not for sale, for it is a monument which En- 
terprise Lodge has raised with its own hands and 
every Odd Fellow has cause to feel proud of it. 
The erection of the ■ building was commenced in 
July, 1880 (the corner stone was laid July 4th), 
under the supervision of the committee from the 
lodge consisting of E. W. Eversz, Samuel Jacobs, 
D. J. Coleman and Julius Wiesick, assisted by the 
trustees of the lodge,' H. Wintler, Edward Baumeis- 
ter and Charles Able. The building was completed 
in December, 1880, and in January, 1881, we held 
our first meeting in our new hall, Brother H. E. 
Holmes, N. G., presiding. The lodge then had one 
hundred members, and the present membership is 
one hundred and fifty-three. Since the organiza- 
tion of Enterprise Lodge four hundred and five 
members have signed the roll. Of the pioneer 
members few are now left, viz.: E. B. Whitman, 
Charles Besserer, Charles Able, Edward Baumeis- 
ter, John Rehorn, H. Wintler and W. H. Brown. 
The pioneers and past grands who took a promi- 
nent part in the early history of the lodge, and 
who have died since 1890, are: A. Schumacher, 
November 7, 1890; Peter Erickson, August 10, 
1891; E. W. Eversz, January 3, 1892; D. J. Cole- 



man, June 19, 1893; John Goudy, June 20, 1895; 
John F. Abbott, March 13, 1896. 

Among those who may be classed as pioneer 
Odd Fellows, who have been initiated or joined 
Enterprise Lodge by card, and are still active 
members, are: E. B. Whitman, Charles Besserer, 
Henry Kaseberg, H. E. Holmes, S. F. Henderson, 
Alex McKay, C. C. McCoy, Jacob Betz, Charles 
Able, W. H. Brown, John Rehorn, H. Wintler, 
Charles Cooper, James Mclnroe, Thomas Taylor, 
John H. Stahl and James Bryan. 

At present the lodge has a number of young 
members who joined the order since 1880, many 
of whom are past grands, and all of whom take an 
active part in the workings of the lodge. 

The officers of Enterprise Lodge for 1900 
were : W. Jessup, noble grand ; Thomas Taylor, 
vice grand; Levi Ankeny, treasurer; Burt 
Moore, secretary and John Cauvel, permanent 
secretary. 

March 17, 1881, a dispensation was granted 
for the organization of Washington Lodge, 
No. 19, Odd Fellows, in Walla Walla. This 
lodge was formally instituted on the 19th of 
the same month, with the following charter 
members : Le F. A. Shaw, James McAuliff, 
Christian Sturm, Joseph Cherry, W. G. Alban, 
A. McAllister and L. J. Shell. The first of- 
ficers were James McAuliff, noble grand ; 
Christian Sturm, vice grand ; Joseph Cherry, 
secretary. May 11, 1882, a regular charter 
was granted to the lodge. Its membership in 
1900 was one hundred and twenty; its affairs 
were in an exceedingly prosperous condition. 
The officers In 1900 were: G. E. Bamett, noble 
grand ;C. W. Scott, vice grand; J. W. McGhee, 
Jr., recording' secretary, and Le F. A. Shaw, 
financial secretary. 

Trinity Lodge, No. 121, Odd Fellows, was 
instituted April 30, 1892. Special Deputy 
Grand Master W. G. Alban assumed the chair. 
He, assisted by Le F. A. Shaw, grand secre- 
tary, and past grands from Enterprise Lodge, 
No. 2, and Washington Lodge, No. 19, con- 
ducted the work of institution. Charter mem- 
bers of this organization were : Past Grand 
James P. Goodhue (who was a member of the 
jurisdiction of British Columbia), C. C. Gose, 



148 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



W. H. Flagg, F. W. Kaser, F. D. Kimmerly, 
M. H. Gilliam, P. B. Hawley,C. W. Fredericks 
and J. Carter Smith. 

Fifty-one propositions for membership by 
initiation, and two by card were received after 
the new officers had taken their chairs, and 
acted upon. The two were admitted by card, 
and forty-seven candidates initiated and given 
all the degrees. The first officers of Trinity 
Lodge were : W. H. Flagg, noble grand ; F. 

D. Kimmerly, vice grand ; J. Carter Smith, 
secretary ; and P. B. Hawley, treasurer. Both 
numerically and financially the organization 
has flourished from the beginning; there were 
eighty names on the roll in 1900. For the 
term ending December 31, 1900, the officers 
were as follows : Alvin Boston, noble grand ; 
W. A. Koontz, vice grand ; J. Carter Smith, 
secretary; Victor Hunziker, treasurer. To a 
large extent this lodge is composed of young 
men who, in its work, manifest an enthusiastic 
interest. 

Walla Walla Encampment, No. 3, is the 
local camp of this branch of the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows. March 28, 1881, it 
was organized by W. D. Plants with these as 
charter members : E. W. Eversz, H. E. Holmes; 
Edward Baumeister, Samuel Jacobs, W. H. 
Brown, J. Q. Osborn, John Goudy and Charles 
Abel. This encampment is in a prosperous 
condition financially and otherwise, having in 
1900 one hundred and thirty members. The 
officers for 1900 were: O. T. Cornwell, C. P. ; 
J. A. Riffley, H. P.; T. N. Bryan, S. W. ; 
Alvin Boston, J. W. ; Le F. A. Shaw, scribe; 
W. A. Koontz, treasurer. 

Canton Walla Walla, No. 1, Patriarchs 
Militant, was instituted April 12, 1886, by H. 

E. Holmes, grand Patriach, assisted by W. C. 
Alban, grand representative, and Le F. A. 
Shaw, past representative and grand scribe. 
The following charter members were officers : 
W. G. Alban, captain ;F. D. Boyer, accountant; 
N. Castleman, sentinel ; and C. H. Kaseberg, 
picket. In 1900 the officers were W. H. 



Meyer (acting) captain; Charles L. Whitney,, 
clerk ; Le F. A. Shaw, accountant. 

October 31, 1885, Narcissa Rebekah 
Lodge, No. 2, was instituted by H. E. Holmes, 
then deputy grand master; the charter mem- 
bership was thirty-five. In 1900 it had risen 
to one hundred and five, and the officers at that 
date were : Mrs. Ratie McClees, noble grand ; 
Mrs. Mary McKean, vice grand; Mrs. Lizzie 
Bellingham, recording secretary; Herbert Os- 
good, financial secretary; Mrs. Sarah Gray,, 
treasurer. 

March 1, 1895, Bee Hive Rebekah Lodge,. 
No. 70, was instituted by Mrs. Emma E. Shaw, 
past president of the Rebekah Assembly- 
There were twenty-three charter members. In 
1 90 1 the membership was one hundred and 
twenty. The same year the lodge was officered 
by : Mrs. Alma L. Krack, noble grand ; Mrs. 
Marguerite Mullinix, vice grand; Mrs. Mary 
G. Vinson, secretary; Mrs. May Boston, 
treasurer. 

Although without the limits of Walla 
Walla city, it is appropriate to include here a 
brief sketch of the Odd Fellows' Lodge, of 
Dixie, Welcome Lodge, No. 117. May 26, 
1892, it was instituted. The first officers were: 
W. J. Cantonwine, N. G ; R. G. Clancy, V. 
G. ; Marion Koger, R. Sec. ; Charles Cochran, 
Per. Sec. ; Adelbert Cochran, treasurer ; R. A. 
Stockdale, warden; J. E. Myers, conductor; 
Joseph Reed, R. S. N. G; J. M. Sanders, 
L. S. N. G; N.'j. Walters, R. S. V G; A. 
A. Magrunn, L. S. V. G ; B. C. Roff, inside 
guard; G. W. Sanders, outside guard; L.. 
Lanning, R. R. S. ; Isadore Cochran, L. S. S. 
The other members were P. Demaris, J. W. 
Davis, Samuel Brooks, W. H. Johnson, Orin 
Demaris and Orlando Demaris. 

From its organization the lodge continued 
to prosper, numbering fifty-nine members in 
good standing in 1900. In 1893 a more com- 
modious hall was erected for its housing, 
size, 30x65 feet, two stories in height, the 
upper portion being used exclusively for lodge 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



149 



purposes ; the lower for a general merchandise 
store and doctor's office. Completed this build- 
ing cost $35,000, furnishings included. 

It was on March 24, 1893, that the Re- 
bekah branch of Dixie lodge was instituted. 
The original membership was eighteen; in 
1900, fifty-eight. 

The noble institution which we are now 
called upon to review crowns the system of 
Odd Fellowship in the State of Washington; 
the Odd Fellows' Home, of Walla Walla. A 
special committee was appointed at a session of 
the grand lodge in 1893, to consider the ad- 
visability of establishing this magnificent in- 
stitution. At the annual session of the grand 
lodge this committee rendered its report. Such 
a home as had been suggested was recom- 
mended. With slight modifications of minor 
details this report was adopted. To estab- 
lish and maintain this home a semi annual per 
capita tax on subordinate lodges was recom- 
mended, and it was, also, suggested, that en- 
campments, lodges and individuals might make 
voluntary contributions in aid of the proposed 
home. The session elected a board of man- 
agers consisting of five members, to be known 
as the "Board of Trustees of the Odd Fellows' 
Home;" to them were entrusted the super- 
vision and management of all matters pertain- 
ing to the home, but under the grand lodge's 
direction, to which the board was required 
to make an annual report. There were, also, 
formulated definite plans for securing neces- 
sary funds for pushing forward the work. A 
series of ten resolutions was. also, adopted, 
"defining the mode of proceedings to the es- 
tablishment of the home." We quote a portion 
of them : 



pi rs t — Resolved, That there is hereby author- 
ized to be established and maintained in this juris- 
diction an Odd Fellows' Home for the care and 
support of the aged, infirm and indigent members 
of the order, who shall be in good standing in their 
respective subordinate lodges in this jurisdiction. 
Ninth — Resolved, That any member of a subor- 
dinate lodge domiciled in the Odd Fellows' Home 



as a beneficiary thereof, shall not be entitled to 
receive from his lodge the usual benefits paid by 
his lodge to sick and disabled members; neither 
shall he be required, while remaining at the home, 
to pay dues to his lodge. When a beneficiary mem- 
ber withdraws from the home, he shall, as other 
active members, be subject to all provisions of the 
constitutions and by-laws of his lodge. 

Tenth — Resolved, That while a member of a 
subordinate lodge remains a beneficiary member 
of the home, he shall continue to be a silent, or 
honorary member of his lodge, unless suspended or 
expelled for cause, under the laws of the order, 
and his lodge shall be exempt from the payment of 
dues on his account for grand lodge revenue. 

Resolved, That for the beginning of the estab- 
lishment of a fund for an Odd Fellows' Home, 
there be and hereby is levied a special semi-annual 
tax of ten cents per capita on each subordinate 
lodge in this jurisdiction, the first payment being 
due and payable December 31, 1894, on its mem- 
bership for the preceding term ending June 30, 
1894. 

The following were the members of the 
board of directors : J. M. Swan, Z. M. Beebe, 
F. A. Twichell, E. L. Powell and W. P. Harris. 
When organized Mr. Swan was chosen presi- 
dent and Mr. Twichell, secretary. 

In 1896, at the session of the grand lodge, 
the report of the board of trustees was sub- 
mitted. Among other matters it recommended 
that the grand lodge should at that session 
select, or authorize to be selected, a site loca- 
tion for the home, and also "authorize such 
proceedings as may be necessary to establish 
and prepare the home for the reception and 
care of inmates." To a special committee of 
five members this report was referred, and they, 
in reporting to the grand lodge recommended 
that the board of trustees be authorized and 
empowered to receive and accept the best prop- 
osition, in their judgment, that may be offered 
for the location of the home. That one trustee 
be chosen from the Rebekah Assembly was, 
also, recommended. Later Emma E. Shaw, 
past president, was elected, and such action 
reported to the grand lodge. Her term of of- 
fice was named as five years. Propositions for 
home sites were received from Tacoma. Cen- 
tralia and Walla Walla. 



IS© 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



By a vote of four to one the Walla Walla 
proposition was accepted at a meeting of the 
board of trustees, in Tacoma, September 5, 
1896. Plans and specifications were soon in 
hand ; the contract for the erection of the home 
trustees. For the reception of inmates it was 
was immediately pushed. J. M. Swan was 
chosen to have charge of the institution follow- 
ing- its completion. This was in the summer 
of 1897, and it was duly accepted by the 
trustees. For the reception of inmates it was 
opened in December of the same year. Well 
within the city limits this home is located, the 
land being on Boyd avenue, and having a 
frontage of four hundred and sixty-five feet. 
The premises, extending southward, include 
six and one-half acres of ground. About two- 
thirds distance from front to rear, Mill Creek 
crosses the grounds. The soil is rich and pro- 
ductive. Originally the building, 42x90 feet 
in size, was constructed by N. F. Butler, for 
$5,609; many costly and handsome additions 
have since been made to the initial structure. 
Into convenient rooms and apartments the 
first floor is suitably divided, viz : seven bed- 
rooms, a reception room, a spacious dining 
room, and a large, well lighted room for gen- 
eral use of inmates as library, card room, smok- 
ing room and general sitting room. There are 
convenient bath and toilet rooms, with ex- 
cellent water and sewerage systems. 

During the regime of Mr. Swan Mrs. Dora 
Busbridge officiated as matron; in 1900 E. J. 
Calvin was superintendent, and Mrs. Calvin, 
matron. 

The local council of the Young Men's In- 
stitute was organized January 15, 1896. The 
charter membership was thirty-two ; the first 
officers : D. J. Morton, president ; N. S. Sulli- 
van, vice president; J. McQuade, second vice 
president ; T. S. Scally, recording secre- 
tary; Byron Lutcher, financial secretary; 
Adolph Bischoff, corresponding secretary; 
John Kremer, treasurer ; Joseph McBride, in- 
side sentinel ; W. H. Weber, John Dunnigan 
and M. J. Brennan, executive committee. 



Crescent Assembly, No. 66, United Ar- 
tisans, was organized at Walla Walla June 
20, 1896, by Dr. Farnham. There were twen- 
ty-two charter members. In 1900 there was a 
membership of fifty, officered as follows : J. E. 
Ireland, D. G. M. ; Mrs. Etta Macy, P. M. A. ; 
W. A. Williams, M. A. ; Delia Johnson, S. ; 
G. F. McGhee, I.; J. C. Jones, secretary; J. 
F. Stack, treasurer; Mrs. Lena White, S. C. ; 
A. S. McDaniels, J. C. ; Ralph White, M. C. ; 
Dr. W. E. Russell, M. E. 

The National Union is a fraternal insur- 
ance organization established in March, 1897. 
A. H. Fowle was the organizer. The name by 
which the local body is known is Marcus Whit- 
man Council, No. 730. The membership in 
1900 was forty; the principal officers were: 
Fred Forrest, president; T. N. Bryan, vice 
president ; Herbert Osgood, secretary ; C. E. 
Gilbert, treasurer. Firmly established in Wall 1 
Walla in 1900 was the young order of the 
Pioneers of the Pacific Coast. The supreme 
lodge was at Pendleton, Oregon. The local 
lodge was known as Walla Walla Encamp- 
ment, No. 22 ; the charter was issued February 
23d, by H. K. Hines, supreme commander. 
The first officers were: Lillie M. Cox, com- 
mander ; Edwin G. Cox, captain ; Candace C. 
Bishop, chaplain; A. A. King, treasurer; Her- 
bert Osgood, scribe; Emiline J. Mabry, north 
scout; C. M. Pence, south scout; Nelson D. 
Cox, ancient guide ; Addie Rasmus, messenger : 
Wesley Bailey, sentinel; Mary F. Jett, picket. 
Other charter members', were: Nelson I. 
Blalock, Walter M. Ely, W. B. Morgan, Ruth 
Hales, Carrie Rudd, Charles Eagan, Milton 
B. Johnson, J. N. Jensen, Orsen R. Smith and 
others. Membership was not confined to the 
first settlers on the Pacific Coast; its degree 
work is commemorative of life on the plains 
during pioneer clays. In 1901 the four princi- 
pal officers were: E. G Cox, commander; 
Mrs. Lillie M. Cox, captain ; Herbert Osgood, 
scribe ; A. A. King, treasurer. 

March 17, 1880, at Walla Walla, was in- 
stituted Integrity Lodge, No. 26, Ancient 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



I5i 



Order United Workmen. The charter bore 
the same date. The first officers and charter 
members were : Le F. A. Shaw, P. M. W. ; 
H. H. Brodeck, M. W. ; H. D. Chapman, F. ; 
J. F. McLean, O. ; C. R- Whitney, Rec. ; C. 
T. Thompson, Rec'r. ; C. S. Boyer, financial 
secretary; M. Wagner, G. ; F. J. Starke, I. W. ; 

C. Sturm, O. W.;.A. S. Nichols, A. L. Loren- 
zen, W. B. Clowe, Charles Abel, E. S. Kellogg, 
J. C. Painter, William Jones, E.H. Morrison, 
M. Ryan, E. L. Heriff, P. B. Johnson, R. P. 
Reynolds, R. W. Mitchell, C. M. Johnson, 
H. M. Porter, H. G. Mauzey, R. Stoot, 
Thomas Taylor, J. B. Welch, B. L.- Baker, 
B. W. Taliaferro, J. W. Gray, J. H. Smith, 
A. Brodeck, W. C. Painter, J. N. Fall and 
William Vawter. In 1900 there was a mem- 
bership of two hundred and seven, and the 
officials that year were : A. J. Gillis, G R. ; 

D. Wertheimer, Fin. ; H. A. Blackman, 
master; J. W. Fielder, P. M.; Samuel Maxon, 
Fore. ; P. P. Pearson, Rec. 

The charter of Ida Lodge, No. 9, Degree 
of Honor, bears date April 12, 1893. ^ ' s 
signed by Oliver Hall, grand master workman, 
and J. M. Pickens, grand recorder. Originally 
the charter was granted to : Amelia Brodeck, 
P. C. of H.; R. Wertheimer, L. of H. ; Allie 

E. Sloan, recorder; Jannie Sampson, receiver; 
K. B. Webber, I. W. ; Ida K. Parks, C. of H. ; 
Mary B. Eichler, C. of C. ; D. Deane, 
financier ; Agnes Vinson, S. U. ; Mary Stern, 
O. W. 

In October, 1891, was instituted Walla 
Walla Lodge of the Woodmen of the World. 
These were the officers : C. B. Stewart, C. C. ; 
Victor Wilson, A. L. ; R. T. Madrell, B. ; S. W. 
White, C. ; W. C. Durham, E. ; T. S. Flowers, 
G. In December, 1900, the officers were: D. 
J. Fry, C. C. ; J. R. Street, A. L. ; H. N. Hed- 
rick, B. ; C. I. Hall, C. ; M. Stiles, E. ; J. Vin- 
son, W. ; J. W. Cookerly, S. ; board of man- 
agers, G C. Harris, W. T. Kirkman and M. 
Stiles. 

Woody Glen Circle, No. 176, Women of 



Woodcraft, had its inception February 4, 1898. 
The organizer was Mrs. Carrie Van Orsdell, 
of Pendleton, Oregon, grand guardian. There 
were twenty-four names on the charter. The 
personnel of the 1901 officers was as follows: 
Mrs. Eliza McDonald, past guardian; Mrs. 
Catherine Munson, guardian neighbor; Mrs. 
Nancy Koontz, banker; Mrs. Lutie M. Stiles, 
.clerk; Mrs. Ollie Burke, advisor; Mrs. Virgie 
Bacon, magician ; Mrs. May Vinson, musician ; 
Mrs. Katie Hall, attendant; Mrs. Elizabeth 
Cooper, inside sentinel; Z. Dimmick, outside 
sentinel ; H. M. Hedrick, captain of the guard. 

In January, 1896, Court Evening Star, No. 
35, Foresters of America, was organized at 
Walla Walla with a charter membership of 
twenty-five. First officers were : J. W. Cook- 
erly, C. R. ; Marvin Evans, S. C. R. ; A. Mellin, 
treasurer ; J. E. Thomas, F. S. ; Herman 
Krack, R. S. In 1900 the court owned prop- 
erty to the amount of $1,200 ; the officers were : 
A. K. Durant, C. R. ; J. H. McDonnell, S. C. 
R. ; Henry Sampson, treasurer; J. C. Cauvel, 
F. S. ; H. Osgood, R. S. 

The first coast city north of San Francisco 
to be favored by the establishment of a 
subordinate lodge of the Knights of Pythias 
was Walla Walla. It was known as Ivanhoe 
Lodge, No. 1, but of its early history little can 
be related as it has long since surrendered its 
charter and its records are not available. The 
second society in this system in Walla Walla 
is known as Columbia Lodge, No. 8, instituted 
Ocotber 8, 1882. The organizer was Past 
Chancellor Joseph Weitz, of Friedship Lodge, 
No. 9, of The Dalles, assisted by members of 
old Ivanhoe Lodge, No. 1. The charter con- 
tained forty-two names ; more than one hun- 
dren members were in good standing in 1901. 
Within the jurisdiction it is one of the 
wealthiest lodges. The first officers were : 
Past Chancellor, S. A. Deckard ; chancellor 
commander, W. M. Geddes ; vice commander, 
H. S. Young; prelate, Robert Gerry; master of 
finance, P. P. Pearson; master of exchequer, 



152 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Robert G. Parks ; keeper of records and seal, 
E. P. Edsen ; master at arms, William Leslie. 

April 6, 1900, Mistletoe Temple, No. 23, 
Rathbone Sisters, was instituted by Mrs. Mary 
Baker, of Colfax, M. Ex. G. C, of Washing- 
ton, assisted by members of Waitsburg 
Temple. The following officers were the first : 
Most excellent past chief, Sarah Lambert; 
most excellent chief, Lizzie Cames; most ex- 
cellent senior, Susan Kees ; most excellent 
junior, Annie Clement; M. of T., Gilliam Bart- 
ness; M. of R. and S., Agnes Halter; M. of 
F., Bertha Hart; G of I. T., Maggie Mclnroe; 
G. of O. T., Elizabeth Scbubert. 

Mrs. Catherine Powers, state deputy, or- 
ganized Garden City Hive, No. 48, Ladies of 
the Maccabees, February 1, 1899. There were 
twenty-eight charter members, the charter be- 
ing dated November 5, 1900, and granted to 
the following officers : Mary M. Woodworth, 
past commander; Amy A. Rogers, lady com- 
mander; Mrs. Mary Evans, lieutenant com- 
mander ; Mrs. Viola Harding, record keeper ; 
Mrs. Lida Bentley, finance keeper; Mrs. Sally 
Smith, chaplain; Mrs. Abbie Caldwell, ser- 
geant; Mrs. Maden, mistress at arms; Mrs. 
Martha Ebert, sentinel ; Mrs. Abbie Thom- 
paso, picket. 

October 29, 1897, there was established in 
Walla Walla a branch of the largest of all 
fraternal insurance companies, Mountain View 
Camp, No. 5,096, Modern Woodmen of Amer- 
ica. Forty-three persons were initiated the 
first evening. Since its inception the camp 
has steadily increased numerically. In 1901 
the officers were: J. Jennings, venerable coun- 
sel; B. F. Wadsworth, venerable advisor; G 
S. Bond, clerk; C. S. Buffum, banker; Charles 
G. Shumway, escort; Drs. Russel, Owens and 
Stiles, camp physicians; A. C. T. Shelden, 
watchman; John E. Johnson, sentry; L. L. 
Reynolds, delegate to head camp. 

Walla Walla Tribe, No. 23, Improved 
Order of Red Men, was instituted May 18, 
1898, organized by J. L. McMurray, deputy 



great incohone. There were sixty-eight names 
on the charter. The first officers were: J. M. 
Hill, sachem; John R. Stockton, senior saga- 
more; A. W. Bennet, junior sagamore; Le F. 
A. Shaw, P. G. S. prophet; J. Carter Smith, 
chief of records; John Bachtold, keeper of 
wampum. 

Ioka Council, No. 10, Degree of Poca- 
hontas, was instituted April 14, 1900, by John 
M. Hill, great sachem of the reservation of 
Washington. The charter membership num- 
bered thirty-four. The first officers were: 
Emma E. Shaw prophetess; Elizabeth B. Hill, 
Pocahontas ; Flora C. Stockwell, Wenonah ; 
Lula M. Schwarz, keeper of records; Fannie 
Bachtold, keeper of wampum. 

May 4, 1896, Walla Walla Lodge, No. 
1594, Royal Arcanum was instituted. On the 
26th of the same month the charter was issued, 
granting to John N. McGhee, Jr., Allen H. 
Reynolds, Joseph C. Scott, Albert L. Willis, 
William R. Criffield, Edwin S. Clark, Oliver 
T. Cornwell, William H. Kirkman, Ernest R. 
Stending, Walter M. Ely, John A. Beard, 
Osias P. Jaycox, William C. Dibblee, Harry O. 
Kelso, Herbert C. Gregg, Charles E. Bur- 
rows, Bazil W. Schell, Amos K. Dice, Thomas 
L. H. Bowman, Lewis L. Tallman, Arthur 

E. Cornwell and Charles E. Nye the right to 
initiate persons who may be accepted for mem- 
bership by ballot, and to transact other busi- 
ness pertaining to a lawfully constituted body 
of the Royal Arcanum. 

During the fall of 1899 Morning Star 
Lodge, No. 236, Independent Order of Good 
Templars was instituted. Its charter, dated 
September 4, 1899, was given to the following 
persons; M. E. Brewer, Duncan Wallace, Eva 
Westfall, Nancy Wallace, J. C. Cornwell, Burt 
Owens, Mrs. A. M. Hannaman, W. J. White, 

F. Warren Jessup, J. L. Baldwin, Mrs. A. C. 
Guinn, Victor Wilson, Hattie Chew, Maude 
Brewer, J. W. Brewer, Fannie Gholson, Jose- 
phine Parker, George Hausrrian, Allen L. 
Winans, E. L. Waldron, Corwin Waldron, J. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



153 



Kissler, Joseph Wallace and Emma May Bald- 
win. The first officers were : Merton E. 
Brewer, chief templar; Nancy Wallace, vice 
templar; Duncan Wallace, chaplain; F. War- 
ren Jessup, secretary; George Hausman, as- 
sistant secretary; J. Kissler, treasurer; E. L. 
Waldron, marshal ; Joseph Wallace, deputy 
marshal ; J. L. Bauldwin, guard ; J. W. White, 
lodge deputy; Mrs. A. M. Hannaman, superin- 
tendent Juvenile temple ; Burt Owens, past 
chief templar. 

February 8, 1881, there was organized in 
Walla AYalla, by J. H. Smith, A. Lincoln 
Post, Grand Army of the Republic. On the 
charter appear the following names : John H. 
Smith, John F. McLean, Parish B. Johnson 
James M. Coolidge, R. P. Reynolds, Abram 
Ellis, James Howe, John A. Neil. O. F. Wil- 
son, H. O. Simonds, Samuel Nulph, Charles 
Heim, Isaac Chilberg, A. D. Rockafellow, Will- 
iam Leslie, F. F. Adams, F. B. Morse, R. M. 
Comstock and Ambrose Oldaker. The first 
officers were : J. H. Smith, commander ; P. B. 
Johnson, senior vice commander ; J. F. Mc- 
Lean, junior vice commander; O. F. Wilson, 
quartermaster; H. O. Simons, officer of the 
day ; Isaac Chilberg, officer of the guard ; R. 
P. Reynolds, adjutant. 

In April. 1886, there was organized in 
Walla Walla. A. Lincoln Relief Corps, No. 5. 
There were twenty-five charter members, the 
officers in charge of the initiatory ceremonies 
being : Mrs. Jane Erickson, president ; Mrs. 
Nancy Gregg, secretary; Mrs. Lizzie Crowe, 
treasurer. 

June 5, 1900, a charter was granted to 
thirty-three persons, forming Schiller Lodge, 
No. 12, O. D. H. D. ; Sons of Herman. Since 
its inception the order has flourished and en- 
joyed a healthy growth. 
. In December, 1899, Whitman Union, No. 
19, Order of Washington, was instituted in 
Walla Walla. The charter, dated the 26th, 
was issued to Nancy Koontz, past president; 



Walter B. Brook, president ; Daniel Macy, vice 
president; James Z. Smith, secretary; William 
Koontz, treasurer; William Powell, chaplain; 
Emma E. Rogers, Mar)' ; Mrs. Margaret 
Mullinix, Martha; John A. Wallace, con- 
ductor ; Donna L. Thomas, assistant con- 
ductor; Eva Magumm, assistant guard: 
Thomas D. Foster, sentinel; Dr. Walter M. 
Ely, medical examiner; John H. Bruerstatte, 
Matthew Wilkinson and John W. Foster, 
trustees. 

Company I, Washington National Guards, 
assembled Thursday evening, May 24, 1900, 
at Armory Hall, Walla Walla, and organized 
General Lawton Post, Spanish-American War 
Veterans, with the following officers : Com- 
mander, W. B. Buffum ; senior vice com- 
mander, T. D. S. Hart; junior vice com- 
mander, D. H. Roche; adjutant, L. P. Con- 
way; quartermaster, Benjamin Goldman; 
chaplain, Kenneth McDowell; officer of the 
day, G. W. O'Neil ; officer of the guard, C. S. 
Preston ; trustees, C. F. Buffum and C. S. 
Timmons. 

It was on June 18, 1899, that Walla AValla 
Aerie, No. 26, Fraternal Order of Eagles, was 
organized. The charter membership was fifty ; 
in less than a year it had increased to nearly 
three hundred. 

In March, 1900, the Walla Walla Gun Club 
was organized with a large membership. 
Grounds were procured at Fort Walla Walla 
on which were fitted up a gun house and 
targets. 

In the city council chamber of Walla Walla 
there assembled June 25, 1890, fifty enterpris- 
ing citizens of Walla Walla and organized the 
Walla Walla Club. A carefully prepared con- 
stitution was adopted and the following of- 
ficers elected : William Kirkman, president ; F. 
D. Boyer, treasurer; J. L. Sharpstein. vice 
president; Henry Kelling, secretary; Messrs. 
J. G. Paine, H. H. Turner, C. D. Ballon, J. L. 
Sharpstein, T. R. Eastman, R. G. Parks, 



154 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Frank Foster and Henry Kelling, governing 
committee. On the third floor of the Rees- 
Winans building club rooms were opened and 
stocked with billiard, pool and card tables, 
reading room, etc. 

Aside from an excellent public library, 
housed in comfortable commodious rooms, 
there is the Woman's Reading Club, the or- 
ganization of which was perfected in 1894. 
Among its members is fostered a taste for the 



best literary productions of the best authors. 
The Ladies' Relief Society was organized 
in July, 1 88 1, with Mrs. A. H. Reynolds, presi- 
dent; Mrs. J. H. Bauer, vice president; Miss 
Martina Johnston, secretary; Mrs. Rose Bing- 
ham, treasurer. At the time of organization 
the membership numbered sixty. This society 
was duly incorporated under the laws of the 
Territory of Washington, in 1885. 



CHAPTER VII 



THE CITY OF WAITSBURG. 



A municipality of substantial growth, 
cumulative enterprise, increasing commerce, as 
well as "magnificent distances" and handsome 
location, is Waitsburg. Situated in the ex- 
treme middle-eastern section of Walla Walla 
county, it profits materially by the trade of two 
distinct political divisions, Walla Walla and 
Columbia counties. Its distance from Walla 
Walla is about twenty miles, and it lies in the 
far-famed Walla Walla valley, between the 
Touchet river'on the north and Coppei creek on 
the south. These streams, with others which 
race down the ravine from all sides, form a 
delta in this little picturesque valley. Truly, 
the city of Waitsburg is located on an ideal 
townsite. From all points of the compass the 
surrounding aclevities slope downward to this 
valley; numerous draws and ravines open in 
various directions ; clear, sparkling streams go 
singing on their way, having first contributed 
abundance of water to supply all necessities 
of the inhabitants and materially assisting to 
give the place the substantial appearance of an 
all the year round garden spot. 

The elevation of Waitsburg above sea level 
is 1,272 feet. To the east one obtains charm- 
ing glimpses of the Blue mountains; half the 



year of varying azure hues ; the other half 
robed in gleaming white. Of the most fertile 
nature is the farming region round about ; 
somewhat astonishing to the pilgrim from the 
east is the yield of grain, fruit and vegetables, 
and the stock and poultry industry. Here, 
too, will the eastern tourist find an extraord- 
inary surplus of exports over imports; during 
one period of six months, 10,168 tons of 
freight were shipped out; only 637 shipped 
in. Here is a fact for the elaboration of the 
political economist. 

The name of Waitsburg is in honor of its 
energetic founder, S. M. Wait. In early days 
he recognized the obvious advantages of the 
powerful waters of the Touchet river, and es- 
tablished here a grist mill. This earlier fabric 
has since been replaced by one of the largest 
patent roller mills in the state of Washington. 
Previously Mr. Wait had been engaged in mill- 
ing in the Rogue river valley, Oregon; in 1864, 
learning'that there were 5,000 bushels of wheat 
in the vicinity of what is at present Waits- 
burg, which could be purchased for $1.50 per 
bushel, he erected his first mill with borrowed 
capital and credit, in May, 1865, and at once 
began the output of an excellent quality of 




WILLIAM a PRESTON. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



155 



flour, grinding with one set of burrs. Flour 
at this period was worth $14 a barrel. 

However, before the town of Waitsburg 
was founded there had been pioneer settlements 
along the Touchet river, Coppei and Whiskey 
creeks ; at this period these early settlers had 
no faith in the productive qualities of the high- 
lands. They raised a modicum of grain for 
home consumption, reared large numbers of 
cattle and horses ; many found lucrative em- 
ployment in freighting to the mines. In 1859 
Robert Kennedy located in the forks of the 
Touchet and Coppei. Somewhat further up 
the stream Brooks took a claim, disposing of 
his rights in August to Abner T. Lloyd. Just 
east of the latter's purchase George Pollard 
settled. Joseph Star was above him, and be- 
yond him was a man named Stanton. In July, 
of the same year, one of his employes. Cole, 
was killed ; although it was generally supposed 
that his murderer was one of his fellow work- 
men, the crime was never brought home to any 
one. Samuel Galbreath and family occupied 
the next claim up stream. Below the mouth 
of Coppei creek, on the Touchet, were James 
Woodruff, Jonathan Keeny, Edward Kenton, 
and Potter, who sold to A. J. Lloyd that year, 
Luke Henshaw, Martin Hober, Andrew War- 
ren, Lackey and John Foster. The 1859 set- 
tlers up the Coppei were Jefferson Paine, Will- 
iam Patten, Morgan, Hewey Bateman, Doo- 
little and Philip Cox. 

Others came in i860; made new locations 
or purchased claims. Among them were 
Robert Strong, William Walters, Samuel H. 
Erwin, Isaac Levens, Edward McNall, Hugh 
O'Bryant and Mr. Atwood. 

William N. Smith was a pioneer of Waits- 
burg, and for many years was postmaster. A 
school teacher, and native of Peoria county, 
Illinois, he migrated to Oregon, and in 1861 
visited Washington Territory. He came to 
what is now Coppei in 1864, an d i n the spring 
of 1865 opened a school on the Touchet near 
Wait's mill. This was Waitsburg' s first edu- 



cational institution. It was in an old shop 
building, purchased from William Vawter, 
one end of which was devoted to school pur- 
poses, the other to dwelling apartments. It 
was in April, 1865, that Mr. Smith took the 
initiative in a work that today is justly the 
pride of the city. A few days later he organ- 
ized School District No. 3, which had been 
preceded only by Walla Walla and French- 
town districts. The new district at that period 
contained about eighty persons of school age. 
Mr. Smith was succeeded as pedagogue by 
Mr. Gibbs, followed by Mrs. N. J. A. Sim- 
mons. A new building was erected in 1869, 
in which a school was taught first by O. T. 
Porter, with Mrs. Simmons as assistant. It 
was then known as Waitsburg Academy. Of 
other earlier teachers were Miss Lizzie Clay- 
ton, William Maniner, Miss Miles and Miss 
Mary Johns. 

The original name of the little village 
which grew up around Wait's mill, was Delta. 
Until 1868 it was so recognized. Then by a 
vote it was decided to name the postoffice 
Waitsburg, and that year the postal authorities 
admitted the claim. A small building was run 
up on the north side of the river in the sum- 
mer of 1865, near the site of P. A. Prestoivs 
house. In this a store was opened by Hag- 
gerty & Repplier. The rush to the Blackfoot 
mines occurred that summer; hundreds of 
packers flocked into town to purchase flour and 
other commodities. Having taught one year 
Schoolmaster Smith opened another store in 
his old building. The stock of Haggerty & 
Repplier was closed out in the fall of 1865, 
and a man named Crabtree opened a saloon in 
the building formerly occupied by them. 
Wait's mill, the little house then occupied by 
him, and the saloon, at that period comprised 
the settlement of Waitsburg. South of the 
stream were the new school house and Smith's 
store. June 30, 1865, the Walla Walla 
"Statesman" said : "Waitsburg is the name of 
a town just beginning to grow up at Wait's 



156 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



mill, on the Touchet. The people of that 
vicinity have resolved to celebrate the coming 
4th, and are making arrangements accordingly. 
W. G. Langford, of this city, has accepted an 
invitation to deliver the oration." This cele- 
bration was attended by 400 people, many of 
them from Walla Walla. 

The old store building in Coppei was pur- 
chased by Mr. Smith in the spring of 1866, 
and moved to Waitsburg. It was located 100 
feet north of ground subsequently occupied 
by Powell's brick block. Mr. Smith stocked 
up with new goods, attaching the old build- 
ing to the rear of the store, and converting' it 
into a dwelling. Near his mill Mr. Wait 
erected a large house, increased the size of his 
mill, sold a half interest to W. G. and P. A. 
Preston, and a store was opened in a portion 
of the building. A small log hotel was built 
near the river by G. W. Cantonwine. The 
postoffice was established in 1866 with Mr. 
Smith as postmaster. Until the latter selected 
the name of Delta, the place had sailed under 
various cognomens, including Wait's Mill, 
Waitsburg and Horseshoe City. One of the 
earlier school teachers of Waitsburg, in after 
years, told as follows of his first visit to the 
place : 

I entered Waitsburg April 30, 1866, coming 
from Walla Walla in an old lumber wagon with 
one of the neighbors who had come there to trade. 
As we came in sight of the little village, L. C. 
Bond, who was in the wagon; pointing with his 
finger, said: "Do you see that white house among 
the trees over yonder? That is the school house, 
and that white one a little this way is Anderson 
Cox's house — and that is the 'burg.' " 

In the afternoon I took a stroll to see the 
"burg." I found besides the school house, and 
near by it, next to the bridge, a log house 16 x 24, 
honored with a rough sign, "Entertainment." This 
was the hotel. It had two rooms, kitchen, and 
dining room. Mr. Cantonwine was the proprietor. 
His family consisted of wife and four children. 
There was, also, a small house of two rooms be- 
longing to W. N. Smith. Nearly opposite to this 
was Mr. Smith'si store, in the upper story of which 
lived Mr. Smithfs family. Besides there was the 
Purdy house which was still unfinished. 



This was the "burg." There was a log house 
way back in Mr. Cox's field, but that was in the 
"suburbs." Across the Touchet were Mr. Wait's 
mill and house, D. Willard's unfinished house, the 
blacksmith shop and Ike Crabtree's saloon. The 
school house was the pride of the village. Its 
dimensions were 30x50 feet, well finished inside 
and out, painted white. It stood in the middle of 
what is now Main street, the door fronting the 
bridge. 

One of the principal events of 1867 was 
the construction of a bridge across the 
Touchet, which was done by the citizens. 
This structure was washed out two years later. 
The bridge was replaced twice within the 
next few years, but each time it encountered 
the fate of the first one. Not until about 1880 
was a bridge erected by the county at a cost of 
$3,000, which stood the test of high water. 

So far no effort had been made to lay out a 
townsite. Mr. Bruce had sold land in various 
quantities, but had made no effort to create a 
town upon his property. In land and money 
he had contributed liberally toward the mill, 
school, bridges, and other enterprises, but he 
did not seem particularly anxious for the es- 
tablishment of a town. But on February 23, 
1869, Mr. Bruce platted the townsite. The 
same month the plat was recorded. In 1872 a 
new survey was made, and the amended plat 
recorded. Additions have since been platted 
as follows : W. P. Bruce's addition, September 
30, 1 87 1 ; Whitcher'sl (addition, August 24, 
1878; Bruce's second addition, February 23, 
1879; Cannon's addition, February 23, 1879; 
Bruce's third addition, February 27, 1883 ; 
Small's addition, April 16, 1883; Bruce's 
fourth addition, October 20, 1883; White's 
addition, November 1, 1889; Powell's park ad- 
dition, March 26, 1892; W. G Preston's addi- 
tion October 12, 1900; Pleasant View addi- 
tion, September 18, 1902. 

In 1870 the' United States census gave 
Waitsburg a population of 109; 66 white 
males, 38 white females and five colored men. 
One year later Mr. Wait disposed of his en- 
tire interest in the flouring mill and removed 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. _ 157 



to Dayton. E. L. Powell, in 1874, entered 
into partnership with Mr. Bruce in the general 
merchandise business; later he was associated 
with the Preston Brothers. In July he became 
proprietor of the Pioneer Supply depot, which 
became the largest business enterprise in town. 
Subsequently he completed a fine brick build- 
ing; the first store erected in Waitsburg for 
that particular purpose. Anderson Cox, one 
of the most energetic pioneers of Waitsburg, 
died in March, 1872. 

In 1880 the population of Waitsburg was 
248. In the spring of the same year the town 
was visited by a blaze, in no way equal, how- 
ever, to the conflagration which ravaged the 
town on the 13th of the succeeding Septem- 
ber. While the fire in the spring caused the 
loss of two buildings, besides the carpenter 
shop in which it originated, the September fire, 
within less than three hours, destroyed, with 
their contents, 37 buildings, entailing a total 
loss of $125,000. At twelve o'clock that night, 
flames burst from the kitchen of the Pearl 
House; they had been caused by the lamp of 
a stupified Chinaman who had been smoking 
opium. With alarming rapidity spread the 
flames. With no facilities for fire fighting 
was the town provided. Buckets and wet 
blankets only were at hand ; but with these the 
flames were checked at the Hanaford House, 
which was saved. From that point to the 
Pearl House the wraith of flame had utterly 
destroyed the west side of Main street, in- 
cluding all the leading business houses of the 
town. But serious as was this disaster it by 
no means crushed out the spirit of the citizens. 
They at once began to rebuild; soon all traces 
of the disaster were obliterated; the business 
of Waitsburg was established on a firmer foot- 
ing than ever before. 

February 8, 1881, Waitsburg was incor- 
porated. This was under the act of Novem- 
ber 29, 1871. The county commissioners, in 
response to a petition, called an election for 
town officers to be held February 28th. Fol- 
lowing is the result : George W. Kellicut, 



chairman; William Fudge, Alfred Brouilet, 
M. J. Harkness and E. L. Powell, trustees. 
J. C. Smith was appointed clerk. The latter 
was succeeded by W. S. Mineer. The other 
appointees were W. H. George, marshal; J. 
W. Morgan, treasurer. Another election was 
held May 2d of the same year, resulting in the 
retention of the same officials. 

In a decision handed down by Judge Win- 
gard, in 1881, he held that only two towns in 
Washington Territory, Walla Walla and 
Seattle, were legally incorporated. Steps were 
at once taken in Waitsburg to reincorporate; 
in November mass meetings were held with the 
object of securing a charter from the Legis- 
lative Assembly then in session. A draft was 
made and presented to that body; the bill was 
passed. The officials named in the act to serve 
until their successors were elected were: Will- 
iam G. Preston, mayor; W. S. Mineer, city 
clerk and recorder; George W. Kellicut, Will- 
iam Fudge, Martin Weller, Menzo Harkness 
and • Alfred Brouilet, councilmen. Under the 
new charter the first election was held May 1, 
1882; result: G. W. Kellicut, mayor; William 
Fudge, A. L. Kinnear, P. A. Preston, D. W. 
Kaup, M. J. Harkness, councilmen. 

The limits of Waitsburg, as defined by the 
new charter, began at the northeast corner of 
section 14, ran north 160 rods; thence west 
on a line parallel with section lines 480 rods; 
thence south 240 rods; thence east 480 rods; 
thence north 80 rods to the place of beginning, 
all in township 9 north, range 37 east of 
Willamette meridian. 

In 1880 the population of Waitsburg was 
conservatively estimated at 300. The town 
contained two hotels, four saloons, four gen- 
eral stores, one furniture store, two drug 
stores, one hardware store, one variety store, 
one brewery, one harness and saddlery shop, 
two livery stables, two blacksmith shops, one 
jewelry store, one meat market, one flouring 
mill, one castor oil mill, one corn meal mill, 
Masonic Hall, postoffice, express and telegraph 
offices, depot, school house, two churches and 



i58 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



many residences. As an important business 
point, permanent and prosperous, the future of 
Waitsburg was assured. It was at the con- 
fluence of two streams ; each afforded most ex- 
cellent water privileges. By a vast extent of 
fertile, rapidly improving agricultural country 
it was surrounded, and for which it was the 
most accessible shipping point. With the 
gradual development of this adjacent pro- 
ductive territory it had kept even pace. It was 
still in pressing need of a suitable system of 
water works. 

July 7, 1 88 1, the first railway train into 
Waitsburg arrived over the Dayton branch of 
the line of the Oregon Railroad & Navigation 
Company. In an appropriate manner this 
event was celebrated by the citizens of this 
thriving town. 

Rapid progress was made by Waitsburg 
during the year 1882. It was estimated that 
during that year the town's population in- 
creased 300. Permanent improvements for the 
same period were $23,000, half of which 
amount was represented by brick business 
blocks. In 1887 the population, according to 
the census of the assessor, had reached 473. 
A most prosperous year was that of 1888. A 
number of new brick buildings were erected; 
the place emerged from a country village to a 
flourishing little city. Largely this was the 
result of constantly increasing immigration to 
the Walla Walla country during that year. 
November 30th the "Times" said : 

"During the present year, there have been 
erected in our little city twenty or more resi- 
dences and six business houses. These are all 
substantial improvements, to meet the demands 
of the place, and not the result of any boom, 
or unnatural or superficial growth. While 
such growth may appear small to many of our 
readers, we can assure them that it is very 
gratifying to the citizens of this town, and 
that we are inclined to be proud of it." 

The population had increased to 758 in 
1889. Half a dozen more substantial brick 
buildings were erected this year, costing from. 



$2,000 to $12,000 each. Within the same 
period something like fifty dwellings and other 
modern structures were built. The price of 
town lots doubled the same year. 

To go back a few years, politically, the 
election of May 7, 1883, resulted in the choice 
of W. N. Smith, mayor; P. A. Preston, Martin 
Weller, W. P. Bruce, B. F. Winkler and 

B. H. Brink, councilmen. In 1884 there were 
chosen W. S. Mineer, mayor; T. C. Taylor, 
W. P. Bruce, W. N. Smith, William Fudge 
and C. R. Hanaford, councilmen. E. L. 
Powell was elected mayor, and H. G. Shuham, 
T. H. Jessup, W. P. Bruce, William Fudge 
and L. B. Sanders, councilmen, in 1885. In 
May, 1886, P. A. Preston became mayor, and 
T. H. Jessup, J. B. Caldwell, Frank Parton, 
E. S. Burgan and J. C. Smith, councilmen; 
J. W. Morgan, treasurer. In 1887 Mr. Pres- 
ton retained the mayor's chair, Mr. Morgan 
was still treasurer and Frank Parton, J. H. 
Morrow, George Brown and E. S. Burgan, 
councilmen. The election of 1888 resulted 
in the choice of P. A. Preston for mayor, Mr. 
Morgan, treasurer, and Frank Parton, E. S. 
Burgan, J. H. Morrow, George Brown and J. 

C. Smith, councilmen. There were some 
changes in the city government of Waitsburg 
in 1889. C. N. Babcock became mayor; there 
was no displacement in the treasuryship, and 
J. H. Morrow, C. P. Jordan, T. H. Jessup, 
J. H. Hudgin and E. W. McCann served as 
councilmen. 

Late in this year the Oregon & Washington 
Territory Railway, known as the "Hunt 
Road," was completed to Waitsburg and the 
town now had two railroad lines. The effect 
of increased railway transportation facilities 
was soon felt in commercial avenues, and in 
by the United States Census Bureau as 817. 
1890 the population of the city was given in 
by the -united States Census Bureau as 817. 
The result of the April election this year 
placed S. W. Smith in the mayor's chair; J. 
W. Morgan remained as treasurer and Frank 
Parton, E. W. McCann, F. J. Boyer, J. H. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



159 



Hudgin and C. N. Babcock became council- 
men. S. W. Smith was retained as mayor in 
1 89 1 ; Hamilton Hazelhurst became treasurer, 
and P. A. Preston, E. W. McCann, W. A. 
Laidlaw, J. H. Morrow and H. C. Schuham 
were councilmen. Frank Parton became mayor 
in 1892; G. M. Rice was elected treasurer, and 
J. W. Morgan, T. H. Jessup, J. H. Morrow, 
P. A. Preston and H. G. Schuham served as 
councilmen. The spring election of 1893 
placed J. H. Morrow in the mayor's chair; G. 
M. Rice remained treasurer, and P. A. Pres- 
ton, J. B. Caldwell, L. H. Macomber, J. W. 
Morgan and W. G. Mitchell were councilmen. 

In 1893 the city of Waitsburg installed a 
system of water works at a cost of $25,000. 
For this municipal improvement agitation had 
begun so early as 1891. August 18th of that 
year a special election was held and the propo- 
sition to bond the city to that amount was 
carried six to one. However,- a flaw in the 
technicalities of the election proceedings was 
discovered, and this necessitated a temporary 
abandonment of the project for the time be- 
ing. Then followed numerous vexatious de- 
lays ; but the city authorities remained un- 
daurited; undismayed by the numerous ob- 
stacles thrown in their way they continued 
steadily on. Finally they succeeded in secur- 
ing an order for another election ; this time 
the bonding proposition carried eight to one, 
clearly demonstrating that public interest in 
the project had not flagged in the least. May 
2, 1892, all contracts were let for the con- 
struction of the system; January 11, 1893, 
water was turned on; on the 14th the system, 
or plant, was accepted by the city of Waits- 
burg. 

The result of the election of 1894 placed 
J. W. Morgan in the mayor's chair ; G. M. 
Rice still remaining treasurer. Members of 
the city council were L. H. Macomber, George 
Lloyd, D. V. Wood, W. B. Schaffer and J. E. 
Maxwell. In 1895 J- W. Morgan remained 
mayor; G. M. Rice, treasurer and the council 



was composed of L. H. Macomber, George 
Lloyd, D. V. Wood, J. E. Maxwell and VV. B. 
Schaffer. T. J. Hollowed was chosen mayor 
in 1896, Mr. Rice remaining treasurer. Coun- 
cil : J. W. Bruce, F. T. Keiser, J. F. Kirby, 
W. B. Schaffer, D. V. Wood. 

An electric lighting plant was installed in 
Waitsburg in October, 1896. The capital stock 
of the enterprise was all subscribed by local 
parties. Following is a roster of the city 
officials up to 1906: 

1897 — Mayor, D. V. Wood; treasurer, G. 
M. Rice; councilmen, T. J. Hollowed, C. F. 
Smith, S. A. Ferguson, D. W. Tyler, L. H. 
Macomber. 

-Mayor, E. W. McCann; treasurer, 



C. H. Kingman; councilmen, G. M. Lloyd, C. 
T. Smith, William Chenoweth, J. L. Harper, 
J. B. Caldwell. 

1899 — Mayor, E. W. McCann; treasurer, 
J. W. Morgan; councilmen, J. L. Harper, H. 
G. Shuham, C. B. Richardson, G. M. Lloyd, 
A. T. Dickinson. 

1900 — Mayor, J. H. Morrow;, treasurer, 
L. E. Johnson; councilmen, B. M. Kent, J. B. 
Caldwell, J. L. Harper, C. M. Taylor, W. J. 
Honeycutt. 

1901 — Mayor, T. M. McKinney ; treasurer, 
L. E. Johnson ; councilmen, R. E. Butler, 
Arthur Roberts, J. D. Laidlaw, J. A. Ingram, 
E. L. Wheeler. 

1902 — Mayor, T. M. McKinney; treas- 
urer, L. E. Johnson ; councilmen, E. L. 
Wheeler, W. B. Brooks, A. Roberts, J. A. 
Ingram, E. M. Denton. 

1903 — Mayor, E. L. Wheeler; treasurer, 
W. G. Shuham; councilmen, G. M. Lloyd, 
W. S. Guntle, S. D. Stoufer, L. E. Johnson, 
E. M. Denton. 

1904 — Mayor, C. W. Preston; treasurer, 
W. G. Shuham; councilmen, W. S. Guntle, 
S. D. Stoufer, G. M. Lloyd, E. R. Henderson, 
George Freeman. 

1905 — Mayor, D V. Wood; treasurer, W. 
G. Shuham; councilmen, Frank McCown, W. 



i6o 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



J. Earnest, M. H. Keiser, T. J. Hollowell, E. 
R. Henderson. 

WAITSBURG CHURCHES. 

Of the Methodist Episcopal denomination 
was the pioneer church of Waitsburg. By Rev. 
George M. Berry it was established. Like 
other early church organizations it held serv- 
ices in school houses for some time; in 1871 a 
handsome church edifice was erected. 

It was in the fall of 1859 that Rev. Berry 
was sent to Walla Walla by the Willamette 
District conference. Early in the following 
year he held services according to the Meth- 
odist Episcopal denomination in Waitsburg. 
Soon after this a church organization was ef- 
fected, John W. McGhee and A. T. Hard 
serving as stewards. The church prospered. 
It included, at that period, all the settlements 
within a radius of ten miles. Since then, how- 
ever, there have been formed from it organiza- 
tions at Dayton, Columbia, Coppei and Wash- 
ington school houses. In 1881 a Sunday school 
of some forty scholars was maintained under 
the superintendance of Mr. Nelson. 

In 1877 Rev. T. M. Boyd was the moving 
spring in the establishment of a Presbyterian 
church. Four miles from Waitsburg, in 
Spring Valley, a Christian church was or- 
ganized in 1876. Rev. Neil Cheatham, who 
subsequently took quite an active part in popu- 
list politics, was the first pastor. In 1880 a 
Christian church was established in Waitsburg, 
itself. Still later a United Presbyterian 
church was founded. Emphatically Waits- 
burg is a church town, and conversely, not a 
good saloon town. True, there are compara- 
tively few saloons in the city, but they are 
kept under rather more strict surveillance than 
elsewhere. There are at present four churches, 
with a large attendance, and great activity is 
manifested by each. 

FRATERNAL SOCIETIES. 

The pioneer fraternal societies of Waits- 
burg were Waitsburg Lodge, No. 16, F. & 



A. M., organized March 23, 1870; Touchet 
Lodge, No. 5, Independent Order Odd Fel- 
lows, instituted September 12, 1871 ; Pioneer 
Lodge, No. 16, Independent Order Good 
Templars, organized July 20, 1867, and Occi- 
dental Lodge, No. 46, Ancient Order United 
Workmen. These fraternal orders have devel- 
oped with equal pace with the rest of the town. 
The lodges of the Masons and Odd Fellows 
each own a fine, two-story brick building. 

Waitsburg Lodge, No. 16, F. & A. M., 
was organized March 23, 1870, under dis- 
pensation granted in February. The pioneer 
officers were S. M. Wait, W. M. ; James Tor- 
rence, S. W.; H. J. Hollingsworth, J. W.; 
Looney C. Bond, S. D. ; Anderson Cox, J. D. ; 
Samuel Ellis, T. ; Piatt A. Preston, S. ; Leroy 
Reynolds, tyler. 

Touchet Lodge, No. 5, I. O. O. F., was in- 
• stituted with the following charter members : 
M. D. F. Olds, N. G., F. A. Bingham, V. G. ; 
J. Jacobson, T. ; A. Brouilet and Wallace 
Wood. The first secretary, although not a 
charter member, was S. C. Day. In -1873 
this lodge purchased land for a cemetery. 

At the period of its organization the Good 
Templars' lodge was officered as follows : L. 
C. Bond, W. C. T. ; N. J. A. Simons, W. V. 
T.; T. J. Smith, W. S.; A. B. Bower, W. F. 
S. ; Mary Wait, W. T. ; Anderson Cox. W. 
M.; Winnie Abbott, W. D. M.; Rev. J. 
W. McGhee, W. C; Matilda Cox, W. I. G.; 
A. T. Lloyd, W. O. G.; Lissa Cox, W. 
R. H. S.; Mary Cox, W. L H. S. ; G. W. 
Cantonwine, P. W. C. T., and Robert Duncan. 

September 14, 1880, the lodge lost its hall, 
regalia and library, valued at $500, by fire. 
At that time it enjoyed a membership of one 
hundred and twelve. 

Professor W. D. Lyman wrote, in 1900: 

"Such is a general view of the pioneer life 
of Waitsburg. Having it in mind we are pre- 
pared to compare the present city with the past. 
We find, as we stroll through the pleasant 
town that it has become an exceptionally well- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



161 



built and well-equipped place of (according 
to United States census of 1900) 1,059 ^ n ~ 
habitants. We discover a $16,000 public 
school building of brick, in which seven teach- 
ers are employed, and there is an enrollment 
of 345 students. There is a high school de- 
partment in connection with the common 
school work. The school, also, possesses a 
library of over two hundred volumes and an 
excellent equipment of physical apparatus. 

"We visit Waitsburg Academy and find it 
equipped with an elegant new building, erected 
in 1899, at a cost of $20,000. The academy is 
provided with an efficient and devoted faculty. 
We discover, also, four commodious and well- 
ifurnished churches, and these organizations 
are unusually influential in Waitsburg and 
vicinity. We see, ' also, an excellent system 
of water works owned by the town, which 
derives its supply of water from Coppei creek, 
and which, being a gravity system, furnishes 
the town perfect protection against fire and a 
bountiful supply for domestic use. Telephone 
and electric lights are among the more recent 
acquisitions of Waitsburg. 

"We find in Waitsburg the following list 
of stores and other business establishments : 
Three general merchandise stores, two grocery 
stores, two hardware stores, one furniture 
store, two jewelry stores, two drug stores, two 
saloons, two newspapers, one bank, a planing 
mill, two lumber yards, one bakery, two livery 
stables, three blacksmith shops and two hotels. 
An especially attractive feature of Waits- 
burg is the profusion of flowers and trees 
throughout the town. Especially to one hav- 
ing come across the dry and treeless plains to 
the north, the freshness and luxuriance of the 
town on the Coppei presents a striking and 
attractive contrast." 

EDUCATIONAL AFFAIRS. 

A simple story, inseparably connected with 
the establishment of the United Presbyterian 
11 



church is the history of the founding of Waits- 
burg Academy. 

For the evangelization of Washington 
Territory, there was, in the early 'eighties,, 
an active movement among nearly all the 
religious bodies of the eastern states. A deep 
and lasting impression had been made on the 
popular mind by rumors of vast resources and 
genial climate. The work was considered too 
heavy for the colonists alone; church and 
school buildings should be erected, and pastors 
and teachers adequately supplied. 

Thus the United Presbyterian church in 
response to the general call for missionary 
and educational work in this region, in the 
autumn of 1884 sent out the Rev. Joseph Alter 
as general missionary to Eastern Washington. 
In organizing- church work he was successful 
in different locations ; one of these was Waits- 
burg. By appointment of the Home Mission 
Board Rev. W. G. M. Hays was sent in the 
early spring of 1886. The conviction was 
forced upon him, during the first few months 
Dr. Hays was in the field, that Waitsburg 
needed a high grade Christian school- of sec- 
ondary instruction — a grade sufficiently com- 
prehensive to afford training for the ordinary 
walk of life; to fit students for advanced col- 
legiate work. To this work Dr. Hays lent 
himself with assiduity. He says in a short 
historical article, written by himself : 

"We counseled with friends; some shook 
the head doubtfully, others of a more sanguine 
temperament said that they would like to see 
it tried, for they believed that such a school, 
properly managed, would succeed. We de- 
cided to put the matter to a practical test and 
laid our plans accordingly." 

Therefore, upon request, the Board of 
Education of the church made a preliminary 
appropriation of $600 for the first year. In 
charge of the work was Professor J. G. 
Thompson, A. B. Two hundred dollars were 
guaranteed by business men of the city. Thus 
was accumulated the nucleus of a fund. Sep- 



1 62 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



tember 14, 1886, the Waitsburg Academy 
opened its doors to the public. The first year's 
session was held in the church building-. And 
all this was without any formal organization 
of either Board of Directors or Trustees. 

This splendid effort was crowned with 
pronounced success. The infant educational 
institution was adopted by the Presbytery of 
Oregon ; later it was taken under the fostering 
care of the synod of the Columbia of the 
United Presbyterian church of North America. 
Finally it became a corporate body under 
Washington Territorial laws. The incorpor- 
ators were: Revs. Hugh F. Wallace, W. G. 
Irvine. W. A. Spalding, W. G. M. Hays, J. 
H. Niblock and Messrs. A. W. Philips, David 
Roberts, Edward F. Sox, T. J. Hollowell and 
John E. Evans. There was organized in May, 
1887, a joint stock company whose object is 
expressed in the following preamble to its 
constitution : 

"We, the citizens of Waitsburg and vicin- 
ity hereby form ourselves into a joint stock 
company for the purpose of erecting an 
academy building, assisting in the maintenance 
of the school for three years, beginning Sep- 
tember 1, 1887, and effecting an organization 
with the United Presbyterian church of North 
America for the permanent establishment of 
said academy." 

Nearly six thousand dollars were raised 
by this company, four thousand dollars of 
which were used in the erection of a frame 
building; the remainder was expended for the 
support of the school during the three follow- 
ing years. An endowment fund equivalent to 
the sum raised by the citizens for the erection 
of a building Dr. Hays undertook to secure. 
At the instance of the presbytery of Oregon 
Rev. W. R. Stevenson was, in the autumn of 
1889, sent east, where he succeeded in raising 
the endowment to four thousand dollars. Miss 
Ina Robertson was principal of the academy 
in 1892. That year she, also, journeyed east- 



ward and secured the remaining one thousand 
dollars, together with six hundred dollars for 
the improvement of the building. Again this 
resolute lady went east in 1894, and raised 
funds necessary for the erection of the new- 
building. This structure is of brick, com- 
modious and entirely suitable for the work of 
the school. In the closing months of 1896 
this building was completed. 

Under the following heads, or courses, the 
work done by this academy is grouped : 
Academic, normal, business, preparatory and 
music. Complete in itself is each of these 
courses and eminently practical. Of any of 
these courses the time required for completing 
them varies from two to four years, dependent 
upon the course, previous schooling and 
natural ability of the student. The highest 
course is the academic; upon its completion 
the graduate receives a diploma. 

The class of 1890 was the first to be grad- 
uated from the academic department. It com- 
prised Misses Mary A. Dixon, Anna Flinn, 
Emma McKinney and Mr. Robert Jones. The 
following decade it graduated from this course, 
including the class of 1901, a total of thirty- 
two. It should be remembered that this does 
not include graduates from other departments. 
In all principal walks of life are found these 
graduates — business, medicine, law, teaching, 
the ministry and the army — many of them 
having completed a course at some higher or 
more technical school. Following is a list of 
the principals, with their respective terms of 
service up to 1901 : J. Given Thompson, A. B., 
1886-1889; T. M. McKinney, A. B., 1889-90; 
W. G. M. Hays, A. M., 1890-91; Ina F. 
Robertson, B. S., 1891-94; Rev. J. A. Keener 
was principal subsequent to 1894 

Two generous friends in the east who ma- 
terially assisted in this work should not he 
forgotten; they are Mr. James Law, Shushan, 
New York, and his sister, Miss Mary Law. 
The energy, faith and enthusiasm of Dr. Hays 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY 



163 



and Miss Ina Robertson will long be remem- 
bered by the people of Waitsburg in connec- 
tion with this truly commendable work. 

Friday, June 2.2, 1900, the "Waitsburg 
Times" published an article concerning this 
thriving city from which we take the follow- 
ing excerpts : 

A mistaken idea prevails that society in the 
northwest is different from what it is in older 
commonwealths of the country. This was partly 
true in days gone by, but happily it is no longer 
the case, only in the particular that it is only 
those of an enterprising turn of mind who seek 
homes in a new country; consequently the general 
spirit of the new west is more active and liberal 
than the staid old commonwealths of the east. 

Most of the people who have settled in Waits- 
burg, and none of whom are idle of necessity, 
came here after they had attained mature growth 
and the habits of life and thought become fixed. 
Many of those now here came from the older east 
and northeast, and they brought with them col- 
lege educations, and eastern culture, and they 
have lost nothing unless it be the narrow pride of 
section, which arises from a lack of knowledge of 
what lies beyond the narrow limits of that sec- 



tion in which they were born and reared. They, 
in conjunction with the sons and daughters of the 
pioneers, have established schools and churches 
and social relations. In no section are these want- 
ing in number or inferior in quality to similar 
sections of the east. The churches of the city, 
four in number, embrace as many denominations. 
They are Christian, Methodist, First Presbyterian 
and United Presbyterian. All of them own well- 
appointed, spacious houses of worship. The ma- 
jority of the people of Waitsburg are church-goers 
and the churches are strong, vigorous, healthy 
societies. They compare favorably with similar 
bodies in any city of equal size in other states. 
The stranger within our gates may worship ac- 
cording to the dictates of his own conscience and 
find himself in company with those of his own be- 
lief. 

An estimate of the population of Waits- 
burg in 1905 is 1,600. Such are the figures 
furnished by the statistician of the secretary 
of state's office, and this estimate is based on 
the school census. This would indicate an in 
crease of over fifty per cent within half a 
decade, the city having had a population of 
1,011 in 1900. 



CHAPTER VIII 



OTHER TOWNS. 



WALLULA. 

This is an euphonious, musical name, 
Wallula. Though of a different Indian dialect, 
its signification is the same as Walla Walla, 
"an abundance of water." Originally Wallula 
was one of the nine forts established or ac- 
quired by the English fur companies at various 
points throughout their extensive domain. It 
was founded by the Northwest Fur Company. 
With due regard to their commercial and 
strategic importance they were established, as 
an examination of a map will readily reveal. 
Vancouver, Okanogan, Colville, Kootenai, 
Walla Walla, Boise, Umpqua, Nisqually and 



Hall comprised the entire list of these forts 
in what was then Oregon Territory. 

At first Fort Walla Walla was called Fort 
Nez Perce. Peter Skeen Ogden established it 
in 1 8 18. Of the Northwest Fur Company he 
was a member at that time ; after the union of 
that organization with the Hudson's Bay Com- 
pany he became, and for many years continued 
to be, the chief factor of the company in this 
part of their territory. From its inception the 
immediate vicinity of Fort Walla Walla ap- 
pears to have been the scene, periodically, of 
war, turbulence and general disorder. On the 
bank of the river, near the house formerly 
occupied by Joseph Merchant, the original fort 



1 64 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



was built. Up to within a few years some of 
the remains of the buildings existed ; the dis- 
astrous flood of 1894 carried them away. Im- 
portant at one period as a halting place for 
freighters, it never obtained prominence as a 
trading point. It was, however, important as 
a position of defense against Indians. About 
an acre of land, enclosed by pickets, with a 
platform inside from which all approaches 
could be commanded comprised the original 
fortification. Bastions were constructed at the 
northeast and southwest corners. On these 
were mounted small cannon. 

There were four buildings within this en- 
closure. They were one story in height, made 
of logs and adobe bricks. A dairy farm of 
about twenty acres, twenty miles up the Walla 
Walla river, afforded subsistence for the garri- 
son of the fort. This was in the region now 
known from that farm, as Hudson's Bay. 

The Indians of the Walla Walla tribe at- 
tacked Mr. Ogden and his men soon after the 
establishment of Fort Walla Walla. The little 
garrison was compelled to retreat to an island 
in the Columbia river nearly opposite. Here 
they made a stand, routed the savages and 
after this for an extended period there were 
no farther attempts made upon the fort. Sub- 
sequently this fort was the scene of many sen- 
sational events and thrilling adventures. 

In 1834 old Fort Walla Walla was visited 
by Captain Bonneville and Nathaniel J. 
Weyth. Under. the joint occupancy treaty of 
1818, between England and the United States, 
Americans as well as Englishmen were per- 
mitted to visit the fort. But the Americans 
were not so well treated. While Agent P. C. 
Pambrun, at the fort, received Booneville with 
formal courtesy, he refused to sell him pro- 
visions with which to equip his party for 
further exploration. But exploration was just 
what the Hudson's Bay people dreaded. The 
advance guard of American missionaries came 
later in the same year. They were Jason Lee, 
Daniel Lee, Cyrus Shepherd and P. L. Ed- 



wards. Dr. Samuel Parker came the follow- 
ing year, and in 1836 the fort was visited by 
Dr. Marcus Whitman and Rev. H. H. Spald- 
ing, accompanied by their wives. They were 
all treated with the same formal courtesy ac- 
corded Booneville; but it was also against the 
policy of the monopolistic fur company to en- 
courage either missionaries, traders or ex- 
plorers; the Hudson's Bay Company were as 
afraid of competition as a modern trust of 
the year of our Lord, 1905, or if not competi- 
tion, interference with their peculiar business 
operations of swindling the Indians out of 
their furs and peltries. 

June 15, 1846, the treaty between England 
and the United States was ratified ; Oregon 
became the territory of the latter, and all 
Washington was then Oregon. Until such 
time as they could make a safe disposition of 
their property the Hudson's Bay Company was 
permitted to retain possession of Fort Walla 
Walla ; in fact, all the forts then occupied by 
them. It was six years after the Whitman 
massacre before the company evacuated Fort 
Walla Walla, in 1853. Until the beginning of 
settlement in 1 860-1 the old fort remained dis- 
mantled and in the midst of a desert. 

Then it began to be known as Wallula.. 
The Columbia river steamers landed there. 
In 1 86 1 the Oregon Steam Navigation Com- 
pany's boats made regular trips to Wallula. 
Lines of stages made runs from there to Walla 
Walla in 1862. The town of Wallula was 
platted in 1862 by J. M. Vansyckle and S. W. 
Tatem. Three days later the plat was recorded 
in the auditor's office. Of 35 blocks lying - 
along the Columbia river on the site of the 
Hudson's Bay Company's old fort the townsite 
consisted. The streets running north and 
south were First, Second, Third, Fourth and 
Fifth; those trending east and west were 
named in honor of men prominent in history- 
making periods of Walla Walla county. They 
were Mullan, Steptoe, Ross, McKinley, Wright 
and Stevens streets, and Fort Avenue. The 






HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



165 



new town was surveyed by W. W. Johnson. 

In the dedication of these different streets 
to the public use by Messrs. Vansyckle and 
Tatem, the condition of old Fort Walla Walla 
is hinted at. One sentence of the dedication 
reads : 

"And we, the said grantors and donors, 
aforesaid, reserve the original improvements 
in houses and fort walls and bastions now- 
jutting out into different streets, and they are 
to remain as long as they will stand, or until 
we, our heirs, executors, administrators or as- 
signs may remove them at their pleasure, but 
not removable by any other authority." 

At that period Mr. Vansyckle had a ferry 
in operation at this point across the Columbia 
river. Another townsite covering 38 blocks 
was laid out the same year by W. W. John- 
son. That Wallula would eventually become a 
great tity many believed at that time; it never 
became much more than a transfer point. The 
cold truth is Wallula was at no time the most 
attractive place in the world, with its burning- 
heat and drifting sand; at times during its 
early history its inhabitants had the reputation 
of being about as hard as the natural features 
of the locality. 

The Walla Walla & Columbia River Rail- 
road was begun in 1872; in 1875 large quanti- 
ties of freight began to pass by this road from 
Walla Walla to Wallula to be shipped down 
the Columbia. In 1882 the junction of the 
Northern Pacific and the Oregon Railroad & 
Navigation line became an important event in 
Wallula' s history. In 1880 the population of 
the town was 142. Still another event in the 
history of this town was the building of the 
cut-off line of the Oregon Railroad & Naviga- 
tion Company up the Snake river to Riparia ; 
it is over this line that the main business of 
the railroad now passes. 

Like a barren desert is the appearance of 
the country around Wallula; but when irri- 
gated it is of an exceedingly fertile character 
and susceptible of high cultivation. In the en- 



tire state no finer peaches are raised than those 
from a fruit ranch at the mouth of the Walla 
Walla river. Twenty miles above Wallula is a 
vineyard from which were gathered grapes 
that won the first prize at the Chicago World's 
Fair in 1893. The population of Wallula in 
1890 was given as 518. Of Wallula Professor 
W. D. Lyman has recently written : 

"But from this Van Winkle sleep it has 
sprung again to the beginnings of a new life 
by the recent inauguration of irrigation 
projects. One who has been the transforming 
and regenerating power of water cannot doubt 
that the drifting sands around the historic site 
of Wallula will sometime bud and blossom like 
the rose; in fact, that the whole of the sage- 
brush and sand desert along the lordly Colum- 
bia will become one of the garden spots of the 
state. The new town of Two Rivers, seven 
miles from Wallula, is laid out in the midst 
of a great plain to which water is being 
brought at this writing, and is in itself in the 
midst of the bustling activity which always 
marks the birth of a new Western town. We 
may be sure that 9k! Wallula, after all its ris- 
ings and fallings, will, whenever it rises again, 
stay 'riz.' " 

New Wallula was platted March 8, 1887, 
by W. S. Mendenhall. The site consisted of 
20 blocks. Wallula Junction was platted by 
Louis McMorris, November 3, 1883. Novem- 
ber 10th, of the same year, John Doak platted 
an addition, and on the 27th C. P. Chamber- 
lain platted another. March 24, 1884, A. E. 
Reid platted an addition, and Doak's second 
addition was platted January 11, 1886. 
Lyons' addition, by Edward Lyons, was 
platted January 4, 1888, and the same year, 
April 14th, Reid's second addition was platted 
by A. E. Reid. Edward Lyons platted a sec- 
ond addition October 1st, of the same year, 
and the Riverside addition was platted May 
17, 1889. by George F. Savage. May 21st 
of this same year J. H. Reid platted another 
addition. 



1 66 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



TOUCHET. 

This town lies at the junction of the 
Touchet and Walla Walla rivers, in a fertile 
section of country. Entirely the result of irri- 
gation is its recent development ; of fine quality 
is the surrounding soil ; only water is needed to 
make it productive. Two weeks earlier than 
at Walla Walla fruits and vegetables mature. 
There are here a number of school houses, 
stores and shops. Messrs. A. and John Zar- 
ing, Woodson, Janies and Will Cummings, 
and Messrs. Gardner, Burnap and Cunning- 
ham are among the energetic men who have 
done much in the way of upbuilding Touchet. 

The town was platted by John M. Hill, 
April 12, 1884. The original site consisted of 
five blocks only. The streets, east and west 
were Main, First and Second ; those north and 
south. Willow, Birch, Balm and Maple. 
Hanson's addition was platted by H. H. 
Hanson, Eva Williams, C. M. Long, Wood- 
son and Jermima Cummings, March 10, 1904. 

PRESCOTT. 

This thrifty, busy little town lies eighteen 
miles north of Walla Walla. Two churches, 
a large flouring mill, a fine school with four 
teachers and about 150 pupils, three stores and 
about 500 well-to-do, intelligent people, with 
pleasant and attractive homes, comprise this 
community. 

In 1882 Prescott was founded. This was 
at the period of the extension of the Oregon 
Railroad & Navigation Company's line from 
Walla Walla northward. The town was 
platted May 12th of that year, by the Oregon 
Improvement Company, of which J. N. Dolph 
was president and Joseph Simon assistant 
secretary. May 15th the plat was filed with 
the county auditor. The town is situated on 
section 33, township 10 north, range 36 east. 
The original plat consisted of 45 blocks. Addi- 
tions since have been Buck's addition, by 



Charles F. Buck, December 20, 1882; Fair- 
view addition, by C. F. Buck, April 14, 1893; 
Paine's addition, by F. W. Paine, April 26, 
1883, and the Oregon Improvement Com- 
pany's first addition, June 11, 1883. In 
1890 the population of Prescott was given 
by the United States census as 313. 

This townsite was first occupied, in 1859, 
by Rev. H. H. Spalding. Until 1862 he lived 
here ; then he went to Lapwai as Indian agent. 
In the history of Prescott the most prominent 
event was the erection, in 1883, by H. P. 
Isaacs, of the great North Pacific Fouring 
Mills, at that period the most extensive in the 
state. 

A well-built and attractive village is Pres- 
cott. The mercantile establishment here trans- 
act a business entirely disproportionate to the 
size of the town, for the surrounding country 
is prosperous, fairly well settled, and its trade 
is quite heavy. A source of pride to the peo- 
ple of Prescott are the schools of that place. 
The town is well supplied with churches of 
various denominations, hotels, livery stables, 
stores and shops. 

DIXIE. 

Herman L. Actor was the first settler in 
Dixie. At this point he located a homestead. 
The following incident gives the derivation of 
the name of the town. In the emigrant train 
with which they crossed the plains were three 
brothers, Kershaw, by name. They had won 
their way to considerable celebrity as music- 
ians. Among the people of that particular emi- 
grant train, "Dixie" was the favorite song. 
The Kershaw brothers vocalized this popuhr 
Southern melody almost every evening, to the 
great edification and gratification of the immi- 
grants. Soon the Kershaw brothers became 
known as .the "Dixie Boys." In the immediate 
vicinity of where Dixie now is the Kershaws 
located; the crossing of the creek was first 
known as Dixie Crossing ; the first school 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



167 



building was called Dixie school house; Dixie 
cemetery followed; a postoffice named Dixie 
was established, until at last Dr. Baker's rail- 
road stopped at Dixie Station, and the evolu- 
tion of the town of Dixie was complete. 

The village lies in a hollow, on the pictur- 
esque Dry Creek, with high, rolling prairies 
rising rather abruptly two or three hundred 
feet above. This lofty prairie is quite fertile 
and, located as it is, close to the Blue Moun- 
tains, the rainfall is plentiful. The productive 
capacity, as a result, is of the highest order. 
A typical American farming village is Dixie, 
as it was originally a genuine American 
frontier village, true to the ideal of an early 
establishment of schools, churches, postoffice 
and other elements of an American community. 
Messrs. Granville, Gholson, W. H. Robbins, 
Bailey, Hamilton and Hastings were among 
the pioneer preachersi John Ross was the first 
school teacher. In 1901 the corps of teachers 
comprised J. E. Myers, Elmer Chase and Mrs. 
F. B. Faris. The various fraternal societies 



are well represented in Dixie, the Odd Fellows 
being the leading organization. In 1901 the 
population of the town was 250, and at the 
present writing it is considerable more than 
that. 

OTHER TOWNS AND STATIONS. 

The town of Pleasant View was platted 
by W. C. Painter, November 26, 1894. It con- 
tained three blocks only. It is the northern 
terminus of the Washington & Columbia River 
Railroad, and one of the notable shipping 
points for grain. It is located in that famous 
wheat district known as Eureka Flat. In this 
vicinity the most important stations are 
Eureka Junction, Clyde and Pleasant View. 
The former place was platted June 7th, 1904, 
by Mrs. A. B. Blanchard. April 5, 1905, 
Gardina was platted by the Walla Walla Irri- 
gation Company, and it is the latest townsite 
in Walla Walla county. 



CHAPTER IX 



DESCRIPTIVE. 



Included in the descriptive chapters of 
Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, 
component sections of this work, will be found 
carefully compiled analyses of soil, climate, 
topography, geology and precipitation. It is 
sufficient to state that in the main these descrip- 
tions apply equally to the county of Walla 
Walla. Yet the "Valley of Waters" certainly 
possesses other distinguishing features, and it 
is with these that we shall here concern our- 
selves, for there is more of the "infinite 
variety" in Walla Walla valley than in the 
Other localities mentioned, It should be noted, 



however, that in regard to climate the region 
of this valley is slightly warmer, being at a 
less altitude, than that of the three counties 
mentioned, the annual precipitation about the 
same. The city of Walla Walla is one 
of the oldest pioneer points in the state. 
From this ancient social and business cen- 
ter havd radiated an innumierable (variety 
of industries. Year by year agricultural en- 
terprises have been pushed ahead, like the en- 
croaching wavelets of an incoming tide, until 
now the entire valley is covered with broad, 
fertile and well-cultivated ranches, devoted to 




1 68 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



wheat, stock, fruit, hay and a goodly num- 
ber of specialties in the line of general hus- 
bandry. 

There are other localities in the state of 
Washington that advance the claim of being 
the "bread-basket" of the Pacific Northwest — 
if not the world. 'Tis well. Local pride and 
local patriotism may condone all such exuber- 
ance. But the Walla Walla valley, after all 
other sections have been exploited, may justly, 
and without fear of reasonable contradiction, 
lay claim to being the garden spot of the Inland 
Empire. Indeed, its fame may be traced back 
into darker ages of tradition and legendary 
story. The following romantic tale of the 
long ago, fabulous in conception, yet the acme 
of brilliant imagination, naively relating in 
metaphor and hyperbole how this county be- 
came the most beautiful and fertile in the state, 
was published in a special edition of the Walla 
Walla "Statesman," March 4, 1899: 

"Once, long ago, when the world was 
young and Dame Nature still in her 'teens, 
there was a beautiful lake. Brightly its blue 
waters gleamed in the sunlight, or moved 
responsive to the wooing of the winds. Above 
its shining surface circled the eagles and from 
out its wooded shores the swarthy savage 
pushed his bark canoe. About it, held close 
by strong encircling arms, stood the mountains, 
stern, unyielding, eternal. 

"Long had the lake been captive here. 
Vainly had it beat against the rock for liberty, 
now in anger, now in soft entreaty. The 
mountain heard in stony silence the pleading at 
his feet. 

"For many years the lake in patience 
waited. The sun kissed it, the winds caressed 
it, yet always did it long for freedom. One 
day the mountain's vigilance relaxed; a tiny 
rift appeared within the rock and silently the 
lake crept through; all the night so softly did 
it flee, the mountain did not know, but kept 
watch in peace until dawn revealed his deso- 
lation, 



"Great was the lamentation; seamed and 
seared with grief, the mountain gazed upon 
the naked valley upon whose bosom so late 
the lake had slept. Slowly great rivulets of 
tears rolled down the rugged face. One by 
one in pitying silence the valley gathered them 
upon its bosom, until the time should be the 
mountain might forget his grief and find com- 
fort in its beauty. 

"As the years went on the valley grew so 
fair with the shining waters, worn like jewels 
on its breast, that day by day in the heart 
of the mountain the memory of the past grew 
dim, until at last the image of the lake was 
lost. Gladness spread over the face of the 
mountain; joy reigned in the heart of the val- 
ley. Then, was the land of many waters fair 
as the day to look upon." 

Much has been written about the Walla 
Walla country and but little in the line of ex- 
aggeration. Certainly, the most optimistic 
prognosticator of years agone fell far short of 
the possibilities, yes even the actualities of 
Walla Walla county. The name, itself, is 
world-wide. Travelers in England, Italy, 
China, Japan, South America, Africa, Alaska, 
Philippine Islands and British Columbia re- 
port the name of Walla Walla on many a pile 
of flour sacks, and one traveler asserts that 
he saw a Filipino belle adorned in garments 
advertising in glaring letters that they once 
held flour from the Preston Mill of Waitsburg, 
Washington. 

Many wonderful valleys there are in the 
world, famous for features and conditions, and 
the names of them are known among all civil- 
ized peoples. . But in all that contributes to 
the beautiful the picturesque and the practical, 
none exceeds the varied attractions of Walla 
Walla county in all that gots to make up 
natural beauty and natural wealth. Its possi- 
bilities are illimitable, practically, because it 
is an empire in itself. 

Not prepossessing is the direct approach to 
this valley from the west, That road is lined 






HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



169 



with sand dunes similar to those abutting on 
an ocean beach. The most enthusiastic pilgrim 
might experience a certain sense of oppression 
while drifting onward and eastward. But like 
Christian in Bunyan's "Progress," wearily- 
winning his way through the Slough of 
Despond, let him press forward. Far behind 
him stretch away the miles of sand and, be- 
hold ! before him lies the promise of fairer 
things. Enthusiasm again lifts up his heart 
and he enters the valley with mounting spirits, 
to find a wealth of satisfaction in the unfolding 
beauty and fertility of the Walla Walla valley. 

As an agricultural center the fame of this 
region has been justly won. Unparalleled any- 
where in the United States is its record of the 
production of wheat and other cereals. The 
plains of the Dakotas must be relegated to 
second place compared with the wheat yields 
of the Walla Walla valley. Annually millions 
of bushels of this standard cereal are sacked 
from the fields and sent humming onward to 
the Coast — to the Orient ; scattered throughout 
the bread-eating world. It is slightly em- 
barrassing to describe to eastern people the 
profusion of these acreage yields. One's 
A'eracity remains under a cloud ever after. An 
average of twenty-five bushels to the acre is 
a modest figure. But this is an average, re- 
member. Raise this twenty bushels higher, 
and then you have not reached the record yield 
in the valley of the Walla Walla. 

Equally well grow other cereals. Immense 
yields of oats, rye, barley and buckwheat are 
annually garnered. Barring the strictly tropi- 
cal products all species of vegetation grow 
luxuriantly here. For the successful cultiva- 
tion of corn the climate of Washington is not 
adapted. Too cool are the nights, with an 
absence of humidity- True, a few farmers 
raise it, although it is a treacherous crop, in 
the main, but some of the finest varieties of 
sweet corn are successfully grown; yet among 
the great diversity of crops in this county corn 
plays a decidedly small role. 



But how with grasses? With admirable 
success all kinds are raised. The largest yields, 
of course, are from the alfalfa meadows. Two 
and three crops may annually be cut; in rare 
instances, four. From two to three tons per 
acre yield clover and timothy. There are native 
grasses in profusion. 

The southern states boast of their "winter 
gardens," in which different varieties of the 
hardier truck are grown. But here vegetables 
appear to grow all the year round for never 
are the local markets without a supply of 
"green stuff." Here vegetables mature early. 
Radishes, lettuce, cauliflower, asparagus and 
all the green grocer's stock of edibles are 
marketable cmite early in the season. The 
truck gardner clears good, fat profits. 

In 1893 Julian Hawthorne and Colonel G. 
Douglas. Brewerton published a history of 
Washington. The following excerpt from that 
work is worthy of reproduction : 

Walla Walla county, still Indian, and, alas, but 
too suggestive, as we turn the pages of Washing- 
ton's blood-stained history, of the warwhoop and 
the scalping-knife, comes next under our review. 
Its Astoria, Walla Walla and Vancouver are house- 
hold words in the story of territorial strife and 
struggle and indellibly associated with the darkest 
of her early days. They are to the natives of 
Washington "to the manner born" what the Tower 
of London is to the Englishman — the repository 
of dreadful deeds and by-gone sorrows — for we 
make history more rapidly in our days than in 
those vaunted "good old times." As we breathe 
the name, the syllables of Walla Walla trip glid- 
ingly over the tongue with the musical step of 
many another Indian appellation, as, for instance, 
Minnehaha; it is appropriate, withal, for as the 
latter means "laughing water," so Walla Walla 
signifies "valley of waters," which is even better 
for we have seen Minnehaha in the arid season 
when it laughed not at all. It is derived from 
"Walatsa," meaning "running," — for it carries 
both the interpretations — but this is the less mel- 
lifluous Nez Perce, the Walla Walla or Wallula 
meaning the same thing, being taken from the 
language of the tribe whose name it bears — the 
Walla Wallas. This region is, indeed, well named 
the "valley of waters." From whence, we wonder, 
does the "Siwash" get his poetical inspiration, for 
it would oftimes puzzle the paleface to better 



170 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



either the beauty or appropriateness of his nomen- 
clature. It can not be inherent, still less inherited. 
It is, we fancy, unconsciously absorbed from the 
surroundings (natural, we mean, not artificial) of 
his everyday life. However he gets it, it may not 
be denied that the divine afflatus is held in most 
repulsive vessels, the filthy, unwashed jar of the 
red man's human clay. Of a surety poor Pegasus 
was never prisoned in a filthier stall. 



The area of Walla Walla county is 1,277 
square miles. The valley proper is a large belt 
of agricultural land lying south of Snake river 
and extending across the Oregon line on the 
south. It comprises the valley lands, the 
Eureka Flat country, a lofty plateau where 
wheat grows as naturally as weeds, the upper 
or foothill lands near the mountains and all 
of the lower bottom lands, used mostly for 
gardening. A concise description of the val- 
ley as it is today is a vast belt of rich land 
producing millions of bushels of wheat and 
barley and hundreds of car-loads of fruit and 
vegetables annually, capable of maintaining a 
population of a million souls. 

The United States census of 1890 gave 
Walla Walla county a population of 12,224; 
the census of 1900 allowed it 18,680. It has 
now about 24,000. The climate partakes of 
the same general features as the rest of the 
Inland Empire; it has a higher average tem- 
perature, less snow and earlier seasons than 
any other portion of the state with the excep- 
tion of those other parts that immediately 
border the Snake and Columbia rivers. The 
average annual rainfall is 16.77 inches. The 
average number of days with rain or snow is 
116 annually. January is the coldest month 
with a mean of 32 degrees; August the 
warmest with a mean of 72 degrees. Oc- 
casionally it is quite hot, the thermometer hav- 
ing a record of 1 1.3 degrees in the shade ; 
nights are invariably cool; the number of ex- 
tremely warm days comparatively few. Farm- 
ers plow until Christmastide ; crops are sown 
in the fall of the year. By March usually, 
often as early as February, work is again re- 



sumed, and from then on there is mild, de- 
lightful weather with occasional rains. For 
a month or two, or possibly three, the weather 
is warm and rains do not prevail. Owing to 
dust — not sand — but a superabundance of the 
most fertile and arable soil on earth — travel- 
ing is a bit disagreeable and discomforting. 
But where may be found a climate with utter 
absence of defect? 

In the line of recapitulation Walla Walla 
county derives its wealth from the ground. 
We are told that the original empire of Walla 
Walla was recognized as a garden spot even 
long before some other regions where the soil 
was equally good, were deemed desirable. It 
is said to produce more money's worth of 
grown products than any other county in the 
state. It is exceedingly well watered, being 
bounded on the north and west by Snake and 
Columbia rivers. The southern boundary is 
irrigated by the Walla Walla and tributary 
streams. The southern boundary of the county 
is Oregon; Columbia county bounds it on the 
east. The foothills of the Blue Mountain spur 
impinge on the southeastern corner of the 
county. 

As apropos to our attempt to present 
a comparatively lucid description of Walla 
Walla county, and her infinite resources, we 
reproduce the following tribute to "the beauti- 
ful Walla Walla valley" from the Inland Em- 
pire of August, 1900: 

When the unerring hand of nature made the 
fertile hills and beautiful valleys which comprise 
the territory now known as the Walla Walla val- 
ley, and the All-Seeing eye looked upon them and 
said they were good, nothing short of infinite wis- 
dom could have made an attempt at telling any- 
thing of the greatness and value to the world 
which future generations would bring to the seem- 
ingly insignificant part of creation, and, even 
today when we look out upon a well-developed 
country, when we see thousands of happy homes 
and prosperous farmers and business men, when 
we behold about us a rising generation of patriotic 
and energetic young people, and looking toward 
the setting sun we note the opening of a new era 
of expansion in commerce and- new avenues of 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



171 



industry, we have as little real idea of how future 
years will develop it as had our ancestors of hun- 
dreds of years ago. The past we have seen and 
heard of; the future is all hidden in mystery and 
expectation. 

Centuries passed and man in all his wisdom 
and enterprising exploration passed from the 
banks of Plymouth Rock to the westward across 
a country peopled by wild men, enduring all the 
hardships of pioneer experience, before the hand of 
fortune pointed the way to the section of country 
of which we speak, and almost discouraged with 
the wilds of the west, the early pioneer could not 
make up his mind to cast his lot in so lonely a 
place. But when once he had tested nature and 
found the fertility of the soil, the abundant sup- 
ply of pure and wholesome water, the balmy cli- 
mate and beautiful natural surroundings, he 
changed his mind and remained for a season. Im- 
bued with the fact that he had made no mistake, 
at the end of the year the sturdy pioneer found 
himself more content and the future looked 
brighter and more promising. Others of like 
sturdy nature came and made friends with him, 

and behold the change! Where but yesterday 

was a vast expanse of hills and valleys, unproduc- 
tive and worthless, today are seen the foundations 
of homes, of firesides and of fortunes. 

The constant and untiring tread of progress 
was westward and northward. Yet nature had so 
far set apart from the other portion of the country 
the little valley that it was not found as readily 
as some other places, and when found was more 
isolated and difficult of approach. Surounded by 
high mountain ranges, traversed by rivers, which, 
with the means at hand, could not be crossed, the 
valley was so set apart that its neighbors were be- 
yond the mountains and must be ever so. Rugged 
natural conditions made the construction of high- 
ways and railroads a difficult matter, and at first 
the progress of the new country was slow and 
made under great tribulation. But the people 
came, they saw, they conquered. 

Fifty years ago a band of sturdy soldiers 
pitched their tents where today is the city of 
Walla Walla. They were sent by the government 
to protect the few white inhabitants from the in- 
cursions of the Indians, who abounded in all parts 
of the valley. These soldiers were good judges of 
conditions, and when they found an ideal camp- 
ing spot there they stopped and waited. The gov- 
ernment ordered erected a garrison, and soon the 
busy mechanic was placing together the rough 
timbers which were to constitute the first Fort 
Walla Walla. The signs of life brought to the 
place by the new order of things induced men of 
enterprise and foresight to come and establish 
themselves in the trade they saw in the new terri- 
tory. Men came and began to build a city. Year 



after year they worked, and each recurring twelve- 
month made great improvements in conditions and 
business. The little band of pioneers was strength- 
ened and it grew into a community. The com- 
munity became a village, and the village developed 
into a town. Then the town became the leading 
trading place in the whole section of country from 
which it drew its business, and for hundreds of 
miles the name of Walla Walla meant the hub of 
commerce to the people as fully as New York does 
to us of this generation. 

Success always brings decadence or lethargy in 
its wake. And for years after success had come to 
Walla Walla the tinge of lethargy fastened itself 
upon the community, and it ceased to grow and 
expand as it had in days past. Then a new era 
of progress and development came, and of that we 
of today know about all there is to be told. New 
life was infused into the city and growth took the 
place of dormant energies. New People came and 
made new homes, new industries took the places 
then vacant. After a few ye,ars of this energetic 
development we have the Walla Walla of today. 

Great-hearted nature has done a great deal for 
the places which man has tried to build up. In 
fact, nature always lays the foundation and man 
comes along and erects the superstructure. New 
York was given a harbor, New Orleans a great 
river opening to the gulf, San Francisco was given 
the Golden Gate to the Pacific, Seattle and Tacoma 
were presented with a Pudget Sound, Spokane, the 
queen of the northwest, was tendered by nature 
a wonderful cataract, yet Walla Walla was not 
neglected. The gifts were not parceled out parsi- 
moniously, yet in the distribution Walla Walla 
was given her share. No spot in all the broad 
land, no city within the borders of our country 
has received from a kind nature more smiles than 
has our city. Surrounded by a most fertile sec- 
tion of country, stretching scores of miles in every 
direction, at the confluence of sparkling mountain 
streams affording a bountiful supply of water for 
domestic, irrigation and industrial purposes, the 
location is ideal. The Blue mountains frown down 
upon the city in grim sturdiness, reminding one 
of the great sturdy men and women who have 
taken such an active part in the progress and de- 
velopment of the valley. With mountain and 
stream, the rugged hills and pleasant valleys pre- 
sent a landscape which for real beauty and pictur- 
esqueness of effect is rarely equalled and never 
excelled. 



With the passing years the lack of fruit 
was in the nature of a hardship to the early- 
settler in the valley. In the current chapters 
of this work we have traced the progress of 



172 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



this industry from the time Rev. H. H. Spald- 
ing and Red Wolf, the Nez Perce chief, made 
the initial attempt at orcharding. But years 
subsequent to this Walla Walla county people 
were anxiously considering' the possibilities of 
orchards and looking forward with fond an- 
ticipation to the day when they could pluck, 
on their own ranches, the lucious peach and 
the "big red apple." Limited was the market; 
the territory which could be drawn on neces- 
sarily circumscribed. Small encouragement 
for the ardent desciple of Pomona. But 
orchards were planted ; from them has sprung 
the vast horticultural interests of this section 
of today. Extensive orchards have replaced 
small and scattered tracts of fruit trees; hun- 
dreds of acres of land and scores of men and 
boys are employed in the production and pack- 
ing of fruits for markets which have now 
widened until the supply falls far short of the 
demand. Yearly hundreds of carloads of 
fruits and berries are shipped to many points 
in Washington and to Idaho, Montana and 
British Columbia. One of the largest fruit 
farms west of the Missouri and outside of 
California, is the Blalock ranch, two miles 
west of Walla Walla; within its scope is the 
most productive tract in the county. In 19^4 
three hundred carloads of fruit and vegetables, 
one hundred of alfalfa, twenty tons of jelly, 
one hundred and eighty barrels of cider, six- 
teen hundred cases of honey, aside from a 
large number of cattle and hogs were shipped 
from this vast Pandora's box of general agri- 
culture. In the volcanic soil of Walla Walla 
county there exists the right proportions of 
chemical elements to make its adaptability to 
fruit culture perfect. And the right amount 
of the right kind of moisture, absorbed by 
the rootlets, imparts a most lucious flavor to 
the fruits and just the right quantity of sun- 
shine serves as a natural pigment to paint the 
fruit in brilliant scarlet or golden yellow. 
During the year 1904 it is claimed that Walla 
Walla county produced about fifteen hundred 



carloads of fruits and vegetables. Two hun- 
dred and twenty-five dollars is the average 
price of a carload of vegetables, and three 
hundred and twenty-five dollars for fruit. 

While the stock-raising- industry of the 
county is not so extensive as in many other 
sections of the state, the quality of such stock 
as is pastured upon the limited ranges is un- 
excelled. The mild climate, abundant water, 
succulent clover and alfalfa, when well irri- 
gated green almost the whole year round ; the 
plentiful supplies of timothy and wheat hay; 
cheap grains and feeds of all descriptions; 
large quantities of root crops, all combine to 
make stock-raising a most lucrative industry. 
Within the limits of Walla Walla county there 
are about thirty well-equipped dairy ranches. 
Each carries from twenty to thirty cows of 
high grade. As side issues, to a greater or 
less degree, there are many other ranches that 
keep up milch cows. About sixty-four hun- 
dred milch cows in the county is the estimate 
of one of the best authorities in dairying. 
The Walla Walla Creamery is the most ex- 
tensive establishment handling dairy products. 
Twelve thousand pounds of milk per day, or 
four million pounds a year, are the receipts 
of the lacteal fluid. And from this it turns 
out in round numbers 177,600 pounds of butter 
annually. Forty per cent, of this is consumed 
by the local market; the rest is forwarded to 
other points within and without the state. At 
three different places in the valley this cream- 
ery has branches. 

Walla Walla county, once the home of the 
cowboy and his branding iron, has, in the gen- 
eral progress yielded to the intensification and 
consolidation of business ; no longer has it 
room or range for large bands of cattle. Yet 
there is a class of cattle here that far outrun 
the purely local demand ; they are stall, or 
corral-fed stock. One of the chief markets 
for this beef is Puget Sound. The same may 
be said of hogs and poultry. It should not be 
overlooked that in all these lines there has 






HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



173 



been a careful and judicious grading up in 
breeds; some of the finest products in the 
west are shown at the Walla Walla stock 
fairs. 

In the highlands of the eastern portion of 
the county, and the dry lands of the western, 
large bands of sheep are still ranged. Sixty 
thousand is the present estimate of the total 
number of sheep. The county of Walla Walla 
has good reason to be proud of its horse flesh. 
Consequently admitting observers are drawn 
to the autumnal horse races and stock shows 
from all portions of the northwest. Here are 
seen racers, trotters, draft horses and road- 
sters of superior breed. During the past few 
years the introduction of fine breeds of horses 
into Walla Walla has rapidly progressed; so 
favorable are climate and environments that 
few regions in the state equal Walla Walla 
for breeding purposes. This is the home of 
Del Norte and other speedy equines. 

But Wheat is King ! We have touched 
upon this cereal several pages back, but so 
impregnated is the circumambient atmosphere 
of the Walla Walla country with wheat, that 
it is difficult for the descriptive writer to tear 
himself away from the subject. From the first 
the Walla Walla country appears to have been 
ordained a producer of the staff of life. The 
lava dust drifted through ages ; the grass roots 
rotted; imprisoned lakes deposited their sedi- 
ment; the rich, rolling prairie now before us 
was ready for its predestined utility. Gone 
are the hunting and pastoral stages ; dairying 
and horticulture are hanging close upon the 
flanks of agriculture. But wheat is still king, 
the standard cereal, as gold is the standard 
coin, of the world. It is true that the same 
volcanic soil underlies the whole of the Inland 
Empire, containing ingredients requisite to 
wheat more completely than any other soil 
in the United States. Still, there are certain 
advantages in the magnificent belt eighty miles 
by twenty-five skirting the Blue mountains 
from Pendleton, Oregon, to Dayton, Washing- 



ton. More level is the land; the sowing and 
harvesting seasons longer and better for both 
fall and spring seeding; the rainfall more 
timely than elsewhere. 

It is, certainly, on a vast scale that this 
industry is prosecuted. Traction engines for 
plowing and combination harvesters, moving 
kitchens, armies of horses, headers steered like 
ships through heaving billows of golden grain. 
About one-third of the county's population is 
engaged in wheat raising. The crop of 1904 
amounted to 4,500,000 bushels. On all sides 
evidences are multiplied to prove that wheat 
culture in this section of the state is, on the 
whole, a most profitable industry. To-day 
the city of Walla Walla is a monument to the 
vast wealth that has been sucked from the 
ground through the golden mediums of wheat 
straws. "Wheat money" has purchased the 
elegant homes of the city and commodious 
farm houses of the country ; wheat money has 
placed in these homes pianos and organs; 
wheat money has bought the blooded horses 
and handsome carriages; in wheat money is 
found "the price"' for groceries, clothing, 
books, papers, outlays for education and wide- 
extended travel. Millions of dollars' worth 
of assessable property represent so much 
banked up wheat money. 

Allusion has been made elsewhere to the 
annual precipitation. It is not heavy, ranging 
from about ten inches at the northwestern ex- 
tremity of the county to probably forty inches 
in the most elevated part of the mountain sec- 
tion; at the city of Walla Walla it ranges be- 
tween eighteen and twenty inches. But so 
judiciously is this rainfall distributed that it 
is abundant for the rapidly maturing cereal. 
The months of heaviest rainfall are November, 
January and May. And these are the months 
in which such natural irrigation can accom- 
plish the greatest good. In a previous history 
of Walla Walla county Professor W. D. 
Lyman has written : 



174 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



In general terms it may be said that thus far 
the main industries which are revealed before 
us are those of stock, agriculture and fruit 
i-aising. Walla Walla is essentially a farming 
country. As we view the "lay of the land" and 
as we learn by examination something of the 
geological history of the country, we see that it 
was fore-ordained to be one of the food-supplying 
regions of the world. Like nearly all of the 
Columbia valley the Walla Walla country is of 
volcanic origin. At some time, thousands of years 
ago, indeed, yet recent in geological history, prob- 
ably in the Miocene or Pleiocene ages, there were 
prodigious overflows of lava, with the Cascades and 
Blue mountains as the centers of overflow. After 
the era of fire was one of flood, or more probably 
there were successive eras of volcanic outflow and 
mountain elevation, alternating with successive 
floods. Many curious Indian legends indicate the 
traditional condition of this country- Among 
these is the flood legend of the Yakimas. They say 
that ages ago, in the time of the "Wateetash," be- 
fore" the Indians existed, there was a beaver named 
Wishpoosh that inhabited Lake Kichelas or Lake 
Cleelum at the head of the Yakima river. Wish- 
poosh was of enormous size, half a mile long, his 
scales glittering like gold, and he was so rapacious 
that he devoured animals and plants indiscrimi- 
nately, and even the rocks of the lake shore. 
Speelyei, the great Coyote god, perceiving the 
destructiveness of the beaver, determined to kill 
him in order to save the rest of creation. So he 
harpooned him, or some say, caused him to swallow 
a coal of fire, which made him very "hot." In his 
fury Wishpoosh tore his way through the banks 
of the lake, and let the water down into what is 
now the Kittitas valley, which was then a great 
lake. In like manner he tore out the banks of that 
lake, then he tore out the gap where Yakima City 
is now situated, and so the waters of all that 
upper chain of lakes became united with the vast 
lake which covered pretty much all that now 
constitutes the Walla Walla country. But Wish- 
poosh was not content to leave that inland sea 
undisturbed, and so the Umatilla highlands below 
Wallula were severed and the waters of this upper 
region went on down to the sea, and so the beaver 
found himself in the ocean, and according to his 
old methods, he began to devour whales and other 
denizens of the deep. Speelyei, perceiving that 
all creation was threatened by the monster, en- 
tered the sea, and after a dreadful struggle, slew 
him. The huge carcass was cast up on Clatsop 
beach, and from it Speelyei proceeded to form the 
various Indian tribes. Thus this legend accounts 
for the existence of the Indians and for the obvious 
facts that Walla Walla county, like the famous 
McGinty of a few years ago, was once under the 
sea. ! 



As in many other localities in the state of 
Washington the subject of irrigation is one of 
absorbing- interest. While it is not so im- 
portant relatively as in more arid regions it 
must, certainly, have a potent influence on the 
future of the western portion of this county. 
An ample water supply is furnished by the 
Walla Walla river and its tributary streams. 
Along these creeks have small, individual 
ditches; in other localities neighbors combine 
to divert the streams and use them under the 
co-operative system. Several larger enter- 
prises with ample capital have been developed 
within the past few years. Chief of these are 
the Burlingame Ditch, taking water from the 
Walla Walla river near Freewater, Oregon, 
which is conducted over a magnificent body of 
land ; the Columbia Ditch, leading a large, 
stream from Walla Walla river upon the arid, 
but fertile belt adjoining Wallula; and the 
Two Rivers Canal, which conducts water from 
Snake river toward Wallula. There are, also, 
three smaller ditches irrigating the extensive 
tracts of land adjoining the town of Touchet 
and extending from that point up and down 
both the Walla Walla and Touchet rivers. 
Almost beyond the reach of imagination are 
the possibilities of increasing the productive 
capacity of land in the lines of fruit, alfalfa 
and vegetables. In the county there are prob- 
ably one hundred thousand acres of land 
capable of irrigation. 

As affording a sharp contrast between 
present industrial conditions in Walla Walla 
county and those antecedent by a number of 
years, we reproduce the following from a 
history of Walla Walla county, written by 
Mr. Frank T. Gilbert and published in 1882 : 

An agricultural society was organized in July, 
1866, by an assemblage of citizens at the court 
house, on the 9th of that month, where laws and 
regulations were adopted, and the following offi- 
cers chosen: H. P. Isaacs, president; A. Cox and 
W. H. Newell, vice-presidents; J. D. Cook, treas- 
urer; E. R. Rees, secretary; and Charles Russell, 
T. G. Lee and A. A. Blanchard, executive com- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



175 



mittee. For the fair to be held on the 4th, 5th 
and 6th of the ensuing October, the last three gen- 
tlemen became managers, and the following the 
executive commitee: H. P. Isaacs, J. D. Cook, J. 
H. Blewett and W. H. Newell. 

In 1867 the grain yield of the Blue mountain 
region exceeded the demand, and prices that had 
been falling for several years, left that crop a 
drug. It was sought to prevent an entire stagna- 
tion of agricultural industries, by shipping the 
surplus down the Columbia river to the seaboard. 
Freights on flour at that time were: From Walla 
Walla per ton to Lewiston, $15; to The Dalles, $6; 
to Portland, $6, and the following amounts were 
shipped: 

To Portland between May 27th and June 13th, 
4,156 barrels; to The Dalles, between April 19th 
and June 2d, 578 barrels; to Lewiston, between 
April 18th and May 14th, 577 barrels; total to 
June 13th by Oregon Steam Navigation Company, 
5,311 barrels. 

The same year Frank & Wertheimer shipped 
from Walla Walla 15,000 bushels of wheat down the 
Columbia, thus starting the great outflow of bread 
products from the interior. 

In 1868 Philip Ritz shipped fifty barrels of 
flour from the Phoenix mills in Walla Walla, to 
New York, with the following results (It was the 
first Washington Territory products seen in the 
east ) . 

First cost of flour, $187.50; sacks for same, 
$27; transportation to San Francisco, $100; 
freight thence to New York, $107.80; total cost 
in gold, $422.30; profit realized on the transac- 
tion, $77.46, or $1.55 per barrel. 

Wheat had fallen to 40 cents per- bushel in 
Walla Walla, because of the following scale of 
expenses of shipping to San Francisco: 

Freight per ton to Wallula, $6; thence to Port- 
land, $6; thence to San Francisco, $7; drayage, 
$1.50; commission, $2, $3.50; primage and leak- 
age, $1; bagging, $4.50, $5.50; total expense to 
San Francisco, $28. 

The great development of all forces of in- 
dustry in this country resulting from the 
building of railroads in the 'eighties was es- 
pecially marked in the wheat business. Wheat 
became recognized as the staple product of 
this valley. Walla Walla wheat began to 
seek the markets of the world, and every year 
marked a vast increase in the output from 
these rich, Blue mountain foothills and from 
the great rolling plains adjoining. But this 
had already occurred even before the railroad 
era. The increase in acreage in the staple 



crops in "early times" is indicated in the fol- 
lowing records from the assessor's books : 



1863 



1868 



1874 



1879 



Acres of wheat 
Acres of corn 
Acres of oats . . 
Acres of barley 



4,782 9,249 20,760 46,557 

.1,515 2,136 3,640 

.4,515 5,086 4,786 2,995 

.1,486 985 3,896 11,271 



From these figures some interesting facts 
may be deduced. Between 1874 and 1879, 
it should be borne in mind. Walla Walla had 
been diminished by the creation of Columbia 
county, to less than half of its former pro- 
portions. To obtain a clear view of the growth 
of that period it is safe to add at least a half 
more to the figures of 1879. It will be noticed 
that in earlier times corn was quite extensively 
cultivated. Then it fell off to a trifling 
amount. It was considered that the nights 
were too cool and the climate too dry to ob- 
tain satisfactory results with corn. But in 
1900 and for three or four years previous, 
corn reasserted itself and became a crop to 
be reckoned with ; fields of forty, eighty and 
one hundred acres in Walla Walla and Uma- 
tilla counties being of common occurrence. 
Oats, it appears, were at first a much greater 
crop than barley ; yet barley was far in the 
lead in 1879; the gap has widened ever since. 
The reason that oats w'ere so largely cultivated 
at first was that they were, and still are, the 
staple horse food in the Willamette valley, be- 
ing peculiarly adapted to that climate. But 
it was shown by experience that in this dry 
climate barley was a more lucrative crop than 
oats; moreover the rapid extension of the 
brewing industry created a growing demand 
for barley. 

So far we have given no detailed account 
of the truck garden business in the vicinity of 
Walla Walla. It is sufficient to say that many 
of the richest spots in the neighborhood of the 
county seat are worked by Italians and China- 
men. In this particular line of industry both 
of these nationalities seem to have greater 
ability than Americans; they produce a pro- 



176 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



digious quantity of all the common table vege- 
tables, both for local supply and shipping. 
Like the fruits of the "garden city" the vege- 
tables are noted for excellence as well as 
quantity. 

Of the locations and character of the 
markets for fruits we have, so far, said but 
little. A few years ago Mr. W. S. Offher, 
than whom no one was better qualified to im- 
part information on this subject, prepared a 
statement for the Walla Walla "Union" con- 
cerning this important subject. As conditions 
have not materially changed since then we 
reproduce it : 

The markets for Walla Walla fruits and prod- 
uce are world wide, as the past season has proven. 
Our market in days gone by has been confined to a 
small scope of country, owing to a lack of proper 
transportation facilities; the fruit industry being 
in its infancy, we are known only to our local 
markets in our own state and portions of Idaho 
and Montana. However, as our orchards and gar- 
dens have increased, so have our transportation 
facilities, and today we practically have four 
through, or transcontinental lines, viz.: the Union 
Pacific, Northern Pacific, Great Northern and the 
Burlington route, carrying our fruits into other 
states. This gives us a choice of the above named 
routes to all eastern markets. All these roads 
make every effort possible to supply us with suita- 
ble cars and accommodations for handling our 
fruits. 

Our early fruits and vegetables are marketed 
principally in what we term our local market — 
Washington, Idaho and Montana, the latter two 
being a good market the entire season. As stated 
before, we furnish a large portion of our own state 
with early fruits and vegetables. As is well known 
of our valley, owing to its mild climate and early 
springs, we are able to bring our produce into the 
market from two to three weeks earlier than other 
parts of the state. Thi& gives us a great advan- 
tage, especially with strawberries, allowing us to 
ship the bulk of the berry crop before they are in 
market elsewhere in the state. We have, until the 
past season, marketed most of our berries and 
cherries in the local market, but experience has 
shown us that we have a market for berries in 
car-load lots in Denver, Omaha, Kansas City, St. 
Paul, Minneapolis and other eastern cities. Our 
berries ripening at the time they do, do not come 
in competition with the home grown berries in 
Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Minnesota. 



When we come to our larger fruits, especially 
the prune, pear and apple, for which our valley is 
particularly adapted, I repeat the foregoing asser- 
tion that "our market is the world," having dem- 
onstrated the fact by shipping a number of cars of 
prunes and pears to St. Paul, Minnesota, Chicago, 
Kansas City, Indianapolis, Philadelphia and New 
York. We have had calls from many other eastern 
cities for our fruits that we can not supply as 
yet, our output being too limited to supply the 
demand. Another market unknown to us until 
last season is British Columbia. They have been 
calling upon us for our fruits, and a great many 
cars of apples found their way to these markets 
the past year, which only made the purchasers give 
us orders which we were unable to fill. Right 
here I will state that the greatest trouble the fruit 
or commission men have is to get sufficient quan- 
tities of fruit to fill their orders. While the past 
season's fruit shipments from this valley have been 
numbered by the hundred cars, had we had a suffi- 
cient quantity of the right kind of fruits our car 
shipments would have numbered by the thousands. 
With increased production and better facilities for 
transportation to the eastern markets, we will soon 
be shipping our fruits by the train-loads instead 
of car-loads, for it is a fact wherever our fruits 
have been tested they have met with favor and 
have created a demand which we have been unable 
to supply. 

Other markets opened to us are Texas, Arizona 
and Mexico, for it is a well known fact that warm 
countries do not grow good apples, and even Cali- 
fornia, with all her wealth of fruit, orange groves, 
famous vineyards and big orchards in other fruits, 
comes to us in the spring for our fancy, well-kept 
winter apples. While California and Mexico may 
send us their gold, oranges and lemons, we will 
send them in return the famous winter apples of 
the Walla Walla valley. 

Last but not least comes our market in England 
for apples, some having already been shipped there. 
When our apples are once well known we will 
have a market for more than can probably be 
raised in the state, as our winter apples we would 
be glad to compare with the fruit of the most 
favored parts of the United States. 

As to our fruit drying, it is yet in its infancy; 
we have beenj able so far to dispose of our fruit in 
a green state. There were several cars of prunes 
dried here last season and they were eagerly sought 
for in our eastern markets. Our Italian prune 
(which is mostly raised here) commands a higher 
price than the famous California French or Petit 
prune, as it grows much larger and is of superior 
quality. An interview with any of the commission 
men of this city will undoubtedly verify the facts 
that I have heretofore set forth and there is no 
question that we will find a market for all the 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



177 






fruit we can possibly raise in the Walla Walla 
valley. 

Flouring mills are so intimately connected 
with acricultural interests that it does not 
seem amiss to take them from the various 
towns which it will be ours to describe, and in 
which they are represented, and touch upon 
them in this descriptive chapter. Let us first 
glance at existing conditions before entering 
into the history of the flour industry of Walla 
Walla county. 

The largest flouring mill in the county is 
the Preston, of Waitsburg. It has a capacity 
of 400 barrels per day. The Prescott Mill, 
at the town of that name, comes next in order, 
and then follows the Eureka Mill, at Walla 
Walla, each putting out 250 barrels per day. 
At the latter city the Isaacs Mill grinds 75 bar- 
rels; then one at Riverside 65, and the Walla 
Walla Mill on Yellowhawk creek, 40 barrels 
per day. Thus about 1,800 barrels per day 
represent the total capacity of these six mills. 
To produce this amount of flour about 5,000 
bushels of wheat are required. Allow three 
hundred working days in the year and we have 
the transformation of a million and one-half 
bushels of wheat into flour and feed. The 
electric process of flour making is utilized at 
the Isaacs and Eureka mills. This is said to 
do much in the way of "enlivening" the flour. 
Breakfast foods like farina, germea, etc.. are 
also manufactured. 

It was supposed in earlier pioneer days, 
although Walla Walla county now surpasses 
any other region of equal population in wheat 
production, that no land except the creek bot- 
toms Avould produce grain. From Indiana, 
Illinois, Missouri and other states, where low, 
damp, black "bottom lands" are the productive 
parts, came the earliest settlers ; by them the 
high, dry, rolling prairies of W'alla Walla 
county were distrusted. 

So early as 1859, however, sufficient wheat 

was produced on the two or three pioneer 

ranches to justify Mr. A. H. Reynolds in 

erecting a small and primitive mill on Yellow- 

12 



hawk creek. This was the first one built in the 
Inland Empire, if we except the rude and crude 
"flour factories" of those indefatigable mis- 
sionaries, Whitman and Spalding. Subsequent- 
ly this old mill was utilized by a Mr. Whit- 
ney as a store house. A second mill was built 
by Mr. Reynolds in 1862 on the Yellowhawk; 
this was known as the Star Mill. In the 
eastern portion of what is now Walla Walla, 
in 1862, H. P. Isaacs erected the North Pacific 
Flouring Mills. This was the beginning of his 
long and successful career as a miller in this 
county. The mill at Prescott was erected by 
him in 1883. At that period it was the largest 
in eastern Washington. 

Another pioneer mill man was Andrew 
McCalley. He came to the county in 1872 
as superintendent of the North Pacific Mills. 
I. T. Reese had built a mill in 1866 west of 
town. This was purchased by Mr. McCalley, 
and when it burned down he rebuilt it and the 
business was maintained by himself. After 
his death in 1891, it was conducted by his 
sons until the property was sold to W. H. 
Gilbert. It was burned in 1897. The Eureka 
was first known as the Agate Mills. They 
were built by Rotz and Schnebly and 
conducted by W. C. Painter. Welch and 
Schwabacher purchased this plant and subse- 
quently sold it to Dement Brothers in 1880. 
Wherever used the grades of flour manu- 
factured by this mill have become famous, 
finding markets in all parts of the world. In 
1865 the Washington Roller Mill was estab- 
lished by S. M. Wait, founder of the "burg." 
He sold it to Preston Brothers; they enlarged 
and improved it. Mr. Wait's stock was pur- 
chased by Paine Brothers & Moore, which 
stock they subsequently sold to Preston 
Brothers. Flour from these Walla Walla 
county mills finds its way to England, China, 
Japan. Italy, South America, Philippine 
Islands, Alaska and British Columbia. Scholl 
Brothers erected the City Mills on Palouse 
street, Walla Walla, in 1898. 



I7& 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY 



Of course, to be fully appreciated, Walla 
Walla county should be visited, traversed, 
tested. Pen pictures convey but shadowy 
glimpses of the wealth, possibilities and actual- 
ities within the grasp of its citizens. How- 
ever, a brief sketch of some of the more at- 
tractive portions of this beautiful valley cer- 
tainly comes within our province, and to the 
best of our ability we will attempt to portray 
some of the more prominent of them. The 
cities of Walla Walla and Waitsburg will be 
found by themselves in separate chapters. 

The Walla Walla county of to-day was in- 
cluded in the sweeping generalization made by 
old time army officers when they dubbed the 
greater portion of the country west of the 
Missouri river the "great American desert." 
"Give a dog a bad name and it will stick to 
him" is a proverb older than Walla Walla 
county. Small wonder, then, if the early set- 
tlers in all parts of the country fell into the 
egregious error of believing that the most of 
this country could never be farmed, much less 
become orchards and gardens. As expressed 
by one of the pioneers, so imbued were they 
with the theories of the old time military men, 
that they fairly fought against the idea that 
the country would ever be worth anything ex- 
cept as a vast stock range. The belt of prairie 
immediately adjoining Walla Walla city had 
demonstrated its capacity for wheat ; even then 
the farmers were cock-sure that no grain 
would ever grow on Eureka Flat. But 
Eureka Flat developed into a wonderful wheat 
producing section ; then the cry was taken up 
that nothing could mature on Touchet, hills. 
Yet both these condemned sections have led 
all the rest in productiveness. The Touchet 
hills in the northern part of the county are the 
roughest and most broken portions of the 
county. But the rougher the land the richer. 
And what is the result of this gradual con- 
quest of the soil? There have been founded 
in that region some of the finest farms in the 



county. Consequently Prescott is a lively, 
progressive village ; a trade center for this 
prosperous community on lands once held a? 
useless. Prescott is surrounded on all sides 
by a vast and fertile wheat belt. Perhaps the 
most productive of all the tracts in its immed- 
iate vicinity is Whetstone Hollow, northeast 
of the town. Farther to the east, upon the 
road extending from Prescott to Lyons Ferry, 
on Snake river, are a number of old established 
places which have long been noted for their 
large grain production. In the center of this 
great area lies the Malloy ranch. M'any well 
known and progressive places lie up and down 
the Touchet river from Prescott. 

A belt of land twenty-five miles long and 
about five miles mide is Eureka Flat. It ex- 
tends through the northwestern part of the 
county, and within that entire county it is 
the greatest grain-growing section. Through 
the whole length of the flat from Eureka Junc- 
tion to Pleasant View extends a branch of the 
Washington & Columbia River Railroad. On 
this line are a number of stations ; around two 
of them, Eureka Junction and Clyde, there 
have grown up pleasant little towns. From 
these points are shipped enormous quantities 
of grain. To Clyde belongs the distinction of 
shipping more grain than any other point in 
the county ; the place has a record of 750,000 
bushels in one season. The traveler will see, 
by even a cursory glance, that the history 
of Eureka Flat is that of a canyon filled with 
soil blown or washed from the surrounding 
volcanic hills. To a depth of two hundred feet 
the soil has been found to extend unchanged, 
at some points. No soil is more fertile, but 
owing to the dryness of the climate and fre- 
quent winds, it bears a poor comparison as a 
home land to the werdant, well-watered tracts 
in the southern portion of the county. Despite 
all this the most extensive wheat ranches in the 
state are found on Eureka Flat. Here lies the 
10,000-acre ranch of W. H. Babcock, the" 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



179 






"wheat king" of Walla Walla county. Other 
separate areas denominated as ranches run 
into the thousands of acres. 

The rainfall of Walla Walla county is 
sufficient to mature the standard crops ; the 
western portion is semi-arid. At just about 
the eastern edge of the dry belt, and at the 
junction of the Walla Walla and Touchet 
rivers, lies the largest area of irrigated land in 
the county. A magnificent body of rich, level 
land is this; when irrigated it produces some- 
times five crops of the finest alfalfa, aside from 
a plethora of fruit, vegetables, berries and 
melons of the best quality, and a week earlier 
than at Walla Walla. Here center three ex- 
cellent irrigation systems. In the very heart 
of this well-watered and pleasing region lies 
the pleasant little town of Touchet. 

The land surrounding Dixie is a high 
prairie; the most fertile soil known; the loca- 
tion is close to the Blue mountains ; the rain- 
fall is plentiful. As a result the productive 
capacity of the region is of the highest order. 
In the near vicinity of Dixie grow magnificent 
orchards. While not so well adapted to the 
more delicate fruits as the warmer lands 
further west, the late apples, cherries and pears 
there produced are wonderful. Immediately 
below Dixie, in the valley, is one of the largest 
fruit ranches in the county — the Clancy fruit 
farm. It is planted on a north hill slope of the 
richest, deepest soil, and thus far its develop- 
ment would seem to- justify the opinion held 
by many that the finest fruits of the valley will 
be found in the foothills, where there is a 
sufficient amount of rainfall to dispense with 
irrigation. On Dry Creek, below the Clancy 
place extends a series of the finest farms in 
the county. 

There is another magnificent body Of farm- 
ing land, in a belt about seven miles wide by 
ten long, lying along Mill and Russell creeks. 
These are the oldest, wealthiest and most 
highly cultivated of all the farming lands of 
the county, indeed, of the state. It is safe to 



say that few bodies of grain land have yielded 
as much money to their owners as has this 
extraordinary body of about seventy or eighty 
miles square. 

The country around Wallula is, when irri- 
gated, of a fertile character, and susceptible 
of high cultivation, although to the transient 
tourist it has the appearance of a barren 
desert. Possibly the earliest and finest peaches 
come from a ranch at the mouth of the Walla 
Walla river! The new town of Two Rivers, 
seven miles from Wallula, is in the midst of a 
great plain to which water is brought by 
ditches. 

A buggy drive from Whitman Mission up 
the valley of the Walla Walla will pass 
through a line of beautiful gardens and 
orchards extending almost without a break to 
Milton. The country between Whitman Sta- 
tion and Walla Walla, and for a number of 
miles south of the road joining the two, is 
rapidly becoming the garden of Walla Walla 
county. Eight miles north of Walla Walla 
we reach Valley Grove, on Dry Creek. A 
beautiful scene of verdure stretches up and 
down this valley, in sharp contrast with the 
bare hills flanking either side. The term "bare 
hills," however, is scarcely admissable; they 
are almost unbroken wheat fields. North and 
east of Valley Grove are found some of the 
most substantial farms in the country. 

In ascending the Alto hill by rail, the 
tourist will view a tract of country, although 
quite elevated and somewhat broken, of the 
most fertile soil and capable of producing im- 
mense quantities of grain. Long a "terror"' 
to railroad men has been the grade from the 
summit of this hill down to Starbuck. It 
averages over one hundred feet to the mile. 
Upon this portion of the road a number of 
serious accidents have occurred. It was largely 
the danger and expense of this hill which led 
the Oregon Railroad & Navigation Company 
to build their line from Riparia directly down 
Snake river to Wallula. 



i8o 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



For desciples of Isaac Walton and Nimrod 
there is a most attractive field in Walla Walla 
county. After satisfying- his curiosity con- 
cerning soil, climate, industrial conditions, 
etc., of a new country, the next question 
usually is, from the prospective settler, "how 
about fishing and hunting?" Washington in 
general is one of the best game countries in 
the world. 

But to-day Walla Walla county is too 
thickly settled to afford the opportunity for 
wild life it did in the days of the buck-skinned 
pioneer, when the deer and elk shook the dew 
from the rye grass and rose bushes at almost 
every turn along the picturesque shores of the 
Walla Walla and its tributaries, and when 
these same streams were almost clogged with 
trout. Still, a marvelously fine game county 
is Walla Walla yet. Superb trout streams are 
the various creeks, and even now, fished as- 
siduously as they are, rare sport with rod and 
reel may be found with a little time and 
patience. Four species of trout are found in 
these streams; the gamy mountain trout, 
rather small, but the finest flavored food fish 
of all; the rather sluggish Dolly Varden, or 
"bull trout," which is a radiently beautiful 
fish; the magnificent rainbow trout, one of 
the most beautiful of fish, weighing frequently 
two or three pounds, and lastly, largest of all, 
the salmon trout. Up Miill creek, into the very 
limits of Walla Walla, salmon have been 
known to force themselves and have even 
floundered into the crystal waters of "spring 
branches." 

Deer, bear and cougars make their habitat 
in the high mountains, but numerous hunters, 
and especially the keeping of sheep in these 
parts, have driven nearly all the large game 
to wilder and more sequestered regions. There 
are plenty of game birds ; the common varieties 
are prairie chickens, grouse and pheasants; 
innumerable wild geese feed on the young 
wheat. Thoroughly protected by law until 
1907 the "bob white" quail feeds and whistles 
in comparative safety from the artful designs 



of the fowler. That handsomest of all game 
birds, the beautiful Mongolian pheasant, is 
rapidly increasing, being still under the pro- 
tecting aegis of law. For a country so popu- 
lous as Walla Walla, all in all, it is a rarely 
good game county. 

The Walla Walla river rises in the Blue 
mountains. These lie in the southeastern por- 
tion of the state of Washington, and the north- 
eastern corner of the state of Oregon. This 
range of mountains, having an elevation of 
about 2,000 feet above the surrounding coun- 
try, is dissected with canyons cut by the head- 
waters of the tributaries of the Walla Walla 
river on the west, and Grande Ronde river on 
the east. In a generally western direction the 
upper portion of the former river flows until 
diverted northward by the plateau north of 
Pendleton, Oregon. A number of tributaries 
enter in the vicinity of Whitman, Washington, 
and the river flows thence to its mouth at 
Wallula, where it joins the Columbia river. 
The course of the Walla Walla is nearly due 
westward. 

A northerly course have the headwaters of 
the Touchet river until they unite at Dayton 
and Waitsburg. Thence for fifteen miles the 
course is westerly, when the river is diverted 
southward and a short distance below enters 
the main stream. Walla Walla river is a sur- 
face stream from the point it leaves the moun- 
tains until a short distance below Whitman. 
Then it gradually sinks below the level until, 
for the lower five to seven miles of its course 
it is from seventy to eighty feet below that 
level. From Walla Walla to Wallula, a 
distance of 30 miles, the fall is 625 feet. 

A peculiar stream is Mill Creek on which 
is situated the city of Walla Walla. From the 
foothills it emerges on to the plain about eight 
miles above the city. This creek divides three 
miles farther down, a portion of the water 
continuing down Mill creek and a part clown 
the Yellowhawk. Another bifurcation occurs 
one and one-half miles farther down, in the 
Yellowhawk, and a new stream is formed, 



HW 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



181 



Garrison creek. These three streams do not 
come together, but enter Walla Walla river 
separately. This formation, in a county with 
such an accentuated slope, sixty feet to the 
mile, is peculiar, and to more or less litigation 
it has given rise. 

Outside of the corporate limits of Walla 
Walla there are four attractions which might 
be termed ''show places ;" the Whitman Monu- 
ment, the "Pen," the Fort and "Bill" Raser's 
elk. State Senator Raser owns an extensive 
and most eligibly located farm six miles 
south of Walla Walla. It contains three 
thousand acres of rich, arable land, and is 
itself, well worthy a visit by the Walla Walla 



county tourist. Here are traction engines, ele- 
gant and commodious buildings, and a 
tremenduous annual yield of grain, all typical 
in the highest sense of Walla Walla county's 
most prominent industry. It is on a portion 
of this land that Mr. Raser's band of fourteen 
stately elk are ranged. Several young of these 
magnificent animals were captured by him a 
number of years ago. To several zoological 
gardens and museums he has contributed a 
number, but there are still left fourteen beauti- 
ful specimens. They are well worth a journey 
of many miles to see ; they are there in all their 
statuesque gracefulness, with wide, branching 
antlers and tawnv skins. 



CHAPTER X 



POLITICAL 



In the opening current chapters of this 
work have been related the various attempts to 
set in motion the political machinery of the 
county of Walla Walla. Had this important 
political division of the state been organized 
in 1854, in accordance with the act creating it, 
George C. Bumford, John Owens and Dominic 
Pambrun would have served as the initial 
commissioners; Narcies Raymo, sheriff, and 
Lloyd Brooks, judge of probate, and the other 
officials would have been named by the county 
board. 

However, the act of January 19, 1859, 
named John Marian, Walter Davis and John 
C. Smith, county commissioners ; Edward 
Pearce, sheriff; R. H. Reighart, auditor; 
Samuel D. Smith, probate judge, and J. L. 
Simms, justice of the peace. When, two 
months later the county was organized, the 
three commissioners named were the ones we 
find serving in the capacitv of county law 
makers, but for some occult reason none of 



the others named qualified; at their first and 
second meetings the board appointed a full set 
of officers. 

March 15, 1859, there were appointed by 
the county commissioners James Galbreath, 
auditor; and Lycurgus Jackson, sheriff. On 
the 26th to these were added E. H. Barron, 
judge of probate; Neil McGlinchey, treasurer; 
William B. Kelly, school superintendent. In 
addition to the office of sheriff Lycurgus Jack- 
son was named as assessor. For a brief period 
only did Mr. Galbreath serve as auditor. July 
2d he resigned and August Von Hinkle was 
appointed. At this meeting the name of Step- 
toeville was changed to Waiilatpu. 

At the second meeting of the board, March 
26, 1859, two voting precincts were formed, 
Dry Creek and Steptoeville. As judges of 
election for Dry Creek precinct, E. Bonner, J. 
Mose and Cragie were named, and William 
Link and William W. Wiseman, clerks. For 
Steptoeville precinct J. A. Simms, W. B. Kelly 



182 



II] STORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



and William McWhirk were judges, and R. 
H. Reighart and Thomas Hughes, clerks. For 
Dry Creek precinct the place of election was 
the residence of J. C. Smith, and for Step- 
toeville, the house of W. J. Terry. At a sub- 
sequent meeting, June 6th, a short time 
previous to the election, the polling place for 
this latter precinct was relocated at the church 
at Steptoeville. A third precinct, the north 
country, was taken notice of at a meeting held 
July 2d. This was referred to as Spokane 
county, which had been created by the last 
legislature. This had not yet been organized, 
and was therefore a portion of Walla Walla 
county. The election judges named for 
"Spokane County" were Dickinson. Murrey 
and Dutro. 

Unfortunately the result of this initial 
election held in the summer of 1859 cannot be 
definitely ascertained. It is learned, however, 
from scattering records that the following 
served as the new officers of Walla Walla 
county, their terms beginning, probably, in 
July : William McWhirk, chairman ; John 
Mahan and Charles Russell, commissioners; 
J. T. Reese, auditor; Lycurgus Jackson, 
sheriff; Neil M'cGlynchey, treasurer; Thomas 
P. Page, assessor and H. H. Case, surveyor. 
The commissioners, at a meeting of the new 
board, September 6th, balloted for the terms 
of office. Mr. Russell was the unfortunate 
(or possibly fortunate) one, as he received the 
one-year term ; Mr. Mahan the two-year term 
and Mr. McWhirk the three-year term. 

For the election of i860, at a meeting of 
the board of commissioners held May 7th, 
the following officers were appointed for Dry 
Creek precinct: W. S. Gilliam, M. J. Noyse 
and E. L. Bonner, judges; Richard Eddy and 
William Mcllroy, clerks. The place of voting 
was changed from Sergeant Smith's residence 
to the house of G. W. Salings, on Dry Creek. 

A new precinct was established with the 
voting place at George Pollard's residence, 
''including all the country from the mouth 



of Copaeye (Coppei) east, to be known as 
the eastern precinct on the Touchet." George 
Pollard, S. L. Galbreath and J. N. Day were 
named as judges of election and D. J. Whit- 
aker and A. T. Lloyd, clerks. 

Another precinct known as Western pre- 
cinct on the Touchet was ''established on the 
western portion of the Touchet, commencing 
at the mouth of the Copaeye, running down 
the river to the canyon." For this precinct 
Andy Warren, William H. Patten and Hamil- 
ton Lackey were named judges of election. 
Steptoeville precinct took the name of Walla 
Walla precinct for this second July general 
election. Judges were appointed as follows : 
Thomas Martin, William B. Kelly and C. C. 
Hareum. 

Snake river precinct was established at this 
time, the polling place being at the residence 
of Cyrus McWhirk. The judges were Cyrus 
MicWhirk, Thomas Wright and O. N. Jack- 
man. The result of this election was as fol- 
lows: Auditor and recorder, James Galbreath; 
sheriff, James A. Buckley; surveyor, M. J. 
Noyse; assessor, L. Langley; coroner, Almiron 
Daggett ; justices of the peace, William J. 
Horton, John Sheets, Horace Strong, Elisha 
Everetts and William B. Kelly. 

Of the transactions of this official corps 
no trace of record can be found, but at the 
county election held in July, 1861, the board 
of county commissioners consisted of W. H. 
Patton, S. Maxon and John. Sheets. Novem- 
ber 5th Sheriff Buckley was appointed county 
assessor, S. Owens, who had been elected to 
the office in 1861 having failed to qualify. 
The sheriff had been by virtue of his office tax 
collector, and his appointment as assessor was 
a consistent action on the part of the board. 

There was little partisan spirit manifested 
in the election of 1862. Whether a man was 
democrat or republican cut but small figure. 
There were in Walla Walla county at this 
period graver issues at stake. Lawlessness 
and crime walked side by side with rectitude 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY 



183 



and virtue. Many rough characters were at- 
tracted to the mining districts, and a large 
proportion of these had slight regard for the 
value of human life or personal probity. 
Under such conditions political affiliations had 
little weight. For the various county offices 
only men of ability and sterling worth were 
in demand. Therefore a call was issued for a 
mass convention June 21, 1862, to which call 
the following names were affixed : R. H. 
Archer, J. D. Agnew, Quin A. Brooks, C. S. 
Bush, D. S. Baker, W. A. Ball, J. Buckley. 
O. L. Bridges, S. Buckley. A. J. Cain, H. J. 
Cady, E. P. Cranston, F. A. Chenoweth, W. 
W. DeLacy, J. P. Goodhue, H. M. Hodges, 
W. P. Horton, J. Hellmuth, H. Howard, J. 
B. Ingersoll, W. W. Johnson, R. Jacobs, Kohl- 
hauff & Guichard, E. E. Kelly, A. Kyger. S. 
Linkton, M Lazarus. N. Xorthrop, E. Nugent. 
J. M. Norton. W. Phillips. W. H. Patton, R. 
R. Rees, I. T. Reese, A. B. Roberts, B. 
Schwabacker, John Sheets, D. J. Schnebly, J. 
Van Dyke and D. Young. 

Owing to some unexplained cause this con- 
vention failed to place candidates in the field. 
But, as shown by the records there were a 
number of aspirants for office. The election 
was held July 14th with the following result : 

For Representative — N. Northrop, 355; 
S. D. Smith, 317; H. ML Chase. 302; F. A. 
Chenoweth. 132. 

For District Attorney — Edward Nugent, 

3/i- 

For Sheriff — James Buckley — Appointed. 

For Treasurer — James McAuliff, 385. 

The rest of the ticket was elected as fol- 
lows : Assessor, H. M. Hodgis ; surveyor, W. 
W. Johnson; school superintendent, J. F. 
Wood ; coroner, L. C. Kinney ; county com- 
missioners, James Van Dyke, John Sheets, S. 
S. Galbreath. February 7, 1863, Isaac L. 
Roberts was appointed sheriff. He resigned 
March 17th and E. B. Whitman was appointed 
the same day. Mr. Van Dyke resigned as 
county commissioner in August of the same 



year, and H. D. O' Bryant was appointed Sep- 
tember 5th. S. S. Galbreath failed to qualify, 
but was appointed August 5, 1862. 

A Delegate to Congress was to be elected 
in 1863. The Civil War was in progress; 
voters took sides politically, and the campaign 
was a warm one. George E. Cole, a resident 
of Walla Walla was placed upon the demo- 
cratic ticket as a candidate for delegate. Mr. 
Cole received 398 votes while the republican 
candidate J. O. Raynor, received 146. 
By the vote of the Territory Cole was ul- 
timately elected. The only Republican elected 
on the ticket was S. B. Fargo, prosecut- 
ing attorney. The other officers elected 
were as follows : Joint councilman, Daniel 
Stewart ; representatives, S. W. Babcock, F. 
P. Dugan, and L. S. Rogers ; sheriff, W. S. 
Gilliam, independent ; auditor, L. J. Rector ; 
assessor, C. Leyde. The latter removed from 
the county later on, J. H. Blewett being ap- 
pointed to succeed him, February 1, 1864. 
L. Danforth was elected coroner and Thomas 
Page, county commissioner. 

May 18, 1864, the democrats of Walla 
Walla county assembled in convention and 
passed resolutions indicating their loyalty to 
the Union. There were, of course, some dis- 
senters, but they were compelled to vote the 
ticket, vote with the republicans or become dis- 
franchised, a three-horned dilemma not at all 
agreeable. Under the title of the "Regular 
Democratic Ticket" the democrats placed a 
legislative and county ticket in the field, the 
opposition being represented by a ticket whose 
caption was '"Unconditional Union Ticket." 
The election was held June 6th ; there were 
cast 628 votes — a gain of 26 only over the 
number polled in 1863. It was claimed that 
fully 100 legal voters failed to avail them- 
selves of the franchise. James McAuliff who 
was later, and for many years, mayor of the 
city of Walla Walla, was candidate for the 
office of treasurer on both tickets. The result 
of the election was as follows : 



1 84 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY 



For Prosecuting- Attorney — J. H. Lasater, 
dem., 357; S. B. Fargo, rep., 219. 

For Representative — A. L. Brown, dem., 
373; F. P. Dugan, dem., 324; E. L. Bridges, 
dem., 337; O. P. Lacy, dem., 325; B. N. 
Sexton, rep., 280. 

The only republican elected on the ticket 
was Alvin Flanders, for joint representative, 
by a vote of 269, he, apparently, having had 
no opposition. The other democrats elected 
were as follows: Councilman, W. G. Lang- 
ford, 344; probate judge, J. H. Blewett, 346; 
treasurer, James McAulifr. 581 ; assessor, 
William H. Patton. 323 ; surveyor, Charles 
White, 352; coroner, A. J. Thibodo, 341; 
commissioner, H. D. O'Bryant, 345. For 
special tax, 230; against special tax, 365. 

In 1865 the political situation awakened 
keen party interest. A gain in numerical 
strength was claimed by the democrats owing 
to late immigration. A thorough organiza- 
tion was effected by the republicans. Repub- 
lican delegates to the Territorial convention 
were instructed to support Elwood Evans for 
congressional delegate ; the successful candi- 
date for this nomination was Arthur A. Denny 
who had been register of the land office at 
Olympia for four years.- 

In the democratic county convention at 
Walla Walla it was conceded that political ex- 
pediency demanded the selection of a con- 
gressional delegate resident west of the Cas- 
cades. Despite this, however, the convention 
instructed their delegates to present the name 
of James H. Lasater for the nomination in 
the event of a disagreement among the west- 
siders. But James Tilton was the nominee 
of the Territorial convention. The election 
was held June 5th with the result as follows : 

Office. Name. Politics. Vote. 

Delegate Arthur A. Denny. . .Rep. 336 

Delegate James Tilton Dem. 406 

Prosecuting Attorney S. B. FaTgo Rep. 345 

Joint Councilman. . . Anderson Cox Rep. 364 

Representative J. D. Mix Dem. 396 

Representative James McAuliffe ..Dem. 392 



Office. 

Representative 

Representative 

Representative 

Joint Representative 

Sheriff 

Auditor 

Assessor 

Surveyor 

Schocl Supt 

Coroner 

County Commiss'ner 



Name. Politics. Vote. 

A. G. Lloyd Dem. 368 

T. G. Lee Dem. 362 

B. N. Sexton Rep. 354 

J. M. Vansykle ...Dem. 367 

A. Seitel Rep. 407 

J. H. Blewett Dem. 399 

H. M. Hodgis Dem. 393 

T. F. Berry 359 

J. L. Reeser bem. 386 

A. J. Miner Dem. 384 

D. M. Jessee Dem. 396 



The total vote cast within the county was 
749, a gain of 122 over the number of ballots 
cast at the preceding election. In this total 
the several precincts were represented as fol- 
lows : Walla Walla, 539; Wallula, 54; Upper 
Toucher, 96; Lower Touchet, 39; Pataha, 16; 
Snake River, 5. 

As has been stated in our current history 
chapters within the year 1866 an unsuccessful 
attempt was made to annex Walla Walla 
county to Oregon, memorials having been pre- 
sented to congress and the Oregon legislature 
advocating such assimilation. This movement 
was inaugurated by Anderson Cox, to whom 
reference has been made in connection with 
the election of 1865. He succeeded in pushing 
the enterprise through the Oregon legislature, 
and held it in the background in that of Wash- 
ington. This scheme was blocked in large part 
through the efforts of Hollon Parker, who 
visited Washington, D. C, for this especial 
purpose. It is a fact worthy of note that the 
annexation of the region south of Snake river 
to Oregon would have resulted in swelling the 
democratic vote of Oregon sufficient to have 
given the state to Samuel Jones Tilden instead 
of Rutherford B. Hayes, and the election of 
1876 would have placed the former in the 
presidential chair. 

At the annual election held June 4, 1866, 
the democratic party elected every candidate, 
the result being as follows: Joint councilman 
(for Walla Walla and Stevens counties), B. 
L. Sharpstein; representatives. D. M. Jessee, 
R. Jacobs, R. R. Rees, H. D. O' Bryant and 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY 



185 



Thomas P. Page; treasurer, James McAuliff; 
assessor, H. ML Hodgis ; school superintendent. 
W. G. Langford ; county commissioners, T. 
G. Lee and H. A. Livingston. W. L. Gaston 
was appointed county surveyor the following 
December. Commissioner Livingston met an 
accidental death on the 24th of August, and 
on the 3d of December Elisha Ping was ap- 
pointed to fill the vacancy. 

There was remarkable activity in the ranks 
of both the democratic and republican parties 
during the campaign of 1867. Interest 
centered in the selection of a delegate to con- 
gress. Hitherto this office had gone to the 
Sound country ; the people east of the Cascades 
felt that they were now entitled to the honor. 
The names of five democrats and two republi- 
cans in the eastern section of the Territory 
were prominently mentioned in this connec- 
tion. An uninstructed delegation to the Terri- 
torial convention was sent by the republicans 
of Walla Walla county, still a vigorous effort 
was made in favor of the candidacy of Judge 
J. E. Wyche. 

The democratic county convention in- 
structed its delegates to support AY G. Lang- 
ford, of Walla Walla. Another instruction 
given them was to vigorously oppose any 
candidate favorable to annexing Walla Walla 
county to Oregon. In the Territorial conven- 
tion Frank Clark, of Pierce county, received 
the democratic nomination. The republican 
Territorial convention named Alvin Flanders, 
a merchant of Walla Walla, who defeated 
three strong candidates. 

Owing to the agitation of the vigilance 
question, referring to diverging opinions of 
the citizens as to the proper method of ad- 
ministering justice, the politics of Walla 
Walla county were in a peculiarly disrupted 
and disorganized condition ; the Vigilance 
issue exerted an unmistakable influence on the 
election. This was illustrated by the many 
and varigated peculiarities brought to light 
when the returns were fully canvassed. The 



democrats of the county were particularly 
desirous of electing certain of their county 
candidates, and it is stated that the republi- 
cans were able to divert many democratic 
votes to their candidate for delegate to con- 
gress by trading votes with democrats and 
pledging their support to local democratic 
candidates. The fact that such bartering took 
place is assured ; for while the returns gave a 
democratic majority of about 250 in Walla 
Walla county for all other officers, the dele- 
gate received a majority of only 124. This 
action on the part of the Walla Walla demo- 
crats secured the election of the republican 
candidate, whose majority in the Territory 
was only 96. 

The result of the election in the county, 
held June 3d, was as follows : Frank Clark, 
the democratic candidate for delegate, received 
606 votes, and Alvin Flanders, republican, 
482. The other officers elected were : Prose- 
cuting: attorney, F. P. Dug;an ; councilman, W. 
H. Xewell ; joint councilman (Walla Walla 
and Stevens counties), J. M. Vansyckle 
representatives. W. P. Horton, E. Ping, J 
M. Lamb, P. B. Johnson and B. F. Regan 
probate judge, H. M. Chase; sheriff, A. Seitel 
auditor, J. H. Blewett ; treasurer, J. D. Cook 
assessor, C. Ireland ; surveyor, W. L. Gaston 
superintendent of schools, C. Eells ; coroner, 
L. H. Goodwin; county commissioners, S. M. 
Wait, D. M. Jessee (evidently an error in 
returns, as W. T. Barnes, a democrat, was 
elected), and A. H. Reynolds. 

The sheriff resigned on the 7th of Novem- 
ber, 1868, and on the same day James Mc- 
Auliff was appointed to fill the vacancy. A. H. 
Reynolds resigned as commissioner in May, 
1869, Dr. D. S. Baker being appointed his 
successor. Of the successful candidates noted 
in the above list, all were democrats except 
P. B. Johnson. J. D. Cook, C. Eells. S. M. 
Wait and A. H. Reynolds. 

There was to be chosen in 1869 another 
delegate to congress. This year the democrats 



1 86 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



of Walla Walla county insisted upon the 
nomination of a candidate resident east of the 
Cascade range — the same desideratum sought 
at the preceding election. In the convention 
F. P. Dugan. J. D. Mix, B. L. Sharpstein and 
W. H. Newell, all of Walla Walla, were 
balloted for ; the nomination was secured by 
Marshall F. Mfoore, ex-governor of the Terri- 
tory. 

Selucius Garfielde, surveyor general of the 
Territory, received the republican nomination. 
The names of Dr. D. S. Baker and Anderson 
Cox, two Walla Walla citizens, were presented 
before this convention. Quite unsatisfactory 
was the nomination of Garfielde and there was 
considerable dissension in the ranks of the 
republican party. Fifty signatures of promi- 
nent republicans were appended to a circular 
addressed to the "Downfallen Republican 
Party."' Among these names were those of the 
delegate to congress and the chief justice of 
the Territory. A radical reorganization of 
the party was demanded. However, the dis- 
affected contingent did not nominate another 
candidate; Mr. Garfielde was elected by the 
slender majority of 132. In Walla Walla 
county he received 384 votes; his democratic 
opponent, Mr. Moore, was given 740. The 
result of the Walla Walla county election for 
1869 was as follows: 

Prosecuting attorney, A. J. Cain ; repre- 
sentatives, N. T. Caton. Fred Stine, H. D. 
O'Bryant, J. D. Mix, J. H. Lasater, Thomas 
P. Page: probate judge, R. Guichard; sheriff, 
James McAuliff ; auditor, H. M. Chase; treas- 
urer, A. Kyger ; assessor, M. C. McBride ; 
surveyor. J. Arrisan; superintendent of 
schools, William McMicken : coroner, L. H. 
Goodwin ; county commissioners, W. T. 
Barnes, Daniel Stewart, C. C. Cram. The 
county cast 286 votes in favor of a constitu- 
tional convention and 24 only in opposition. 

Political events of 1870 were of a highly 
inflammable character. Delegate Garfielde 
had recommended the decapitation of a large 



number of recalcitrant office holders in Wash- 
ington, and the president had paid heed to his 
suggestions. Within the part}' - ranks feeling- 
against Garfielde was consequently bitter. A 
change in the law made the election of a dele- 
gate this year a necessity. Heroic efforts were 
made by the protesting republicans to prevent 
the renomination of Garfielde, but they were 
unavailing. He was renominated and re- 
elected by a majority of 736 over J. D. Mix, 
his democratic opponent. The Walla Walla 
county election, held June 6th, resulted as fob 
lows : Prosecuting attorney, N. T. Caton ; 
councilman. Daniel Stewart; joint councilman 
(Walla Walla, Stevens and Yakima counties), 
X. T. Bryant ; representatives, Davis Ash- 
paugh, James H. Lasater, John Scott, A. G. 
Lloyd, Elisha Ping and T. W. Whetstone; 
probate judge, R. Guichard; sheriff, James 
McAuliff; auditor, H. M. Chase; treasurer, 
A. Kyger ; assessor, A. C. Wellman ; surveyor, 
A. H. Simmons (he was succeeded by Charles 

A. White, who was appointed to the office 
May 1. 1871); school superintendent, J. L. 
Reser ; coroner, L. H. Goodwin ; county com- 
missioners. C. C. Cram, F. Louden and I. T. 
Reese. 

The officials selected at this election did 
not assume their respective offices until the 
succeeding year. 

The year 1872 witnessed the memorable 
"greenback campaign" which was second only 
in interest to the free silver agitation of 1896. 
Delegate Garfielde was renominated by the 
republicans. The democrats and "liberals," 
Greeley supporters, however, combined on O. 

B. McFaclden, as against Garfielde, and the 
former was elected by a majority of 709, 
nearly as great as that received by Garfielde 
in 1870. In Walla Walla county Garfielde 
was given 666 votes to 889 for McFadden. 
The county also gave a majority of 752 
against holding a constitutional convention. 
At this election the people voted in favor of a 
countv court house and jail by a majority of 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



187 



212. The officers elected in the county were: 
Prosecuting attorney, T. J. Anders ; coun- 
cilman, Fred Stine; joint councilman (Walla 
Walla, Stevens, Yakima and Whitman coun- 
ties), C. H. Mjontgomery; representatives, N. 
T. Caton, O. P. Lacy, E. Ping, C. L. Bush, 
John Bryant and H. M. Hodgis ; probate 
judge, I. Hargrove ; sheriff, B. W. Griffin ; 
auditor, R. Jacobs; treasurer, R. R. Rees; 
assessor, William F. Gwynn ; surveyor, A. L. 
Knowlton ; school superintendent, A. W. 
Sweeney ; coroner, A. J. Thibodo ; county com- 
missioners, D. M. Jessee, W. P. Bruce and S. 
L. King. The last named commissioner re- 
signed his position on the 4th of May, 1874, 
W. T. Barnes being appointed to fill the 
vacancy. 

The year 1874 found the Territory of 
Washington eligible to two delegates to con- 
gress. Consequently a colleague of Mr. Mc- 
Fadden must be elected. Orange Jacobs was 
the nominee of the republicans ; the democrats 
presented as their candidate B. L. Sharpstein, 
of Walla Walla, Judge Jacobs, Territorial ma- 
jority was 1,260. In Walla Walla county Mr. 
Sharpstein received 923 votes against 626 for 
Jacobs. The county election was held Novem- 
ber 3d. There were three tickets in the field. 
The democrats won the offices of a purely local 
character, while the republicans elected their 
candidate for prosecuting attorney and a few 
members of the legislature. These were the 
officials named : 

Presocuting attorney. T. J. Anders; coun- 
cilman, E. Ping; joint councilman, W. W. 
Boon; representatives, R. G. Newland, J. B. 
Shrum, P. M. Lynch, John Scott, H. M. Hod- 
gis and A. G. Lloyd; probate judge. R. 
Guichard ; sheriff, George F. Thomas ; auditor, 
R. Jacobs; treasurer, R. R. Rees: assessor, 
Samuel Jacobs; surveyor, A. L. Knowlton 
(who resigned in November, being succeeded 
by P. Zahner) ; school superintendent, A. W. 
Sweeney: coroner, A. J. Thibodo; county 
commissioners, Charles White, C. S. Brush 



and C. C. Cram. The coroner resigned in 
November, being succeeded by O. P. Lacy, 
who in turn resigned the office in November, 
1875, V. D. Lambert being appointed to fill 
the vacancy. Commissioner Charles White 
resigned in November, 1875, his successor be- 
ing Frank Louden. The county's vote on the 
question of a constitutional convention was 24 
in faVor of the convention to 236 against it. 

In 1876 John P. Judson, the democratic 
nominee for delegate to congress, was defeated 
by a small majority by Judge Jacobs. The 
vote in Walla Walla county stood, Judson, 
545 ; Jacobs, 393. The election, held Novem- 
ber 7th, resulted in a sweeping victory for the 
democrats, the one republican elected being the 
county surveyor; his name appeared on both 
tickets. The officials elected were : 

Prosecuting attorney, T. J. Anders ; coun- 
cilman, Daniel Stewart; representatives, W. T. 
Barnes, William Martin, A. J. Gregory and 
H. A. Vanscykle; probate judge, R. Guichard: 
sheriff, George F. Thomas ; auditor, Thomas 
P. Page : treasurer, William O'Donnell ; as- 
sessor, Samuel Jacobs; surveyor, P. Zahner; 
school superintendent, A. W. Sweeney (who 
resigned in the following May, being suc- 
ceeded by L. K. Grim) ; coroner, L. H. Good- 
win : commissioners, D. J. Storms, James 
Braden and Dion Keefe. In the county 85 
votes were cast in favor of the constitutional 
convention and 292 in opposition. 

In 1878 the candidates presented for con- 
gressional delegate were both well known 
lawyers of Walla Walla. The nominee of the 
republicans was Thomas H. Brents; the demo- 
crats presented N. T. Caton. Mr. Brents' 
majority in Walla Walla county was 146. 
This was the first time the county had given 
a majority for a republican candidate for dele- 
gate to congress. The county officers elected 
were as follows : 

Prosecuting attorney, R. F. Sturdevant ; 
councilman, J. H. Day ; representatives, John 
A. Taylor, D. J. Storms, J. M. Dewar and 



1 88 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Mark F. Colt; probate judge, R. Guichard; 
sheriff, J. B. Thompson ; auditor, W. C. 
Painter; treasurer, J. F. Boyer; assessor, 
Samuel Jacobs; surveyor, P. Zahner (who re- 
signed in February, 1880, F. F. Loehr being 
appointed to fill the vacancy) ; school superin- 
tendent, C. W. Wheeler ; coroner, J. M. Boyd ; 
commissioners, M. B. Ward, Amos Cummings 
and Samuel H. Erwin. The vote in the county 
in favor of the adoption of the constitution 
was 89; against the proposition, 847. 

In 1880 Delegate Brents was again nom- 
inated by the republicans ; the democrats pre- 
sented Thomas Burke. Mr. Brents was re- 
elected, receiving in Walla Walla county a 
majority of 118. The election was held No- 
vember 2d; the republicans secured a majority 
of the offices. These carried the county : 

Member of the board of equalization, T. 
C. Frary; councilman, B. L. Sharpstein ; joint 
councilman, Jacob Hoover ; representatives, R. 
R. Rees and W. G. Preston ; joint representa- 
tive, J. M. Cornwell ; probate judge, R. 
Guichard ; prosecuting attorney, George T. 
Thompson ; auditor, W. C. Painter ; sheriff, 
James B. Thompson ; treasurer, J. F. Boyer ; 
assessor, Samuel Jacobs ; surveyor, Francis F. 
Loehr ; school superintendent, C. W. Wheeler ; 
coroner, Dr. H. G. Mauzey; commissioners, 
M. B. Ward, Amos Cummings and S. H. 
Erwin; sheep commissioner, Asa L. LeGrow. 

At this election the question of levying a 
tax for the purpose of building a suitable court 
house and jail, compatible with the wealth 
and dignity of the county, came up for de- 
cision. The vote was 1,468 in favor of the 
proposition; 158 were cast against it. 

Again in 1882 Judge Thomas H. Brents 
was re-elected delegate to congress, receiving 
in Walla Walla county 1,131 votes. The fol- 
lowing county officials were elected : 

Representatives, H. H. Hungate, A. G. 
Loyd and Milton Evans; attorney, George 
Thompson: auditor, William C. Painter; 
sheriff, J. B. Thompson; treasurer, J. F. 



Boyer; assessor, Walliam Harkness; surveyor, 
F. H. Loehr; superintendent of public schools. 
J. W. Brock; judge of probate, R. Guichard; 
commissioners, Amos Cummings, ML B. Ward 
and S. H. Erwin; sheep commissioner, A. S. 
LeGrow; coroner, W. B. Wells. 

The Walla Walla county officials elected 
in 1884 were these: Representatives, J. F. 
Brewer, William Fudge and J. M. Dewar; at- 
torney, E. K. Hanna; auditor, William C. 
Painter; sheriff, A. S. Bowles; treasurer, J. F. 
Boyer; assessor, L. H. Bowman; surveyor, 
J. B. Wilson; superintendent of schools, J. 
W. Morgan ; judge of probate, R. Guichard ; 
commissioners, Amos Cummings, W. P. Reser 
and W. G. Babcock; sheep commissioner, A. 
S. LeGrow; coroner, H. R. Keylor. 

The record of the election of 1886 is here 
noted : Representatives, P. A. Preston and W. 
M. Clark; auditor, L. R. Hawley; sheriff, A. 

5. Bowles; treasurer, J. F. Boyer; assessor, 
M. H. Paxton; surveyor, J. M. Allen; school 
superintendent, Ellen Gilliam; probate judge, 
R. Guichard; commissioners, T. C. Taylor, 
Joseph Paul and Edwin Weary; sheep com- 
missioner, Timothy Barry; coroner, H. R. 
Keylor. 

From this date, 1888, the political records 
of Walla Walla county become more complete, 
and we will be enabled to show the trend of 
political sentiment by figures taken from au- 
thentic returns, thus contrasting majorities 
and pluralities through the successive cam- 
paigns. Walla Walla county has now fallen 
into the republican column, as a rule. The 
official returns of the election of November 

6, 1888, give the following results: 

For Delegate to Congress — John B. Allen, 
rep., 1,321; Charles S. Voorhees, dem., 1,051; 
Rodger S. Green, pro., 87. 

For Councilman — James M. Duvor, rep., 
1,178; B. L. Sharpstein, dem., 1,171; W. G. 
M. Hayes, pro., 104. 

For Prosecuting Attorney — T. J. Anders, 
.rep., 1,340; Marion D. Egbert, dem., 1,048. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



189 



For Representatives— E. L. Powell, 1,254; 
William H. Upton, 1,179: James Cusker, 
1,130; L. T. Parker, 1,139; J. W. Brock, 95; 
C. W. Freleigh, 75. 

For county Auditor — L. R. Hawley, rep., 
1,313; Henry Kelling, clem., 1,061; C. W. 
Wells, pro., J j. 

For Sheriff— J. M. McFarland, rep., 
1,308; A. S. Bowles, dem., 1,084; H - M - 
Bagley, pro., 63. 

For County Commissioners — M. McMana- 
mon, rep., 1,357; Edwin Weary, rep., 1,208; 
J. W. Morgan, rep., 1,283; James McAuliff, 
dem., 1,108; Frank McCown, dem., 1,083; O: 
J. Laman, dem., 1,053; Horace Hart, pro., 
91; H. C. Gniff, pro., 92; J. M. Nixon, 

pro., 78. 

For Probate Judge — V. D. Lambert, rep., 
1,038; H. W. Eagan, dem., 1,367. 

For Treasurer — John F. Boyer, rep., 

1,364; C. A. Hungate, dem., 998; E. Smith, 

pro., 93. 

For Assessor — M. H. Paxton, rep., 1,378; 

A. S. Merry, dem, 1,077. 

For School Superintendent — J. B. Gehr, 
rep., 1,260; J. L. Dumass, dem., 1,105; C. G. 
Harwood, pro., 80. 

For Surveyor — L. W. Loehr, rep., 1,401'; 
J. M. Allen, dem., 963. 

For Coroner — Dr. W. G. Albon, rep., 
1,177; Dr. Y. C. Blalock, dem., 1,184; Dr. 
E. W. Croup, pro., 100. 

A special election was held May 14, 1889, 
to name delegates to the constitutional con- 
vention. For this purpose the state had been 
subdivided into districts, composed of pre- 
cincts. Following is the vote for delegates 
from the 10th district, including the precincts 
of Baker, Dry Creek, Frenchtown, Hill, Lower 
Touchet, Miill Creek, North Walla Walla, 
Russell Creek, Small, South Walla Walla and 
Wallula : 

For Delegates — D. J. Crowley, rep., 750; 
P. B. Johnson, rep., 530; B. L. Sharpstein, 
dem., 680; N. G. Blalock, dem., 722; H. P. 
Isaacs, pro., 92; W. S. Gilliam, pro., 68. 



From the 9th district, including the pre- 
cincts of Coppei, Eureka Flat, Prescott and 
Waitsburg, the vote stood : 

For Delegate — M. M. Godman, dem., 
155; Lewis Neace, rep., 230; R. F. Sturde- 
vant, rep., 170; Edward C. Ross, dem., 139. 

October 1, 1889, was held the first state 
election in Washington. The objects sought 
were to adopt the new constitution, select a 
state capital, elect state officials, members of 
state legislature and county clerk, which of- 
fice had been provided for under the state con- 
stitution. In Walla Walla county the result 
was as follows : 

For Congressman — John L. Wilson, rep., 
1,437; Thomas C. Griffiths, dem., 1,179. 

For Governor — E. P. Ferry, rep., 1,433; 
Eugene Semple, dem., 1,186. 

For Judge Superior Court for Walla Walla 
and Franklin Counties — W. H. Upton, rep., 
^336 ; William C. Langford, dem., 1,257. 

For State Senators — George L. Thomp- 
son, rep., 1,432; P. A. Preston, rep., 1,343; 
N. G. Blalock, dem., 1,264; Edward Mc- 
Donnell, dem., 1,164. 

For Representatives — Joseph C. Painter, 
rep., 1,473; James Ml Cornwell, rep., 1,410; 
J. K. Straight, rep., 1,390; A. V. Marion, 
dem., 1,040; David Roberts, dem., 1,220; W. 
H. Babcock, dem., 1,231. 

For County Clerk — E. B. Whitman, rep., 
1,311; C. C. Gose, dem., 1,292. 

For Constitution, 996; against, 1,422. 

For Permanent Location of State Capital 
— Olympia, y^y; Ellensburg, 846; North 
Yakima, 755; Walla Walla, 87; Pasco, 20; 
Coppei, 1 ; Seattle, 1 ; Gauven, 1 ; Clyde City, 
3 ; Pleasant View, 3 ; Berryman, 3 ; Riverside, 
1 ; Taeoma, 1 ; Wallula, 1 ; Waitsburg, 4 ; 
Huntsville, 3 ; Prescott, 1 ; Bolles Junction, 
1 ; scattering, 17. 

The general election of November 4, 1890, 
produced the following results : 

For Permanent Location of Capital — 
Ellensburg, 312; Olympia, 1,320; North 
Yakima, 264. 



190 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



For Congressman — Robert Abernathy, 
pro., 129; Thomas Carroll, dem., 979; John 
L. Wilson, rep., 1,116. 

For Representative, nth District— C. C. 
Johnson, pro., 62; J. H. Paul, rep., 476; J. L. 
Sharpstein, dem., 698. 

For Representative, 12th District — E. W. 
Croup, pro., 57; D. E. Hedger, dem., 415; J. 
C. Painter, rep., 569. 

For County Attorney — H. S. Blandford, 
dem., 1,167; W. M. Clark, rep., 1,062. 

For County Clerk — H. A. Davis, pro., 
103; H. W. Eagan, dem., 1,237; E. B. Whit- 
man, rep., 952. 

For Auditor — J. V. Crawford, pro., 126; 
W. B. Hawley. rep., 1,257; T. H. Jessup, 
dem., 878. 

For Sheriff — J. W. Bower, pro., 125; 
James McAuliff, dem., 846; J. M. McFarland, 
rep.. 1,361. 

For Treasurer — A. C. Dickinson — pro., 
in; R. Guichard, dem., 1,234; R. G. Parks, 
rep., 967. 

For County Commissioner, 1st District — 
J. W. Esteb, dem., 1,030; J. Ml. Hill, rep., 
1,046; W. Thomas, pro., 156. 

For County Commissioner, 2d District — 
Milton Aldrich, rep., 1,1 11; E. W. McCann, 
dem., 945; J. Smylie. pro., 123. 

For County Commissioner, 3d District — 
Frank Louden, dem., 1,154; O. N. Wheeler, 
rep., 968; V. Wilson, pro., 112. 

For School Superintendent — J. B. Gehr, 
rep., 1,139; W. G. M. Hayes, pro., 139; 
Walter Lingenfelder, dem., 977. 

For Assessor — M. Hart, pro., 157; J. S. 
Houtchens, dem., 960; M. H. Paxton, rep., 
1. 138. 

For Surveyor — L. W. Loehr, rep., 1,619. 

For Coroner — Y. C. Blalock, dem., 1,635; 
L. S. Sturdivant, pro., 381. 

The presidential election of 1892 resulted 
in the small plurality of 65 for the republican 
ticket, the Harrison electors receiving 1,378 



votes against 1,313 for Grover Cleveland. 
The people's party polled 88 votes; the pro- 
hibitionists, 126. 

For Congressmen — John L. Wilson, rep., 
1,357; William H. Doolittle, rep., 1,304; 
Thomas Carroll, dem., 1,300; James A. Mun- 
day, clem., 1,248; J. C. Van Patten, people's 
party, 68; M. F. Knox, pp., 61; C. E. New- 
berry, pro., 128; A. C. Dickinson, pro., 135 

For Governor — John H. McGraw, rep. 
1,211; Henry J. Snively, dem., 1,322; C. W 
Young, pp., 88; Roger S. Green, pro., 276 

For Representative, nth District — A 
Cameron, rep., 759; L. T. Parker, dem., 750 

For Representative, 10th District — Piatt 
A. Preston, rep., 684; David Miller, dem., 802 
J. V. Crawford, pro., 63. 

For Representative, 12th District — Joseph 
Merchant, rep., 617; James Mlclnroe, dem., 
585 ; H. A. Davis, pro., 55. 

For State Senator, 9th District — John L. 
Roberts, rep., 673; H. S. Blandford, dem., 
593; Thomas H. Brents, pro., 1. 

For Superior Judge — William H. Upton, 
rep., 1,636. 

For County Clerk — Le F. A. Shaw, rep., 
1,137; Harrison W. Eagan, dem., 1,565; 
Charles H. Bennett, pro., 112. 

For County Attorney — J. O. Ross, rep., 
1,281 ; Miles Poindexter, dem., 1,449. 

For Auditor — This resulted in a tie vote 
between W. B. Hawley, rep., and J. J. Huff- 
man, dem., each receiving 1,359 votes. It was 
a two years' term and each of these gentle- 
men served one year. E. E. Kelso, the pro- 
hibition candidate received in votes. 

For Sheriff — George T. Berry, rep., 1,161 ; 
C. C. Gose, dem., 1,444; D. J. Colman, pro., 
247; H. H. Hungate, 1. 

For Treasurer — M'ilton Aldrich, rep., 
1,383; H. H. Hungate, dem., 1,423. 

For County Commissioner, 1st District — 
A. Zaring, rep., 1,282; Edward McDonnell, 
dem., 1,317; Joseph Braden, pro., 105. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



191 



For County Commissioner, 2d District — 
S. W. Smith, rep., 1,202; J. B. Caldwell, dem., 
1,236; Joel Wood, pro., 122. 

For County Commissioner, 3d District — 
A. J. Peefer, rep., 1,083; Frank M. Louden, 
dem., 1,489; H. G. Hart, pro., 120. 

For School Superintendent — Edwin L. 
Brunton, rep., 1,393; Walter Lingenfelder, 
dem., 1,309; H. L. Hunt, pro., 101. 

For Assessor — M. D. L. Barston, rep., 
1,218; T. H. Jessup, dem., 1,433; T. F. Dice, 
pro., 125. 

For Surveyor — J. B. Wilson, rep., 1,366; 
G. W. Winkle, dem., 1,366. 

For Coroner — Dr. S. M 1 . White, rep., 
1,162; Dr. Charles B. Stewart, dem., 1,412; 
Dr. C. W. Croup, pro., 145. 

Politically the year 1894 was marked by 
republican ascendency. The election of two 
years previous had been close in Walla Walla 
county, with a slight advantage with the demo- 
crats. This year conditions were reversed, the 
democrats securing but two of the county of- 
fices, the sheriff and the commissioner from 
the second district. The result: 

For Congressmen — Samuel C. Hyde, rep., 
1,127; W. H. Doolittle, rep., 1,130; N. T. 
Caton, dem., 753; B. F. Heuston, dem., 719; 
J. C. Van Patten, pp., 314; W. P. C. Adams, 
pp., 250; Lawrence E. Doyle, Ind., 4. 

For Representative, 12th District — Joseph 
Merchant, rep., 604; William Martin, dem., 
453; O. Osborn, pp., 127; W. H. Davis, 
pro.. 13. 

For Representative, nth District — J. W. 
Morgan, rep., 707; F. A. Garrecht, dem., 705; 
J. B. Gehr, pp., 124; W. H. Fletcher, pro., 125. 

For County Attorney — R. H. Ormsbee, 
rep., 1,287; Mtiles Poindexter, dem., 1,248; 
Prof. R. M. Horner, pp., 209; R. H. Horner, 

pro-, 53- 

For County Clerk — Le F. A. Shaw, rep., 
1,307; Henry Kelling, dem., 1,140; Roland 
Yeend, pp., 285 ; C. H. Bennett, pro., 46. 

For Auditor — A. H. Crocker, rep., 1,351; 



James J. Huffman, dem., R. McGahey, 
pp., 197; H. D. Eldredge, pro., t>7- 

For Sheriff — James S. Haviland, rep., 
1,269; William Ellingsworth, dem., 1,311; H. 
H. MlcClain, pp., 214; John McCausland, 
pro., 45. 

For Treasurer — M. H. Paxton, rep., 1,3 14; 
John W. McGhee, Jr., 1,217; W. W. Walters, 
pp., 203; H. G. Hart, pro., 37. 

For School Superintendent — E. L. Brun- 
ton, rep., 1,714; J. V. Steele, dem., 801; H. 
A. Davis, pp., 224. 

For Assessor — J. B. Wilson, rep., 1,587; 
T. H. Jessup, dem., 1,097; H. L. Storey, 
pro., 42. 

For Surveyor — E. S. Clark, rep., 1,533; 
George W. Winkle, dem., 1,015; J- V. Craw- 
ford, pro., 42. 

For Coroner — S. M. White, rep., 1,262; 
Charles B. Stewart, dem., 1,169; Jack Allyn, 
pp., 178; E. W. Croup, pro., 60. 

For County Commissioner, 2d District — 
W. J. Cantomonie, rep., 225 ; Frank Nalder, 
dem., 253; D. B. Gerking, pp., 113; James 
Kershaw, pro., 13. 

For County Commissioner, 3d District — 
Amos Cummings, rep., 261 ; George Struthers, 
dem., 203; R. W. Griffin, pp., 60; H. N. Bag- 
ley, pro., 6. 

As was the rule throughout the entire 
United States the presidential election of 1896 
in Walla Walla county was what might be 
termed "excessively sultry." The contest was 
close and there was strict fusion between the 
people's party and the free silver democrats. 
Bryan carried the county by the slender plural- 
ity of 56 votes, the McKinley electors receiv- 
ing 1,596 votes to 1,652 for the Bryan repre- 
sentatives. The Palmer and Buckner ticket, 
"gold democrats," received 72 votes; the pro- 
hibition ticket 2>7 an( i the National ticket 4. 
Other candidates : 

For Congressmen — S. C. Hyde, rep., 
1,532; W. H. Doolittle, rep., 1,526; J. Hamil- 
ton Lewis, pp., 1,698; W. C. Jones, pp., 1,674; 



192 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



C. A. Sayler, pro., 34; Martin Olsen, pro., 31 ; 
Charles E. Mix, Nat., 7. 

For Governor — P. C. Sullivan, rep., 1,538; 
John R. Rogers, pp., 1,691; R. E. Dunlap, 
pro., 61. 

For State Senator, 9th District — William 
T. Dovell, rep., 747; John I. Yeend, pp., 693. 

For State Senator, 10th District — S. C. 
Wingarcl, rep., 840; David Miller, pp., 982. 

For Representative, nth District — J. C. 
Storey, rep., 816; A. Mathoit, pp., 985. 

For Representative, 12th District — J. H. 
Marshall, rep., 794; Obediah Osborn, pp., 633. 

For Judge Superior Court — Thomas H. 
Brents, rep., 1,665; T. P. Gose, pp., 1,617. 

For County Attorney — Lester S. Wilson, 
Rep., 1,538; F. B. Sharpstein, pp., 1,734. 

For Auditor — A. H. Crocker, rep., 1,689; 
Richard MeGahey, pp., 1,589. 

For County Clerk — Le F. A. Shaw, rep., 
1,565; J. E. Mullinix, pp., 1,701. 

For Sheriff — Emmett Henderson, rep., 
1,564; William Ellingsworth, pp., 1,746. 

For Treasurer — M. H. Paxton, rep., 1,675 > 
M. McCarthy, pp., 1,603. 

For Surveyor — E. S. Clark, rep., 1,665 ; 
B. C. Camp, pp., 1,591. 

For Assessor — J. B. Wilson, rep., 1,631; 
William Gholson, pp., 1,660. 

For School Superintendent — G. S. Bond, 
rep., 1,654; Walter Lingenfelder, pp., 1,602. 

For Coroner— W. D. Smith, rep., 1,673; 
M. A. Nelms, pp., 1,586. 

For County Commissioner, 1st District — 
Delos Coffin, rep., 1,615; Milton Evans, pp., 
1,656. 

For County Commissioner, 3d District — 
Amos Cummings, rep., 1,435; Oscar Drum- 
heller, pp., 1,811. 

In Walla Walla county the election of 
November 8, 1898, completely reversed the 
results of the sensational events of 1896. 
Both republican candidates for congress car- 
ried the county ticket, and the democratic 
candidate for treasurer alone was successful on 



the balance of the ticket. The official canvass : 

For Congressmen — F. W. Cushman, rep., 
1,584; W. L. Jones, rep., 1,584; J. Hamilton 
Lewis, dem., 1,177; W. C. Jones, dem., 1,076; 
C. L. Haggard, pro., 36; A. C. Dickinson, 
pro., 39; Walter Walker, 17; M. A. Hamil- 
ton, 18. 

For Representative, 12th District — Chris- 
topher C. Gose, rep., 682; John F. Brewer, 
dem., 531. 

For Representative, 4th District — Grant 
Copeland, rep., 930; Frank McCown, dem., 
6>5- 

For Sheriff — A. Frank Kees, rep., 1,539; 
Hugh S. Young, dem., 1,373. 

For County Clerk — Schuyler Arnold, rep., 
1,452; J. E. Mullinix, dem., 1,391. 

For Auditor — Clark N. McLean, rep., 
1,619; George A. M'cGuire, dem., 1,248. 

For Treasurer — Asa L. LeGrow, rep., 
1,390; J. W. McGhee, Jr., dem., 1,463. 

For County Attorney — Oscar Cain, rep., 
1,629; Francis A. Garrecht, dem., 1,252. 

.For Assessor — AValter L. Cadman, rep., 
1,528; N. S. Gholson, dem., 1,322. 

For School Superintendent — Grant S. 
Bond, rep., 1,872; Mary Gilliam, dem., 980. 

For Surveyor — W. G. Sayles, 1,961. 

For Coroner — Y. C. Blalock, rep., 1,640; 
J. W. Cookerly, dem, 1,217. 

For Commissioner, 1st District— Delos 
Coffin, rep., 1,545 ; Philip Yenney, dem., 
1,280. 

For Commissioner, 2d District — Daven- 
port C. Eaton, rep., 1,594; M. H. Keiser, dem., 
1,130. 

The presidential election of November 6, 
1900, was another sweeping victory for the 
republicans of Walla Walla county, the ma- 
jorities and pluralities running far higher than 
in 1898. M'cKinley carried the county by a 
plurality of 639 over Bryan, receiving 2,119 
votes to 1,480 for the Bryan electors. One 
democrat, William P. Reser, candidate for 
state senator from the 10th district, won out 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



193 



over his republican opponent, Joseph Betz, and 
this was all. Official canvass : 

For Congressman — F. W. Cushman, rep., 
2,064; W. L. Jones, rep., 2,072, F. C. Robert- 
son, dem., 1,450; T. T. Ronold, dem., 1,449. 

For Governor — J. M. Frink, rep., 1,907; 
John R. Rogers, dem., 1,676. 

For State Senator, 9th District — O. T. 
Cornwell, rep., 901; Robert Gerry, dem., 611. 

For State Senator, 10th District — Jacob 
Betz, rep., 954; William P. Reser, dem., 1,157. 

For Representative, nth District — Grant 
Copeland, rep., 1,174; R. A. Stockdale, dem., 
852. 

For Representative, 12th District — John 
Geyer, rep., 890; E. J. Purdy, dem.. 581. 

For Superior Judge — -Thomas H. Brentz, 
rep., 2,324; Thomas Phelps Gose, dem., 1,299. 

For Auditor — Clark N. McLean, rep., 
2,098; John F. Brewer, dem., 1,502. 

For Sheriff — A. Frank Kees, rep., 2,215; 
Emil Sanderson, dem., 1,439. 

For County Clerk — Schuyler Arnold, rep., 
2,174; Frank Nalder, dem., 1,432. 

For Treasurer — William B. Hawley, rep., 
1,931; John W. McGhee, Jr., dem., 1,690. 

For County Attorney — Oscar Cain, rep., 
2,007; Thomas M. McKinney, dem., 1,594. 

For Assessor— Walter L. Cadman, rep., 
1,945; N. S. Gholson, dem., 1,659. 

For Superintendent of Schools — J. Elmer 
Myers, rep., 2,150; R. B. Smith, dem., 1,451. 

For Surveyor — Willis G. Sayles, rep., 
2,028; Lewis A. Wilson, dem., 1,557. 

For Coroner — Samuel A. Owens, rep., 
1996; William Ml Van Patten, dem., 1,598. 

For County Commissioner, 2d District — 
Edward Cornwell, rep., 2,041 ; Campbell 
Robinson, dem., 1,536. 

For County Commissioner, 3d District — 
Amos Cummings, rep., 1,975; Cris J. Bowers, 
dem., 1,594. 

Election of the fall of 1902 : 

For Congressmen — F. W. Cushman, rep.. 
1,849; W. L. Jones, rep., 1,807; W. E. 

13 



Humphrey, rep., 1,807; George F. Cotterill, 
dem., 1,121; O.. R. Holcomb, dem., 1,117; 
Frank B. Cole, dem., 1,116. 

For Representative, 12th District — John 
B. Wilson, rep., 718; James Mclnroe, dem., 
674; George Cummings, pro., 18. 

For Representative, 13th District — A. 
Frank Kees, "rep., 906; Edward M. Denton, 
rep., 851; William H. Dunphy, dem., 756; 
Campbell Robinson, dem., 733 ; James Ker- 
shaw, pro., 20. 

For Sheriff — Charles S. Painter, rep., 
2,224; Patrick Donovan, dem., 859. 

For County Clerk — Oliver O. Breeze, rep., 
1,463; Arthur A. Hauerbach, dem., 1,550; 
Charles Ballard, pro., 37. 

For Auditor — James Z. Smith, rep., 1,374; 
W. T. Honeycutt, dem., 1,680. 

For Treasurer — William B. Hawley, rep., 
1,831; Harry Lasater, dem., 1,187; E. G. 
Ohsfeldt, pro., 33. 

For Prosecuting Attorney — Lester S. Wil- 
son, rep., 1,663; Timothy A. Paul, dem., 1,375. 

For Assessor — Richard A. Berryman, rep., 
1,643; C. C. Maiden, dem., 1,320; Horace G. 
Hart, pro., 61. 

For School Superintendent — J. Elmer 
Myers, 2,337; scattering, 7. 

For Surveyor — Lewis W. Loehr,- 1,990. 

For Coroner — Winfield D. Smith, rep., 
1,624; J. W. Cookerly, dem., 1,356. 

For County Commissioner, 1st District — 
Frank E. Smith, rep., 1,511; George E. 
Struthers, dem., 1,437; W. P. Hershey, 
pro., 36. 

For County Commissioner, 3d District — 
T. N. McCaw, rep., 1,508; W. W. Maxwell, 
dem., 1,399; W. E. Grose, pro., 38. 

The presidential election of 1904 showed in 
Walla Walla county an increase in the republi- 
can majorities over the democratic ticket. 
However, Judge George Turner, democrat, 
carried the county for governor, against Albert 
E. Mlead by a vote of 1,976 to 1,883, while at 
the same polling Roosevelt beat Parker for 



194 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



president by a majority of 1,868, the Roosevelt 
electors receiving 2,824 votes; the Parker ele- 
ment only 956. With the exception of gov- 
ernor the entire republican state ticket was 
carried by pluralities ranging between 600 and 
700. Official canvass : 

For Congressman — William E. Humphrey, 
rep., 2,498; W. L. Jones, rep., 2,479; F. W. 
Cushman, rep., 2,517; Howard Hathaway, 
dem., 1,236; James J. Anderson, dem., 1,237; 
W. T. Beck, dem., 1,231. 

For Governor — A. E. Mead, rep., 1,883: 
George Turner, dem., 1,976. 

For State Senator, nth District — Charles 
T. Hutson, rep., 993; J. Oscar Adams, dem., 
698. 

For State Senator, 12th District — Fred 
W. Pauley, rep., 1,093; William P. Reser, 
dem., 1,046. 

For Representative, 12th District — Will- 
iam H. Weber, rep., 968; H. H. Hungate. 
dem.. 752. 

For Representatives, 13th District — Will- 
iam A. Rudio, rep., 1,135 ; Emmett R. Hender- 
son, rep., 1,147; William A. Ritz, dem., 938; 
Charles W. Taylor, dem., 921; J. L. Keiser, 
pro., 21. 

For Judge Superior Court — Thomas H. 
Brents, rep., 2,807. 

For Sheriff — Charles S. Painter, rep., 
2,412; William Ellingsworth, dem., 1,428; A. 
M. Boowell, pro., 43. 

For County Clerk— Dorsey M. Hill., rep., 
2,293; Louis Scholl, Jr., dem., 1,533; A. S. 
Merry, pro., 28. 



For Auditor — Le F. A. Shaw, rep., 1,686; 
W. J. Honeycutt, dem., 2,146; G. E. Oshfeldt, 
pro., 30. 

For Treasurer — Philip B. Hawley, rep., 
2,228; James Mclnroe, dem., 1,581; H. P. 
Bruch, pro., 33. 

For County Attorney — Lester S. Wilson, 
Rep., 2,161; W. H. Dunphy, dem., 1,677; 
Oscar Cain, 1. , 

For Assessor — Richard J. Berryman, rep., 
1,958; Michael Toner, dem., 1,864; W. H. 
Davis, pro., 27. 

■ For School Superintendent — Grant S. 
Bond, rep., 2,594; W. N. Davis, dem., 1,212. 

For Surveyor — Lewis Loehr, 2,694. 

For Coroner — Winfield D. Smith, rep., 
2,011; J. W. Cookerly, dem., 1,815. 

For County Commissioner, 1st District — 
Frank E. Smith, rep., 1,878; George Struthers, 
dem., 1,936. 

For County Commissioner, 2d District — 
Edward Cornwell, rep., 1,832; John H. Mor- 
row, dem., 1,914; Horace Hart, pro., 38. 

At the election of 1904 the following was 
the number of votes cast in the different pre- 
cincts of Walla Walla county for president: 

Baker, 137; Clarke, 249; Clyde, 156; 
Coppei, 54; Dixie, 142; Eureka, 99; Fremont, 
292; Frenchtown, 88; Hadley, 37; Hill, 103; 
Lewis, 293; Lincoln, 112; Lower Dry Creek, 
48; Lower Touchet, 37; Mill Creek, 55; 
Mullan, 98; Prescott, yj; Ritz, 294; Russell 
Creek, 39; Small, 230; Simms, 152; Steptoe, 
139; Stevens, 305; Wallula, 103; Washington, 
108; Whitman, 231. Total vote, 3,923. 



CHAPTER XI 



EDUCiVTIO'NAL. 



Consistent with the progress of settlement 
in Walla Walla county, the first educational in- 
stitution found its home in the embryo town 
of Walla Walla. It was not a public school, 



but entirely of a private character. It was 
in the winter of 186 1-2 that Mrs. A. J. Minor 
taught some forty pupils in a store building on 
Main street. The first superintendent of pub- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



*95 



lie instruction was J. F. Wood, and he was 
succeeded by William B. Kelly. The latter 
granted Mrs. Minor a certificate and her school 
was changed into a public one. March 15, 
1862, the Washington "Statesman" said 
editorially : "It is time that steps were taken by 
the citizens of this city for the erection of a 
public school house. Hitherto the interests of 
education have been neglected. There have 
been temporary schools, it is true, but no 
permanent system of educating the young has 
been established." 

Following the publication of this para- 
graph one teacher was employed in District 
No. 1, embracing the whole city, a room being 
rented for its accommodation. Still, no efforts 
were put forth to erect any description of a 
public building for educational purposes for 
nearly three years subsequently. A majority 
of the children received instruction in several 
private and select schools. 

This school district to which we have 
alluded, No. 1, the first one organized in 
Walla Walla county, was bounded as follows : 
"Commencing at a point about one mile north 
of Mill Creek, on the line between Russell's 
and Simpson's ranches, thence running west 
to the east line of township No. 7, range 35 
east, thence south to the Yellowhawk creek, 
or the branch of Mill Creek, upon which is 
Simpson's mill; thence following this creek 
to the line between Russell's and Simpson's 
ranches; thence north to the place of begin- 
ning." 

Anions the records of Walla Walla county 
is an account kept by the early day superin- 
tendents of the expenditures and receipts of 
the schools from the organization of the 
county, in 1859, to 1864, inclusive. This 
ancient record is published more as a his- 
torical curiosity than as a statistical basis of 
fact, but it certainly contradicts Mr. Hubert 
Bancroft who states : "The first private school 
taught in Walla Walla was opened in 1864 
by P. B. Chamberlain and wife. There was, 



also, a public school of 63 pupils." It is a 
matter of record that private schools antedated 
the public educational institutions, as has been 
shown in the case of Mrs. M'inor. Following 
is the record : 

To amount paid on scholars $631.78 

1859 Delinquent tax 146.98 

1860 Delinquent tax 175.54 

1861 Delinquent tax 305.62 

Dr. by Sheriff Jackson 261.67 

Dr. by Sheriff Buckley 209.30 

July 1. Paid county y 2 of excess of last allow- 
ance to M. B. Kelly from Supt. . 21.87% 
July 7. Order to E. E. Kelly for this account 

book 1.75 

Loaned the county ordered by the 

county commissioners 38.12% 

Due the school fund by M. B. Kelly.. 50.00 
1862. 

Dec. 1. To order school district No. 1 520.00 

To order school district No. 7 397.00 

To, order school district No 8 346.00 

To order school district No. 9 176.00 

1864. 

Dec. 1. To order to district No. 1 1263.00 

To order to district No. 8 647.00 

To order to district No. 9 273.00 

To order to district No. 10 149.00 

To order to district No. 11 180.00 

To order to district No. 12 168.00 

To order to district No. 13 441.00 

To order to district No. 15 255.00 

1865. No. 7 is entitled to an order for 354 
dollars soon as May 17, then three 
months' school is completed now in 
progress. 

Cr. . 

1859. By assessment roll $308.17 

1860. By assessment roll 624.51 

1861. By assessment roll 932.80 

Amount of fines received 161.00 

Oct. 1. By amount due from W. B. Kelly 50.00 

1862. By amount due from assessment roll. .$1179.20 
Dec. 1. By amount of fines imposed by dis- 
trict court 130.00 

1863. 

Oct. 22. T3y amount of assessment roll 2226.55 

Fines imposed at April term of court 50.00 

Dec. 1. Amount of school fund in treasury... 2183.00 

1864. 

Dec. 1. Amount of fines levied 3090.00 

Amount of fines assessed at term 30.00 

Amount of money in treasury 3,732.00 

A meeting was held in the fall of 1864, 



196 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



and the directors of District No. 1 were in- 
structed to obtain money for a school house 
by subscription. At that period only 93 of 
the 203 children in the district were enrolled. 
At a subsequent meeting held December 12th 
it was decided to levy a tax of 2J/2 mills on 
the dollar for that purpose. Superintendent 
Wood in his report for that year said: "Even 
the town, that has always been behind in school 
matters, until recently, is seriously taking steps 
that will eventually culminate in the erection 
of a public school house." The block of 
ground bounded by Cherry, Palouse, Spokane 
and Sumach streets was purchased by the 
directors for $200. They thereupon erected a 
building 30x60 feet in size. Only 200 pupils 
could be accommodated and there were 250 
in the city. The tax levied had netted only 
$1,183; another levy was absolutely necessary 
as the building cost nearly twice that amount. 
In this new edifice school was opened in 
March, 1866; a nominal tuition fee was 
charged the parents of pupils. 

However, all this was economy most un- 
wise. Quite soon the district was unable to 
accommodate the demands of the children for 
seating capacity. A new district was set off 
including the residents of the southwestern 
portion of the city. It was numbered 34, and 
was organized August 1, 1868. I. T. Reese, 
George F. Thomas and William Kohlhauff 
were made trustees, and H. M. Chase, clerk. 
School was opened in a building subsequently 
used by the Catholics ; in this instruction was 
dispensed until the completion of a new build- 
ing in 1 87 1. On the corner of Willow and 
Eighth streets three lots were purchased and 
a frame structure costing, with the land and 
furniture, $3,741.89, was erected. 

Only $2,237.52 had been realized by the 
six-mill tax; an additional five mills were voted. 
More room was required in the spring of 1877. 
For the accommodation of primary pupils the 
United Brethren church was rented. Efforts 
to add to the size of the school house failed. 



But a room, costing $1,000, was added in 
1879. Still, the demand for more ample ac- 
commodations grew apace. Three lots and a 
dwelling house were purchased in 1881. They 
cost the directors $1,500. At an additional 
expense of $422 the house was remodeled 
and converted into a commodious school room. 
Such was the condition of District No. 34 
when it was consolidated with No. 1 by act of 
the territorial legislature. 

For a number of years after 1868, when 
District No. 34 was set off from the parent dis- 
trict of the county, its school accommodations 
were ample ; in time this ceased to be the 
case. That the districts should reunite was 
the opinion of many. In that event a commod- 
ious building might be erected in which a thor- 
oughly graded school could be established. 
This question was duly considered at a meet- 
ing held in District No. 1, in December, 1876. 
Nothing was accomplished. Another meeting 
was held November 11, 1878. It was reported 
by a committee that it would cost $15,000' to 
erect a suitable building, in addition to the 
cost of the grounds, if a location near the 
center of the city was desired. The question 
of consolidation was submitted to the legalized 
voters January 28, 1879, an( l decided ad- 
versely. This compelled District No. 1 to pro- 
vide additional accommodations single-handed. 
But this was only temporary relief, and the 
greater question of a commodious school build- 
ing remained in abeyance. For the sum of 
$450 ground was purchased at the corner of 
Park and Whitman streets ; at a further cost 
of $2,000 a building was erected. 

Although defeated at the polls many of 
the residents of District No. 1 could not re- 
linquish the idea of consolidation. However, 
relief was at hand. It was provided by the 
legislative act of December 1, 188 1, that each 
incorporated city or town should constitute 
one district, and in such as contained more 
than 300 children a graded system of schools 
should be adopted. And thus consolidation 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



197 



was effected in Walla Walla. It was provided 
by the act that directors of both districts should 
be combined in one board until the following 
election in November. The consolidated board 
comprised D. M. Jessee. H. E. Johnson, B. L. 
Sharpstein, William O'Donnell, N. T. Caton 
and F. W. Payne. The new district was called 
No. 1, also, and E. B. Whitman was clerk. 
By a vote of 245 to 74 a tax of $17,000 was 
levied for the purpose of erecting a building on 
the block occupied by the old first school house. 
The building, of brick, was completed in 1882 
and became known as the Baker school build- 
ing. The handsome Lincoln school building 
appeared in 1888; the College Place public 
school house was added in 1897; the Sharp- 
stein school building was erected in 1899. 

Among the citizens of Walla Walla who 
have contributed much of their time and 
thought to the burdensome duties of school 
directors may be found some of the busiest and 
most active citizens. The names of two 
especial veterans in the service, Paine and 
Sharpstein, are fittingly preserved in two of 
the school buildings above mentioned. 

In the way of recapitulation it is interest- 
ing to note the steady increase of pupils and 
districts in Walla Walla county between 1865 
and 1873. These figures are taken from the 
records of earlier superintendents. From the 
report of 1865 we find that there were in the 
county 1,037 scholars entitled to apportion- 
ment of school money, and 13 districts that 
filed requisitions and were entitled to appor- 
tionment. The amount of money apportioned 
that year was $3,360. 

In 1866 there were 1,087 scholars, 14 dis- 
tricts; in 1867, 1,392 scholars, 21 districts; 
in 1868, 1,609 scholars, 29 districts; in 1869, 
1,852 scholars, 41 districts; in 1870, 1,983 
scholars, 43 districts; in 1871, 2,444 scholars, 
44 districts; in 1872, 2,974 scholars, 47 dis- 
tricts; in 1873, 3.282 scholars, 52 districts; in 
1873, second apportionment, 3,465 scholars, 
58 districts. 

Under the superintendency of Professor 



R. C. Kerr the Walla Walla High School was 
inaugurated in the year 1889. At its incep- 
tion it was located in the Baker school build- 
ing; in 1890 it found permanent quarters in 
the Paine school. In 1893 ^ graduated its 
first class. By 1900 the High School had 
graduated 80 pupils and annually since many 
more have retired from their ahna mater with 
honors. At first the prescribed course was 
three years ; it now offers four years of 
thorough study. This excellent preparatory 
course enables graduates to enter Whitman 
College on a sure foundation from which they 
can, if in earnest, advance to the highest degree 
of classic attainment. 

Pre-eminently Walla Walla is the educa- 
tional center of the state of Washington; 
throughout the entire county there is an atmos- 
phere of culture and educated refinement. 
Aside from Whitman College, one of the noted 
educational institutions of the union, a 
memorial to Dr. Marcus Whitman, martyr 
of Waiilatpu, there are Walla Walla College, 
College Place ; Waits-burg Academy, Waits- 
burg; St. Paul's School; St. Vincent's Acad- 
emy, for girls; De La Salle Institute, for boys; 
Kindergarten ; Empire Business College and 
seven commodious and ornate public school 
buildings in the city of Walla Walla, while 
the county is well supplied with handsome and 
convenient country school buildings. 

The history of Whitman College is the 
record of a labor of love. Twelve years after 
the massacre Father Eells visited the grave of 
his murdered friend and co-worker in the 
missionary field, and while there reverentially 
standing with uncovered head, he resolved to 
found a school of higher learning for the 
youth of both sexes ; a memorial which he felt 
that his martyred friend would prefer, could 
he speak, to the costliest monument of marble. 
We quote from Professor W. D. Lyman : 

! 

In pursuance of his plan Father Eells purchased 
the section of land on which the missionary tragedy- 
had been enacted and there he prepared to erect the 
building and start Whitman Seminary. It soon be- 



198 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



came evident, however, that the town was going 
to grow about the fort, six miles east, and there, 
Father Eells decided, would be the proper place for 
his cherished enterprise. Father Eells was entirely 
alone in the work, except for the equally devoted 
and faithful efforts of his wife and two sons. They 
plowed and reaped, cut wood, raised chickens, made 
butter and devoted the proceeds, aside from that 
necessary to the essentials of life, to accumulate a 
fund for starting the seminary. It was a slow, dis- 
heartening task, with every external circumstance 
againjst them. It is (hard to conceive of a more 
pathetic history than that of Father Eells and his 
family, slowly, patiently, saving every scrap se- 
cured by /their wearisome toil, in order to give it 
away for this purely unselfish purpose. 

Permission to prosecute this enterprise, had 
been secured from the Territory. Following is 
the act of the legislative assembly, passed De- 
cember 20, 1859, providing for the establish- 
ment of Whitman Seminary: 

Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Legislative Assem- 
bly of the Territory of Washington, That there shall 
be established in Walla Walla county an institution 
of learning, for the instruction of persons of both 
sexes, in science and literature, to be called the 
"Whitman Seminary;" and that Elkanah Walker, 
George H. Atkinson, Elisha S. Turner, Erastus S. 
Joslyn, W. A. Tenney, H. A. Spalding, John C. 
Smith, James Craigie and Cushing Eells and their 
successors, are hereby declared to be a body politic 
and corporate, in law, by the name and style of the 
President and Trustees of Whitman Seminary. 

Sec. 2. That the corporation before named shall 
have perpetual succession and power to acquire, pos- 
sess and hold property, real, personal and mixed, and 
the same to sell, grant, convey, rent, or otherwise 
dispose of at pleasure; and they shall have power 
to contract and be contracted with, sue and be sued, 
plead and be impleaded, in all courts of justice, both 
at law and equity; they shall have and use a com- 
mon seal, with power to alter it at pleasure; and 
they may exercise all the powers and enjoy all the 
privileges of other institutions of learning in this 
Territory. 

Sec. 3. That the corporate concerns of said 
Whitman Seminary shall be managed by themselves 
as a board, consisting of the nine members, and 
that a majority of the members of the board shall 
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; 
said trustees shall elect one of their number to be 
president of their board, and they shall have power 
to fill all vacanciesi in their body, as these may from 
time to time occur, by resignation, expulsion, death 
or otherwise, and shall have power to make and put 



in force such by-laws and regulations as shall from 
time to time be deemed necessary for the govern- 
ment of said corporation. , 

Sec. 4. That the board of trustees shall have 
power to appoint subordinate officers and agents, 
and to make, ordain and establish such ordinances, 
rules and regulations as they may deem necessary 
for the good government of said institution, its 
officers, teachers and pupils, and for the manage- 
ment of the affairs of said corporation to the best 
advantage. Provided, That they shall not contra- 
vene the constitution or laws of the United States, 
or the laws of this Territory. 

Sec. 5. That all deeds and other instruments 
or conveyances shall be made by order of the board 
of trustees sealed with the seai of the corporation, 
signed by the president, and by him acknowledged 
in his official capacity in order to insure their 
validity. 

Sec. 6. That the capital stock of said institution 
shall never exceed one hundred and fifty thousand 
dollars, nor the income or proceeds of the same be 
appropriated to any other use than for the benefit 
of said institution as contemplated by this act. 

Sec. 7. That this acfl to take effect and be in 
force from and after its passage. 

Passed December 20, 1859. 

The Seminary, now termed Whitman Col- 
lege, was located on ground donated by Dr. 
D. S. Baker. Five years had been consumed 
in accumulating four thousand dollars. The 
original edifice was completed two years later, 
and dedicated October 13, 1866. Truly, this 
old Seminary did a noble work in uplifting the 
characters of its students and upholding lofty 
standards of scholarships. A new charter 
was granted in 1883, an( J the institution be- 
came "Whitman College" with a curriculum 
entitling it to hold the name, and under the 
presidency of Dr. A. J. Anderson the institu- 
tion began the growth that has made it known 
throughout the west as an exponent of ad- 
vanced ideas in the educational force of the 
state. 

Rev. S. B. L. Penrose became president in 
1895. He entered into the work with ardor 
which today is in nowise abated. The future 
of the college has been made sure by the gen- 
erous endowment of Dr. D. K. Pearsons, of 
Chicago, who contributed $50,000 with the 
proviso that $150,000 be found elsewhere. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



199 



This was accomplished through strenuous ef- 
forts of the trustees, faculty and friends of 
the college. Whitman Memorial Building, 
Reynold's Hall (the girl's dormitory), Bill- 
ings' Hall (young men's dormitory), and the 
gymnasium, buildings of stone and brick, have 
been erected through further aid from Dr. 
Pearsons and others, Walla Walla, herself, 
contributing generously. There are three col- 
lege courses, classical, scientific and literary. 
And the best institutions in the east possess 
no superior grades than these. The number 
of students for the year 1904-5 was 393. 
Twelve professors are included in the faculty; 
five instructors in the literary, and six in the 
musical, department. In all the leading occu- 
pations throughout the land the alumni of 
Whitman College have taken high rank. 

Bishop Wells, some 35 years ago, planned 
to erect a high grade boarding school for girls. 
The real estate donated for the purpose was a 
picturesque bit of nature's landscape. Then 
began the work of the mason who laid $3,000 
worth of stone in the foundation. Another 
$3,000 was pledged by the citizens of Walla 
Walla. Apparently success was assured. But 
Tacoma, then the leading Sound city, had in 
contemplation a similar institution. Strong 
inducements were offered Walla Walla to 
abandon the local project in favor of the 
Tacoma enterprise. In this effort Tacoma was 
successful. But Dr. Lathrop, then rector of 
St. Paul's Church, would not abandon the 
home enterprise. While he failed to complete 
the magnificent edifice first contemplated, he 
utilized the old buildings to the greatest ad- 
vantage, and soon they were crowded with 
young lady boarders from the surrounding 
country. But although Mrs. Appleton made a 
donation of $3,000 as the nucleus of an endow- 
ment fund, the departure of Dr. Lathrop re- 
moved, as it were, the soul of the enterprise 
and the doors of St. Paul's School were closed 
for two years. It is to the revivifying in- 
fluence of Miss Imogen Boyer, a graduate of 
the institute, that St. Paul's School owes its 



existence today. And since that period St. 
Paul's has steadily progressed. It is under 
the control of the Episcopal Church, is sur- 
rounded by beautiful grounds, has excellent 
and well appointed buildings, and during the 
year 1904 had a faculty of five teachers with 
fifty pupils. It is a school for girls. 

Through the zealous endeavors of their 
pastors and their own generous co-operation, 
the Catholics of Walla Walla have for the 
past forty years been enabled to procure for 
their children the advantages of a Christian 
education. Where now stands St. Miary's 
hospital there was opened in 1864, by the 
Very Reverend J. B. A. Brouillet, a Catholic 
school for girls. By the Sisters of Providence 
it was conducted. St. Patrick's Academy, a 
school for boys, opened its portals one year 
later. Mr. H. L. Lamarche was the first 
teacher, and he presided over its destinies 
fifteen years. Mr. A. M. Sommers, Mr. J. J. 
Donovan, Miss Tina Johnson and Miss Eliza 
Sexton were among the other teachers. A 
company of cadets was organized by Mr. 
Donovan, and later a brass band was estab- 
ished in connection with the school. To ac- 
commodate the ever increasing numbers ap- 
plying for admission a new building was 
erected. A magnificent bequest was made by 
Miss Marie O'Rourke, and thus munificently 
aided the Very Rev. M. Flohr was enabled 
to erect an elegant school building. In May, 
1899, it was blessed by the Right Rev. E. J. 
O'Dea. There arrived in Walla Walla from 
San Francisco, August 15, 1899, three Broth- 
ers of the Christian Schools, to manage the 
new enterprise henceforth to be known as De 
La Salle Institute, in honor of St. J. B. De 
La Salle, founder of the congregation of 
which the brothers were members. The in- 
stitute opened December 4, 1899, with 100 
pupils; the second year commenced with an 
attendance of 130 ; during 1904 there were 123 
pupils and three instructors. 

The Catholic school for girls is St. Vin- 
cent's Academy. Next to Whitman College 



200 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



it is the largest private educational institu- 
tion in Walla Walla county. During 1904 
it had an enrollment of 225 pupils instructed 
by five teachers. It was as early as 1864 that 
St. Vincent's Academy was founded by three 
sisters of charity from Montreal, Columbay, 
Paul Miki and Nativity. With years the work 
increased, and today many of the representa- 
tive women of the northwest prove their 
gratitude to their alma mater by lives of high- 
est Christian purpose; for them St. Vincent's 
has proved an inspiration. 

In 1879-80 the present building was 
erected. It is well-appointed, spacious, sup- 
plied with all modern improvements and ap- 
paratus, and all in all is one of the finest 
structures in the state. 

In the center of a flourishing, prosperous 
community is located Walla Walla College. 
One hundred acres of the townsite of College 
Place are owned by this institution. It has 
gained a prominent position among the edu- 
cational organizations of the west since it was 
founded in 1892. It is situated three miles 
from Walla Walla, and represents the Ad- 
ventist denomination and their educational 
work in the Pacific Northwest. At present 
there are eleven teachers and about 150 pupils. 
Although denominational in character its 
doors are open to all young people of moral 
character. 

A substantial brick structure is the col- 
lege building, four stories in height and of 
modern design and architecture. With the 
main building two brick dormitories are con- 
nected ; herein non-residents reside. An ex- 
tensive and well-kept campus surrounds these 
buildings, fringed by orchards and gardens on 
every side. Owing to its eligible location the 
most conspicuous edifice in Walla Walla val- 
ley is Walla Walla College. And a thrifty 
little city is College Place, which has grown 
up with the growth of the educational in- 
stitution. 



The Empire Business College at Walla 
Walla, was founded in 1887 by A. M. and J. 
L. Cation, and J. R. Stubblefield. Four years 
later the projectors disposed of the property 
to Merwin Pugh. During the succeeding four 
years it was conducted by him, and in 1895 
J. W. Brewer became owner and manager. 
At present it is in charge of Professor W. P. 
Underwood. Instruction is given to 90 
pupils and two teachers are employed. No 
other similar institution in the state supplies 
a better service in the way of a practical busi- 
ness course. 

We have reserved the history of Waits- 
burg Academy, one of the oldest and best 
educational institutions in the state, for the 
chapter devoted exclusively to Waitsburg, 
where it is treated in extenso. 

We now revert to the public schools of 
Walla Walla county and their present con- 
dition. Aside from the rural districts where 
one department only is maintained, there are 
schools at Walla Walla, Waitsburg, Petty- 
john, Prescott, Touchet, Dixie and Wallula 
in which two or more departments are main- 
tained. There are ten graded schools in the 
county, including the several in the city of 
Walla Walla. Ten districts in the county are 
supplied with free text books. The following 
statistics concerning the public schools of 
Walla Walla county are from the superin- 
tendent's report for 1905 : 

Children of school age (5 to 21), 6,212; 
enrolled in public schools, 4,627 ; average 
daily attendance, 3,122; average number of 
months school was maintained during the 
year, j x / 2 ; average number of days, 142 ; num- 
ber of departments, rooms or schools main- 
tained during the year, 133; whole number of 
teachers employed during the year (male, 32, 
female, no), total 142; average monthly 
salary for male teachers, $80; female, $57; 
number of pupils first year's course, 874; sec- 
ond, 624; third, 593; fourth, 680; fifth, 500; 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



201 



sixth, 407; seventh, 310; eighth, 323; ninth, 
172; tenth, 88; eleventh, 33; twelfth, 23; 
number of pupils attending private schools 
during year, 569 ; school houses now in county, 
frame, 60, brick, 7, stone, 1, total, 68; total 
seating capacity, 5,492; total value of all pub- 
lic school property, $444,019.60; number of 
districts in county, 62, joint districts, 7; 
graded schools in county, 10; high schools, 3; 
number of teachers employed during\the year 
holding state or territorial certificates, 22 ; 
from normal department state university, o ; 
elementary certificates from normal schools, 
3 ; advanced course, o ; first grade certificates, 
33; second, 46; third, 18; temporary certifi- 
cates from school superintendent, 19. 



FINANCIAL EXHIBIT FOR 1905. 
Receipts — 
Balance in hands county treasurer begin- 
ning of year July 1, 1904 $22,413.64 

Amount apportioned to districts by county 

superintendent, State funds 56,427.48 

County funds 5,340.35 

Amount received from districts having spe- 
cial levy 44,641.07 

Amount received from sale of bonds 10,000.00 

Amount received from all other sources . . . 352.32 

Expenditures- 
Amount, paid for teachers' wages $48,893.14 

Amount paid for rents, repairs, fuel and 

other incidentals 17,237.68 

Amount paid for sites, buildings, furniture, 

apparatus and libraries 38,512.09 

Amount paid for interest on bonds 4,814.11 

Amount paid for interest on warrants 3,432.96 

Amount for all other funds paid 78.12 

Balance on hand end of year, June 30, 1905 26,206.76 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 

WALLA WALLA COUNTY 



HENRY S. COPELAND is one of the 
oldest of Walla Walla county's pioneers and is, 
too, one of the first settlers here, coming as 
early as i860. Since that day he has been 
closely identified with the development and 
progress of the country and now, having spent 
nearly half a century here, is looked up to as 
a venerable and substantial patriarch, which, 
indeed, he is. He has passed four score years 
and more and has traveled across the continent 
as well as to many other places, and during his 
lifetime there have been brought out most of 
the modern inventions that have so changed 
the complexion of the world. The remi- 
niscences of his boyhood days can hardly be 
realized by the youth of the present time, and 
they are highly interesting and historic, in- 
deed. These fathers of the country are 
eminently deserving of the honor which the 
American people are so quick to give and 
-truly no greater praise could be extended to 
them than the works their hands have ac- 
complished in transforming the wilderness to 
the fertile farms of today, in enduring the 
hardships and braving the dangers to turn back 
the savages and guard against the wild beasts, 
while they planted their stakes and builded the 
foundations broad and deep for the spread of 
the realm of the stars and stripes. All honor, 
we repeat, to those patriarchs and it is most 
pleasurable to chronicle for the generations to 
come, their deeds and to add our word in 
exploiting the adventures so that the peoples 



unborn may know the stamina, the principle, 
the unflinching courage, the resourcefulness, 
and the aggressiveness of the true American 
pioneer and pathfinder. And what race, we 
ask, has produced better specimens for this 
noble work than the dwellers on the Emerald 
Isle? Surely Ireland's sons are found in the 
forefront all over the world and they are 
numbered among the most staunch patriots 
and substantial men who do honor to the stars 
and stripes. 

Thomas Copeland, the father of our sub- 
ject, was born in Ireland from the true stock 
and came when a young man to Canada where 
he did farming. Later he removed to Ver- 
mont and married and there remained until 
his death. He and his wife both died when 
Henry S. was a young child, he having been 
born in Vermont, in 1824. Our subject re- 
ceived the education to be secured from the 
common schools and then took up farming as 
his father before him had clone. Steadily he 
continued at the work until the early sixties, 
when he was led by a purpose long cherished 
to see the great west. No railroads spanned 
the continent then, as now, no bridges held 
the pilgrim across the streams, and, in fact, 
only here and there were there even paths 
or trails to the land of the Pacific slope. He 
arrived, however, at Walla Walla, in due time 
and without more than ordinary incident by 
the way. It was not long before he had pur- 
chased a home place and soon thereafter, he 



204 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



took a homestead and gave his attention to 
the cultivation of the soil and this has em- 
ployed him constantly since that time. How- 
beit, r he has, also, paid considerable attention 
to raising stock and in both lines has been 
blessed with splendid success. Walla Walla 
county has been his home since those days and 
much splendid achievement of improvement 
and building up has been accomplished by his 
worthy and untiring labors, so -wisely put forth 
in the intervening years. Now, Mr. Copeland 
has passed the time for man to work and it 
is pleasant to see him enjoying the good 
things his industry provided. He has the 
esteem and good will of all and has the 
pleasure of knowing that he has many warm 
and admiring friends. 

Mr. Copeland married Miss Mary Ann 
Morton, who was the daughter of William and 
Catherine Morton, of Illinois. Nine children 
were born to this union, only four of whom 
are now living. 

Mir. Copeland is a member of the Masonic 
lodge and has been for many years. 



JACOB KIBLER, a venerable pioneer of 
Walla Walla county, is, also, one of the large 
real estate owners of this region and is well 
known throughout the Touch et valley, being 
a man whose industry and careful procedure 
in the matter of handling the business of grow- 
ing wheat has won him the smiles of dame 
fortune in no uncertain manner. He has 
taken part in all that has tended to build up 
the country since the early days of his settle- 
ment here, and has shown himself a man not 
afraid to do the pioneer's part nor wanting in 
those substantial qualities that combine to 
make the loyal and wise citizen and the success- 
ful business man. At present he owns sixteen 
hundred acres of excellent wheat land besides 
other property and is rated as one of the 
heavy wheat producers of the county. It was as 
early as 1853 that Mr. Kibler started for the 



west, and after the hardships of a journey 
so great in those days, he decided to locate near 
Walla Walla and shortly thereafter took a 
quarter section of land. That was the be- 
ginning of his now large estate. He has 
devoted himself to farming and in it has won 
a splendid success. He has acquired his estate 
by purchase at various times, from the be- 
ginning showing his faith in the ultimate out- 
come of this favored country. 

Mr. Kibler' s father, William Kibler, was a 
native of Shenandoah county, Virginia, and by 
occupation a farmer. He lived to be four 
score years old and died in his native place, 
a man highly respected and well known. He 
had served in the War of 181 2 and was a 
leading pioneer in Virginia. He married the 
daughter of a prominent Virginia pioneer and 
to this union our subject was born September 
30, 1 82 1, while they were still living in 
Shenandoah county. Owing to limited school 
facilities, Jacob had little opportunity to study, 
but early learned the way to rely on himself 
in a pioneer country. In 1852 he journeyed 
to Clark county, Missouri, and there purchased 
land. The next year, however, as stated above, 
he came west and since that time Walla Walla 
county has claimed him as one of her sub- 
stantial citizens. He married Miss Louise 
Buroker, a native of Ohio and they have be- 
come the parents of six children, namely, 
Charles F., David, William H. and Frank, all 
farmers, Sarah E., who died in infancy, and 
Annie M., living at home. Politically, Mr. 
Kibler is a Democrat, although not partisan, 
being liberal minded in such matters. He and 
his wife belong to the Methodist church and 
are consistent and good people. 



FRANK G. ENNIS, who resides one mile 
northwest from Walla Walla, was born on 
Oak street, Walla Walla, on December 15, 
1879, an d nas s P ent hi s entire life in this place. 
He is a young man of integrity and worth and 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



205 



has demonstrated his ability by the success he 
has achieved in financial affairs. His father, 
Christopher Ennis, is mentioned in another 
portion of this work. His mother, Miss Annie 
McManamon in maiden life, is a native of 
Iowa, and his brothers and sisters, all younger 
than himself are, Mary, Thomas, Adelia, Mar- 
tha, Christopher, Katie, Alice, Margaret, and 
John, who is deceased. 

Reverting more particularly to the immed- 
iate subject of this article, we note that Frank 
G. Ennis was educated in the schools of Walla 
Walla and then was associated with his father 
in the meat business for two years. After that, 
he spent four years on the farm under his 
father's direction and then he leased the old 
Holbrook farm for twenty years, where he 
now resides. The place consists of four hun- 
dred and eighty acres and is a fine estate. 
Mr. Ennis is conducting the same in a very 
fine manner and in addition to grain raising, 
handles about one hundred head of cattle. 

On May 19, 1902, Mir. Ennis married Miss 
Mary Scally, who was born in Los Angeles, 
California on December 25, 1879. The wed- 
ding occurred in Walla Walla. The parents 
of Mrs. Ennis are Thomas and Nellie 
(Sheehan) Scally, natives of Pennsylvania 
and county Kilkenny, Ireland, respectively. 
The father's parents were natives of Ireland 
and are both deceased. He came to California 
in the early days and followed the hotel busi- 
ness in Los Angeles until his death. The 
mother lives in Walla Walla at the present 
time. Mrs. Ennis has three brothers named 
as follows, Frank, a merchant in Pocatello, 
Idaho ; Thomas, a cashier in the office of the 
O. R. & N. R. R. at Walla Walla; and John, 
in the employ of the 0-. R. & N. R. R. at the 
same place. 

Politically, our subject is a Democrat and 
always takes a deep interest in these matters. 
He belongs to the B. P. O. E. and the K. C. 
Mr. and Mrs. Ennis are well known young 
people and have the good will and esteem of 



everybody. They have shown marked industry 
and uprightness and are numbered among the 
substantial people of the town. 



WILLIAM JASPER CORKRUM has 
spent the major portion of his life in Walla 
Walla county, and, therefore, is to be classed 
with the pioneers, while, also, he is, today, 
one of the substantial and well to do agricul- 
turists, of which this favored county has so 
many men who excel in this line of operations. 
M<r. Corkrum dwells at number 530 South 
Third street, in the city of Walla Walla, where 
he has one of the comfortable homes of the 
city. While he first decided to come to Walla 
Walla for the education of his children, still 
he has been so rewarded through his labors of 
skill and business ability in the years that have 
passed, that he is entitled to the retirement 
that he is now enjoying with his family. 

William J. Corkrum was born in Jefferson 
county, Illinois, on February 7, 1859, the son 
of Francis Marion Corkrum, mention of whom 
is made elsewhere in this volume. Francis 
Corkrum married Miss Mary Killebrue and 
they became pioneers of the west. Our subject 
well remembers the trip across the plains with 
ox teams in 1865, when his father brought the 
family west to participate in the development 
and upbuilding of a new country, and where 
our subject has remained since. Selection of 
a homestead was made in the Spring creek 
country, some seven miles east from AValla 
W T alla. and there is where William J. was 
reared. Although the original homestead con- 
tained but eighty acres, still, by careful tilling 
of the. soil and wise management, they pros- 
pered and our subject with his brothers and 
sisters gained his education from the schools 
then in the new country. He made the best 
of his opportunities and when he had reached 
his majority, he was ready to begin the re- 
sponsible duties of life for himself. He had 



206 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



remained at home with his father until that 
important time arrived, we have mentioned, 
and then he selected a homestead for himself 
about eight miles northeast from Walla Walla. 
After proving up, he exchanged with his father 
for a quarter section of land six miles north- 
east, which he still owns, which added to a 
quarter of railroad land made a farm of 320 
acres. In addition to this half section Mr. . 
Corkrum has purchased from time to time 
until he now owns about 1,300 acres which is 
all in cultivation and counted as some of Walla 
Walla county's most excellent wheat land, 
producing abundant crops of that king of 
cereals each year. Mr. Corkrum has been 
steadily engaged in farming since the first 
days of coming to the country and he is one 
of the most skillful and successful men in this 
line in the county. He has shown a thrift 
and wisdom in handling his estates and his 
business that are commendable and worthy to 
be emulated. He is a substantial and esteemed 
.citizen well deserving the commendations de- 
served by tbose who open the country and 
then wisely build and develop the same. 

It was 1898 that Mr. Corkrum decided to 
remove his family to the city of Walla Walla, 
and at that time he secured the home men- 
tioned above, and this has been his head- 
quarters since. 

On July 3, 1881, Mr. Corkrum married 
Miss Alice Kennedy, the daughter of Lewis 
H. and Mary Kennedy, and a native of Illinois. 
She came to Washington in 1879. The fruit 
of this happy marriage is the following named 
children, Jesse, Emery, Lula, Leonard, Hugh- 
bert, Raymond, Lillian, Hazel, Mary, Jeneva 
and Percy. 

In .fraternal circles, Mr. Corkrum is af- 
filiated with the I. O. O. F., the K. P., and 
the F. & A. M., having been chancellor and 
delegate to the grand lodge of the K. P. Mr. 
Corkrum is a strict adherent to the doctrines 
of the Presbyterian church and holds his mem- 
bership in that denomination, while his family, 
also, are with him in his religious faith. 



Politically, he is a Republican and active in all 
measures for the advancement and upbuilding 
of the community. 

Mr. and Mrs. Corkrum have many friends, 
and for their good work and useful lives they 
are esteemed and classed among Walla Walla's 
best citizens. 



CHARLES S. DAVIS was born on the 
twenty-first day of January, 1866, in Oneida 
county, New York. His parents, Hiram and 
Alvina (Crapser) Davis, were also natives of 
the Empire State, and there the father was en- 
gaged in lumbering. When our subject was 
four years of age, the parents migrated to 
Mitchell county, Iowa, and there Charles re- 
ceived his primary education. Later on, the 
family removed farther west, settling in Man- 
chester, Kansas, where they at present reside, 
engaged in farming and stockraising. When 
Charles had attained his majority, he stepped 
forth to assume the responsibilities of life for 
himself and was engaged for some time in 
different occupations. Finally he turned his 
face westward and in due time arrived in Walla 
Walla, and for eight years past he has been 
engaged in railroading. 

In August, 1900, Mr. Davis married Miss 
Eva Davis, a native of California, the 
nuptials occurring in Walla Walla. 

Fraternally, Mr. Davis is affiliated with 
the I. O. O. F., while in political matters he 
is exceedingly liberal, preferring to vote for 
the man of his individual choice rather then 
conform to the restrictions imposed by party 
lines. 



ALVAH BROWN, more familiarly, 
known as "Jerry Brown," is one of the popular 
and public spirited men of Walla Walla, and 
is acquainted with nearly every one in his 
part of the country. He is a genial person 
with a helping hand to his needy fellows, and 
so kindly disposed that he has won a very 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



207 



extended circle of friends wherever he has re- 
sided. His birth occurred in Silverton, Ore- 
gon, on October 20, 1855, his parents being 
James M. and Lucinda (Davis) Brown. The 
father was a native of Kentucky and came 
west in 1846 and surveyed donation claims 
in the Willamette valley for the United States 
government. He finally located near Port- 
land, having a wife and four children, and there 
died in 1884, being aged then seventy-two 
years. The mother of Alvah was born in 
Columbus, Ohio, and was the mother of nine 
children, five girls and four boys. Her death 
occurred in 1876 at the age of sixty-two years. 
Until sixteen years of age, our subject had 
the opportunity of attending school and dili- 
gently embraced the privileges afforded in 
his home town, then he turned to the work of 
the farm and continued thus employed until 
he had reached his majority. At that time he 
received from President U. S. Grant the ap- 
pointment to the postmastership of Silverton, 
where he served with acceptability and ef- 
ficiency for some time. It is well known that 
from Silverton, Oregon, have come several 
men now nationally prominent, among them 
being United States Judge Fullerton, and the 
artist, Homer Davenport. In 1883, Mr. Brown 
came to Walla Walla and was salesman for J. 
Jones until he was installed secretary of the 
Walla Walla Water Power Company. Four 
years later he retired from that position and 
embarked in the wholesale and retail fruit and 
cigar business, having, also, two branch stores 
in Spokane. At the time of the great fire in 
that city in 1888, he lost everything and so 
closed up the business there. In that same 
year he was appointed a member of the Walla 
Walla police force and served for five years 
with display of faithfulness and constant at- 
tention to business. Then he resigned to ac- 
cept a position with H. McArthur, where he 
was to be found until 1903, when he was 
chosen chief of the police department in his 
city. He is now in this capacity and is one 
of the best known men in this part of the 



country. Mr. Brown is a member of the Elks 
and the Eagles, besides belonging to other 
social and fraternal orders. 

Mr. Brown married Miss Viola Davis, a 
native of Silverton, Oregon, and they have be- 
come the parents of three children, Stanley D., 
who was accidentally killed while hunting, 
on August 3, 1899, being then eighteen years 
of age. The other children are Gertrude and 
Gladys, aged eighteen and fifteen, respectively. 



HON. OLIVER T. CORNWELL, ex- 
senator, was born in Walla Walla, on March 
22, 1863, and is, therefore, a pioneer by birth, 
a fact which justly entitles him to representa- 
tion in the History of Southeastern Wash- 
ington. 

The native sons of this state, of those 
early days, are exceedingly hard to find, and 
it is, therefore, a pleasure to the compilers of 
this work to here record a sketch of his life. 
He is a son of the late Hon. James M. Corn- 
well, who was born in Orange county, Indiana, 
on August 7, 1834, and who, at the age of 
eighteen years, in the spring of 1852, with his 
brother, left the old home in Illinois and joined 
an emigrant train bound across the plains to 
Oregon. They arrived at their destination on 
October 7th of the same year, and James M. 
took up a donation claim near Portland ; there 
he remained until 1861, when he disposed of 
his property interests, which he had largely 
increased, and came to Walla Walla, where, 
from time to time, he purchased land until he 
became one of the largest land owners as 
well as one of the most successful stockmen 
in the country. 

He was an influential citizen and took an 
active part in public affairs and was elected a 
member of the territorial legislature, and also 
served in that body the first term after Wash- 
ington was made a state. In i860 he was 
united in marriage to Miss Maiy A. Stott, who 
was born in Indiana and crossed the plains 



208 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



with her parents in 1849, when she was a child 
of tender years. To her and her husband six 
children were born, named as follows : Laura 
F., wife of Cassius Robinson, of Walla Walla; 
Oliver T., immediate subject of this biog- 
raphy; Charles E. ; Nannie E., wife of A. M. 
Cation of Walla Walla; Minnie, wife of A. 
Chaney; and Releigh, who died at the age of 
seventeen years. The mother of this family 
departed this life, July 11, 1893. 

Oliver T. Cornwell received his education 
from the public schools and Whitman col- 
lege. When twenty-one years of age he em- 
barked in stockraising for himself and has 
been interested in this business and farming 
since, although he has, also, done much other 
business. He has owned and operated grain 
and stock farms in Whitman and Franklin 
counties and at the present time he is the 
owner of much land and property in addition 
to the business he is handling in this city. 
Mr. Cornwell was one of the organizers of 
the Washington Live Stock Association, which 
was perfected in 1903, and he was the first 
president of the same. The Chamberlin Lum- 
ber Company, the oldest lumber establishment 
of this city, was merged into the AValla Walla 
Lumber Company on August 1, 1901, and our 
subject is president of this latter company. 
The other officers are A. M. Cation, secretary, 
and A. K.Dice, treasurer. 

In his political career our subject has 
always evinced a deep interest in forwarding 
those principles that he believes to be for the 
good and welfare of the west, and has there- 
fore allied himself closely with the Republican 
party. He was nominated state senator from 
the eleventh district at the hands of his party 
and at the polls his popularity was demon- 
strated by a large majority. During his terms 
in this office, Mr. Cornwell kept close in mind 
the interests of his constituents and was instru- 
mental in assisting to passage several bills that 
became splendid laws. 

Mr. Cornwall is not a man overpowered by 
localisms, for the interests of the entire state 



were carefully looked after, still, his constitu- 
ents never appealed to him without a hearty 
response and action in their behalf. He has 
always been city councilman since being eligi- 
ble for the office and is considered one of the 
sagacious and substantial men of ability of the 
city. 

Mr. Cornwell married Miss Ella Crowell, 
the daughter of Henry A. and Mary A. 
(Thurman) Crowell, of Walla Walla, and 
two children have been the issue of the mar- 
riage, Lessie and Ethel. Mr. Cornwell is a 
Royal Arch Mason and a member of the Odd 
Fellows lodge. 



HON. THOMAS HURLEY BRENTS, 
one of the most distinguished lawyers and 
legislators of the Pacific northwest, was born 
in Florence, Illinois, on December 24, 1840. 
His parents were James Deal and Narcissa 
(Lucas) Brents, the former a native of Cum- 
berland county, Kentucky and the latter born 
in Dickson county, Tennessee. The father's 
parents were natives of Virginia and early 
pioneers of that country. The family name 
used to be "Brent" and some branches still 
retain that spelling. The first member of the 
family that came to America is supposed to 
have been in company with Lord Baltimore, 
and was married to one of his daughters. 
Many individual members have been promi- 
nent in all professions, especially the legal. 
They are a very large and numerous family 
and are well known in the western and middle 
parts of the United States as is Judge Brents 
of the northwest. The father was an at- 
torney, but practiced little in the east. When 
very young he came to Sangamon county, 
Illinois, in company with his brothers and sis- 
ters and there assisted to raise the second crop 
of corn in the Sangamon Valley. Their pa- 
rents were dead and they met the rigors and 
hardships of the pioneer life entirely upon 
their own resources. James D. Brents mar- 




THOMAS H BRENTS 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



209 



ried Narcissa Lucas, who had come to Sanga- 
mon county, Illinois, with her parents when a 
child. The date of the marriage was 1828 
and in 1832 they removed to Pike county, 
Illinois, and there resided for twenty years. 
In 1852 they crossed the plains with ox teams 
to Clackamas county, Oregon and for the 
second time in their life, engaged in the 
arduous occupation of subduing the soil in an 
untamed wilderness. 

When they started on this long and tire- 
some journey, our subject's father was in 
poor health and in order to shorten as much 
as possible the wearisome trip, he went by way 
of St. Louis and met the train at St. Joseph, 
Missouri. Before joining the train he secured 
a large jug of brandy and while he was a 
temperance man and a devout Baptist in re- 
ligious faith, still he knew that liquor con- 
tained medicinal properties, and, for its use 
as a medicine only, he took it with him and 
had it in his possession when he reached the 
train. 

When the emigrants had reached the 
Platte river beyond Omaha, this was before 
the territory of Nebraska was formed and 
that region then was indefinitely embraced 
in Indian Territory, a severe epidemic of 
Asiatic cholera broke out with such fatal re- 
sults that one-third of the entire party suc- 
combed to its ravages, and other trains af- 
flicted with this terrible disease suffered even 
greater loss of life. What the brandy from 
that large jug, administered with loaf sugar, 
did for the alleviation of the terrible suffering 
that accompanies this disease will never be 
forgotten by the survivors of the party, as it 
was the only medicine that could be obtained. 

Harrison Brents, our subject's oldest 
brother, enlisted in the Mexican War to keep 
his father from going, being aged nineteen. 
He died at Santa Fe, from lung fever. He 
was a very prominent young man of marked 
ability. 

After arriving in the Willamette valley. 
the father selected a donation claim near 

14- 



Needy postoffice, which he established. Owing 
to the fact that it was very difficult to get 
provisions and the necessaries of life, Mr. 
Brents named the country "Hardscrabble"' 
and the postoffice, "Needy" and they are still 
names existing there. The father had come 
to Oregon largely for his health and on March 
28, 1858, he passed the way of the earth, after 
spending a life full of activity and enterprise. 
He had never been favored with much oppor- 
tunity for education although he had gained 
much information from his persistent per- 
sonal research. He was a man of sterling 
character and held many offices. He was 
sheriff and justice of the peace in Pike county, 
Illinois and was serving his second term as 
county commissioner when he died. He and 
his wife were members of the Baptist church 
and consistent Christian people. His brothers, 
and sisters were ten in number and all the boys 
took a prominent part in the early Indian wars. 
He also was a captain in the Black Hawk War 
and was intimately associated with Abraham 
Lincoln. 

In 1865, Judge Brents lost his surviving 
relative on the coast when his mother died, 
and he was left to work out his destiny alone. 
He was occupied in farming in the summer 
and spent his winters in getting his education 
from the common schools of his neighborhood 
and at the Baptist college of Oregon City, 
after which he attended the Portland Academy 
and the McMinnville college. For a while 
during his student clays at Oregon City, he 
earned his board by packing flour for the noted 
John McLaughlin, the celebrated Hudson's 
Bay Company's agent. His failing health 
obliged him to leave school and he went to 
the Klickitat valley, Washington territory. In 
the fall, we find him in the Yakima valley 
where he herded cattle in winter and read 
law by the camp fire at night. The next 
winter, he came to Walla Walla with a band 
of cattle and in the spring of 1862, made a 
trip through snow and over well nigh im- 
passible roads to the Powder river mines. 



2IO 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Oh one trip to Swift's station, now Pendle- 
ton, he cast his first ballot, voting for Addi- 
son. C. Gibbs for governor and John R. Mc- 
Bride for congress, and other union Republi- 
can-candidates. He was among the first ones 
to.,visit the John Day mines in what is now 
Grant county, Oregon, it being 1862, and with 
Napoleon F. Nelson, established the pony ex- 
press between Canyon City and The Dalles, 
and rode fearlessly over this road for a year, 
despite the fact that he was beset by hostile 
Indians and highwaymen. At this time, Judge 
Brents and his five partners built the first 
log cabin in Canyon City and he was appointed 
justice of the peace and was the first post- 
master of .the town and also had the honor of 
having served as captain of the loyalists dur- 
ing, the "Canyon City rebellion." Upon the 
organization of Grant county, be was ap- 
pointed clerk and from that time forward was 
an efficient factor in the political history of the 
west. He was a member of the Oregon City 
Republican convention of 1866 and in June 
of. the same year, was elected to the state legis- 
lature and was a supporter of the fourteenth 
amendment to the national constitution. In 
September, 1866, he was admitted to practice 
in the supreme court of Oregon, being a mem- 
ber of the same class as Burger, Herman, 
Cyrus A. Dolph and other distinguished men 
of, Oregon and Washington who have since 
won renown. He began his practice in San 
Francisco and in 1870, located in Walla 
Walla, since which time that city has had 
the benefit of his presence and leadership. In 
1872, he was candidate for the legislature 
and was running ahead of his ticket but was 
defeated as. the county was then strongly 
Democratic. In 1878, he was elected dele- 
gate to Congress. He was reelected in 1880 
and in 1882, each time by a largely increased 
majority. He served as a member of the 
committee on postoffices and post roads and 
on, public lines and assisted to obtain appro- 
priations for the improvement of the Cowlitz, 
Chehalis, Skagit, Nooksack, Stillaguamish, 



Snohomish and Snoqualmie rivers, for the 
establishment of light houses at Sandy Point, 
Robinson Point, Gray's Harbor, and on De- 
struction Island, and for the construction of 
the Port Townsend custom house, besides 
which he was instrumental in securing the 
opening for settlement of over three million 
acres of Indian reservation lands, in making 
Seattle and Tacoma sub-ports of entry, and in 
the passage of much other valuable legisla- 
tion. His ability as a statesman and his 
breadth of mind to rise above mere localism 
was well appreciated by the voting public and 
he was frequently offered the highest offices 
in the gift of the territory but he declined them 
all. In 1880, however, he was a delegate to 
the Chicago national convention and took a 
prominent part in the deliberations of that 
noted body, helping to secure the Chinese re- 
striction plank of the Republican platform. 

Judge Brents is a very efficient and in- 
fluential speaker and has taken the stump in 
every important campaign for many years, 
with telling effect. In 1885, the law firm of 
Anders, Brents and Clark was formed. They 
practiced together until 1889, when Judge 
Anders was elected to the supreme bench. The 
firm then became Brents & Clark, and so con- 
tinued until the senior partner was elected to 
the judgeship of the county in 1896. He was 
reelected in 1900, receiving the largest ma- 
jority ever given any candidate in the county, 
and in 1904 he was unanimously reelected, the 
Democrats naming no candidate. Judge 
Brents has always displayed that same breadth 
of mind and discrimination on the bench which 
characterized him as a legislator, and has ever 
discharged his duties with faithfulness and 
ability. 

On August 10. 1868, in San Francisco, 
Judge Brents married Miss Isabel McCown 
whose father and brothers are so well and 
favorably known in Oregon and Washington. 
Mrs. Brents was born in Kansas City, Mis- 
souri, the daughter of William and Martha 
(Best) McCown, natives of Virginia. The 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



211 



father's parents descended from very early 
Scotch settlers in the New World. The 
mother died when this daughter was an in- 
fant and she was reared by her mother's sister. 
To Judge Brents and wife, eight children have 
been born, namely, Herman M., Howard M., 
Mildred, Norman M., Seldon M., and Thomas 
H., "deceased, and Myrtle I., and Helen D. 
living. Myrtle, the eldest of the surviving 
daughters, was, on July 30, 1902, married to 
William Lee Stirling, of Walla Walla, and 
on March 30, 1904, gave birth to a son, whose 
name, combining in part those of both his 
grandsires, is Thomas Brents Stirling. 



FRANK McELROY, who is the proprie- 
tor of the Palo Alto stables on the corner of 
4th and Alder streets, Walla Walla, was born : 
in Linn county, Oregon, on December 5, 1870. 
His father, William W. McElroy, was born in 
Iowa near DesMoines and followed farming. 
His parents came from Scotch, Irish and 
Welch extraction and were descended from an 
old and prominent American family. He died 
near Pendleton, Oregon, in 1884. He had 
married Miss Jane Zink, who was born in 
Pennsylvania from Dutch ancestry. This mar- 
riage occurred in Iowa and they came to Ore- 
gon in 1869. The father purchased land in 
Linn county and farmed there until 1876, when 
he sold his property and came to Umatilla 
county, O'regon. He took a homestead and 
purchased other land, having at the time of his 
death two hundred and eighty acres. He was 
a member of the Methodist church and a very 
highly respected and influential citizen. Mrs. 
McElroy now resides on Pleasant street, Walla 
Walla, the wife of B. F. Engle. She had 
two brothers in the Civil War, one of whom 
died from diseases contracted in the service. 
Our subject was raised with his parents and 
received his education in the various places 
where they lived, completing the same in Uma- 



tilla county. When eighteen, he started out 
for himself, doing farm work and then tak- 
ing a homestead in the Dry creek hills when 
about twenty-five years of age. He purchased 
another quarter section and there resided until 
1903, when he sold the property and came to 
Walla Walla. He purchased his residence at 
627 W. Poplar street and also bought out 
Gholson & Company and conducted the Palo 
Alto stables. Mr. McElroy has given his entire 
attention since that time to handling his liv- 
ery business and has a very good patronage. 
He is a man who takes great pride in keeping 
his rigs and animals in the best shape and 
leaves nothing undone for the safety and com- 
fort of his patrons. 

On December 12, 1894, at the residence of 
the bride's mother in Oregon, Mr. McElroy 
married Melissa A. Ragan, who was born in 
Linn county, Oregon, on April 22 ,1875. Her 
father served in the Civil War and died after 
bringing his family to Oregon. The mother 
lives on the old home place near Pendleton. Mr. 
MbElroy has two brothers, John, a barber in 
Seattle, and James H., a liveryman in Wallowa 
county, Oregon. He also has three sisters, 
Minerva E.. the wife of John W. Hardwick, 
a jeweler in W T alla Walla; Elizabeth, the wife 
of Alexander W. Bennett, in business in Walla 
Walla ; and Agnes, married to Thomas Mahan, 
a barber in Walla Walla. Mrs. McElroy has 
two half brothers, Levi and James Ragan, 
and one full brother, Lewis Eldredge, all in 
Umatilla county, Oregon. She also has three 
sisters, Ida, the wife of Mr. Smith, a harness 
maker in Pendleton, Cora, the wife of G. W. 
Case in Pendleton, and Mary, wife of J. 
Holmes, of Umatilla county, Oregon. Mrs. 
McElroy' s mother married Mr. Eldredge after 
her first husband's death. To our subject and 
his wife, four children have been born, 
Florence E., Ralph W., Agnes and Frank. 

Politically, Mr. McElroy is independent 
and always takes an interest in everything for 
the welfare of the community. 



212 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



CATHERINE E. STAHL was born on 
April 23, 1834, in Niederkleen, Rhine Province, 
Germany. Her father was Johann Rehorn. 
She left the old country in 1858, sailed to 
America, crossed the isthmus and landed 
eventually in San Francisco. In that city she 
met the gentleman who later became her hus- 
band, John Henry Stahl, who had previously 
been a sailor, employed as a ship carpenter. 
In due time they were married and in the 
same year they traveled by wagons to Car.-\ on 
City, Oregon, where Mrs. Stahl started a gro- 
cery store. Later Mr. Stahl took a partner, 
Mr. Salori, and they opened a brewery, known 
as the City Brewery. When Canyon City was 
nearly all destroyed by fire, the brewing plant 
went up in smoke with the rest and soon there- 
after Mr. Stahl moved with his family to 
Walla Walla. Here he purchased a small 
brewery and began operations. He was taken 
sick with tuberculosis and the responsibility 
of handling the business, as well as caring for 
him in his sickness devolved on Mrs. Stahl, 
and for twelve years she faithfully and wisely 
discharged these responsibilities in a most 
careful and judicious manner. Then came the 
time when Mr. Stahl was called to the world 
beyond. After her husband's departure, Mrs. 
Stahl was deprived of his counsel, but her rare 
business ability and excellent judgment car- 
ried her through, and she made such a success 
of the brewing business that it was found ad- 
visable for her to incorporate the business, and 
finally the Stahl Brewing and Malting Com- 
pany was formed, one of the largest enter- 
prises in the county of Walla Walla. The 
brewery is one of the oldest on the Pacific 
coast and was founded by Emil Meier in 1855. 
Mr. Stahl purchased it, as stated above, in 
1870, and it was conducted in his name until 
his death in 1884. The product of the plant 
was confined to steam beer until 1888, when 
the manufacture of lager beer was commenced. 
Not, however, until 1904, did Mrs. Stahl con- 
clude to incorporate the business when the 
name was changed as above. The incorpo- 



rators of the business were Mrs. J. H. Stahl, 
president, Adolf Schwartz, vice-president, 
Woldemar Stockder, secretary, treasurer, and 
general superintendent. October 17, 1904, 
was the exact date of the creation of the 
company and the capital stock was one hun- 
dred thousand dollars. The plant is up-to-date 
in every particular and has an annual out-put 
capacity of. thirty thousand barrels. Owing 
to the general excellence and purity of the 
product of the brewery, it is much sought after. 
The plant is ably conducted by its efficient 
working officers and it is an industry and busi- 
ness that reflects credit on those who have 
built it up, and is one of the important enter- 
prises of the county. 



CHARLES F. PICKARD, deceased. 
There have been few men in Walla Walla 
county who gained better success than did 
Charles F. Pickard. A man of energy, in- 
dustry and wisdom, he brought to bear every 
influence to win success and conserve the in- 
terests of the business that he made to prosper 
so well. 

Charles F. Pickard was born in Thetford, 
Michigan, on January 19, i860. His parents, 
Joseph and Elizabeth Pickard, were natives 
of Canada and Maryland, respectively. The 
father descended from Scotch ancestry, fol- 
lowed farming, and died in Pendleton, Oregon, 
in 1898. The mother died at Waitsburg in 
April, 1901. Our subject remained in Michi- 
gan until thirteen years of age and received 
there his primary training in the common 
schools and then with his parents, moved to 
Missouri where he remained until twenty- 
three. Then he started out for himself and 
immediately came west, Walla Walla being the 
objective point. He entered the employ of 
Willard H. Babcock, who is mentioned else- 
where in this volume, and was engaged in 
wheat raising for Mr. Babcock, on Eureka 
Flat. He remained with him until 1888, when 




Mrs. Charles F. Pickard 




Charles F. Pickard 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



213 



he purchased three quarters of a section of 
land from his employer and commenced rais- 
in? wheat for himself. M,r. Pickard had the 
ability to make a success and it was evident 
from the start that he would become one of 
the leading grain producers of southeastern 
Washington. His estate gradually increased 
until each year he raised twenty-eight hun- 
dred acres of wheat and summer-fallowed as 
much more. He also owned five thousand six 
hundred acres of pasture land, giving him the 
magnificent estate of over eleven thousand 
acres. Everything about the estate from the 
merest detail to its general . management was 
under the close supervision of Mr. Pickard 
and everything was done in a business like 
and thrifty manner. His crops were among 
the best produced on Eureka Flat and he was 
considered one of the best grain raisers in the 
state. 

On August 12, 1902, Mr. Pickard was 
handling a fractious team which ran away, 
and, true to the grit that he possessed, he 
clung to the reins and was finally thrown on 
a wheel and killed instantly. He was buried 
with becoming honors and was universally 
mourned, being a man who was well known 
and who stood among the leading men of the 
county. His success in financial matters was 
not a streak of luck as some might remark, 
but it was the natural and legitimate result of 
ability and industry, which characterized him 
all his life. Mr. Pickard concentrated his ef- 
forts upon the thing that he had in hand, re- 
gardless of outside influences and the result 
Avas that he reaped the due reward of his 
labors. 

On February 24, 1885, Mr. Pickard mar- 
ried Miss Anna Tyree. the wedding occurring 
in Appleton, Missouri. Mrs. Pickard was born 
in Henry county, Missouri, on February 12, 
1865. Her father, Levi Tyree, was a native 
of Missouri and descended from Scotch Irish 
ancestry. He married Rhoda A. Harvey, who 
was born in Illinois and they now live retired 



at Fairfield, Washington. Owing to Mr. 
Pickard's unexpected death his estate was left 
without will and his widow has been manag- 
ing the same since. She has an able assistant 
jn John Webb, who entered the employ of Mk\ 
Pickard in 1892 and has been foreman of the 
estate much of the time since. In the year of 
1904, the crop Mrs. Pickard raised averaged 
thirty bushels per acre for her entire estate, 
which was the banner yield in that part of 
the country. In addition to raising wheat, she 
pays some attention to handling stock and 
hogs and has shown exceptional ability in tak- 
ing up the immense business her husband con- 
ducted and to handle it in such manner as to 
win still further success. Mr. Pickard had one 
brother, Silas M., a farmer on Eureka Flat 
and one sister, Alice, living near Waitsburg. 
Mts. Pickard has the following named broth- 
ers and sisters: Christopher C, in Coeur d' 
Alene, Idaho ; William, a farmer near Wav- 
erly, Washington ; Oliver, living at Fairfield, 
Washington ; Margaret, the widow of Fred 
Shillinger of Bates county, Missouri ; Jennie, 
the wife of John McConnell of Pomona, Cali- 
fornia ; Belle, the wife of Harvey Lambert at 
Fairfield ; Dollie, the wife of William Sweet 
at Waverly; and Lucy, the wife of Harvey 
Cummings, who died in Henry County, Mis- 
souri. To Mr. and Mrs. Pickard, six chil- 
dren have been born, Clara, aged seventeen; 
Thetford, aged fifteen, Anita, aged ten ; Rus- 
sell, aged nine ; Olive, aged six ; and Beatrice, 
aged five. 

For twelve years, Mr. Pickard was a mem- 
ber of the F. & A. M. and also belonged to 
the K. P., the I. O. O. F. and the B. P. O. E., 
while Mrs. Pickard belongs to the O. E. S. 
He was a Republican in political matters and 
was always ready to take the part demanded 
of the good citizen. 

When it is remembered that Mr. Pickard 
came here without capital, then survey the im- 
mense estates that he succeeded in accumulat- 
ing besides the other property, it speaks 



214 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



volumes for his ability as a financier. He and 
his wife labored faithfully and she has taken 
up the added burdens of life with fortitude 
and skill. 



JOHN C. KASEBERG. a retired farmer 
living at 322 E. Rose street, Walla Walla, 
was born in Hessen, Germany, on June 13, 
183 1. He owns property in Sherman county, 
Oregon, where he labored for years and is now 
spending the golden years of his life enjoying 
the competence that this industry has provided 
and has chosen Walla Walla as the place of 
his home for his remaining years. Our sub- 
ject received his education in his native land 
and also thoroughly learned the wagon 
maker's trade. In 1853, he came to the United 
States and settled in St. Louis. He was in 
St. Louis at the time of the outbreak of the 
Civil War and enlisted in Company K, Fifth 
Missouri Infantry for three months and served 
over five months. In 1882, he came west to 
Oregon, spent a few weeks in Walla Walla 
visiting his two brothers, then took up land 
in what is now Sherman county. His place 
lies about seven miles from the present town of 
Wasco and consists of about nine hundred 
and sixty acres. He conducted the farm until 
1901 and then, owing to failing health, gave 
up active work and came to Walla Walla. His 
land is handled by his sons and is a valuable 
property. 

In 1863, Mr. Kaseberg married Henrietta 
Summerkamp, a native of Hanover, Germany. 
Mr. Kaseberg has two brothers, Henry, at 
318 South Second street, Walla Walla, and 
William, who died in this city. To Mr. and 
Mrs. Kaseberg, eight children have been born : 
Henry, in Walla Walla; John and Edward 
in Sherman county ; Albert, at home ; William, 
who died in April, 1904 ; Augusta, wife of W. 
Copeland in Walla Walla; Lizzie, wife of 
William Bennet, a farmer of Walla Walla, 
and Amelia, at home. Mr. Kaseberg is a 
member of the A. O. U. W. and in political 



matters is a Republican although not especially 
active at this time. Personally, he is a genial, 
kind man and one of those substantial citizens 
who have accomplished very much in general 
upbuilding for the country where he has 
wrought. He has the esteem and good will 
of all and has hosts of friends. 



THOMAS J. ENNIS is a native of Walla 
Walla, born November 25, 1884. He is the 
son of Christopher Ennis, who came to the 
Walla Walla valley in 1875 and engaged in 
farming. The father in time became one of 
the wealthiest men in the county and died in 
1904, leaving an estate of more than four 
thousand acres of agricultural land, two thou- 
sand two hundred acres of which adjoins the 
city limits, a portion of it, in fact, lying within 
the corporation. He also owned beside farm 
realty several business blocks on Main street, 
Walla Walla, and blocks of residence property 
in different sections of the city. 

Our subject was educated in the Roman 
Catholic Parochial school in his native city 
and in the Columbia University, Portland, 
Oregon. Since the death of his father he has 
devoted his time to the management of the 
estate. 



WILLIAM H. KASEBERG, deceased. 
Without doubt the gentleman whose name ap- 
pears above is well entitled to a representation 
in any volume that purports to speak of the 
substantial men of Walla Walla county. He 
was born in Venice, Illinois, on February 10, 
1869, the son ■ of John C. and Cristine 
(Rumpf) Kaseberg. His education was re- 
ceived in his native town and St. Louis and 
when the family came west, he came with 
them, being then in his teens. -He remained 
with his parents in Sherman county and 
worked at shearing sheep each year from the 
time he was sixteen until he was twenty-two. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



2n 



J 



Then he rented land on the John Day, and 
commenced farming for himself. He expected 
to purchase the property, but the rain spoiled 
his entire crop, leaving him penniless and in 
debt. He then came to Walla Walla and en- 
tered the employ of his uncle, William Kase- 
berg, now deceased, who was a farmer six 
miles north of town. He returned to the John 
Day country and harvested for a season and 
then came back to Walla Walla and on Octo- 
ber 15, 1894. married Miss Mary Sexton at 
Pendleton, Oregon. She was born on No- 
vember 24 ,1874, the daughter of Leonard and 
Mary (Sharm) Sexton. Her father was a 
native of Illinois and her mother of the east, 
both coming from old and prominent Ameri- 
can families. They came from Ohio to Iowa 
when Mrs. Kaseberg was an infant six months 
old and soon journeyed thence to the William- 
ette valley, via San Francisco. Two years 
after settling in the valley, they came to the 
vicinity of Walla Walla, some of the time liv- 
ing in the city and some of the time on their 
farm. When Mr. Sexton died, he owned two 
hundred and eighty acres of land. Mrs. Sex- 
ton died in 1890. Mrs. Kaseberg completed 
her education in the graded schools of Walla 
Walla. After his marriage, Mr. Kaseberg 
rented his uncle's place and during the second 
year, the uncle died and he was appointed ad- 
ministrator. After being on the estate for 
two ) f ears, he bought a third interest from the 
heirs and finally purchased the entire farm of 
six hundred and twenty-six acres which his 
wife now owns. Three children were born to 
our subject and his wife, Frankie and Lizzie, 
aged nine and four years and one that died 
in infancy. In the early part of 1904, Mr. 
Kaseberg was taken sick and it later developed 
that he was attacked with that dread disease 
appendicitis. Although everything was done 
known to medical science, still the disease baf- 
fled skill and on April 16, 1904, at the hospital 
in Walla Walla, he passed to the world be- 
yond. He was a member of the I. O. O. F. 
and was buried with becoming honors. Po- 



litically, Mr. Kaseberg was independent and 
chose the man rather than the party. He won 
many friends, showed marked industry and 
good financial ability and was one of 'the sub- 
stantial men of the community. 

Mrs. Kaseberg has the following named 
brothers, Ezra, in Moro, Oregon ; Hugh on 
the old homestead in Umatilla county, Ore- 
gon; Henry, in Walla Walla; Riley, a farmer 
near Dixie, this county; Leonard, on the home 
place with his brother Hugh ; and Frank, liv- 
ing on a homestead on the Snake river. Mrs. 
Kaseberg has shown marked fortitude and 
skill in taking up the labors incident to the 
management of the large estate her husband 
left and is conducting the business in a com- 
mendable manner. She resides at 322 Rose 
street and has the esteem and good "will of 
all who know her. 



JESSE DRUMHELLER was born in 
Tennessee, on February 18, 1835, and there 
spent the first eight years of his life. Then 
he came with his parents to Springfield, Mis- 
souri, which was his home until 1851. Up to 
this time he had gained what little education 
he could secure from the public schools, and 
then a year was spent in Savannah, Missouri, 
whence, April 28, 1852, he started across "the 
plains with ox teams, for the Pacific slope, 
arriving in Portland, Oregon, the tenth day of 
the following September. The trip was ac- 
complished in good shape and Mr. Drumheller 
located in Cowlitz county, Washington, where 
he was occupied in lumbering. About a year 
after arriving in the northwest, he went on 
down to' California and the enticing labor of 
mining drew him to follow it for sev- 
eral years. He was associated with his 
brother, Dan M. Drumheller. the well 
known' capitalist and banker of Spokane, 
Washington, and one of the leading financiers 
of the northwest, in these mining ventures, 
which continued until 1855. Then our 



2l6 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



subject came back to Oregon and in the 
year last mentioned enlisted with the Oregon 
Volunteer Cavalry, being enrolled as a private 
in Company D. This was on the first call and 
his regiment was sent out to hunt up the 
hostile savages. In the course of their ad- 
vancement, they came on to Walla Walla and 
there were stationed a part of 1855-6. In all, 
Mr. Drumheller served about one year, or until 
the regular United States soldiers arrived, 
when his command was discharged by procla- 
mation of the governor. During this service 
Mr. Drumheller saw some enlivening Indian 
fighting and showed himself a good soldier. 
Immediately after he was mustered out of 
service, he was employed by the United States 
government to take charge of a large herd of 
mules. Also, he assisted to erect the posts 
at The Dalles, Walla Walla, Simcoe, and Col- 
ville. In 1859, he located on land two miles 
south from Walla Walla and engaged in stock 
raising and general farming, which related oc- 
cupations held him until his retirement from 
active business recently. He owns over six 
thousand acres of valuable land, which is all 
under cultivation, and is rented. Mr. Drum- 
heller has done much pioneer work and was 
always a leader in inaugurating any movement 
for the development and upbuilding of the 
country. He was instrumental in putting in 
the first gristmill of Walla Walla county and 
has fostered all progressive enterprises. He 
is an influential and progressive man whose 
ability is recognized and whose well directed 
labors are appreciated by those who understand 
the life of the pioneer and the pathfinder. He 
is today one of the leading men and wealthiest 
farmers in this part of the state. 

On October 8, 1863, at Walla Walla Mr. 
Drumheller married Miss Martha Maxson, 
daughter of Steven and Lois Maxson, pioneers 
of 1859, this daughter being but fourteen when 
this trip across the plains with ox teams was 
taken. Seven children were born to this union : 
Samuel, a farmer; Oscar a hardware mer- 
chant; Albert, deceased; George, a farmer and 



stockman; Thomas J., associated with Oscar in. 
the hardware business ; Althea ; and Roscoe 
M., a farmer of Walla Walla county. 

Mr. Drumheller is a royal arch mason and 
is a substantial fraternity man. He now re- 
sides in Walla Walla and being retired from 
the cares and activities of business he is en- 
joying the well earned success that is his for 
the golden years of a long and active career. 



HON. JOHN I. YEEND, residing at 227 
Whitman street, Walla Walla and one of the 
representative men of this county, was born 
in Gloucestershire, England, on May 12, 1859. 
His father, William Yeend, was born in the 
same county, in 1830, and there, also, were his 
ancestors born for many generations before. 
His death occurred in Walla Walla county on 
August 29, 1 90 1, he being then aged seventy- 
two. He married Ellen Surman in 1853, be- 
fore leaving England. She was born and 
reared in Gloucestershire and came from an 
old and prominent English family. Our sub- 
ject attended the boarding schools and the 
Gloucestershire grammar schools in his native 
country until eleven, when he came with his 
parents to the United States, there being ten 
children in the family. After arriving in 
Walla Walla he studied in the schools of the 
county and finally completed his education at 
Whitman Academy. However, being a man 
of enquiring mind he has 1)een a constant 
reader since and has acquired a fund of in- 
formation very valuable. The family came 
direct to California from England and after 
spending three months in the Golden City, 
arrived at Walla Walla in the fall of 1870. 
The father purchased a quarter section of 
land on Dry Creek and took up an adjoining 
government place. Our subject continued 
under the parental roof until he had reached 
his majority and then bought railroad land 
to the amount of two hundred and forty acres 
and also took a timber culture in the Dry 






Mrs. John I. Yeend 



John I. Y eend 



John Smith 





John M. P. Snyder 



Mrs. Phillipina Maney 





Wilton A. Will 



lams 



Mrs. Wilton A. Willi: 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



2:7 



Creek Hills, which he still owns. He has 
given his attention largely to farming since 
and handles about eight hundred acres each 
year at the present time leasing considerable 
school land. In the fall of 1902, he purchased 
a residence at 227 Whitman street, which is 
the family home at the present time. 

On May 22, 1882, in Walla Walla, Mr. 
Yeend married Ella G. Williams, who was 
born in Mills county, Iowa, on August 3, 
1859, the daughter of Almond M. and Zilpha 
B. (Cilley) Williams, natives of New York 
and New Hampshire, respectively. The father, 
died in Iowa and a more particular mention 
of his family is made elsewhere in this volume. 
The mother came from an old and prominent 
New Hampshire family and was born at Hills- 
borough, that state, on October 25, 18 14. Mrs. 
Yeend has one brother, Wilton A., a black- 
smith in Walla Walla, who is mentioned in 
this volume, and two sisters, Marion J., the 
wife of Oscar Wilson, a surveyor in Walla 
Walla, and Mary J., the wife of James H. In- 
gram in Walla W'alla. Mr. and Mrs. Yeend 
have the following named children, Eva L. ; 
Alma M., in the high school; Nellie G., at St. 
Paul's Episcopal school; Bertha A., John B., 
and Gladys L., all in the grammar school ; 
Frank W., who died on November 2, 1903, 
at Seattle, aged twenty; and Archibald F., 
who died August 15, 1897 in Walla Walla, 
aged five years. 

Mir. Yeend is a member of the A. O. U. 
W. and in political matters is independent. 
In 1896, he was elected to the state senate 
on the Fusion or Peoples Partv ticket and 
served in the session from 1897 to x 899. He 
was chairman of the committee which intro- 
duced the parole for state convicts, which was 
passed, and was also chairman of the penal 
and reformatory committees and was a strong 
supporter of the maximum freight bill passed 
in 1897. Mr. Yeend made a splendid record 
in the state legislature, being a man of ability 
and influence and a speaker who is very keen 



and forceful. As an orator, he is well known 
and highly appreciated. 

Mr. Yeend has three brothers, William S. 
and James A., farmers on Dry creek; and 
Surman N., living on Newell street in Walla 
Walla. Personally, our subject is a broad 
minded, generous man who has won and re- 
tains the friendship of all who know him, who 
has labored faithfully in the development and 
upbuilding of the country and who has done a 
great deal for the forwarding of all good 
causes. 

Mrs. Yeend is an artist of ability and her 
home is adorned by many beautiful produc- 
tions, oil, water color, and crayon, of her 
brush and pencil. Theirs is a pleasant and 
happy home and Mr. and Mrs. Yeend are 
secure in the esteem of all. 



JOHN SMITH is a name familiar to 
many thousands of people in southern Wash- 
ington and northern Oregon, and it is asso- 
ciated at the head of some of the largest en- 
terprises of their line in the sections men- 
tioned. John Smith is to be classed as one 
of the leading business men of Walla Walla 
and certainly the work he has accomplished in 
the commercial field entitles him to be ranked 
as one of the leading merchants of the north- 
west. To write an account of his career is but 
to chronicle a portion of the important his- 
tory of Walla Walla and surrounding coun- 
try and it is a pleasant task to compile the 
same. 

John Smith was born in Casco, Wisconsin, 
on June 16, 1863, the son of John M. and 
Kate (Larkin) Smith, natives of Ireland. The 
father came to the New World with a brother 
when a child and located in Milwaukee, Wis- 
consin. He was a stone mason by trade and 
died at the age of seventy years. The mother 
also came to this country when a child with 
her parents and was married in Wisconsin 
to John M. Smith. She was sixty-seven years 



218 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



of age when her death occurred. The children 
born to this couple are Hugh, Mary, Kate, 
John, who is the subject of this article, Patrick. 
Elizabeth, Frank, and James. After attending 
the public schools only a short time, John 
was brought to meet the realities of life on the 
farm with his father. When fourteen he went 
to the lumber woods of Wisconsin and spent 
several months in that arduous labor. Then 
he entered an apprenticeship to learn the black- 
smith trade and when twenty years of age he 
was a skilled artisan in that important craft. 
The next year he engaged in partnership with 
John Huntamar in a general blacksmith and 
horseshoeing shop. A year and a half later, 
Mr. Huntamar withdrew and the firm became 
Tierney, Smith and Company, and they en- 
larged the business to take in the manufacture 
of wagons and carriages. Two years later, 
our subject sold out his interest and in the fall 
of 1888, he came west to Walla Walla, and 
entered the employ of E. F. Michael, of La- 
porte, Indiana, as salesman for agricultural im- 
plements. He traveled all over Washington. 
Oregon, and the northern portion of Califor- 
nia. In 1893, Mr. Smith resigned from this 
position and in partnership with H. V. Fuller 
opened an agricultural implement warehouse 
in Walla Walla, the firm style being Fuller & 
Smith. After a year in this line, Mr. Smith 
bought out his partner and conducted the busi- 
ness alone for one year. Then he opened a 
branch in Waitsburg and in 1900 purchased 
the stock and good will of McComber & Mc- 
Cann, hardware dealers in Waitsburg. He 
consolidated the Waitsburg business with his 
implement business and incorporated all under 
the name of John Smith Hardware Company. 
He erected a brick block there, seventy 
by one hundred and twenty feet, which is the 
headquarters for the company. The officers of 
the company are John Smith, president; F. 
W. Pool, secretary and treasurer. One year 
later, it being then 1901, the John Smith Com- 
pany of Walla Walla was incorporated with a 
capital stock of sixteen thousand dollars, and 



our subject was the president of this enter- 
prise, also. In 1903, Mr. Smith incorporated 
the Smith-Allen Hardware Company of Mil- 
ton, Oregon, and he is president of this estab- 
lishment. Mr. Smith is also owner of much 
other property, among which may be men- 
tioned large bodies of land in southeastern 
Washington and much stock in the Tariff sil- 
ver mine of British Columbia. He is a stir- 
ring and aggressive man, well posted in busi- 
ness ways and possessed of a keen foresight 
and clear business qualifications that have emi- 
nently fitted him for the responsible positions 
lie now holds, and which have brought about 
the unbounded success he has achieved. 

In 1887 Mr. Smith married Miss Eliza 
Darrow, of Madison, South Dakota. Her 
death occurred in 1888, and no children were 
born to the union. On October 12, 1897, Mr. 
Smith married Miss Mary E. Vaile, the daugh- 
ter of Rufus and Minerva Vaile. Rufus Vaile 
was one of the earliest settlers of Walla Walla 
and is well known. To Mr. and M'rs. Smith, 
six children have been born, John B., Zera E., 
Frank M., Mary E., Catherine, and Edward 
Ralph. John B. and Zera E. were burned to 
death in a fire that occurred in the barn, on 
July 18, 1902. Mr. Smith is a member of the 
B. P. O. E., the I. O. O. R, the Foresters, and 
the A. O. U. W. In political matters he is 
allied with the Republicans, and while he takes 
the interest in these matters that becomes the 
good and progressive citizen, still Mr. Smith 
is no politician in the sense in which that word 
is used ordinarily. In church relations, he and 
his wife are adherents of the Catholic church 
and are people of excellent standing in the 
community where they have won the friend- 
ship of all who know them and have done 
much to forward the social and commercial in- 
terests of the country. 



JOHN M. P. SNYDER. Among the citi- 
zens of Walla Walla are found men who de- 
serve personal recognition in any work that 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



219 



purports to portray a true and faithful history 
of the community in which they dwell. In 
every walk of life are found some men who, 
by their individuality, have distinguished 
themselves beyond others, and it is the endea- 
vor of the compilers of this history to search 
for those men who have been most instrumen- 
tal in the development and growth of the 
country, and it is our pleasure to be able to 
record herein a biographical sketch of the gen- 
tleman whose name introduces this article. 

M'r. Snyder did not locate in Walla Walla 
as early as some of the old pioneers who are 
mentioned elsewhere in this volume, but, never- 
theless, he has been associated with one of the 
municipalities of this state from its very in- 
ception. He was one of the first men to arrive 
and locate at what is now the city of Colfax, 
and he labored hard to establish a city on the 
basis of peace and principle. In the early days 
when Washington was a territory and filling 
up with emigrants from every quarter of the 
country, it was no easy matter to find a man 
capable of preserving order, and Colfax, as 
it began to grow, required a man at the head 
of its police department who was not afraid to 
act, and could impress the community with the 
fact that the law was to be observed. This 
office was no pleasant task and few were capa- 
ble of assuming it. Yet, our subject accepted 
the office and for two years during the most 
trying times of the city, was marshal of Col- 
fax, Washington. 

John M. P. Snyder is the son of the late 
John Snyder, a native of the Keystone State, 
who was a farmer by occupation and who died 
in his native county, Pennsylvania, when he 
had only attained the age of twenty-four years. 
Our subject's mother survived her husband 
and lived to reach the ripe old age of four score 
and two years. She was, before her marriage, 
Mary Hounstine, and to her and her husband 
five children were born. Our subject was third 
in the order or birth, being born in Franklin 
county, Pennsylvania, on June 21, 1829. 
Having had no advantages to acquire an edu- 



cation, at the tender age of eleven years he was 
apprenticed to learn the tanner's trade, at 
which vocation he served his full time and be- 
came a proficient and skillful workman. He 
continued in this occupation in the east until 
1862, when he responded to the call of his 
country and enlisted in the One Hundred and 
Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infan- 
try. He was made sergeant of Company D 
in this regiment and participated in the battles 
of Antietam and the second battle of Fred- 
ericksburg. In this latter battle he lost the 
hearing of his left ear, and although he 
escaped with no other injuries, he has never 
been able to cure this injury contracted while 
serving his country. After one year's faith- 
ful service he was honorably discharged owing 
to physical disability and returned home. He 
followed his trade at his home place until 
1866, when he came west to Sheridan, Mon- 
tana, and operated a tannery for three years. 
In 1870 he came on to Walla Walla and here 
managed a tannery for two years. His knowl- 
edge and ability as a tanner were apparent 
from the beginning and the concern with 
which he was associated profited much owing 
to this. In 1 87 1 Mr. Snyder went to Colfax 
and, as before stated, was one of the very first 
settlers there. He acquired land in the Pa- 
louse country and operated it successfully and 
he made for himself a good reputation as a 
man of excellent judgment, so much so, that 
the Oregon Investment Company employed 
him as an expert on land calculation, and for 
years he was associated with them as their 
general agent. 

Mr. Snyder has not only acquired property 
in Washington, but he also extends his farm- 
ing operations into Umatilla county, Oregon, 
where he leases land from the Indians for 
farming purposes. He is a man of keen fore- 
sight and good judgment and while his busi- 
ness ventures have been somewhat varied in 
detail, his practical and general knowledge, 
together with his worldly intuition enable him 
to take a philosophical view of all practical 



220 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



affairs of life, and have won for him most ex- 
cellent success. 

Politically, Mr. Snyder is a staunch Repub- 
lican and has ever given his support to the 
grand old party. Fraternally he is a Mason 
and a member of the Ancient Lodge of Odd 
Fellows. Mr. and Mrs. Snyder reside in their 
beautiful home on the corner of Catherine and 
Whitman streets in Walla Walla. Mrs. Sny- 
der is a gracious hostess and is the mother of 
five children, named as follows : Elain, aged 
eighteen years, and a student in Whitman Col- 
lege ; Phoebe, aged sixteen years, and also a 
student in Whitman College; Tess. fourteen 
years of age; J. M. P., Jr., and Phillips, aged 
eight. The family adheres to the Episco 
palian church. 



MRS. PHILLIPINA MANEY was born 
May 1 8, 1831, in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, 
and was brought by her parents to America 
when eighteen months old. They remained in 
Hamilton county, Ohio, until she was fourteen, 
when a move was made to Carrington, Ken- 
tucky. Mrs. Maney received her education in 
these two places and when eighteen years of 
age married John Maney, who, by occupation, 
was a baker. In 1852 they crossed the plains, 
consuming eight months in the weary journey, 
being with an ox team train. They endured 
much hardship and privation, but finally in 
November, 1852, they reached Portland and 
there spent one winter. Mr. Maney took a 
claim afterwards in the Cascade country and 
there he and his wife resided in the log cabin 
home with their one child, an infant in arms. 
One day, when Mr. Maney was away purchas- 
ing ammunition and supplies for the family, 
an Indian entered the house while Mrs. Maney 
was in the yard. Feeling that her interests 
were best protected by making a bold front, 
she immediately entered the house and asked 
him what he wanted. He evidently knew that 
the man was away, and demanded food, whis- 



key, tobacco and money, all of which Mrs. 
Maney protested that she did not have. He 
threatened to kill her if she did not comply 
with his wishes and fearing that he intended 
to carry out his threat, she ran to an adjoining 
room and secured an old musket, which, how- 
ever, was not loaded, but her hope was that 
it might frighten the Indian away. He ap- 
peared to be aware of the fact that the gun 
could do him no harm and immediately caught 
hold of Mrs. Maney. She struggled hard and 
succeeded in breaking loose from him and ran 
into the yard where she screamed for help. 
Whether it was the echo of her voice, or 
whether the Indian believed there was some 
one working on the place, is a question that 
will never be known. He ran out of the house, 
mounted his pony, and rode off, at the same 
time informing Mlrs. Maney that he would be 
back again. Although she was rid of him for 
a time, still her position was very unpleasant, 
for her husband had gone off on a long jour- 
ney and would not return that night, and there 
were no neighbors in many miles of the iso- 
lated cabin. Thus, she was compelled to re- 
main alone, knowing that she was entirely de- 
fenseless. For the entire night she sat up 
trembling at every sound and fearing at any 
moment he would put in his appearance. Dur- 
ing the night a cougar came to the abode and 
prowled about the house and Mrs. Maney 
thought it was the Indian. What mortal dread 
and terror she endured is hard to express, but 
she waited until daylight and then saw by her 
scratched and torn cow, which had fought the 
cougar from her calf, that it had been a wild 
animal. 

After this, they gave up their life in the 
wilderness and came to Vancouver, where 
Mrs. Maney opened a bakery, which was the 
first establishment of this kind in the city. In 
1877 Mrs. Maney sold out the bakery in Van- 
couver and came to Walla Walla, where she 
opened a first-class bakery on Main street. 
Since, she has disposed of that, and is practi- 
cally retired, and is now living with her daugh- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



221 



ter, Mrs. J. M. P. Snyder, of Walla Walla. 
Mrs. Maney is the mother of the following 
named children : Charles Anthoney, who died 
in infancy; Francis, who also died in infancy; 
Mary, the wife of J. ML P. Snyder; John J., 
a miller in Stockton, California; Annie, who 
died in infancy; Louis and Rose, twins; the 
former died when a child and the latter is now 
the wife of Hon. James A. Fiel, of Pendleton, 
Oregon; Lillian Elizabeth, deceased; and H. 
W. Maney, a prominent citizen of Walla 
Walla. 



WILTON A. WILLIAMS, a blacksmith 
who has his place of business at the corner of 
Third and Poplar streets and resides at 602 
Lincoln street, Walla W T alla, was born in Miles 
county, Iowa, on February 8, 1855. He mi- 
grated to Washington, in the fall of 1878, 
and has been a resident of Walla Walla since, 
excepting four years spent in Tacoma. He 
married Edna ML Turner of Walla Walla, on 
September 9, 1883. She died in the following 
October. His second marriage occurred at 
Walla W'alla on January 6, 1886. Charlott 
Emily Beebe became his bride on that occasion. 
To this union two children have been born. 
Alberta G., a student at Whitman College, 
and Marion B. 

Jane Ml Williams, the oldest sister of our 
subject, was born October 25, 1835, in Erie 
county, Pennsylvania, married Oscar F. Wil- 
son on September 24, 1854. Mr .Wilson 
served in Company B, Twenty-ninth Iowa Vol- 
unteer Infantry, under Captain Andrews and 
Colonel Benton. In 1867, he came to Wash- 
ington. They have three sons, John B., Lew 
and Victor, all at home, receiving their educa- 
tion at Whitman College, Walla Walla. John 
B. served as county assessor, surveyor and 
deputy United States marshal and in 1902 
was chosen by the Republican party to repre- 
sent district number ten in the sjate legislature ; 
Lew Wilson is a surveyor and Victor is a 
stenographer. 



Mary J. Williams, the second sister of 
our subject, is especially mentioned in the 
biography of James Ingrahm, her husband, 
which appears in another portion of this work. 

Genevieve E. Williams, the youngest sister 
of our subject, is also named in the biography 
of her husband, John I. Yeend, which appears 
in this work. 

Wilton A. Williams traces his pedigree 
from his great-grandmother, Lucy (Wal- 
worth) Williams, to William Walworth of 
Fisher's Island, who came in the year 1689 
from London to America, being the first of 
that name to land in the New World, and 
being a descendant of William Walworth, 
Lord Mayor of London, England, in the time 
of King Richard the Third. Also our subject 
traces his pedigree from his great-great-grand- 
mother, Mary (Avery) Walworth, to Sir John 
Humphrey, deputy governor of Massachusetts 
Bay colony in the time of King James First 
of England, and to the wife of this gentle- 
man. Lady Susan Clinton, the daughter of 
the Earl of Lincoln, England, and from the 
Earl of Lincoln to the Royal House of Eng- 
land through the reign of thirteen sovereigns 
to Egbert, the first king of the United King- 
dom of Great Britain, who began his reign in 
the year 800 A. D. David Williams, the 
great-grandfather of our subject, of Groton, 
Connecticut, served during the Revolution. 
The first of the family of Williams in America 
was William Williams of New London, who 
was born in Wales and came over in 1662. 
He was a descendant of David Williams of 
Governenet and a judge of the county of the 
King's Bench of Wales. William Williams, 
the first of the family in America, begat Da- 
vid, to whom was born a son, David, who 
begat David, the father of Elijah, whose son, 
Almond, is the father of our subject. The coat 
of arms for the Williams' family found en- 
graved on brass plates, armorial bearings, 
monuments, tablets in memorial of the dead 
and church pew doors, and in this country 
on stationery is a lion, rampant, argent on a 



222 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY 



sable field wreathed and the crest a cock or 
moor fowl. The motto in Welch is "Y Tyno 
Dwy Y Tydd," (What God willeth will be.) 
and in Latin, "Cognosce Occasionum" 
(Watches his opportunity). The same coat 
of arms is also used by the family of Robert 
Williams of Roxbury, Massachusetts. 

Mr. Williams' mother, Zilpha B. (Cilley) 
Williams, was a great-granddaughter of 
Colonel Thomas Cilley, of New Hampshire, 
who served during the Revolution. The 
family is of Norman extraction and the 
first in America was Captain Robert Cilley, 
who came from England with Winthrop 
in 1630. He served in the Pequot War 
in the same regiment with Miles Stand- 
ish of Longfellow fame. Robert Cilley begat 
Richard, Richard begat Benoni, Benoni begat 
Samuel, Samuel begat Thomas and Thomas 
begat Samuel, who is the father of Zilpha, 
the mother of our subject. On her mother's 
side, Mrs. Zilpha Williams was granddaugh- 
ter of Benjamin Baker of New Hampshire 
who served in the Revolution in Captain 
Moore's company under Colonel John Stark, 
having entered the service in April, 1775. 
Benjamin Baker's father also Benjamin 
Baker, was an ensign in the provincial serv- 
ice in 1755. Almond Williams, the father of 
our subject, had a sister Lucy, who married 
Adinojah Fuller. To them were born Fran- 
ces, who later married Mr. Victor and came 
with her husband to Oregon in 1865. She 
was born on May 23, 1826, in Rome, New 
York and died November 14, 1902. She was 
known as the historian of the northwest and 
wrote for Bancroft, the histories of Oregon, 
Washington, Montana, Nevada, Colorado, 
Wyoming, and California. She also wrote 
"River of the West," "All over Washington," 
"History of the Early Indian Wars of the 
West," and "Atlantis Arisen." One has said of 
her, "Her public monument is the work of her 
pen in her labors as historian." Her abiding 
memorial for those who know her best, is her 
strenuous intellect, her singleness of purpose, 



her transparent affection and her aspiring- 
soul . 

Reverting more particularly to our sub- 
ject, we note that after arriving in Walla 
Walla, he was employed variously until 1880 
when he began to learn the blacksmith trade. 
Six years later, he opened a shop at the cornei 
of 1st and Alder streets where he remained 
until he moved to Tacoma in 1890. After 
spending four years in Tacoma, he returned 
to Walla Walla and opened a shop on Second 
street, then removed his place of business to 
Alder street and in 1902, bought the old 
Episcopal church at the corner of 3d and Pop- 
lar where he runs a fine shop at the present 
time. The church is an old landmark, built 
in 1869. He is a very skillful mechanic and 
a man of uprightness and faithfulness. 

Mrs. Williams' father, Austin G. Beebe, 
was born in New York and descended from an 
old colonial family many of which have been 
and are prominent in the professions. He was 
a sea captain as was his father before him. 
For many generations, many of the family 
have lived in New York and Connecticut and 
they took part in the Revolutionary War and 
the War of 181 2. The mother of Mrs. Wil- 
liams was Elizabeth (Fish) Burke, who was 
born in Connecticut. Her father was a sea 
captain out of New London and in 1865, 
brought his family to Oregon. He purchased 
land in Clackamas county and there died when 
Elizabeth was fourteen. Her mother had died 
eight years previously. Mrs. Williams had 
two brothers and one sister, Charles, who 
died in childhood, Willis, who died in Ore- 
gon, aged fifteen, two years previous to his 
father's death and Julia, who died in child- 
hood. The first and the last died on Lone: 
Island. 

Mr. Williams is a member of the I. O. O. 
F., being a past grand and past chief patriarch. 
He belongs to the United Artisans and he and 
his wife to the Rebekahs. She is past noble 
grand. They both belong to the Cumberland 
Presbyterian church and are highly esteemed 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



223 



people. Mir. Williams served as city coun- 
cilman in 1902-3. In politics, he is a Repub- 
lican and is often at the conventions. 



MARCUS ZUGAR has made the success 
of his life in Walla Walla county and the 
secret of it all is his industry directed by 
sagacity. Although starting in in this coun- 
try in early days without any capital and a 
family to support, he has won the smiles of 
Dame Fortune for today he is to be numbered 
among the wealthy land owners and agricul- 
turists of southeastern Washington. At pres- 
ent he is living retired at 521 First street, 
where he has a comfortable and beautiful resi- 
dence. He has well earned this pleasure and 
he is looked up to as a man whose judgment 
and whose integrity are highly prized. 

Marcus Zugar was born in Switzerland, in 
June,, 185 1, the son of Carl and Elizabeth 
Zugar, natives of Switzerland, where they re- 
mained on a small farm until their death. 
Our subject attended the parochial schools 
until eleven years of age, then he went to work 
on various farms for wages, remaining until 
twenty-one. After arriving at his majority, 
he turned his eyes to the western world and 
soon made preparations for a trip to Boston. 
Massachusetts, where he landed in due time. 
He engaged in general labor there for four 
years and then in the fall of 1877, came on 
west to California. Not finding what he de- 
sired there he journeyed thence to Portland 
and then up the Columbia river to Wallula. 
At Wallula he took passage on the old Baker 
line railroad with wooden rails and so came 
to Walla Walla. He saw at once that it was 
a very favored and rich country and determ- 
ined to locate. After due search and investiga- 
tion, he secured a homestead near Waitsburg 
and began opening it up for a farm. Success 
attended his well directed labors and from 
time to time, he bought more land until he has 
one of the choice estates of this wealthy coun- 



try. He was one of the large wheat raisers 
and so conducted his extensive business that 
he won a most brilliant success. His ranch is 
in the immediate vicinity of Boles Junction 
whence he ships annually his large crops. Re- 
cently, Mr. Zugar determined to retire from 
the personal management of the farm and so 
purchased a residence where he now lives in 
Walla Walla and rented the estate to his 
sons, who are conducting it in a very fine 
manner. 

At Boston, Massachusetts, in the spring 
of 1873, Mr. Zugar married Mary Magdeline, 
a native of Switzerland and to them have 
been born the following named children, 
Charlie, who died in the Spanish-American 
War; Henry Fred, also deceased; Marcus and 
Henry, handling the father's farm ; and Frank, 
a student in Walla Walla. In addition to the 
financial success that Mr. Zug'ar has won and 
the enviable standing that he has in the com- 
munity, we wish to name also his accomplish- 
ments in wrestling with the English language. 
Being aware that it was necessary for him to 
become familiar with the English he at once 
took up the study of the same without any 
teacher and in a short time was enabled to 
read as well as speak it. This certainly is very 
credible to Mr. Zugar and it was in connection 
with his active farm labors. He is a man well 
informed on the issues and questions of the 
day, takes a keen interest in politics and is 
always ready to assist every enterprise for the 
upbuilding of the city and the country and is 
one of the leading agriculturists of this part 
of the state. 



FRANCIS A. GARRECHT, of the firm 
of Garrecht & Dunphy, well known attorneys 
of Walla Walla, was born in Walla Walla on 
September 11, 1870. 

The parents of our subject are Daniel and 
Caroline T. (Hess) Garrecht. natives of 
Bavaria and Hesse-Cassel, Germany, re- 
spectively. They came to the United States in 



224 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



the early forties, settled first in California, and 
afterwards came to Walla Walla, landing" here 
about 1868, where the father now lives retired, 
the mother having- died in 1898. Our subject 
received his education in the Catholic school, 
now known as LaSalle Institute, in Walla 
Walla and after graduation entered a law of- 
fice where he read steadily for three years, be- 
ing admitted to the state course thereafter. 

Then he spent four years in the office of 
deputy clerk of the superior court after which 
he commenced the practice of law for himself. 
Three years later he formed a partnership 
with W. H. Dunphy and since that time they 
have been handling a very large clientage. 
They are men of recognized ability and the 
firm is one of the strong ones of this part of 
the state. 

On November 23, 1898, at Walla Walla, 
Mr. Garrecht married Frances T. Lyons, also 
a native of Walla Walla. Her parents, Patrick 
and Frances (Fahy) Lyons, are among the old 
pioneers and are extensive wheat farmers in 
this county. The children born to Mr. and 
Mrs. Garrecht are Arthur, Anna and Caroline. 

Mr. Garrecht is a member of the Y. M. I. 
and is past grand president of the northwest 
jurisdiction and has been supreme representa- 
tive. He and his wife are members of the 
Roman Catholic church and are stanch sup- 
porters of the faith. In politics Mr. Garrecht 
is a well informed and active Democrat. He 
has been delegate to nearly every state and 
county convention since he reached his ma- 
jority and is one of the best posted men in 
political matters regarding his own party, to 
be found in this portion of the state. 



A. J. PUFFER, deceased. Probably no 
article in this work will be more interesting 
than a memoir of the late A. J. Puffer, with 
biographical mention, also, of his widow who 
now resides in Walla Walla. The trials and 
hardships coupled with the pleasures of their 
eventful lives will be of interest to all our 



readers. The account of Mr. Puffer's life is 
inseparable in detail from that of his wife. In 
fact their early struggles and close compan- 
ionship are so interwoven that an account of 
their lives reads like a romance and a proper 
recital of their deeds will descend to posterity 
and be recorded with the history of those 
sturdy pioneers who first braved the hard- 
ships of the wilderness and reclaimed it from 
the natural state, introducing it into civiliza- 
tion. 

A. J. Puffer was born in New York state 
and was the son of Steven Puffer, an inventor 
and a genius in his craft. Steven Puffer was 
associated with his brother in his inventive 
work and was a prominent man in his line. 
A. J. Puffer did not follow in his father's 
footsteps and may not have inherited his fa- 
ther's inventive genius, but, with a somewhat 
more varied career he was, though, none the 
less successful. His only educational ad- 
vantages were what the public schools af- 
forded. After leaving school he clerked in a 
store in Allegany county, New York, and 
later migrated to Kansas, whence he went to 
St. Joseph, Missouri. This was -during the 
early days of the Rebellion when Missouri 
and Kansas were divided in public sentiment, 
and part of the citizens were in favor of seces- 
sion. Many of the incidents that have marked 
a black page in the history of our Civil War, 
the capture of John Brown, besides many 
other details, all came under the personal ob- 
servation of our subject and his wife. Mr. 
Puffer was a true Federalist in sentiment and 
could not reside in a community so diversified 
in opinion, so he removed to the Buckeye 
State and settled in a small place on Lake 
Erie. Feeling that his government needed his 
services, he enlisted in the First Ohio 
Volunteer Artillery as a private and for gal- 
lant conduct in battle was promoted to the 
office of first lieutenant, later being made cap- 
tain. He served with distinction for four 
years and four months and was wounded at 
the battle of Pittsburg Landing. Although 




A. J. PUFFER. 




: 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



225 



honestly entitled to receive a pension he never 
would apply for one, thus exemplifying the 
true spirit of the patriot, unwilling to accept 
salvage from the government of his country 
as long as he was able to fight the battles of 
life unassisted. 

After being discharged from the service, 
he and his wife took up their residence in Illi- 
nois where Mr. Puffer engaged in farming 
for five years. At the expiration of this pe- 
riod he decided to go further west and with 
his wife he crossed the plains, locating in 
Hamilton, Texas. There, in partnership with 
two other gentlemen, he opened and operated 
three general merchandise stores, one at Ham- 
ilton, one at Fort Worth, and one at Coman- 
che. This business venture was successful 
but Mrs. Puffer began to fail in health and 
required a different climate, so Mr. Puffer 
disposed of his business interests and took 
his wife to Seattle. Finding no business 
there that warranted lucrative returns he 
came to southeastern Washington and here 
the most eventful period of the lives of Mr. 
Puffer and the partner of his joys and sorrows 
was spent. They came during the Umatilla 
Indian outbreak and located in the Asotin 
country where they took up land on the Grande 
Ronde breaks. Mr. Puffer built a log cabin 
for a home and started a blooded stock ranch. 
While they were thus isolated from civiliza- 
tion Mrs. Puffer says the most happy days of 
her life were spent in this primitive style of 
living, and she looks back yet to the days that 
she and her husband spent together in that 
little log cabin with the tenderest and fondest 
recollection of their early struggles in the 
west. 

It is difficult for the citizens of today to 
realize what the pioneers endured when they 
were compelled to meet the danger and want 
and give up the accustomed comforts of life. 
And it is remarkable when we take into con- 
sideration that neither Mr. Puffer nor his 
wife were reared on the frontier, but were, in 
fact, at the time, tenderfeet in the fullest sense 

15 



of that term, with what fortitude they met 
these hardships. Mrs. Puffer was accustomed 
to refined society and during their residence 
in Kansas, she was a welcomed one in the lead- 
ing social functions of the time, at one of 
which she was presented to Governor Walker 
and danced with Secretary of War Stanton. 
But Mrs. Puffer is a true lover of nature and 
her devotion to her husband equipped her for 
the rugged life of the pioneer. 

When others were skeptical, fearing the 
attacks of the savages and fled to the forts to 
take refuge, Mrs. Puffer and her husband 
maintained themselves in their little log cabin 
during the days and at night when there was 
danger from approaches from the savages, 
they would go in an open wagon to distant 
parts of the woods and remained there con- 
cealed until dawn, when the)' would again 
return to their little nest, after assuring them- 
selves that no Indians were about. During 
this time when they were compelled to seek 
shelter in the woods, Mr. Puffer would go 
each morning to the summit of Puffer Butte 
to scan the surrounding country for signs of 
the savages. Puffer Butte is indebted to our 
subjects for its name as are, also, other places, 
where Mrs. Puffer enjoys the distinction of 
being the first white woman who set foot on 
the soil. After living in the log cabin for two 
years, Mr. Puffer erected a more pretentious 
and modern cottage, where for three years 
they dwelt and prospered. Their sojourn in 
this wild country was not without its draw- 
backs and Mr. Puffer became discouraged and 
wanted to give up and again return to civili- 
zation, but Mrs. Puffer had the tenacity which 
we sometimes find more fully displayed in 
women than in men, and she persuaded her 
husband to stick it out until, at least, they 
had recovered what they had invested. This 
he agreed to and for five years they lived 
in the wilderness. .Mr. Puffer then removed 
to Dayton where he engaged in the general 
merchandise business and built a modern home 
for his wife. While they resided in Davton 



226 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



surrounded by more comforts and luxuries 
than they had been accustomed to for the five 
years previous, still M'rs. Puffer could not for- 
get her home in the wilderness and the live- 
stock to which she had become so much at- 
tached. Every animal on the place knew well 
her voice and it was she who led them to the 
corral when they were rounded up in the fall. 
While Mr. Puffer was operating his store 
in Dayton his wife opened a restaurant there 
and conducted it successfully until it was de- 
stroyed by fire. Mr. Puffer also operated a 
hotel in Dayton in connection with his store, 
but disposed of all his interests in that place 
when he purchased land on Eureka Flat. In 
this latter place he operated two hundred acres 
of wheat land for twenty years, during which 
time he purchased land on Fish Hook Flat in 
Franklin county. There he engaged in farm- 
ing until about three years prior to his death. 
Mr. Puffer's demise occurred on September 
5, 1902, he being aged sixty-six years. Fra- 
ternallv he was a Mason. Mrs. Puffer was 
born in New York state and is a descendant 
of old Revolutionary stock. One child was 
born to our subject and his wife which died 
in infancy. Mrs. Puffer is now residing in 
a modern dwelling at No. 715 Washington 
street, where she is surrounded by all the com- 
forts of life. She has travelled extensively 
in this country and soon expects to make a 
tour of Europe. 



C. HEXRY KASEBERG has spent a very 
active and interesting career, being well ac- 
quainted with many portions of two continents 
and has displayed much wisdom and thrift 
since he is possessed at the present time of a 
fine competence of seven hundred and twenty 
acres. He resides at 318 2nd street, Walla 
Walla, beino- retired from active business. He 
is known as one of the substantial men of the 
community and has ever manifested those 
splendid qualities which make the real German 



and much desired citizen. He was born in 
Hessen, Germany, on March 10, 1834, the 
son of John and Cristina (Rumpf) Kase- 
berg. He studied in the schools of his native 
country and as his father was a wagon maker, 
he learned that trade thoroughly. He con- 
tinued with his father in the shop at Wettei- 
sengen, a village in Hessen in the province of 
Prussia until twenty-one then spent two years 
traveling to various portions" of Germany as 
is the custom of the German youth at that 
age. On June 27, 1857, he landed in Balti- 
more, Maryland, and on July 4, following, he 
arrived at St. Louis expecting to find his 
brother John, but he was disappointed as John 
had traveled to various other portions of the 
country. Our subject immediately found em- 
poyment at his trade and continued in St. Louis 
and various other places until the fall of i860, 
when we see him in Callaway county, Missouri. 
About that time he began to get the western 
fever aad accordingly returned to St. Louis 
and on April 5, 1861, left there for California, 
making the journey via the isthmus. He 
landed in San Francisco on May 6th following, 
but not finding steady employment there, went 
to Napa City and worked for eighteen months. 
Then he settled in Sacramento and engaged at 
his trade in building large freight wagons, 
continuing for four years. After that he spent 
eleven months there working for a man who 
purchased his interests and conducted the busi- 
ness himself. On July 16, 1866, a dark 
day for his business, he lost everything 
through fire, but not being discouraged, 
he immediately rebuilt and continued un- 
til the spring of 1867, then sold out 
and went to San Francisco. A few months 
were spent in that city, then he returned to 
the east and entered into partnership with his 
brother, John, and cousin, Fred and operated 
a shop there for four years. Venice is just 
across the river from St. Louis. But not con- 
tented with the east, after having breathed 
western air, our subject broke away from the 
environments holding him and went to Cali- 




Residence of Mrs. A. B. Puffer, Walla Walla 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



22\ 



fornia again. Then he returned to Portland 
and a few days later took steamer up the river 
for Walla Walla. After landing in that city, 
he bought out a wagon shop and commenced 
business for himself. He continued that stead- 
ily from 1 87 1 to about 1886 then sold out. In 
the meantime he had taken a timber culture and 
bought railroad land until he now owns seven 
hundred and twenty acres, all of which he had 
put in cultivation. He then devoted his entire 
attention to farming until 1889, when he rented 
the land and moved to Walla Walla. He owns 
his residence and three other dwellings be- 
sides, which he rents. Mr. Kaseberg has ever 
manifested sound wisdom and industry in con- 
ducting his business and the result is that 
he has been highly favored by dame fortune 
and is possessed of considerable valuable prop- 
erty. 

On December 19, 1867, at Venice, Illinois, 
Mr. Kaseberg married Augusta D. Timmer- 
meister, who was born in Hanover, Germany. 
They have no children. The other members 
of our subject's family are mentioned in the 
brother's biography in this work. Mrs. Kase- 
berg has one half brother, Frederick Notting, 
in St. Louis and one half sister, Emma, the 
widow of John Mackin in Walla Walla. 

Mr. Kaseberg is a member of the I. O. 
O. F. and is past grand of Enterprise Lodge, 
No. 2. He has been several times delegate to 
the grand lodge. He belongs to the Encamp- 
ment and is past grand patriarch. He has 
always been delegate to the grand encampment 
and has served two terms as district deputy in 
that order. In politics he is a sound republican 
and has often been delegate to the county 
conventions. He has been fairly active in this 
field and although he was persuaded to accept 
the office of city councilman one term, he does 
not deteire political prominence, but always 
labors for his friends. He has ever given as 
much time as he could consistently, with his 
business, to further the interests of his party 
and is known as a public spirited, broad 



minded man. Personally, he is a man affable, 
and ready to lend a helping hand to any one 
in distress. He and his wife are both mem- 
bers of the German Lutheran church. They 
are esteemed people and have won the friend- 
ship of very many in Walla Walla as well 
as other places where they have resided. 



JOHN H. ABBOTT is the son of the late 
John F. Abbott, who was one of the best 
known pioneers and business men in south- 
eastern Washington. John F. Abbott was 
born in New York state, on March 25, 1832, 
where he spent the first thirteen years of his 
life. Then he journeyed on west and chose 
a location in Wisconsin, where he had his 
first experience in the stage line business. In 
1849 ne contracted a severe case of the 
''western fever"' and the only cure was a 
journey across the plains with the other ad- 
venturers to the mecca of the west, California. 
There he delved in the golden sands for a 
period and then came to Lafayette, Oregon. 
He established a stage line from that place to 
Portland and one between Jacksonville and 
Steiiingville. In 1859 he came thence to 
Walla Walla and soon had a stage line oper- 
ating from that city to Wallula, and then in 
company with Thomas & Ruckle, he succeeded 
in establishing a stage line from Walla Walla 
across the Blue mountains to Boise, Idaho. 
This was a most arduous undertaking, but Mr. 
Abbott's resourcefulness and experience were 
equal to the task. He was connected with the 
operation of the line until 1873. ^"hen he sold 
out and engaged in farming. In this line he 
was very successful and continued at it until 
his death on March 14, 1896. He was killed 
in a runaway accident and Walla Walla lost 
one of her foremost men and leading citizens. 
He was prominent in fraternal relations and 
he was laid to rest with becoming honors. He 
had married Susan Creighton, nee Snyder, a 



228 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY 



native of Ohio and the widow of N. M. Creigh- 
ton. Three children were born to them : John 
H., who is the immediate subject of this 
article; Frances Isabell, the wife of Dr. H. G. 
Mauzey, an eye and ear specialist of Spokane; 
and Anna, the wife of Lieutenant Colonel W. 
H. Miller, in charge of the department of the 
lakes, with headquarters in Chicago. 

John H. Abbott was born in Lafayette, 
Oregon, on March 5, 1854, and received his 
education in the public schools, in Bishop 
Scott's Grammar School of Portland, and in 
Whitman College. In 1873 ne l^d aside the 
books of school life and joined his father in 
the management of his estates, and since that 
time he has been more or less engaged in this 
line of operation. He is skilled in the business 
of producing wheat and has also large stock 
interests. In 1897 Mr. Abbott went to 
Montana and operated a stock ranch for two 
years. At the end of that period he sold his 
interests there and returned to Walla Walla 
and took charge of the family estates. He has 
also conducted a stock ranch on the Snake 
river in connection with his farming and has 
handled it for seven years. In association with 
J. W. Harvey, he has under his control over 
five thousand acres of wheat land in Walla 
Walla county and is one of the most extensive 
tillers of the soil in this part of the state. 
In addition to this he owns one thousand acres 
in his own right and also considerable valu- 
able property in the city of Walla Walla. 
Like his father, Mr. Abbott is a progressive, 
broadminded man always in the vanguard for 
the development and upbuilding of the country 
and assists materially in all enterprises that 
have for their object the good of the country 
and the community. Fraternally, he is an 
Odd-Fellow and belongs to the W. W. He 
is a well informed Democrat and a good 
worker in the campaigns. 

On March 16, 1884, Mr. Abbott married 
Miss Josie B. Wiseman, of Walla Walla, and 
the children born to them are named as fol- 



lows : Annabel, deceased, Byra M., Verna, 
Lisle Litten, deceased, Emily, and Susan. Mrs. 
Abbott is a member of the Christian church. 



MAJOR CALVIN W ALB RIDGE PRES- 
TON, deceased, was born in Galway, Sara- 
toga county, New York, on February 28, 1845. 
His parents were Calvin Preston, M. D., a 
prominent physician, and Margaret (McAll- 
ister) Preston. Our subject received his edu- 
cation in the public schools of the Empire 
State and when sixteen years of age enlisted 
in Company B, Forty-fourth New York Vol- 
unteer Infantry until the close of the war. 
In 1866, he went to Galveston, Texas, and 
there resided for thirty-five years. Having 
studied pharmacy, he engaged in the drug 
business with marked success, and his was 
the best drug store in that section of the 
country, but he lost heavily in the Galveston 
disaster in 1900. In 1897 he was elected 
city assessor and served in that capacity until 
1 90 1, when he resigned and removed to 
Waitsburg, Washington. During his resi- 
dence in Galveston, Mir. Preston was prom- 
inent in business and public life. He was a 
Mason of high degree, having been initiated 
in Harmony Lodge, No. 6, and served in all 
the chairs. He was past master of Tucker 
Lodge, No. 297, having been master for three 
years, and also, he was a member of San 
Felipe de Austin Commandery, No. 1, Knights 
Templar. He was for a long time district 
deputy grand master for his district and also 
served as chairman of the building committee 
of the Masonic temple in Galveston. He was 
secretary of the Knights Templar relief com- 
mittee after the Galveston disaster, and was 
honored by being made representative in Texas 
for the grand lodge of New York. He was, 
also, a member of Hella Temple, of Dallas, 
Texas, of excellent standing. Mr. Preston 
was a member of the Texas Volunteer Guard 
from 1889 t0 : ^94> occupying the position of 




Calvin W. Preston 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



229 



major and inspector general. In 1896, he or- 
ganized the Texas Society, Sons of the Amer- 
ican Revolution, and became its first vice presi- 
dent. He was a member of the K. P., and the 
B. P. O. E. Many other positions of honor 
and trust were offered to him, and he always 
responded to tbe call of duty and performed 
the duties incumbent on him to the full satis- 
faction of his associates and with eminent 
credit to himself. His sterling integrity and 
worth were promptly recognized upon his ar- 
rival at Waitsburg, being elected mayor of 
that city in 1902. During his term of office 
many needed reforms and improvements were 
inaugurated, among them, being the plans for 
the city park. 

Major Preston was a man of the most 
genial and generous impulses and be had a 
host of friends. He had literary taste and his 
writings show marked ability. As an after 
dinner speaker, he had few equals and he was 
always ready to assist in public functions by 
his ready wit and eloquence. His speeches 
were impromptu and flowed directly from a 
true heart, warm with real sympathy and love. 
No better nor more appropriate tribute could 
be paid to the memory of our distinguished 
subject, Calvin Preston, than the words of the 
bard, "His life was gentle and the elements so 
mixed in him that Nature might stand up and 
say to all the world, 'This was a man,' ' 

Major Preston died suddenly from an at- 
tack of pleurisy, June 20, 1905, at Waitsburg, 
Washington. 



BENJAMIN C. HOLT. Walla Walla 
may well take great pride that within her limits 
is located a branch house of The Holt Manu- 
facturing Company. And, indeed, it is a 
source of real satisfaction to every individual 
to be able to point to an industry that has 
become one of the largest in the northwest. 
Although the factories of the company are 
located at Stockton, California, still it is left 
to the Walla Walla warehouses to transact 



the banner business of the company. This 
branch is in charge of Ben C. Holt, and takes 
care of the business for Washington, Oregon 
and Idaho in the handling of their line of ma- 
chinery. At the Lewis & Clark Exposition, 
Portland, Oregon, the Holt Brothers Combined 
Harvester was awarded a gold medal. As 
stated before, the manufactories of the com- 
pany are located at Stockton, California, and 
they cover the entire space of seven blocks, 
besides having large trackage and warehouse 
accessories. The plant was established in 
1883, and in 1892 was incorporated as the Holt 
Manufacturing Company. They manufacture 
the well known Holt Combined Harvester as 
well as all other inventions that excel in their 
line. This great machine, one of the greatest 
triumphs of modern skill and inventive genius, 
is not the result of one man's thought, but em- 
bodies the labors, skill, brain power, and 
materialization of some of the best inventors 
the age has known. The first California har- 
vester was invented and built by D. C. Matte- 
son, but Benjamin Holt, the president of the 
Holt Manufacturing Company, is the man who 
fitted and brought forth the modern machine 
with its mighty power for usefulness. He 
saw at a glance the necessity of such a machine 
and settled clown to work out the problems 
of mechanics and construction with an in- 
ventive genius that has produced for the 
twentieth century farmer one of the most won- 
derful machines ever constructed. Think of 
such a wonder as a machine moving through 
the golden fields of rich grain performing four 
distinct operations and delivering to the admir- 
ing- farmer the bounteousness of the soil sacked 
and ready for the warehouse. Indeed, in the 
days of our forefathers, it would have been 
counted miraculous. But such is what the 
Holt machines are doing this da}- and such 
is the triumph of modern skill. Mr. Holt in- 
vented and applied the famous link belt which 
has revolutionized all harvester business, and, 
in fact, has made these modern wonders practi- 



230 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



cal. It is safe to assert that the application 
of the link belt to mechanics was one of the 
most advanced and advancing steps of any- 
one point, which in reality is of more valne 
than the original idea of the harvester, for 
without this appliance, all else was compara- 
tively a failnre. Eighteen years ago, this com- 
pany pnt its first harvester into the field and 
from that time to the present, they have un- 
ceasingly labored and striven for the improve- 
ment and' perfecting of it until they have today 
the choicest product of modern harvesting ma- 
chinery. The superiority of the Holt machine 
over all others consists in its simplicity, its 
freedom from breakage, yet its light draft, a 
combination which has cost much deep thought, 
and the economical manner in which it ac- 
complishes the desired results. 

In different parts of the world, under the 
varying conditions found, much different ma- 
chinery is needed for harvesting the crops. 
The Holt people have made a deep and 
thorough study of the needs and the result is 
that they are manufacturing for the various 
necessities the best machinery that is put out, 
owing especially to its being adapted to the 
needs of the section where it is to be used. 
Such, at first thought, may not impress the 
reader as such a great work, but upon mature 
consideration, its stupendousness and its real 
worth dawn on one as in substance the greatest 
work in mechanics that could be accomplished, 
for the world rests on the farm, and the farm 
is enabled to produce the abundance needed, by 
these mechanical inventions supplied by these 
practical mechanics and benefactors of their 
race. They manufacture the Holt Brothers 
traction engines which are renowned for the 
wonderful work they perform. Recently 
foreign markets are being opened for these 
various products, which adds another source of 
wealth to our nation. Spain is reaching out for 
these machines and other fields are opening. 
It is of interest to those who do not yet under- 
stand, to speak of how these traction engines 
draw the plows that prepare the ground for 



the wheat or other grain, then draw the seeding 
machines, and lastly, but not least sweep 
through the field with a modern Holt com- 
bined harvester which delivers the wheat to 
the waiting farmer, sacked and ready for the 
warehouse. The panting steed is harnessed 
for all the farm work, as summer fallowing, 
harrowing, and so forth, and when not in vise, 
requires no feed to maintain his existence. 
The Stockton improved scraper is another 
product of this company, but space forbids to 
speak of all and we would turn to the gentle- 
man who is in charge of this industry in Walla 
Walla. 

Mr. Benjamin C. Holt, the general man- 
ager of the Walla Walla house, is a young man 
of pleasing personality, whose business ability 
is not measured by his years, but by his knowl- 
edge of the business he is in. He is a man 
of activity and energy and is always found 
prosecuting some branch of the business which 
gives him a practical acquaintance with all 
essential features of it. 



MARGARET McGAREY. Having been 
especially requested by some of the old pioneers 
of Walla Walla, so to do, we incorporate in 
this volume, the biography of Mrs. McGarey, 
who needs no introduction to the people of 
Walla Walla and the surrounding country and 
especially to the pioneers. For many years, 
she was prominent in business in the city as 
was her husband before his death and many 
have received cheer and entertainment at her 
hands. In early clays, her husband was in 
charge of one of the finest restaurants in this 
part of the state, which upon his death, she 
managed successfully and drew the largest 
trade that the city was able to offer. 

Margaret McGarey was born in Galway 
county, Ireland, in 1838, her parents being 
Daniel and Cecelia (Tracy) McGarey, who 
were well to do and leading residents of their 
neighborhood. When a girl of fifteen years 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



231 



of age, our subject came from her native coun- 
try to America and for five years resided in 
New York city. After that, she took ship 
for California, arriving in San Francisco, dur- 
ing the great rush for the gold fields. For 
two years she was employed in California, then 
met Luke McGarey, a native of Dublin, Ire- 
land, and who had come as a young man to 
New Orleans to seek his fortune in the New 
World. Shortly after arriving he was pressed 
into the United States military service and 
served altogether five years, being in the Mex- 
ican War. After his honorable discharge, he 
went to California and there occurred the meet- 
ing between him and our subject. In due time 
they were married and shortly after located at 
Portland, Oregon, where Mr. McGarey es- 
tablished himself in business. He had the 
distinction of being in charge of the first in- 
sane asylum in the state of Oregon. While 
in Portland, he did a large commercial business 
and was very successful. As early as 1862, 
the family moved from Portland to Walla 
Walla and Mr. McGarey opened a very fine 
restaurant. He improved it in every way 
possible and so successfully did he cater to a 
discriminating public that he enjoyed the 
patronage of the very best people of the city. 
His business was a fine success from the start 
until the day of his death. He was a man of 
excellent standing and by hosts of friends he 
was sincerely mourned at the time of his de- 
parture. Mrs. McGarey assumed charge of 
the business immediately upon the death of her 
husband and so skillfully and wisely did she 
handle it that she not only retained all the 
former patronage, but succeeded in improving 
and enlarging her trade. She continued the 
same until she found it was wearing upon her 
then she sold out and established for a little 
while, a very choice and first class boarding 
house. Finally, she retired from the cares 
and worries of business in hand to enjoy the 
competence which her skill and labor had pro- 
vided bountifully. At the present time she 



owns a ranch near Lewiston, Idaho, and has 
some very valuable city property in Walla 
Walla. To Mr. and Mrs. McGarey five chil- 
dren have been born, named as follows : Will- 
iam H, who died at the age of twenty-one; 
Daniel T. ; Kate, now the wife of R. H. John- 
son; Lewis; and John C, who died when aged 
seventeen. 

Mrs. McGarey is a member of the St. 
Patricks Catholic church, as was her husband, 
and she is a devout follower of her faith. 
Although she has passed nearly three score 
years and ten, the frosts of winter have settled 
lightly upon her and her general bearing does 
not indicate her to be nearly of that age. She 
is a woman of fine personality and bearing 
and has won hosts of admiring friends. At 
the present time, as stated above, she is re- 
tired from active business and dwells with her 
daughter, Mrs. Johnson. She is looked up to 
and respected by everyone and is a very charm- 
ing hostess. The good things of life are hers 
to enjoy in generous measure and she is satis- 
fied in knowing that her own skill and industry 
have brought about this measure for the golden 
years of her life. 

It would not be proper to close this brief 
statement of Mrs. McGarey's life without al- 
luding especially to the fact that during her 
long residence here, she has always been 
heartily in love with Walla Walla and the sur- 
rounding country and her efforts have accom- 
plished much for its advancement and general 
welfare. She is enthusiastic in the praise of 
this excellent country, all of which shows her 
splendid judgment and the breadth of her 
business ability and keen foresight and it may 
be said that as far back as thirty years or 
more, she saw and spoke of the wealth that 
would be here. All the old timers are well 
known to Mrs. McGarey and she has a very 
warm spot in her heart for these pioneers with 
whom she labored in the years past to bring 
about the gratifying results now seen in this 
rich country. 



2^2 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



BAILEY H. GROSS. A residence of a 
quarter of a century in the favored country 
of Walla Walla and a continuance of industry 
and integrity for that length of time, entitle 
a person to he classed as one of the builders 
of the county and one of the substantial citi- 
zens of the same. Such a one is Mr. Gross, 
who is well known as a man who has won suc- 
cess in Walla Walla county and who has 
gained a property here which bespeaks the 
man's ability in financial matters. He has 
never sought to do brilliant things but has 
won his way more particularly by carefully at- 
tending each day to the things that should 
be done on that day. A review of his life will 
furnish many points of interest and a careful 
perusal of the same will be a stimulus to any 
young man who desires to win the success that 
has crowned his efforts. 

Bailey H. Gross was born in Illinois. 
March 29, 1832, where also he was reared and 
educated. For twenty-one years, he remained 
in his native state and Iowa, then, it being 
1862, he joined one of the many trains wend- 
ing their way to the west and journeyed over- 
land to Nevada. Being impressed with the 
opportunities to be found at Virginia City, he 
stopped there and began operations on a dairy 
farm. For nine years he continued thus, then 
removed to Modoc county, California and took 
up stock raising and dairying combined. He 
prosecuted these enterprises successfully until 
1880, when he disposed of all his interests in 
California and came direct to Walla Walla 
county. He had learned of this country in 
various ways and believed that it was the place 
he was looking for. It soon developed that he 
was not mistaken in that particular for he soon 
purchased land and began farming. Mr. 
Gross is a man who knows how to follow one 
thing continuously. That is one of the secrets 
of his success in Walla Walla county. He 
began farming, has continued farming and 
has made his money by farming. He has 
always followed the motto, that "What is 
worth doing, is worth doing well." His best 



judgment told him that land that would pro- 
duce each year many bushels of first class 
wheat, was a good investment. Accordingly, 
from time to time, as he had opportunity, he 
purchased good wheat land. This greatly in- 
creased his income until he has taken his place 
among the extensive farmers of Walla Walla 
count) - ; and right here we wish to state that 
the ignis fatuus which turns so many Ameri- 
can youths into slighting present opportunities 
on account of their appearing small and reach- 
ing out to possess a fortune quickly, has never 
had its effect upon Mr. Gross. His course 
was just the opposite. He improved every op- 
portunity though it appeared small and made 
wise investments from year to year and the 
result is that he has gained a fortune which 
the poor blinded one rushing on to grasp the 
luring light has missed. It is one of the pro- 
found lessons of life, namely, that constant 
plodding is the one road to sure success. In a 
very high degree, Mr. Gross has accomplished 
this and his course is well worthy the medita- 
tion and study of younger men. 

In 1857, Mr. Gross married Julia Rice, a 
native of Ohio, who crossed the plains with her 
husband and has shared with him his labors 
and his successes since. They have become the 
parents of seven children, four sons and three 
daughters. 

Mr. Gross is not a politician yet he takes 
an interest in the campaigns and issues of the 
day. He labors for general improvement, as 
good roads, substantial upbuilding, and the 
forwarding of educational interests. At the 
present time, Mr. Gross is residing in Walla 
Walla and although he personally supervises 
his entire estates, still he is retired from the 
activities of the farm. This is a retirement 
well earned and deserved and it is very pleas- 
ant to see one who has so faithfully pursued 
the way of the agriculturist in this county so 
long, thus enabled to enjoy the fruits of his 
labors. Mr. Gross has many friends and he 
and his wife are esteemed people of excellent 
standing. 




BAILEY H. GROS< 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



233 



Mr. Gross and his family are members of 
the Christian church, and he is a liberal sup- 
porter of this institution, as well as all worthy 
enterprises. For the erection of the Christian 
church building on the corner of Alder and 
Poplar streets in Walla Walla. Mr. Gross 
headed the list with a donation of one thou- 
sand dollars, which is but a sample of his 
methods of aiding those institutions which ap- 
peal to him as powers to build up and better 
mankind. 



JOHN W. ARMSTRONG. No history 
of this section would be complete without the 
mention of the gentleman whose name ap- 
pears above. He was born on December 25, 
1839, in Sagerstown, Pennsylvania. His 
father, William Armstrong, also a native of 
Pennsylvania, was a prominent and influential 
agriculturist and also followed his trade of 
carpentering. He was an active politician and 
a leading man in the community, his influence 
being known far and near. He was a public 
speaker of force and ability. His death oc- 
curred in October, 1891, on the old homestead, 
he being aged eighty-eight. William Arm- 
strong had married Miss Lucy Pickernell in 
1834, who, also, was a native of Pennsylvania, 
and of German Scotch extraction. She died 
in 1899. To this union were born ten chil- 
dren, namely, Alfred B., Sarah, Louis, Mar- 
garet, Isaac S., Ellen, Josiah, Florence, and 
Kerney. Louis, Kerney and our subject are 
the only surviving members of the family. 

John W. received his primary education in 
the common schools of his native state, and at 
the age of sixteen entered the Allegheny 
Academy at Meadville, Pennsylvania, where 
he studied for the ministry. After his gradu- I 
ation, however, he did not follow this line but 
was employed in a mercantile establishment 
for four years. In 1863 he entered business 
for himself, establishing a supply store at 
Franklin, Pennsylvania, this being during the 
period of oil discoveries in that state. 



His ambition to follow a religious calling, 
for which he was especially adapted and fitted, 
was realized in 1879, when he was appointed 
district secretary of the Y. M. C. A. at Louis- 
ville, Kentucky. In 1880 "he removed to 
Wichita, Kansas, where he followed merchan- 
dising and was, also, active in religious work 
until 1885, when he received a commission of 
missionary with the American Sunday School 
Union. In 1890, he was transferred to the 
state of Washington with headquarters at 
Walla Walla.- For fifteen years he has labored 
with untiring efforts in this noble calling, and 
the work he has accomplished through the 
Washington mission merits the plaudits of the 
press and public. 

In 1862 occurred the marriage of Mr. Arm- 
strong to Miss Amelia Ridle, a native of Craw- 
ford county, Pennsylvania. Her father, Peter 
Ridle, was a prominent farmer, and was born 
in 1802. He died in 1884 at the age of eighty- 
two years. Her mother was Miss Susan 
(Staley) Ridle, also a native of Pennsylavnia, 
and she died in 1870. To Mr. and Mrs. 
Armstrong two children have been born, Lloyd 
W., engaged in the printing business in Walla 
Walla, and Harrold F., deceased. 

Mr. Armstrong has been successful finan- 
cially, and owns considerable property, among 
which is a fine farm of four hundred acres, 
located fifteen miles northwest from Walla 
Walla, and which he is operating and which 
assures him a competency for the golden years 
of his well spent life. In political matters Mr. 
Armstrong is a Republican, and is always 
keenly interested in matters pertaining to the 
welfare of the country, and he especially takes 
interest in educational matters. 



YANCEY C. BLALOCK, M. D., was 
born in Mitchell county, North Carolina, on 
August 3, 1859. His parents are Dr. N. G 
and Panthea A. (Durham) Blalock, the former 
residing at Walla Walla and well known 



234 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



throughout the northwest. The latter died in 
1864. When two years of age our subject 
went with the balance of the family from his 
native place to Macon county, Illinois, which 
was the home until 1873, when they came with 
teams to Walla Walla which was then a com- 
paratively new country. Having commenced 
his education in the Illinois home, Dr. Blalock 
attended the schools of Walla Walla during 
the winter and assisted his father on the farm 
during the summer. Afterward he entered 
Whitman Seminary and after some time spent 
in studying there he matriculated, in 1881, at 
Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and 
was graduated from that institution three 
years later. He immediately returned to 
Walla Walla and commenced the practice of 
his profession in this city, being associated 
with his father. Three years after that, he 
practiced by himself up to April 1, 1902, when 
he gave up active work in his profession and 
accepted the receivership of the United States 
land office at Walla Walla. He held that office 
until March 1, 1904. and then resigned, giving 
up an income of three thousand dollars per 
annum to again take up the practice of medi- 
cine. He is a man of influence and standing 
in the community and is also well known 
throughout the state. 

In April, 1883, Dr. Blalock married Julia 
Sanderson, a native of Walla Walla and to 
them one son, Jesse N., was born on January 
6, 1885, now attending the college of 
pharmacy. Mrs. Blalock died on November 
18, 1885, at her home in Walla Walla. In 
November, 1890? Dr. Blalock was married to 
Lillian Ballou, a native of Illinois, and the 
daughter of Orlando and Elizabeth (Boyd) 
Ballou, who were born in Cayuga, Illinois, and 
Watertown, New York, respectively, and are 
now living just south from Walla Walla in 
Oregon. To Dr. Blalock and his wife, one 
child has been born, Phoebe I., on April 4, 
1894. 

In fraternal circles the doctor has been 



and is very active and prominent. He belongs 
to Blue Mountain Lodge, No. 13, F. & A. M., 
and is past master of that lodge; to Walla 
Walla chapter, No. 1, R. A. M. and is past 
high priest; to the Washington Commandery 
K. T. ; and is past Eminent Commander to the 
Oriental Consistory A. & A. S. R. Spokane, 
Washington; to the Alki Chapter, No. 25, 
O. E. S. and is past patron; and to the El- 
Katiff Shrine, A. O. U. M. S. of Spokane. 
His wife belongs to Alki, No 25, O. E. S. 
and is past grand matron of Washington. Dr. 
Blalock is past grand master of the grand lodge 
of the state of Washington, F. & A. M. and 
past grand commander of the K. T. He is 
also present grand secretary of the grand 
chapter, R. A. M. and has served in this 
capacity since 1889. He is past grand com- 
mander of the grand commandery of the state 
of Washington. In 1891 he was elected grand 
recorder of the grand commandery K. T. and 
has held the office ever since. Dr. Blalock 
has served three terms as county coroner and 
four terms as city health officer. He was 
chief of the volunteer fire department for six 



vears. 



Until 1896 the doctor was a Democrat then 
he assisted with the organization of the Gold- 
Democratic party and was elected chairman 
of the county central committee. In 1898 he 
affiliated with the Republican party and was 
elected chairman of the county central com- 
mittee. In 1900 he was reelected and in 1902 
lie resigned upon entering the United States 
land office. He is at present physician to the 
state penitentiary at Walla Walla. 



DUNCAN McGILLIVRAY, a retired 
stockman residing in Walla Walla, was born 
in Lancaster, Glengarry county, Canada, on 
July 17, 1837, the son of Donald and Catherine 
(McDougall) McGillivray, natives of Scot- 
land and Canada, respectively. The father 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



2 35 



was born in Dumnaglass, and died in Canada 
in 1873. He came from a very old and prom- 
inent Highland Scotch family. The mother's 
father was born in Scotland and her mother in 
Canada, of Scotch parentage. Our subject's 
mother died in 1901, at the old home in Can- 
ada, where he was born. The schools of his 
native country furnished the education for 
Duncan and he remained on the old place until 
1863, when he went to California. In San 
Francisco he entered the employ of Murphy, 
Grant & Company, continuing until the fall 
of 1869. In the following spring he came to 
Walla Walla, arriving here in March. He 
soon thereafter entered the employ of Schwa- 
bacher Brothers and in a short time was man- 
aging their business, where he continued for 
five years. During that time, he became in- 
terested in sheep raising in what is now Adams 
county, this state. Then he left the position 
he was occupying and associated himself with 
Adams Brothers until 1879, when the increase 
in his general stock interests had been so great 
that he was obliged to give his entire time 
to handling the same. He followed that in- 
dustry until 1902, when he sold his range of 
thirteen thousand acres and his entire hold- 
ings in sheep. He handled as high as ten 
thousand sheep each year. Mr. McGillivray 
still owns some farm property in Umatilla and 
Walla Walla counties and also some residences 
in town. When he landed in Walla Walla he 
found that he was without capital and in debt 
some three hundred dollars and everything he 
now possesses has been the result of his in- 
dustry and thrift since that time, and he may 
take a pardonable pride in the splendid suc- 
cess that he has achieved. His example is 
certainly worthy of emulation by the rising 
generation and it is such men as he that have 
made this country wealthy and prosperous. 

On November 19, 1870, at San Francisco, 
Mr. McGillivray married Mary A. Durry, who 
was born in Williamston, Glengarry county, 
Canada. Her father, John Durry, who died in 



Canada in 1867, was a native of Scotland. He 
married Elizabeth Ferguson, a native of 
Williamston, Canada. She came to California 
with her children in 1868 and her death oc- 
curred in Walla Walla in 1897. Mr. McGilli- 
vray was one of a family of nine children. 
Mrs. McGillivray has one brother, Thomas, in 
Walla Walla and one sister, Elizabeth. To 
Mr. McGillivray and his wife three children 
have been born : Maude, the wife of E. D. 
Garland in Missoula, Montana ; Mabel, married 
to H. B. Kershaw in Walla Walla; and Cath- 
erine, at home. 

Mr. McGillivray is a charter member of 
Ivanhoe Lodge, No. 1, K. .P., which is the 
first lodge of that order in Washington. He 
is past C. C. He also belongs to the B. P. 
O. E. In politics he is a Republican, though 
not active 

Mr. McGillivray enjoys a good standing 
and the success achieved by his labors be- 
speaks his ability and his integrity. 



DANIEL T. KYGER, of the firm of 
Kyger & Foster, one of the best known dry 
goods and general furnishing houses in the 
city of Walla Walla, is the senior member of 
the firm. He is a representative business man, 
an accomplished citizen, and one of the stanch 
pioneers of the county. Between thirty-five 
and forty years have elapsed since Mr. Kyger 
first saw Walla Walla and during that long 
period he has been one of the constant and 
arduous laborers for the improvement and up- 
building of the country. He has prosecuted 
steadily the business in hand , with such 
sagacity and vigor that his firm stands one of 
the leading ones in this part of the country. 
He has shown himself to be a merchant with 
a wide grasp of business affairs and with an 
executive ability capable of working out every 
detail of the business to a splendid success. 

Daniel T. Kyger was born on November 



2 3 6 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



17, 1852, in Kokomo, Indiana, where be re- 
ceived his education. In 1864 he accompanied 
his parents to Nemaha county, Kansas, and 
thence to Missouri, where in 1868, he joined 
a surveying party and continued in that for 
one year. The next spring he intended to come 
to Arizona, but owing to the Indian hostilities 
then existing there, he changed his plans and 
on July 3, 1869, landed in Walla Walla. He 
soon was in the employ of Dr. Baker, who 
was then contracting the Walla Walla and 
Columbia River Railroad and joined the first 
party sent out to raft timbers down the 
Yakima and Columbia rivers to Wallula. In 
1873 ne entered the employ of Paine Brothers 
& Moore with whom he remained until they 
retired from business. In the centennial year, 
he opened a tobacco store for himself and did 
business in that capacity for two years. At the 
end of that time he entered the employ of 
Jackson, Reese & Winans. For thirteen years 
he was a right hand man in that establishment 
and so carefully did he handle his earnings that 
at the end of that time he was justified in pur- 
chasing the entire business, which he did. 
Shortly afterwards he disposed of a half in- 
terest in the establishment to Frank Foster, the 
style of the firm becoming Kyger & Foster. 
It has prosecuted a thriving business contin- 
uously since at their location in the Reese- 
Winans block on Main and Second streets. 
Kyger & Foster are known as men of reliabil- 
ity- and upright principles and on these lines 
they have conducted their business since with 
the happy result that they have built for them- 
selves a reputation for honesty and square 
dealing that is second to none in the country. 
Add to this their fine ability as choosers of 
proper goods and careful buyers in the eastern 
markets and we have one of the strongest firms 
and best enterprises in Walla AValla. They 
have an extensive country trade in addition to 
that drawn from the city which is veil sup- 
plied by a very large and well assorted stock 



of dry goods, clothing, ladies' furnishing goods 
and so forth. 

Mr. Kyger is an influential and active Re- 
publican and carries a strong influence for the 
support of his party. He is also prominent in 
fraternal circles, being a member of the masonic 
lodge, having the honor to be past eminent 
commander of Washington commandery, No. 
1. Knights Templar. 

In August, 1875, the marriage of Mr. 
Kyger and Miss Addie Sickler was solemnized 
and they have been blessed by the advent of 
six children, four daughters and two sons. 
The sons were Miles E. and Daniel T., Jr. 
Miles E. was born in Walla Walla on May 
21, 1876, and received his education in this 
city, graduating from the high schools in the 
class of 1895. He immediately engaged with 
his father in business, making himself most 
helpful by his faithfulness and devotion to 
the duties in hand. Daniel T. was educated 
in the business college, expecting to enter upon 
a commercial life as soon as he had finished his 
course. They were very energetic and promis- 
ing young men, exceedingly popular and re- 
spected by all who admire thrift, industry and 
sobriety, coupled with fine intellectual powers. 
When the call to arms was sounded for men 
to fight the battles of this country in the 
Philippines, they both enlisted and were sent 
to Manila. On February 3, 1899, Miles E. 
succumbed to the terrible disease typhoid fever 
and five days later, his younger brother also 
passed away. Thus the family and in fact 
the entire city of Walla Walla were called to 
mourn a terrible loss. Although these young 
men did not die on the field of battle, their self 
sacrifice and their right to the place among the 
heroes of the country are fully established, for 
they promptly enlisted, knowing that they 
would be sent to a country filled with terrible 
diseases as well as to face the bullets of the 
enemy. The entire state mourned at their loss 
and on every hand were expressions of 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



237 



sympathy and condolence received by their 
family. Even the state senate took cognizance 
of the same and adopted the following resolu- 
tions : "In grateful remembrance of our fallen 
heroes, Sargeant Miles E. Kyger and Daniel 
T. Kyger, Jr., comrades of Company I, First 
Washington Volunteers, who died in our coun- 
try's service at Manila, to the bereaved parents 
who sacrificed their only sons on the altar of 
our country, we, the members of the senate of 
Washington, do extend our deepest sympathy 
in their hour of affliction.'' 



ROBERT McCOOL. Among those sturdy 
pioneers whose efforts have made it possible 
to develop the present city of Walla Walla 
into a commonwealth, is the gentleman whose 
name initiates this paragraph. While Robert 
McCool has passed to the world beyond his 
early efforts and struggles will continue to 
live after him and those who were acquainted 
with him in life will always remember him 
as one who assisted materially in the develop- 
ment of a country that in the early days was 
not regarded as being so fertile and prolific as 
time has demonstrated. 

In those early days no one realized that 
the Walla Walla valley would eventually be- 
come the richest wheat growing locality in 
the country, and had it not been for those 
men who endured the hardships of life in an 
unbroken country, it would today be destitute 
of the agricultural advantages that have made 
it famous. In writing history it is the aim 
of the compilers of this work to faithfully 
portray everything pertaining to the growth 
and development of the country from its 
earliest inception, and when we revert to the 
early history and pioneer days, we find that 
those hardy settlers, without knowing it them- 
selves, were the very starters and promoters 
of every phase of the topic we have to digest. 

Robert McCool was born in Donegal coun- 



ty, Ireland, in 18 18, and for forty years there- 
after he remained on his native soil, living as he 
had been reared, a faithful Christian and an 
honest man. 

In 1858 he decided that America offered 
better opportunities for acquiring a proper 
share of worldly goods to which all men are 
entitled, and he set sail for the new world. 
and shortly after his arrival, he migrated from 
New York for the boundless west. His con- 
nection with Walla Walla dates from his 
arrival here on April 29, 1859, and from that 
time until his demise. 

He was one of the substantial citizens of the 
community. The land which he acquired upon 
his arrival here is still in the hands of his fam- 
ily and it is regarded as one of the very de- 
sirable pieces of agricultural land in the valley. 
Its boundary lines extend almost to the limits 
of the city and his son, Hugh McCool, occupies 
it. Mr. McCool was a thrifty, industrious 
man, plain and without any glamor of ostenta- 
tion. He was married in Barhead, Scotland, 
in 1847. t0 Mi ss Maggie O'Donnell, who was 
born in county Donegal, Ireland. To them 
six children were born : Hugh ; James ; Mary 
Ann, deceased; Margaret, deceased, who form- 
erly was the wife of James Monneghan, a 
capitalist and prominent banker of Spokane : 
Ellen, deceased, who was in life the wife of 
Edward O'Shea; and one child that died in 
infancy. 



JOHN WESLEY McGUIRE was born in 
Iowa on October 17, 1859, the son of John 
McGuire, who was a native of Kentucky. In 
1862 the elder McGuire migrated across the 
plains to the west, finally selecting the Walla 
Walla country as his permanent settling point. 
Our subject was then but a lad of three years 
of age, but remembers some of the incidents 
of the journey and also is well posted on 
pioneer days in the Walla Walla country. He 
began life on the farm and labored for many 



2 3 8 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



years in Washington territory before the sound 
of the steam engine was heard and when the 
most primitive methods were used in open- 
ing up and developing the country. In all 
these good enterprises he had a part and 
labored steadily on the farm when he was not 
receiving his education from the schools that 
the new country afforded. When seventeen 
years of age, he laid aside the school work 
and gave himself entirely to the more stern 
duties of life's work. He continued with his 
father until the death of that worthy pioneer 
and then took charge of the estate left. It 
consisted of two hundred and forty-three acres 
of good land with the necessary buildings and 
improvements to make it one of the valuable 
Washington farms. Later Mr. McGuire sold 
eighty acres of this original estate, retaining 
the balance. He has given his attention to the 
production of the fruits of the field constantly 
since arriving at manhood's estate and has 
achieved excellent success in his labors. He 
owns, in addition to the estate mentioned, a 
quarter section of land in the wheat section of 
Franklin county and personally attends to the 
operation of the same. 

On November 20, 1881, Mr. McGuire mar- 
ried Miss Maggie H. Turner, the daughter 
of James and Harriet Turner of Ohio. Four 
children have been born to this household, 
named as follows : Auga, Grace, John and 
Margaret. 



ALMOS HOLBROOK REYNOLDS. 

It is indeed an office of sacred trust, of tender 
responsibility to speak in memory of one whose 
life can no longer speak for itself, whose hands 
have released their grasp upon the burdens 
of the living and whose heart has ceased to 
beat. 

The death of Almos Holbrook Reynolds 
occurred April 21, 1889, he being then eighty 
years of age, not only made his own home deso- 



late but brought sorrow to many other souls. 

While it is impossible for the writer of 
of this memoir to chronicle all the good deeds 
and many other traits of character possessed 
by the subject of this sketch, it is a pleasure 
to be able to preserve and hand down to 
posterity a record of this worthy gentleman, 
whose individuality has left its impress upon 
the community and who was so instrumental 
in the early development and growth of Walla 
Walla county. He was born in the town of 
Madrid, St. Lawrence county, New York. 

His father was a millwright and in the 
pursuit of that trade, migrated to various places 
with his family, erecting mills, notably at 
Churchville, fourteen miles west of Rochester, 
Aurora and Buffalo, New York. 

While with his father the deceased became 
a skillful, self-reliant millwright. In 1837 he 
left Buffalo and went to Chicago, where he 
remained a short time, and then journeyed 
on to the region called the Blackhawk pur- 
chase, in Iowa, where he built a mill at 
Weathersfield. On the 9th day of January, 
1839, he left Iowa for New York and reached 
Aurora, Erie county, that state, on the 9th 
of February, having walked most of the way, 
as railroads were unknown. The lakes were 
frozen over and the stage was a very uncertain 
means of travel. In the spring of 1839 he 
went back to Iowa, and made his headquarters 
at Davenport until attacked by "the California 
fever." In 1850 he removed to California, 
where he arrived July 14th, and remained until 
May 20, 185 1, and then moved to Oregon. 
He built and superintended mills in Oregon 
until 1859, when he came to Walla Walla 
to build what was called the "Pioneer Mill" 
"Simms' Mill" or "Dent's Mill" as the fancy 
of the speaker suited. The ruins of this old 
mill, the first flour mill erected in the Walla 
Walla country, are still to be seen about two 
miles southerly from the city on Yellowhawk 
creek. Of late years it has been called "Over- 
holtzer's Mill." Mr. Reynolds came up on the 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



2 39 



second trip of the "Col. Wright," the pioneer 
steamboat on the Upper Columbia. He paid 
$16 fare from Deschutes landing, about twenty 
miles above The Dalles, to Wallula, and 
reached Walla Walla on the ioth of May, 
1859, an d nas res ided here since that time. 

On the 2 1 st day of May, 1861, Mr. Rey- 
nolds was married to the widow of Ransom 
Clark, whose maiden name was Lettice Jane 
Millican, and by whom he has had two sons, 
Harry A. and Allen H. Reynolds. Mrs. Rey- 
nolds was born near Cane Hill, Arkansas, 
October 3, 1830. Her father, Elijah Millican, 
was a native of Georgia, but in his early man- 
hood moved to Tennessee, where he married 
Lucinda Crisp, whose father, Mansell Crisp, 
was representative from Texas during Polk's 
administration. 

Soon after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
Millican moved to Arkansas, thence to Mis- 
souri, thence to Texas, and from there to Dade 
county, Missouri. In 1843 they left this place 
and started on their long and perilous journey 
across the plains to Oregon, as members of 
the notable Whitman train. There were born 
to Mr. and Mrs. Millican ten children of whom 
Mrs. L. J. Reynolds is the eldest. She was a 
girl of thirteen summers at the time of starting 
for Oregon and remembers man}- interesting 
incidents of the journey. 

Mr. Whitman was the guiding spirit of the 
train, sometimes behind, sometimes ahead, but 
always alert and solicitous for their comfort 
and safety. 

Arriving at Whitman station in October, 
the party rested for two days, then pushed on 
to Wallula, where they waited until the men 
could go up the river, cut and raft down enough 
timber to make boats for the remainder of their 
journey. The trip down the river was a 
perilous one. Two men of the party were 
drowned, and but for the vigilance of Mrs. 
Millican, all of her family and four others 
would have been dashed against the rocks in 
the rapids. The party reached Vancouver in 



the latter part of November, and remained 
there during the winter. In the spring Mr. 
Millican with his family went to LaFayette, 
Oregon, where he took up a donation claim. 

In 1844 Lettice Jane Millican married Ran- 
som Clark. In 1855 Mr. Clark came to Walla 
Walla and took up the Ransom Clark donation 
claim just south of the present townsite. Here 
he remained until the country was closed to 
the settlers, and owing to the hostility of the 
Indians all white people were ordered out of 
the country. He then returned to Portland, 
where he had left his family, but he soon 
came back with his eldest son, Charles, whom 
he left with some men on the place while he 
went to Portland for his family, but he died 
soon after his arrival. 

In 1859 Mrs. Clark came to Walla Walla 
in company with the family of Capt. Dent, 
afterward General Dent, a brother of Mrs. U. 
S. Grant. She remained two weeks and re- 
turned to Portland, in company with an of- 
ficer's wife. In the fall she came back to the 
claim with her two younger children, William 
and Lizzie. 

In 1862 Mr. Reynolds erected on the 
"Clark Donation Claim" what was known for 
many years as .the "Reynolds Mill." Of late 
years it has been called "McKinnon's Mill." 
It was destroyed by fire in the fall of 1888. 
In 1867 Mr. Reynolds was elected a com- 
missioner of Walla Walla county, but resigned 
before his term expired. He was a member of 
the city council in 1876, again in 1877, and 
yet again in 1881. As a public official Mr. 
Reynolds was opposed to all extravagant ex- 
penditures and every scheme presented for a 
raid on the public treasury met his well-known 
emphatic "No" and untiring opposition in and 
out of office. He was one of the original in- 
corporators of the Walla Walla and Columbia 
River railroad, an organization which under 
the indomitable management of Dr. D. S. 
Baker became the cornerstone of the modern 
prosperity of Walla Walla. Mr. Reynolds 



240 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



was the chief promoter of the Dayton Woolen 
Mills, built in 1872. In connection with Dr. 
J. H. Day. he opened the first bank in Walla 
Walla in the handsome two-story brick build- 
ing erected by them at No: 8 East Main, above 
Second street. At the time of his death Mr. 
Reynolds was vice-president of the First 
National Bank of Walla Walla. He left a 
comfortable fortune. Such is the record made 
by a modest, exemplary citizen, whose aims 
in life seemed to be to fear God and deal 
justly with all men. The world would be better 
were there more men like him. 

Since Mr. Reynolds' death in 1889 Mrs. 
Reynolds has lived her simple quiet life, and 
many a life has been made brighter and happier 
because of her sweet influence. 



ALLEN H. REYNOLDS, a prominent at- 
torney and business man of Walla Walla, is 
a son of Almos H. Reynolds, whose biographi- 
cal sketch precedes this article. In compiling 
personal mention of men worthy of emulation, 
in a history of the northwest, it is seldom that 
we are able to find subjects who are pioneers 
by birth. 

Allen H. Reynolds was born in Walla 
Walla, January 24, 1869. Almost his entire 
life has been spent in his native city, where 
today he stands in the foremost ranks of the 
leading men in professional, business and social 
life. Mr. Reynolds has been well equipped to 
carry on the prominent reputation and high 
esteem which his pioneer parents established for 
the name of Reynolds, in southeastern Wash- 
ington and the high characteristics, so notice- 
able in the father, are perceptible in the son for 
in more ways than one, he is following in his 
father's footsteps. 

Mr. Reynolds' preliminary education and 
discipline were received in a private school, con- 
ducted by the late Rev. P. B. Chamberland. 
He later entered Whitman College from which 
he was graduated with the class of 1889. De- 



ciding to adopt the legal profession as his 
vocation in life, he entered the Boston Uni- 
versity Law School, in Boston, Massachusetts, 
from which he graduated with the class of 
1893. 

Returning to Walla Walla he entered upon 
an active practice of his profession being first 
as partner with W. H. Kirkman, and to whom 
he was related by marriage. In the spring 
of 1900 he formed a professional alliance with 
Andrew J. Gillis, forming and building up a 
representative practice. 

Mr. Reynolds is treasurer of Whitman 
College, and a member of its board of trustees. 
He is also vice-president of the First National 
Bank of Walla Walla and is a member of 
the executive committee of the Farmer's Sav- 
ings Bank. 

On November 7, 1894, Mr. Reynolds was 
united in marriage to Miss Fanny Kirkman, 
daughter of William H. and Isabel Kirkman, 
who are mentioned elsewhere in this volume. 
Mrs. Reynolds was born in Walla Walla, and 
like her husband is a descendant of one of the 
oldest and most prominent pioneer families in 
the county. 

Three children have been born to Mrs. 
Reynolds and her husband, namely, William 
A., Almos H. and Ruth S. The family are 
members of the Congregational church. 



MRS. ANNIE McC. MIX, a highly cul- 
tured and refined lady, is a native of the sunny 
south. She was born in New Orleans, Louisi- 
ana, in the year 1831. Her education was ac- 
quired in the select schools and under the di- 
rection of private tutors in Bethlehem, her 
native state. In 1849 sne was united in mar- 
riage to Mr. James D. Mix, who was born in 
Georgetown, Virginia, in 1818. In 1863 Mr. 
and Mrs. Mix became residents of Walla 
Walla, and here our subject has since re- 
mained. She is well known and highly 
esteemed in the city where so many years of 









MR S. ANNIE M£ C. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



241 



her life have been passed, and while a true 
daughter of the sunny south, her deepest and 
most hallowed memories cluster around her 
old home here. 

Mrs. Mix has been a widow for many 
years, and after the death of her husband she 
took up the cares and responsibilities of life 
and assumed the burden of obligations that 
had been contracted during her husband's life. 
Her good judgment and business ability en- 
abled her to maintain that social position in 
life to which she so justly is entitled. She is 
now residing at number six, Birch street, in 
Walla Walla, and while she has accumulated 
considerable property through her judicious 
business ability, she has laid aside the cares 
of commercial life and is living practically 
retired. 



JOHN BACHTOLD, who is proprietor of 
the Elk saloon in Walla Walla, was born in 
Switzerland, on October 16, 1865, the son of 
John and Elise (Widmer) Bachtold, also na- 
tives of Switzerland. They came to the United 
States in 1882 and the father died in Port- 
land in 1899. The mother died at Walla Walla, 
on November 29, 1904. They located in the 
Willamette valley about 1890, and the father 
purchased farm land, which he cultivated until 
the time of his death. The home was fifteen 
miles out from Portland. After the father's 
death the widow lived with our subject until 
her decease. John received his education in 
his native country and remained in South 
Dakota, where the family first settled, until 
1889 when he came to Oregon. After that he 
spent two years in Hoquaim, on Gray's Harbor, 
in Washington, where he took up a timber 
claim. In 1891 he came to Walla Walla and 
opened a restaurant which he conducted suc- 
cessfully for one year. Then he purchased 
his present place of business and has continued 
in handling the same since. 

In 1 89 1 Mr. Bachtold married Miss Annie 

16 



Schurch, a native of Switzerland, and the 
daughter of John and Margaret (Limberger) 
Schurch, also natives of Switzerland and now 
owning a large farm in South Dakota, where 
they reside. To our subject and his wife, 
three children have been born, Annie, Ida and 
George. Mr. Bachtold has three brothers; 
Alfred, in the wholesale liquor business ; Albert, 
a farmer; and Ernest, bookkeeper for the Betz 
Brewing Company. 

Mr. Bachtold is a member of the A. O. U. 
W., the I. O. R. M., the A. O. F., the F. 
O. E., and the Sons of Herman. He is a Re- 
publican in politics and is central committee- _ 
man of the Mullan precinct and has served as 
delegate to the state and county conventions. 
He is also vice-president of the Best Brewing 
and Malting Company and owns considerable 
farm land in Walla Walla and Franklin 
counties. 



GEORGE W. SLATER, senior member of 
the real estate and loan firm of Slater & Slater, 
of Walla Walla, is a native of Tennessee, born 
June 4, 1852. 

Mr. Slater was the son of Thomas J. and 
Rebecca (Nicholls) Slater, the former born in 
Virginia and the latter in North Carolina. The 
father was a member of the old Slater family 
which settled in the state of Virginia during 
the early history of the United States and 
which has ever been one of the foremost fam- 
ilies of the Dominion State. Thomas J. Slater 
and two of his sons, William A. and Henry A., 
brothers of our subject, were soldiers during 
the Civil War. The father and William were 
under General Pemberton of the Confederate 
•army, and passed through the famous siege 
of Vicksburg. His son, William M., was a 
lieutenant in the Confederate army and fell 
at the battle of Reno, Georgia; the other son 
was killed during the war by a steamboat ex- 
plosion. The father at last was killed, afte/ 



242 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



the surrender of Vicksburg, while defending 
his home against guerillas. Our subject's 
mother died in 1854, when he was a child of 
two years. She was a first cousin of President 
Andrew Johnson, and her father was Charles 
H. Nicholls, of English descent, one of the 
oldest southern families and a prominent 
planter and slave owner. 

Our subject was reared in Tennessee until 
1 87 1, when he went to Indiana and two years 
later he removed to Texas, where he remained 
two years. He became a man of finished edu- 
cation, although his early schooling was ac- 
quired under extreme difficulties, he having 
many a night pursued his studies by the light 
furnished by a blazing pine knot. He went 
to school first in the rude country school houses 
of the south, but later took a complete course 
in the Wabash College at Crawfordsville, Indi- 
ana. After his graduation from this school he 
returned to Tennessee in 1876, and was there 
married, August 14, 1877, to Matilda Bailey, 
a native of Hawkins county, Tennessee, and 
daughter of Joseph A. and Nancy (Bailey) 
Bailey, both born in Tennessee. The father 
came of a wealthy family of Tennessee 
planters. He died while Mrs. Slater was an 
infant, and the mother died in 1880. 

For a time after his marriage Mr. Slater 
was engaged in farming. While following 
this pursuit he employed all his leisure time in 
reading law and finally was admitted to the 
bar. He entered upon the practice of his pro- 
fession, which he continued without interrup- 
tion for more than twenty years. He also en- 
tered politics, and during his lifetime he has 
held many political offices, such as sheriff, com- 
missioner, for his county, justice of the peace, 
judge of the county court, and so forth, and re- 
peatedly has been chairman of central com- 
mittees of his party — the Democratic. In 1891 
he sold his property in Hawkins county and 
removed with his family to Johnson City, 
Tennessee, where he practiced law and followed 
real estate business, coming to his present loca- 



tion in 1 90 1. Here he established his present 
business in partnership with W. J. Conton- 
wine, but later he purchased Mr. Cantonwine's 
interest in the business and took in his son, 
Edward C. as a co-partner, the firm then be- 
coming Slater & Slater. 

Mr. and Mrs. Slater have four children : 
Dora, wife of Riley D. Henson, Walla Walla; 
Edward C, now living in Jonesboro, Ten- 
nessee; Margaret L. ; and Matilda M., living 
at home in Walla Walla. 

Mr. Slater is a member of Columbia lodge, 
No. 8, Knights of Pythias. Both he and Mrs. 
Slater are members of the Christian church. 
Mr. Slater has one sister, Sarah Jane, who be- 
came the wife of Hugh D. Hayns, of Colfax, 
Washington. 



GEORGE RETZER is secretary, treasurer 
and general manager of the Betz Brewing & 
Malting Company, one of the largest and most 
up to date breweries in the Pacific northwest. 
Its establishment dates back to 1882, when 
Jacob Betz began, in a small way. In 1904, 
February 5th, it was incorporated with a capital 
of one hundred and seventy-five thousand dol- 
lars, divided into one hundred and seventy-five 
shares, at one thousand dollars each. The 
first officers of the institution were Jacob Betz, 
George Retzer, John Bachtold, Albert Nieber- 
gall, Lucien Genevay and J. F. Talabere. These 
served until May, 1904, when the following 
named officers and directors were elected : 
Jacob Betz, president; John Bachtold, vice- 
president ; George Retzer, secretary and treas- 
urer, while Albert Niebergall, J. F. Talabere, 
J. G. Thomas, and J. G. Stine are directors. 
Mr. Retzer is, also, general manager of the^ 
company. The careful management and busi- 
ness sagacity of the board of directors have 
been instrumental in making' this one of the 
largest breweries in the state, it having a 
capacity of twenty-five thousand barrels an- 
nually, of a very superior quality of genuine 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



243 



lager beer, which is known far and near in 
this and adjoining states. Their present mag- 
nificent plant was erected in 1903, and all the 
most modern and up to date machinery needed 
in the various departments is installed. The 
barley used is raised in the vicinity of Walla 
Walla, while the hops come from the yards of 
Washington and Oregon, and everything used 
is of the purest and best quality. 

George Retzer, Jr., was born in Baden, 
Germany, on June 21, 1863. His father, 
George Retzer, is also a native of Germany, 
and was a farmer by occupation. He migrated 
to the United States in 1898 and made his 
way direct to Walla Walla, where he and his 
wife now live a retired life. 

Our subject received his educational train- 
ing in the schools of the Fatherland and when 
fifteen was apprenticed to a large department 
store for three years. Having completed that 
term, he was bookkeeper in a cigar factory for 
one year, then being possessed of a desire to 
see the world, he embarked for Philadelphia 
and in due time was landed on the soil of the 
new world. This was in 1881. For two yeors 
thereafter, he was occupied in a bakery and 
the succeeding five years were spent in a patent 
medicine establishment. In October, 1890, he 
came west to Walla Walla and took up the 
saloon business which he successfully followed 
for a time. Then he became interested in the 
brewing company where we now find him, and 
in 1904 he accepted the offices in this company 
which have been mentioned. 

At Elizabeth, New Jersey, on July 28, 
1882, Mr. Retzer married Miss Anna Gessner, 
a native of Hessen, Germany, who landed in 
Brooklyn, New York, in 1881. Her parents 
both died in the old country when she was a 
child. To our subject and his wife six chil- 
dren have been born, George H., Elsie, Will- 
iam. Anna, Henry and Christina. Mr. Retzer 
has four brothers and two sisters, William, 
Charley, Mrs. Carry Achermann, and Chris- 
tina, in Walla Walla, and Henry and Conrad 



in Philadelphia. Fraternally, Mr. Retzer is a 
prominent member of the Eagles, the Odd 
Fellows, the Redmen, and the Sons of Her- 
man. In politics he is a strong Republican. 



JAMES HARSHY INGRAM was born 
in Edgar county, Illinois, February 25, 1839, 
the son of James and Elizabeth (Vanmeter) 
Ingram. About 1842 the family left Edgar 
county, Illinois, for Wisconsin, and the father 
died on the journey from hemorrhage of the 
hrngs, it being induced by heavy lifting He 
was buried at Dover City, Wisconsin The 
bereaved family drove their ox teams on to 
Sauk City, and settled for a time, later living 
m Hayward and then in Richland. In 1858 
our subject and one brother went to Council 
Bluffs, Iowa, and cut cordwood for a time. 
In 1861 they journeyed on to Central City 
Colorado, and mined and prospected. Two 
years later they were in Virginia City, Mon- 
tana, but after a year there they returned to 
Central City, and Blackhawk, Colorado, but 
before the year expired, 1863, they were back 
in Iowa. In 1867, with his wife and one in- 
fant child, Mr. Ingram joined a train of ok 
teams and came to Georgetown, Colorado 
Ihe tram had seventy outfits, and kept close 
watch against Indians as they were vicious 
then. Until r8 77 Mr. Ingram remained in 
Georgetown engaged in mining and prospect- 
ing. Then he returned to Iowa and shortly 
afterward, in 1884, came west with his fam- 
ily, settling on a five-acre tract which he pur- 
chased from H, P. Isaacs, where they now re- 
side. Mr. Ingram has spent much time in pros- 
pecting m various places of the northwest and 
believes the state of Washington has as fine 
deposits of gold as Montana and Colorado, but, 
owing to volcanoes, they are lower down.' 

On April 29, 1866, in Mills county, Iowa, 
James H. Ingram married Mary J .Williams' 
the daughter of Almond M. and Zilpha b' 



244 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



(Cilley) Williams. Mrs. Ingram was born on 
November 5, 1842, in Salem, New York, and 
a more extended account of her ancestry will 
be found in the sketch of Milton A. Williams. 
Their children, four sons and three daugh- 
ters, received their education from Whitman 
College. The oldest son, Elmer E., is a min- 
ister in the Cumberland Presbyterian church, 
residing at Waco, Texas, Oscar L., court re- 
porter of Walla Walla, is the inventor of an 
adding attachment to the typewriter. Jesse 
W. is a Doctor of Medicine, and practices in 
Walla Walla. Morton M. enlisted in Com- 
pany I, First Washington Volunteers in 1898 
in the Spanish-American War, and sailed for 
Manila on the Valencia. He was in the battle 
of Santa Anna when the Washington volun- 
teers charged through the rice swamps waist 
deep and up the hill in the face of the enemy 
disregarding General King's commands and 
warning that it would be "simply suicidal" as 
they were then virtually defeated. General 
King hearing their shout and seeing their 
dauntless act said, "There go the American 

boys and all can't stop them," and charged 

after them and the day was won. He returned 
to Walla Walla and entered the employ of the 
W. & C. R. Railroad, and is agent at Dixie. 
Carrie married Arthur G. Cornwell, a farmer 
and brother of Senator Oliver Cornwell and 
they now reside in Walla Walla. Ellen is a 
teacher in Walla Walla. Myrtle is a student 
in the conservatory of music in Whitman Col- 
lege. 



HON. WILLIAM G. PRESTON. It is 
with great pleasure that we now essay the task 
of outlining the life history of one whom an 
adventurous spirit led early to the sea, and 
afterwards kept on the forefront of civiliza- 
tion's march during the decades of a long and 
successful career. Our subject has always 
ben a giant in achievement and one before 
whom difficulties that would overwhelm a less 



resolute man vanished like the dews before the 
morning sun. 

Mr. Preston was born in Galway, Sara- 
toga county, New York, on the twenty-third 
day of November, 1832, and his education 
was acquired in Galway Academy located in the 
town of his birth. When eighteen years old 
he went to live with his uncle, Rev. A. W. 
Piatt, a Presbyterian minister, residing in 
Tompkins county, New York, with whom he 
resided until 1852. He then went to sea, vis- 
iting New Brunswick, New Orleans, Liver- 
pool and other points in Great Britain and 
America, finally returning to Galway, via Bos- 
ton, in 1854. 

That year witnessed the opening of settle- 
ment in the territory of Nebraska and thither 
our subject went in the fall, making the jour- 
ney by way of Chicago, Rock Island, down the 
Mississippi to St. Louis, and up the Missouri 
river, there being no direct railroad connection 
in those days. Locating at Bellevue he became 
captain of Colonel Sarpee's large ferry boat 
in 1855, and when the capital of the territory 
was moved to Omaha, and the boat sold to the 
Council Bluffs and Nebraska ferry company, 
he went with it to Omaha. In 1857, he re- 
moved to Steubenville, Ohio, and built the 
Omaha City, a double engine, side wheel boat, 
designed to carry freight on the river. In 
1858, leaving the ferry industry in charge of 
his brother, he went to Pike's Peak, Colorado, 
and was among the first on the site of Denver, 
building, also, one of the first houses. He was 
engaged in mining in the Gregory mines for 
a couple of years, but meeting with only in- 
different success, he resolved to try his for- 
tunes in Northern Idaho, then a part of the 
territory of Washington. He went in by the 
upper Snake river, crossing the stream in a 
wagon bed, and by old Fort Lemhi, at the head 
of the Salmon river. 

Mr. Preston's connection with the town of 
Waitsburg dates back to 1866. Shortly after 
his arrival he purchased an interest in the 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



245 



Washington Flouring mills, adding also a 
general merchandise business. He and his 
brother, Piatt A., bought out Mr. Wait, the 
original owner, and he has continued in the 
business since at times having other associates 
in both the milling and the merchandise enter- 
prises. He is a director in the Merchants' 
Bank, of Waitsburg, a stockholder and direc- 
tor in the Schwabacher Company's general 
merchandise store at Walla Walla, was prom- 
inently connected with the Puget Sound 
Dressed Meat Company when that was in ex- 
istence, and is very largely interested in farm- 
ing lands and stock; while especial evidences 
of Mr. Preston's wonderful enterprise and 
great executive ability are to be found in the 
Washington Mills, which have long been the 
leading industry of Waitsburg, and which have 
ever been so successfully managed as to 
win for their products the first place for 
excellence and a very enviable reputation the 
state over. The plant is in all respects equal 
to the best, and the people of the city are 
justly proud of it. 

Notwithstanding the exacting nature of 
his many duties, in connection with his private 
business, M'r. Preston has always found time 
to take an interest in politics, and when called 
upon to perform the public duties, for which 
his fine intellectual endowments so well quali- 
fied him, to attend to the same with faithful- 
ness and care. When in the state legislature 
in 1 88 1, he was appointed chairman of the very 
important committee of Ways and Means. 

In 1869, Mr. Preston was married to Miss 
Matilda Cox, a daughter of the noted Ander- 
son Cox, and perhaps the first white child born 
in Idaho. Their union has been blessed by the 
advent of three children, Bert and Dale, in the 
Preston Grocery Company of Walla Walla, 
and Charles in the mills in Waitsburg. 

As an interesting reminiscence, we may 
record that, in 1862, Mr. Preston and his 
brother, while on their way to the Idaho min- 
ing regions, crossed the Snake river above 



Fort Hall when the stream was swollen by 
melting snows, using their wagon bed as a 
boat. The experiment was a very dangerous 
one, but they managed to thus safely ferry 
across camp equipments and wagons of a large 
train of immigrants, swimming the stock. On 
reaching Fort Lemhi, as wagons could not be 
taken further, they traded their cattle and 
wagons to some of those in the train who had 
become discouraged and turned back, receiv- 
ing mules for their property. Pack saddles 
were made and their first experience in the 
most primitive mode of transportation where 
beasts of burden are used was had. One of 
the mules rolled down the mountain and landed 
in the brush hundreds of feet below, but 
further than that no great losses were sus- 
tained. After experiencing such hardships as 
only a packer knows anything about, they at 
length reached the Elk City mines, where the 
search for the key to Nature's treasure vaults 
began. 



■♦ » » 



LOUIS W. COCHRAN, a retired farmer 
in Walla Walla and a man well known for his 
integrity and upright principles, was born in 
North Carolina, on July 1, 1832. His father, 
David C. Cochran, was also born in the same 
house and his father, Daniel Cochran, the 
grandfather of our subject, was born in Henry 
county, Virginia, and was in the Revolutionary 
War. The father of that patriot died when 
Daniel was a mere lad and he knows little 
about him. He came from a well to do and 
prominent Scotch family which settled early in 
Virginia, and there became a wealthy planter. 
Our subject's grandfather became wealthy 
after the Revolution and was a highly respected 
and influential man. He owned a large estate 
and fifteen slaves all of which was inherited 
by his only son, Daniel Cochran. This was in 
Surry county, North Carolina. Daniel Coch- 
ran prospered well after the Civil War, sus- 
taining no loss except his slaves and there died 



246 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



in 1883, aged seventy-one. He had married 
Lucretia Reese, a native of Surry county. 
North Carolina, where also her parents were 
born. Their parents were natives of Pennsyl- 
vania and came from Welch ancestry and all 
were well to do and prominent people. Both 
families were people of exceptionally fine 
standing and there is no record, so far back 
as is known, that any of the Reeses or of the 
Cochran's did an act that brought ignominy 
on the family name. 

Our subject was reared and lived in Surry 
county until 1873, then moved to Catawba 
county, where he remained until 1892, in which 
year he sold out and came west. In 1862 he 
enlisted in Company E, Fifty-seventh North 
Carolina Infantry and was second lieutenant 
of his company, having assisted to organize 
the same. He was on detached service for 
three years from June, 1862, until the end of 
the war. Then he returned to the home and 
afterward began to reconstruct his fortunes. 
Just previous to the war on January 28, 1861, 
Mr. Cochran married Mary J. Rinehart, who 
was born in Catawba county, North Carolina. 
Her father, Henry Rinehart, was a native of 
the same place and his forefathers were Penn- 
sylvania Dutch people. He married Elizabeth 
Finger, also a native of Catawba county, and 
descended from Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry. 
The Rineharts were an influential and promi- 
nent family, both in Pennsylvania and North 
Carolina. Mrs. Cochran had one brother in 
the Civil War, being in the same company 
as our subject. After the war Mr. Cochran 
bought four hundred acres in Catawba county, 
and from 1865 to 1873, ne was somewhat un- 
settled. Then he gave his attention to busi- 
ness and in 1892, as stated, he came west. He 
purchased two hundred and forty acres of 
land, five miles from Dixie, but two years later 
he met with such reverses that he lost it. 
Afterward he bought a quarter section and con- 
tinued in handling the same until recently he 
sold the property. He is now living in Walla 



Walla and expects soon to erect a home here. 
Mr. Cochran has five sons, William H., Edwin 
W., Alonzo J., Robert F. and Preston L., all 
farmers in Walla Walla and Lincoln counties, 
this state. 

In February, 1896, Mrs. Cochran was 
called away by death. She died as she had 
lived, a faithful Christian, and was deeply 
mourned by all who knew her. Mr. Cochran 
is a member of the Baptist church as was also 
his wife, while in politics, he is an active Demo- 
crat. He has three brothers, George William, 
who has been register of deeds for the last six- 
teen years at Newton, Catawba county, North 
Carolina; John and Meredith J., farmers in 
that county. The latter has been magistrate 
for many years. Robert F., our subject's 
fourth son, is city marshal! at Creston, Wash- 
ington; William H. the eldest, is an orchardist 
at Peach. Mr. Cochran received a good educa- 
tion in Catawba College at Newton, North 
Carolina, although he did not graduate. He 
has always been a great reader and is a well 
informed man. 



DAVID BASHORE, of 327 W. Alder 
street, Walla Walla, Washington, came west 
during the early 7o's and began farming in 
Umatilla county, Oregon. He arrived there 
with just $30.00 in his pocket, but he managed 
his affairs to such a degree of success that he 
now is able to spend the remainder of his 
allotted years in ease and retirement. He has 
one of the most beautiful homes in the "Garden 
City" and an income sufficient to supply his 
every want. 

Mr. Bashore is a native son of Darke coun- 
ty, Ohio, and the date of his birth was April 
27, 1850. He was the son of G. and Christina 
(Detter) Bashore, natives, respectively, of 
Pennsylvania and Ohio. Our subject's paternal 
ancestors originally came from Germany, set- 
tling in Pennsylvania early in the history of 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



247 



this continent. The father removed to Ohio 
while a young man and soon after his marriage 
he and his wife removed to Illinois, and dwelt 
in Springfield from i860 to 1864, then in 
DeWitt county three years, then located near 
Cerrogordo in which town they also acquired 
the ownership of a flour mill. About the year 
1870 they went to Kansas, and two years later 
came to Walla Walla county. The father died 
here in December, 1893. aged seventy-six 
years. Mrs. Bashore died in Walla Walla in 
the year 1892. 

David Bashore is a man of quite finished 
education received in the state of his birth 
and Illinois. As a child he removed with his 
parents to the latter named state, but later on 
returned to Ohio to complete his education. 
Early in the seventies he came to Albany, Ore- 
gon, remained there one year, then removed to 
Umatilla county, Oregon, and settled on a 
farm within nine miles of the city of Walla 
Walla. He lived upon this farm until 1899, 
when he came to his present home. He still 
retains possession of his farm in Umatilla coun- 
ty, comprising six hundred and forty acres im- 
proved with the best of farm buildings and in 
a high state of scientific cultivation. Besides 
his Alder street home. Mr. Bashore also owns 
a residence building on Chase avenue. 

In 1875 Mr. Bashore was married to Mary 
Kiester, a native of Stephenson county, Illinois, 
in which state she grew to womanhood and 
acquired her education. Mr. and Mrs. Bashore 
were made husband and wife in Illinois and 
came west together, and it is largely due 
to the encouragement and wifely assistance on 
the part of Mrs. Bashore that the subject of 
this sketch has attained the position in the 
world that he now enjoys. 

Mrs. Bashore's father was David Kiester, 
born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. His an- 
cestors were early emigrants from Germany, 
settling in Pennsylvania. Mr. Kiester was a 
farmer in his native state, and also in Illinois, 



to which state he removed during the early 
days. Mrs. Bashore's mother was Elizabeth 
Girl, a native of Ohio. 



JAMES KNOTT is generally considered 
to be the leading contractor and builder in the 
city of Walla Walla, and but very few build- 
ings in which masonry has been required have 
ever been built in the city that he has not been 
connected with. Born in England, January 
31, 1850, James Knott was the son of James 
and Ann (Hancock) Knott, both natives of 
Cornwall, England. The father was the son 
of Mark Knott, and both were masonry build- 
ers and contractors, and both were men of in- 
fluence in their community. The father lived 
to the age of ninety-four and his father was 
eighty-nine at the time of his death. 

The place of Mr. Knott's birth was also 
in Cornwall, near the county line of Devon- 
shire. He was liberally educated in private 
and national schools, and learned stone 
masonry from his father. When twenty-two 
years old he came to the United States, re- 
maining three years in New York city working 
at his trade. From New York he went to San 
Francisco, where he remained two years, go- 
ing thence to Shasta county. The year follow- 
ing he went to Portland, Oregon, and a few 
months later he came to Walla Walla, the year 
being 1878. He came by way of the Columbia 
and Snake rivers as far as possible, as he 
preceded the railroad into Walla Walla. He 
engaged in contracting and building soon after 
coming here and has continued in that line 
almost continuously since. He has done the 
greater portion of all the stone and concrete 
work for the city government, and has built 
nearly all of the bulkheads on Mill creek, and 
at the present time he has a contract to put 
in a two thousand foot concrete wall on this 
creek. In 1884 he took a preemption claim on 



248 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Eureka Flat, and from time to time he has 
added to his original land holdings by pur- 
chase until now he owns a two thousand acre 
farm on Eureka Flat, all under cultivation, 
which is being farmed by his sons, Fred and 
Edward. In 1889 Mr. Knott erected a hand- 
some home at 728 Whitman street, Walla 
Walla, in which the family now lives, com- 
fortahly situated and one of the most uni- 
versally respected families in the city. 

Mr. Knott was married June 24, 1876, 
at San Francisco, to Josephine Ullberg, a na- 
tive of Sweden. To this union have been born 
seven children: Frederick M. ; Edward; A. 
Everett, a student in Whitman College; Lottie, 
wife of Rev. Charles Delepine, a Baptist 
clergyman of Ohio; Louise, Annie and Ruth, 
who live with their parents. All of the family 
belong to the Baptist faith. 

Mr. Knott has one brother, Joseph, a car- 
penter and farmer in Walla Walla; and two 
sisters, Mary, wife of George Conibeer, a har- 
ness merchant of Plymouth, England; and 
Elizabeth, wife of William White, a mine 
blacksmith of Plymouth, England. 

Mrs. Knott has one half-brother, Frederick 
Gorrensen, an engineer residing in Tacoma, 
Washington. 

In political persuasion Mr. Knott is a Re- 
publican, though he is not an active worker 
in the ranks of his party. 

He is considered a man of more than aver- 
age means, although he has earned all he 
possesses himself since coming to the city. 
Besides the property enumerated above, he has 
one-third interest in the postoffice building, 
and one-third interest in the Jacox building, 
both in Walla Walla, besides a few odd blocks 
of realty in different parts of the city. 



HON. BENJAMIN L. SHARPSTEIN. 
In selecting subjects for the biographical de- 
partment of this work Ave have used our best 
efforts and every possible endeavor to find 



men, who, in the various walks of life, have, 
by their deeds, been most instrumental in con- 
tributing to the history of southeastern Wash- 
ington, and who, by their individuality, have 
left their impress upon the community. 

We are pleased to be able to record here a 
brief memoir of Hon. Benjamin L. Sharp- 
stein, who has made for himself a place in 
the history of this state that will ever be re- 
membered, while, also, he has long been known 
as one of the leading lawyers of Washington. 
He was until quite recently the senior member 
of the firm of Sharpstein & Sharpstein and it 
is due to his individual efforts and judicial 
knowledge that the firm is one of the strongest 
legal firms in the Inland Empire. 

Our subject was born in Bath, Steuben 
county, New York, October 22, 1827, and is 
the son of Luther and Abigil (Johnson) 
Sharpstein, natives of New York state. At 
the age of seven years he accompanied his 
parents to Michigan, where he resided until 
he attained his nineteenth year. During this 
time the territory of Michigan was admitted 
into the union as a state, and to this event Mr. 
Sharpstein refers as the first state he saw 
made. While doing farm work, for he was 
reared on a farm, the idea of some day becom- 
ing a pleader at the bar was his earnest desire, 
and toward this high mark he bent his ener- 
gies, never flagging in any of the arduous labor 
incident to accomplish the desired "end. For a 
young man on the farm in the wilds of Michi- 
gan, in those early days, to lay his plans and 
work his way until he was admitted to the 
bar with honors was no small undertaking. At 
the age last mentioned he determined to jour- 
ney to Wisconsin and in the then Badger Ter- 
ritory he sought an opportunity to read law, 
and, finding the same with a good firm, bent 
his energies to the task with a will. The re- 
sult was that he was admitted to the bar in 
1852 and successfully practiced in Wisconsin 
until he decided to come farther west. While 
a resident of Wisconsin that territory was 




Hon. Benjamin L. Sharpstein 




George Dacres 





James Mclnroe 



Harrison H. Hungate 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



249 



made a state and he well remembers the time 
when it donned the statehood garments and 
took place with Columbia's other daughters. 
In May, 1864, having made the preparations 
for the journey westward, Mr. Sharpstein 
started across the plains with his family. 
They joined a train wending its way toward 
the land of the west and from May until Sep- 
tember they faced the setting sun and trudged 
onward over barren plains and rugged moun- 
tains, fording streams and fighting back sav- 
ages who seemed to make their appearance on 
every hand. At last they arrived in Walla 
Walla where Mr. Sharpstein resumed the 
practice of his profession. His personality, 
ability, and knowledge of the law were soon 
apparent and he arose to prominence almost 
as soon as he arrived, for his name was put 
forward as a representative to the legislative 
council and he was promptly elected to that 
position. So faithfully and with such ability 
did he discharge the duties incumbent upon 
him and with such zealous care conserved the 
interests of his constituents that twice he was 
reelected to the same office. Although a Dem- 
ocrat in his political opinion, and running on 
the Democratic ticket in a county that was 
strongly Republican, still he was always fa- 
vored with a handsome majority. Mr. Sharp- 
stein was a member of the constitutional con- 
vention that convened in August 22, 1882. 

In 1874 he accepted the nomination as 
representative to the United States congress. 
He made a thorough canvass of his district 
which was strongly Republican in sentiment 
and received a majority of 292 votes in his 
own county. His opponent, the Hon. Orange 
Jacobs, chief justice of the territory, was 
elected by a narrow margin. At the time of this 
election it was a well known fact that the ter- 
ritory was overwhelmingly Republican, and 
it was almost considered a forlorn hope to at- 
tempt to elect a Democrat. And while Mr. 
Sharpstein was defeated for the office his ex- 
ceedingly large vote in eastern Washington 
and the inroads he made upon the usual Re- 



publican vote showed his popularity at the 
time and the esteem in which he was held by 
the people. In 1889 Mr. Sharpstein was a 
candidate on the Democratic ticket for the 
supreme bench of Washington; the returns of 
the election showed for him 25,468 votes which 
was about two thousand ahead of his ticket. 
Yet, notwithstanding the large vote he re- 
ceived he suffered defeat with the rest of the 
Democratic candidates on the ticket. 

The rapid development of our magnificent 
nation is brought strikingly into relief when 
we note that Judge Sharpstein has been pres- 
ent at the birth of three states, and, also, has 
materially assisted in the development of these 
commonwealths. 

In 1890, Judge Sharpstein was appointed 
by Governor Ferry a member of the board of 
Tide Lands Commissioners, of which body 
he was elected chairman three consecutive 
times, by the unanimous vote of the board 
which had a Republican majority. During all 
the deliberations of this important commis- 
sion, for upon it devolved the proper disposal 
of all the tide lands of the state, Judge Sharp- 
stein was one of the leading spirits and his 
wisdom, his clear sense of justice, and his pro- 
found judgment were most useful in the 
proper consummation of their labors. The im- 
portance of this commission is more fully un- 
derstood when we consider the fact that they 
consumed three years in their deliberations be- 
fore completing their labors. 

If there has been one object more dear to 
the judge than any other in the progress of 
his city, it has been the worthy purpose to 
make the public schools excel in every respect. 
For twenty-five years he has faithfully given 
of his time to accomplish this end, having been 
constantly on the board of public education, 
and the intensely practical judgment with 
which he is so generously endowed, has en- 
abled him to do much to accomplish the de- 
sired ends, and as a monument to him and his 
labors the public schools of Walla Walla stand 
second to none in the state. As evidence of 



2^0 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



appreciation of his labors a large, new and 
modern school building erected recently was 
named in honor of him after his resignation 
from the board. And the Judge has always 
taken a deep interest in educational matters 
for in Wisconsin he held the same position on 
the school board and did much to further the 
interest of educational facilities for the proper 
instruction of the rising generations. 

Among the children born to Judge Sharp- 
stein and his wife are two, John L. and 
Frank B., who are attorneys. Upon their ad- 
mission to the bar, they were received by their 
father into the firm and with him thev prac- 
ticed under the style of Sharpstein & Sharp- 
stein. While the senior partner is now retired 
and enjoys the fruits of a long career of in- 
dustry, the firm still remains a monument to 
the ability and strong personality of Judge 
Sharpstein, and ranks with the best legal firms 
of the state. Judge Sharpstein owns valuable 
city property and considerable agricultural 
land which is rented. He still oversees his in- 
terests and is consulting partner in the firm. 

On December 2.J, 1855, Mr. Sharpstein 
married Miss Sarah J. Parks, a native of New 
York state, and later a resident of Wisconsin. 
Five children have been born to them, J. L, 
Ada E., wife of C. B. Upton; Arthur P.; 
Frank G. ; and Charles M. 

In fraternal associations the judge is a 
thirty-second degree mason and is past master 
of the Blue Lodge, having, also, been both 
junior and senior warden of the grand lodge 
of Washington. 



GEORGE DACRES, deceased. The 
pioneers of Walla Walla are fast passing to the 
realities of another world, while the newer 
generations are coming forward to carry out 
on a more extended scale the labors they have 
begun in this favored region. Prominent 
among the people who have passed, is George 
Dacres. He was a well known and successful 



business man of Walla Walla and one of the 
history makers of Washington. Prominent 
in the various lines which he followed and al- 
ways a man filled with the true spirit of the 
path-finder, his career was necessarily replete 
with adventure and interesting incident and 
to write a detailed account of the same would 
form a very profitable chapter of history of 
the northwest. He was a native son of the 
Emerald Isle, being born May 30, 1828. He 
was reared at his birthplace and received a 
fair education, then his adventurous spirit 
urged for other fields than those found in the 
restricted territory of Ireland, so in 1849, ne 
came to New York. The interest in the dis- 
covery of gold in California exactly met his 
aspirations and in a short time he was on his 
way to the Golden State, traveling via the 
isthmus. It was 1852, when he landed at his 
destination and for five years, he was occupied 
there. First in mining, then as a salesman in 
a mercantile establishment. Mr. Dacres then 
determined to try his fortune in the rising ter- 
ritory of Washington, the star then appearing, 
one of the brightest on the Pacific coast. 
About this time came the mad rush to the 
Fraser region and Mr. Dacres was not a man 
to be left behind at such a time as that, so once 
again he turned his attention to gold mining. 
He participated in all the scenes incident to 
such an exodus, which are now matters of his- 
tory but whether he was successful financially, 
we are not told. However, it is well known 
that he was one of the most stirring and suc- 
cessful men generally in those days, which 
form an epoch in American history. Turning 
from the Fraser river country, we find him 
next in the employ of the United States gov- 
ernment as an assistant in locating the line be- 
tween the United States and Canada and he 
was there occupied until i860. For fifteen 
years after that, Mr. Dacres was one of the 
head packers to the various mines of the north- 
west and his train found its way to all the 
camps then known. What days those were 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



251 



when the trails of the pack train were largely 
the only marks of civilization through the 
proud expanse of the inland empire. Great 
days for the pioneer ! Days never to return 
again and clays in which such stirring char- 
acters as George Dacres laid broad and deep 
the foundations for this great northwestern 
commonwealth, which now is attracting the 
attention of the civilized world. Fifteen years 
actively engaged in packing through the wild 
mountains, the trackless forests, over swollen 
rivers and amid storms with but the sky for a 
covering, is a long time, but Mr. Dacres was, 
even then, slow to give up the matchless free- 
dom of that occupation. Finally he decided 
that such time had come, as civilization was 
beginning to dot the fertile land with the set- 
tler's cabin, and the steam horse already found 
its way to the Pacific coast, and he bade fare- 
well to his old line of business, disposed of his 
outfit and in- 1875 turned his attention to farm- 
ing. The same spirit of wisdom that won suc- 
cess in his former occupation soon placed him 
in possession of one thousand acres of fine 
land, lying adjacent to and near the city of 
Walla Walla. In addition to that, he secured 
two thousand acres more and some time be- 
fore his death, increased his holdings to a large 
amount even above that magnificent domain. 
Always a progressive man and ready to put 
into execution his ideas, Mr. Dacres saw in 
1899, tne nee( l °f a fi rst c ^ ass hotel in Walla 
Walla. With him, to see a need was to supply 
it, and, accordingly, in a short time the Hotel 
Dacres, known and esteemed by the traveling 
public in the entire northwest, was in full op- 
eration in Walla Walla where the genial and 
kindly welcome he was so well fitted to give 
to weary travelers was always extended and 
we may not wonder that his hotel was always 
wondrously popular both with business people 
of Walla Walla and with the traveling public. 
The hotel still stands, a monument to his mem- 
ory and business ability, one of the choicest 
places of entertainment in the entire state. 



In political matters, Mr. Dacres always 
took an active part and for two years was a 
member of the city council. He was always a 
leader in social lines, being a genial, kindly 
man and a good conversationalist. 

At Walla Walla, in September, 1864, Mr. 
Dacres married Margaret Russell, also a na- 
tive of Ireland. She died in 1887, leaving 
two children, James, who was born August 1, 
1865, and Mary, residing in Walla Walla. 

In 1889, Mr. Dacres married Margaret 
Donnelly, also a native of Ireland and to them 
was born one child, George, now attending 
one of Walla Walla's excellent educational 
institutions. 



From out the confines of a busy life; 

From the world's ceaseless stir of care and strife; 

Into the stillness of the Heavenly Guide; 

As He would have, H& calls His own aside. 

JAMES McINROE. It is indeed an office 
of sacred trust, of tender responsibility, to 
speak in memory of those whose lives can no 
longer speak for themselves ; whose hands have 
released their grasp upon the burdens of the 
living and whose hearts have ceased to beat. 

The costly stone, the storied shaft, mark 
the eternal earthly resting place, but in the 
heart the memory is held and from out the 
depths of the heart the mouth speaketh. How 
natural therefore to speak with tenderness of 
those whose absence make not only their own 
homes desolate, but have laid bare man)'' of 
the green spots of the earthly paradise. 

James Mclnroe was one of the pioneer 
residents of Walla Walla, and during his life 
became associated with the business interests 
of the county. He was born in Corning, New 
York, March 11, 1841. and was the son of the 
late Lawrence Mclnroe, a native of West- 
meath County, Ireland. 

Lawrence Mclnroe left the Emerald Isle 
when he was a young lad, to seek his fortune 
in America. He located in Connecticut, upon 



252 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



his arrival on this side of the broad Atlantic, 
and there followed the occupation that he had 
selected as his vocation in life — the machin- 
ist's trade. 

In 1855 he decided that the western coun- 
try offered better opportunities than he had 
found in the east and he emigrated to Wiscon- 
sin and remained a resident of the Badger 
State until his demise which occurred in 1871. 

James Mclnroe, the immediate subject of 
this memoir, was reared on his father's farm 
where he remained until his eighteenth year 
when he struck out for himself and pursuing 
the lumbering business we find him engaged in 
the camps in the wilds of Wisconsin until 
1864 when he decided to cross the plains and 
cast his lot with those sturdy pioneers upon 
whom the present generation may look with 
pride. In the spring of 1865 we find him in 
quest of the yellow metal in Montana, but hav- 
ing struck no bonanza, he abandoned this vo- 
cation and left the gold fields and for a time 
resided near Pierce City, Idaho. In 1872 he 
bought a quarter section of land on Dry Creek, 
where for nine years he farmed successfully, 
and at the same time retained some mining- 
interests that he had become associated with 
and with which he was moderately successful. 
Feeling that farming was more lucrative than 
mining, he disposed of all mining properties 
that he possessed and devoted his entire time 
and undivided attention to raising live stock 
and the cultivation of the grain fields. His 
farm was one of the largest and most success- 
ful in the county. His live stock was the best 
that could be produced. Mr. Mclnroe was a 
lover of the horse. He was the owner of the 
famous Caution, who has a mark of 2 124^ 
and who is the sire of the well known Alexis, 
with a mark of 2:18 and Limmont, who had 
earned the bracket of 2 :2c 

In 1892, Mr. Mclnroe purchased the dwell- 
ing at 103 Touchet street, Walla Walla, where 
he resided with his family and passed the 
residue of his days. 



In 1882 at her home in Wisconsin, was 
solemnized the union of James Mclnroe and 
Jennie Kent. Mrs. Mclnroe was born in Wis- 
consin and is the daughter of Edward Kent, 
a native of England. The children born to 
our subject and his wife are Lawrence O., 
Frank H., Earl K., James, Lloyd, Maud and 
Cora. 

Mr. Mclnroe affiliated with the I. O. O. F. 
of which order he filled the office of past grand. 
He was a member of the K. P., the W. W. and 
the B. P. O. E. Politically his opinions and 
support were given to the Democratic party and 
he was selected by the councils of his party 
on several occasions to represent them as a 
delegate in their conventions. For years he 
officiated as a director of the State Peni- 
tentiary and although he never sought political 
preferment he was selected by his friends to 
be a candidate on the Democratic ticket for 
county treasurer. 

He was a man whose political opinions 
were acquired by his deep sense of justice to 
the community at large and although identified 
with the Democratic party he never was radi- 
cal and he always supported whatever candi- 
date he believed was to the best interests of 
the community and for the good of the coun- 
try. His demise occurred on May 3, 1905. 
The funeral rites took place on Saturday, May 
6th, from his late residence. His funeral was 
one of the largest that Walla Walla has ever 
known. His numerous friends, associates and 
lodge brothers gathered from the most remote 
corners of the county and under the auspices 
of the ritual of the I. O. O. F. he was laid to 
rest in. the Odd Fellows' Cemetery with due 
fraternal honors and glowing orations by the 
Rev. Date Gantz and the Rev. Andres Bard, 
both of Walla Walla, who said of him— "Our 
brother sleeps here, universally loved and ad- 
mired. Like an oak felled by the lightning in 
the prime of life he lies here, still and at rest 
in the bosom of mother earth. Our brother 
is in the care of a loving God." 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



253 



To weary hearts, to mourning homes, 
God's meekest angel gently comes; 
No power hath he to banish pain, 
Or bring us back our lost again. 

And yet in tenderest love, our dear, 
And Heavenly Father sends him here; 
There's quiet in that angel's glance, 
There's rest in his still countenance. 

He mocks no grief with idle cheer, 

Nor wounds with words the mourner's ear: 

But ills and woes he may not cure, 

He kindly trains us to endure. 

Angel of patience, sent to calm 
Our feverish brows with cooling balm; 
To lay the stones of hope and fear 
And reconcile life's smile and tear. 

The throngs of mourning hearts to still, 
And make our own our Father's will, 
Oh, thou, who mournest on the way, 
With longings for the close of day. 

He walks with thee, that angel kind, 
And gently whispers, "Be resigned." 
Bear up, bear on, the end shall tell, 
The dear Lord doeth all things well. 



HON. HARRISON H. HUNGATE, a 
representative and successful stock raiser and 
farmer in Walla Walla county, and who has 
been associated with the interests of south- 
eastern Washington for more than thirty years, 
is to be classed as one of the leading citizens 
and a man of wealth and influence. He is 
the son of A. Hungate, a native of Washington 
county, Kentucky. This gentleman removed 
with his wife and two children to Hancock 
county, Illinois, while still a young man. He 
was filled with the adventurous spirit which 
led his ancestors from England to cast their 
lot with the earliest settlers in the Virginia 
colony. The family is an old and very promi- 
nent English house and dates back to 1425 
when one distinguished member was appointed 
lord of the manor of Sexton. Later another 
was lord of the manor of Sherburn, under 
Henry VIII. in York. The book of heraldry 



gives a very extended mention of the family, 
and without doubt the records contain full 
accounts of others before the date given above. 
A. Hungate dwelt a few years in Hancock 
county, Illinois, then removed to McDonough 
county in the same state. For thirty years 
he was an honored agriculturist there and then 
returned to Hancock county where he spent 
the balance of his life. The death call came 
when he was at the ripe age of four score 
years and four, and as he had lived, faithful 
to the requirements of his fellow men and his 
God, so he passed to the world beyond and was 
borne to his last earthly resting place with 
becoming honors, surrounded with loving 
friends. He had married Miss Elizabeth 
Ward, who was the daughter of Nathan and 
Lucy (Fowler) Ward, an old and highly re- 
spected Kentucky family. Our subject was 
one of a large family of children and his birth 
occurred in Hancock county, Illinois, on April 
14, 1836. He studied in the little log cabin 
school house near his father's farm until of 
an age when he could be of use to his father 
in working the farm, and then he gave his 
attention in summers to this employment, 
studying in winters only. He continued on the 
old home farm until 1864. He was hungry 
to see what the west had to show, and accord- 
ingly, in 1864, with his wife and three chil- 
dren, having been married while on the farm, 
he started towards the setting sun and patiently 
pursued his course until after four months of 
danger, privation and hardship, the little train 
pulled up at Sacramento. He selected farm 
land in the valley and went to work to subdue 
and cultivate the soil. This occupation en- 
gaged him until 1873, when, induced by the 
reports his brother-in-law had sent, that there 
was lots of grass in the vicinity of Walla 
Walla for sheep, Mr. Hungate finally decided 
to come hither. Accordingly, he disposed of 
his property in California and in the fall of 
1873, he landed in Walla Walla. He soon 
purchased a section of land and went to rais- 



254 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



ing sheep. His estate was in Spring valley and 
for four years he continued there. Then he 
rented the sheep ranch and embarked in farm- 
ing and stock raising, and to the management 
of this business he has given his time and 
talent since. He has operated on a large scale 
and his success has been most gratifying. At 
the present time he is cultivating three thou- 
sand acres of wheat soil and the returns are 
all that could be asked even in this fertile re- 
gion. He also has bands of stock and he is 
rated as one of the most successful farmers 
in the state. In addition to what has been 
mentioned, Mr. Hungate has valuable city 
property, including a beautiful modern home 
place. He has erected a modern brick hotel 
building on Main street and has made it one 
of the choice structures of the city. 

Air Hungate married Miss Mary C. Dun- 
can, and they have the following named chil- 
dren : Charles A. ; Ida, the wife of J. F. Crope, 
M. D.; Ella; Elizabeth, now deceased, form- 
erly the wife of H. A. Gardner ; Laura A. ; and 
Lulu G. 

In politics, Mr. Hungate is a Democrat and 
always takes an active interest in these things. 
He was a. member of the territorial legis- 
lature in 1883, and also has served as treasurer 
of Walla Walla county. In church relations, 
he and his wife belong to the Baptist denom- 
ination and are stanch supporters of the faith. 
Personally Mr. Hungate is a tall, dignified ap- 
pearing gentleman, and his well built and 
active body shows little to indicate the sixty- 
nine years' he has traveled the pilgrim way, 
while his affability and genial ways bespeak 
the kind heart and the fellow feeling, which 
are so highly appreciated, especially among 
pioneers. 



FRANCIS M. CORKRUM is a pioneer 
of 1865 and has since been one of the potent 
factors in developing the fertile country ad- 
jacent to Walla Walla. He has given atten- 
tion all his life to farming and has wrought 



in that capacity here. His birth occurred in 
Kentucky, in October, 1834. While still an 
infant he was called to mourn the death of 
his father, and then the widowed mother went 
with her family to Jefferson county, Illinois, 
and there, Francis grew to manhood on a 
farm with his uncle, receiving his education 
from the schools near the home place. When 
twenty years of age, he went to farming for 
himself, later rented again and then purchased 
a farm for himself. Finally he decided that 
he could be satisfied only by coming to the 
west, and accordingly, he rigged outfits, the 
teams being oxen and cows, and started with 
his family toward the setting sun*. Their in- 
tention was to go to California or Oregon, 
but something changed their minds and they 
landed in the fertile Walla Walla valley in- 
stead. He purchased the right from a home- 
steader for twenty dollars in greenbacks, to a 
claim on Spring branch, and soon began to 
build a home in - the wilderness. He added 
other land by purchase and in 1879 so ^ the 
two hundred and forty acres for over eleven 
thousand dollars. He then bought the Kennedy 
ranch of five hundred acres which he has made 
his headquarters since. When the time of life 
arrived that Mr. Corkrum should be entitled 
to retire, his wisdom and thrift had wrought 
with such excellent success that he had a gen- 
erous competence and he secured a comfort- 
able and choice residence in Walla Walla, and 
there he is residing now, superintending his 
estates from this point. He owns some other 
real estate in addition to the farm mentioned 
and, also, bought a farm for three of his sons. 
He has shown in the long residence here a 
splendid business ability, and his walk has been 
marked with uprightness and integrity, which 
have won for him many friends and the respect 
of all. 

Some ten or fifteen years after arriving 
in Walla Walla Mr. Cockrum and his wife, 
together with two children, were converted in 
the school house which he had assisted to 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



255 



erect for the accommodation of the district 
children. He has since seen all of his children 
brought into the church, and his cup of joy is 
full to the brim. Mr. Corkrum has always 
been a zealous advocate of educational progress 
and has been instrumental in securing for the 
rising generation the best equipment for this 
important part of their preparation for life. 

In Spring Garden, Illinois, on February 1 1 , 
1857, Mr. Corkrum married Miss Mary Kille- 
brue, a native of Jefferson county, the same 
state. The following children were born to 
this union : Sarah, wife! of Jeff Jen- 
nings, now deceased ; William J. ; Rosa- 
lie, wife of William York, of Ashland, 
Oregon; Uriah, a farmer in Walla Walla 
county; Nora, the wife of Thomas Wilson, 
a farmer near Dayton; Rado, wife of David 
Williams, of Adams, Oregon ; Leo ; Eva, at 
home with her parents ; David, deceased : and 
two that were taken by death before being 
named. Mr. and Mrs. Corkrum are happy 
in the possession of thirty-two grandchildren. 



BREWSTER FERREL has been a resi- 
dent of Walla Walla county since 1864, when 
he came west from the state of Iowa and took 
a homestead nine miles west from the city. 
At various times he has added to his original 
homestead by purchase, making his present 
farm one of the largest and most valuable 
individual tracts of land in the county. About 
ten years ago Mr. Ferrel removed with his 
family to Walla Walla, where they now have 
an elaborate home at 333 Birch street. 

Mr. Ferrel was born in Trimble county, 
Ohio, August 22, 1838. Ten years later his 
parents removed the family to Iowa, settling 
on a farm in Wayne county, which at that time 
was a very new country and considered by 
Easterners to be in the far Avest. Our sub- 
ject grew to manhood on this farm, never leav- 
ing it until coming west, as above noted. He 



was married in Wayne county, Iowa, in 1861, 
to Caroline Bott. 

Mrs. Ferrel was a native of Zanesville, 
Ohio, but came to Iowa with her parents dur- 
ing the early days of that commonwealth. 

Mrs. Ferrel's parents were George and 
Caroline (Wright) Bott, both native Germans, 
who came to the United States early in life 
and were pioneer settlers in the state of Ohio. 

The father and mother of the subject of 
this sketch were Edward and Rosella (Fish) 
Ferrel, the former a native of Pennsylvania 
and an Ohio pioneer, and the latter was born 
in Ohio. 

The union of Mr. and Mrs. Ferrel has 
been blessed with the following children: 
Thomas J., a farmer of Walla Walla county; 
Mrs. Rosella E. Barnett; Seth A. Ferrel, 
David B. and Joseph W., also farmers; and 
Mrs. Fidelia C. Maxon and Minnie M. Ferrel. 



ALBERT J. HOOPER, whose permanent 
residence is 527 First street, Walla Walla, 
Washington, is one of the heavy stock opera- 
tors of the southeastern part of the state. He 
spends much of his time in looking after 
his interests in various places and especially 
at the headquarters ranch near Hooper. He 
is one of the successful men of the country 
and has gained this position entirely through 
his wise management and careful industry. 
Possessed of the native thrift of his race, he 
has displayed it in many ways and is successful 
where others have failed, owing to this quality. 

Albert J. Hooper was born in Devonshire, 
England, on July 29, 1850. and comes from 
an old and well established family, his father 
being Henry Hooper, a native of the same 
shire. The father lived on the family estate, 
which had been held by his ancestors for sev- 
eral hundred years. He married Mary Snell, 
a native of the home county. After being well 
educated in the Blundells school in Tiverton, 



256 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



England, Albert J. went to South Africa, it 
being then about 1866, and entered the office 
of his uncle at Durban. He remained in that 
position for four years then visited his native 
land, whence, a year later, he journeyed to the 
United States. He had heard much of the 
country embraced in the territory of Washing- 
ton, and so spent little time in getting hither. 
After careful investigation, he selected a loca- 
tion in what is now Adams county, and in 
1872 brought the first band of sheep that had 
ever been in the county. He drove them from 
the Umpqua valley in Oregon. At various 
times, during his career here, he has added 
to his estate by purchase until he now has 
something over ten thousand acres, almost all 
in the vicinity of Hooper, which was named in 
honor of him. In addition to handling sheep 
and raising grain, he also gives special atten- 
tion to breeding blooded cattle and has many 
fine specimens of stock at the present time. 
In everything which he has prosecuted, Mr. 
Hooper has gained a splendid success and 
such examples as his are conducive to per- 
sistent effort on the part of others to gain 
the same desired goal. Ten thousand acres 
of land is a large estate even in this country 
of mammoth holdings and Mr. Hooper in 
earning" this has shown himself a master hand 
in finance. 

In 1880 Mr. Hooper married Lavina Z. 
Smith, a native of Polk county, Oregon. Her 
father, Passal E. Smith, was born in Spring- 
field, Illinois, and crossed the plains with ox 
teams to the Willamette valley as early as 
1845, making settlement near where Salem 
now stands. For fourteen years he was one of 
the busy agriculturists in that valley, then re- 
moved to Puget Sound. Mr. and Mrs. Hooper 
have the following named children : Mabel, de- 
ceased ; Mary, the wife of E. A. Taylor ; Alice, 
married to Grant Copeland; Albert E., Ethel, 
Helen, Raymond and Walter, all students in 
Walla Walla. Mr. Hooper has one thousand 
head of cattle, all accoutrements of every kind 



and improvements needed in his domain and is 
possessed also of much other property. 

In political matters he always takes an 
active part, although he is not a politician by 
any means. He maintains an individuality in 
this as in every other line, which marks him 
as a man of stamina and sound judgment. He 
is public minded and generous, has won hosts 
of friends and is one of the real builders of 
this part of the state of Washington. 



JOHN DOOLY. It is ever gratifying to 
take under review the life history of one who 
has wrought earnestly and faithfully and has 
proved a power for good in the various rela- 
tions of human existence, maintaining a high 
sense of stewardship and having a constant 
recognition of the extraneous responsibilities 
concomitant with personal success. Such a 
man was he whose name initiates this para- 
graph, and no compilation having to do with 
the annals of Walla Walla county, or south- 
eastern Washington, would be consistent with 
itself, were there a failure to incorporate a 
sketch of his faithful and useful career. 

A native of the old world, having been born 
on the other side of the broad Atlantic, he 
was yet a pioneer of the far west of the new 
world, where he spent the residue of his days 
honored and respected by all who knew him. 
Mr. Dooly was born in Killkenny county, Ire- 
land, and when a child of tender years was 
brought by his mother to America. They lo- 
cated first in New York city. Little, if any, 
knowledge can be gathered relative to his early 
life, as no biography of him was ever com- 
piled during his life time. He arrived on the 
Pacific coast in 1859 and was in the employ 
of the United States government at the time. 
For about a year he assisted in the establishing 
of the boundary line between the United States 
and British Columbia. After leaving this em- 
ploy he came to Walla Walla, where, in part- 




JOHN DOOLY. 






HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



2 57 



nership with James Graham, he bought an out- 
fit and started for the Kootenai country, in- 
tending to prospect for mining claims. They 
soon abandoned their search for the yellow 
metal, sold their outfits, returned to Walla 
Walla, purchased several hundred head of 
cayuse ponies, drove them to the Frazer river 
country, British Columbia, and disposed of 
them at good profit. Mr. Dooly and Mr. 
Graham continued their business relations until 
1869 when they dissolved partnership. In 
1870, Mr. Dooly bought four hundred head 
of cattle and proceeded with them to the 
Ofofino mines in Idaho. In 1871, he returned 
to Walla Walla and associated himself in part- 
nership with the late William Kirkman, who 
is mentioned elsewhere in this volume. He 
was connected in business with Mr. Kirkman 
until 1890, during which time the business 
which they represented became one of the 
largest and most important concerns in this 
part of the state. 

Mr. Dooly was a man modestly conserv- 
ative in the extreme, and although he had 
attained a place among those in the highest 
walks of life, he abhorred any glimmer of 
ostentation. He did not allow the "left hand 
to know what the right hand doeth." Friends 
he had many, but he confided in few. He 
rarely, if ever, spoke of his personal affairs 
to anyone but his wife, in whom he placed the 
most implicit confidence. To her he explained 
all of his business transactions, and this con- 
fidence placed in her has enabled Mrs. Dooly 
to carry on the gigantic business operations 
that were established during Mr. Dooly's life- 
time. 

It is impossible within the limits of a few 
pages to do justice to and make mention of all 
the interesting facts which, necessarily, are 
bound up in the details that mark the career 
of the subject of this memoir. It is still more 
difficult for the citizen of today to realize what 
the early settler endured when he was com- 
pelled to meet the danger and want and to give 



up the accustomed comforts of life. Were 
it within the purpose of our story to reveal the 
trials of the old pioneer, we must certainly say 
first that it was an act of heroism to undertake 
the long and wearisome journey unavoidable 
to those early settlers who made their homes 
in Washington when it was a wilderness and 
practically an unbroken country. 

Probably no one man in southeastern 
Washington is more deserving of personal 
mention in a history of this character than 
Mr. Dooly. His achievements and successes 
have been a part of the growth and develop- 
ment of the state, and there were few, if any, 
better known, or more appreciated than he 
throughout the northwest. He has left the 
impress of his individuality upon the commun- 
ity, a fact which he never fully realized him- 
self. 

In the early days when he came here, he 
took upon himself the burdens of life without 
complaining, but with a determination to suc- 
ceed. He did not meet with success from the 
very inception of his career here, in fact, for a 
time, he found it hard to exist. While he be- 
came what might be termed the "cattle king'' 
of the west, his start in life had the most 
meager origin ; and while his latter days were 
spent in luxury and comfort, he had, earlier in 
life, followed the herd, especially from Cali- 
fornia to Washington, driving cattle with only 
the sky for a roof and mother earth for a 
couch. These hardships he endured were 
probably responsible for the wonderful 
physique, which so characterized him; and the 
age of three score years and ten and more 
found him to be a man of dignified presence, 
erect stature, and unusual vitality. His death 
occurred July 31, 1902, at his late residence 
in Walla Walla. The funeral rites were 
directed under the ritual of the Roman Catho- 
lic church, to which denomination Mr. Dooly 
was a liberal contributor during his life. 

Mr. Dooly was united in marriage to Miss 
Frances Bracken, the daughter of the late John 



17 



25§ 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Henry Bracken, of Minneapolis, Minnesota. 
Four children were born to this union, Ed- 
ward, Clarence, Frank and Bracken. 

Mr. Dooly was one of the organizers, 
directors and largest stockholders of the Farm- 
ers' Savings Bank in Walla Walla. Fra- 
ternally, he affiliated with the Benevolent and 
Protective Order of Elks. 



PHILIP CLARK is a retired farmer re- 
siding at 206 W. Poplar street, Walla Walla, 
Washington. He is a native of County Cavan, 
Ireland, born July 10, 1855. He received a 
liberal education in Ireland, and in 1872 came 
to Boston, Massachusetts. Three years later 
he removed to San Franscico, and in June, 
1877, he came to Walla Walla. He at once 
purchased a tract of land in Umatilla county, 
Oregon, and engaged in farming, which he has 
followed successfully until the present time. 
He owns one thousand and eighty acres of 
land in Umatilla county, nine miles south from 
Walla Walla, from which he has realized an 
income sufficient to enable him to retire from 
active work and spend the remainder of his life 
in ease and comfort in his beautiful city home. 

Mr. Clark's parents were Eugene and 
Mary (Ruckling) Clark, both also natives of 
County Cavan, Ireland, and both now deceased. 
The father was a prominent farmer in his 
native land. 

During the month of January, 1883, Mr. 
Clark was married to Elizabeth Perrien, a na- 
tive of Umatilla county, Oregon. She was the 
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gus Perrien, who, 
in early days, made the tiresome journey across 
the plains by wagon three times. The father 
was a member of the famous and historic Hud- 
son Bay company, which was such a prominent 
factor in the early history of the northwest, 
and he was one of the very earliest pioneers in 
the Walla W T alla valley. 

Mr. and Mrs. Clark have reared a family 



of nine children, all of whom are livinsr under 
the parental roof in Walla Walla. Their 
names in the order of their ages, are; Mary, 
Agnes, Elizabeth, Maggie, Catherine R., 
Francis, Dosia and Leo, and Marvin and 
Rosia, who died in infancy. 

In closing, it is not out of place to add to 
the credit of the subject of our sketch that he 
started in life in Walla Walla county with 
absolutely no means save his energy and in- 
telligence coupled with a robust physique. 
Thus he began at the bottom rung of the ladder 
of fortune and climbed steadily upward, until, 
as has already been intimated, he is a man 
of wealth, and throughout all of his career he 
has preserved the good will and esteem of 
everv business and social associate. 



JASPER N. WILLS is the son of James 
Wills, who was a native of Indiana and fol- 
lowed farming. James Wills died in the fall 
of 1894, being then aged sixty-seven. He had 
married Elizabeth Gilison, a native of Indiana, 
who died on June 25, 1905, aged seventy-one. 
Our subject was the eldest of a family of 
twelve children, the others being named as fol- 
lows, William J., John R., Francis M., Mary 
E., a boy that died in infancy, Charles M., 
Solista A., Edgar A., Susan C, Isaac W., 
Hollie A., and Ethel M. 

Jasper N. Wills was born in Indiana, on 
July 19, 1855, and in his native country se- 
cured a good common school education, be- 
ing privileged to attend various schools until 
nineteen when he started in life for himself. 
At that time he entered the employ of A. J. 
Cortee and for him traveled all through the 
southern states. While thus engaged he met 
Miss Sarah Bennett and the acquaintance 
ripened into a courtship and their marriage 
occurred. To them was born one son, Wilbur, 
now aged twenty-two. In 1889 Mr. Wills met 
the affliction of his wife's death, and shortly 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



259 



following that sad event, he removed to the 
north and for several years was occupied in 
operating a stage line. After that he went 
to California and there remained until his ad- 
vent in Walla Walla county thirteen years 
since. Soon after arriving here he entered 
the employ of Mr. W. Babcock and later was 
with other leading farmers, until he was satis- 
fied that this was a splendid section for rais- 
ing wheat, when he took a homestead where he 
now resides, one mile out from Dry creek. 
He gave his entire attention to farming and 
has added five hundred acres to the original 
homestead. Lately, he has also purchased two 
hundred and eighty-five acres and also a tract 
of one hundred and eighty-six acres from the 
government reserve. Mr. Wills has prospered 
well since coming here and has a good estate. 

Fraternally, Mr. Wills is associated with 
the Masons, the Odd Fellows and with the 
W. W. 

Mr. Wills has been twice married, his 
present wife being in maiden life, Miss Kitty 
M. Lundy. She is a native of Kansas, her 
father being Samuel Lundy now of Walla 
Walla. To this second marriage twin girls 
have been born. 



GEORGE F. MOTTET has his city home 
at 440 Chase avenue. His real estate and 
stock are at various places in the southeastern 
part of the state and he is rated as one of the 
wealthy men of the county. He was born in 
Embrum, France, on February 12, 1859. 
Frank Mottet, our subject's father, was born 
in the same place as our subject and followed 
farming excepting what time he was captain in 
the Imperial army. He was a prominent citi- 
zen in his country and a wealthy and an in- 
fluential man. He married Virginia Geieu. 
who was born in the same place as her hus- 
band and came from a prominent family, her 
father being a general in the Imperial army. 



Our subject was well educated in the college 
of his native city and after completing his 
school days, enlisted in the French army, be- 
ing then twenty-one years of age. He served 
four years and was honorably discharged to 
enter again the civilian's life. He immediately 
engaged in farming and dealing in live stock 
at which he continued until 1886. In that 
year he took the trip from France to Walla 
Walla, and soon after arriving here engaged in 
sheep raising on the Snake river. He had 
a very small capital to start with, but owing 
to the wisdom and care manifested in the 
business, began to prosper from the outset, and 
soon became one of the wealthy and successful 
men of the county. He has prosecuted his 
business with vigor since, and now, although 
personally supervising his interests, is more or 
less retired from the activity of the ranch. 

In 1895 ^ r - Mottet married Mary L. Vin- 
cent, who was born in the same province of 
France as her husband, where also she was edit- 
cated. Her father, John B. Vincent, was also 
a native of the same place and a farmer and a 
soldier. He married Rosene Espitalier, also a 
native of France. To our subject and his wife, 
two children have been born, George and Anna. 
Mr. Mottet always takes an interest in political 
matters and public affairs. 



S. D. KINMAN, a well known wheat pro- 
ducer of southeastern Washington is a resident 
of Walla Walla county, his home being about 
one mile out from Eureka Junction. A review 
of his career can but establish in the reader's 
mind that he is a man of wisdom and stability 
and the success he has achieved is but the 
reasonable result of his sagacious activity. His 
parents are T. L. and Mary Ann (Shotwell) 
Kinman, residents of Starbuck, Washington. 
The father was born in Pennsylvania and has 
always followed farming and milling. The 
mother is a native of New Jersey. They have 



260 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



seen much frontier life and have always shown 
themselves to be substantial and capable peo- 
ple, ever endeavoring to forward the interests 
of the commonwealth where their lot was cast. 
Our subject was one of a large family of chil- 
dren, and was born in Illinois on November 9, 
1865. He grew up under his native heath until 
eleven, attending the common schools during 
the times of their sessions, and then the family 
removed to Kansas. After spending the inter- 
vening time in Kansas until he was nineteen, 
then our subject returned to Illinois and there 
spent one year. Then he returned to Kansas 
and dwelt there for two years. At the ex- 
piration of that period he decided to try the 
west and selected Milton as the objective point, 



arriving there in the spring of 1! 



>> 



He soon 



found employment on the farms and for five 
years was steadily engaged thus. After that 
time Mr. Kinman came to the Eureka flat coun- 
try, and there in company with- A. Fuller, he 
rented a farm of sixteen hundred acres of 
wheat land. For five years they continued in 
partnership handling that mammoth estate and 
then they dissolved the partnership. Now Mr. 
Kinman handles eleven hundred acres of wheat 
land besides the various properties which he 
owns personally. He owns in partnership with 
Henry Gilbert a section of land in Franklin 
county, this state, and also has land in Colum- 
bia county. While Mr. Kinman has thus prose- 
cuted his labors along these lines to ultimate 
success, he has not forgotten the social side 
of life and is affiliated with the M. W. A. and 
the I. O. O. F., and is a popular and highly 
esteemed citizen. 

Mr. Kinman married Miss Myrtle E. 
Savage, who was born in Ohio, and they have 
become the parents of five children, named as 
follows, Charles, Thomas, Jessie Glen, Ruth, 
and an infant son yet unnamed. Mr. and Mrs. 
Kinman are members of the Congregational 
church and are active workers in this realm. 
Mr. Kinman is superintendent of the Sunday 
School, and during his life has manifested a 



lively interest in the proper instruction of the 
young, as well as in all lines that are for the 
advancement of the people generally. 



A parent dear from us is gone, 

A voice we loved is stilled; 
A place is vacant in our home, 

Which never can be filled. 

CHRISTOPHER ENNIS. Among the 
prominent and well beloved citizens and pio- 
neers of Walla Walla who have passed 
away, and whose memories are held dear. 
Christopher Ennis stands in the front rank, 
loved and respected by all with whom he 
came in contact. He was a kind, generous 
and honest man, truly religious, and the uni- 
versal esteem with which those left behind re- 
gard his memory, speaks for itself, while it is 
a pleasure to look back through the vista of 
bygone years and record herein a life, whose 
every page can bear the scrutiny .of a most 
criticizing public. 

Christopher Ennis was born in Reharney, 
Westmeath county, Ireland, and when eighteen 
years of age, embarked for America, locating 
in Wayne county, Pennsylvania, where he re- 
sided for about seven years. Then he went 
to Nevada and after working on the railroad 
for three years, he came direct to Walla Walla. 
Upon his arrival here he entered the employ 
of Dooly & Kirkman, a firm engaged in the 
wholesale and retail meat and cattle business. 
For five consecutive years he remained with 
this firm, then resigned from their service to 
start a like business for himself. A few months 
later he formed a partnership with his former 
employers and the style of the firm was The 
Walla Walla Dressed Meat Company, of 
which Mr. Ennis was elected president in 1895. 
In this city, on May 13, 1877, Mt. Ennis 
was united in marriage to Annie McManamon. 
a lady of estimable character, and who was. 
in no small measure, instrumental in securing 
his subsequent success. 








CHRISTOPHER ENNIS. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



261 



That our subject was a man of unusual 
executive ability is demonstrated by the success 
which has attended everything he ever under- 
took since his arrival in Walla Walla. He left 
his family in more than comfortable circum- 
stances, having considerable real estate, be- 
sides other valuable property, both real and 
personal. 

To Mr. Ennis and his wife, eleven chil- 
dren were born, ten of whom are living, six 
girls and four boys, namely, John, Frank, 
Mary, Thomas, Adelia, Matthew, Annie, 
Christopher, Katie. Alice and Margaret, all 
of whom were left to share their mother's sor- 
row. John is now deceased. 

Nothing can ever recompense his bereaved 
family for his loss, but it should be of great 
comfort to them to know that he was uni- 
versally loved, and so is universally mourned. 
"Chris Ennis, - ' as he was best known, was 
a progressive and energetic man, with a ready 
hand to assist any worthy enterprise of general 
benefit to his home town. He assisted to or- 
ganize the Walla Walla Gas & Electric Com- 
pany; he was one of the founders of the Gil- 
bert Hunt Company; and, also controlled the 
AYalla Walla Dressed Meat Company, as stated 
above. 

Fraternally, Mr. Ennis was affiliated with 
the A. O. U. W., the Y. M. I. and the Knights 
of Columbus. 

A friend of Mr. Ennis pays this last 
tribute : '"It has been truly said of Chris Ennis 
that he was the most universally esteemed and 
best beloved citizen of this community. His 
was, indeed, a splendid character, not adorned 
by fretted work, but plain, clean and strong. 
His life was rounded out by kindness and 
love for all men. His hospitality flowed in a 
generous stream. His purse was open to all 
in need, his pity gave ere charity began. He 
delighted to do good and sought opportunities 
for its accomplishment. The happiness of 
others was dearer to him than his own. In 
every fiber of his being, he was an honest man. 
His word was his bond and those who knew 



him best required no other security. In his 
intercourse with his fellow men he sought to 
do right to them and to deserve right from 
them and when he finished his career he left 
not an enemy on earth. His great heart was 
consecrated to his family. His affection for 
his wife and children was ideal. His was the 
home of peace, confidence and contentment. 
Xo vain vision of glory or ambition ever lured 
him from the luster of his fireside or won him 
away from the calm delights of his hearth- 
stone. His home was the abiding place of 
all the domestic virtues, — 

The spot where angels find a resting place 
When, bearing blessings, they descend to earth. 

'"Chris Ennis' private life was without a 
stain. He was a devout Roman Catholic and 
from boyhood his was a career of religious 
fervor. His faith was implicit and sublime. 
He knew his God as surely as he knew the 
beauteous stars or the splendid sun. No linger- 
ing doubt disturbed his belief in the divinity 
of Jesus Christ and a future state of eternal 
bliss. To him death was the gateway to an 
eternity of purity, serenity and joy." 

The funeral of Mr. Ennis took place from 
St. Patrick's Catholic church, Saturday morn- 
ing at nine o'clock, April ninth, 1905, and 
was conducted by the Rev. M. Flohr. All the 
county offices and business houses of Walla 
Walla were closed between the hours of nine 
and eleven in the morning, in honor of our 
subject, and his funeral was one of the largest 
Walla Walla has ever witnessed. 

Thus Christopher Ennis closed his career, 
but, though gone from the places that knew 
him so well, he lives in the hearts of his 
fellows and his worthy life will be the light to 
assist many on in the course of integrity and 
honor. 



THOMAS DURRY, deceased. Williams- 
town, Glengarry county. Canada, was the 
birthplace of Thomas Durry. and April 20, 
1849, tne date of that event. His parents were 



262 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



native Canadians of Irish and Scotch extrac- 
tion. His early life was passed in his native 
place, being much the same as that of the 
youth of the surrounding country. In 1868, 
however, being yet under twenty years of age, 
he was stirred by the spirit of adventure and 
longed to see the west with all its bright 
promises. No spot was more enticing to him 
than California, and thither his travels were 
bent. How he was impressed with the Golden 
State is not mentioned, nor is told what oc- 
cupied his attention. Mining was the order of 
the day in those times and its spirit pervaded 
the very air. However, young Durry remained 
only three years in those regions for in 1871, 
we note his journey in company with his 
mother and two sisters, Mary and Isabella, to 
Washington Territory. Walla Walla became 
the objective point of their journey and there 
they settled to select the open door for his 
efforts. Soon he was decided to take up the 
stock business in partnership with his brother- 
in-law, D. McGillivary, and they selected the 
vicinity of Ritzville for their place of opera- 
tions. For twenty-five years they labored on 
together and then by mutual consent the part- 
nership was dissolved. Mr. Durry continued 
the business until five years since when he 
sold his entire holdings in the business. In all 
his business endeavor he was characterized 
by a skillful judgment, energy and close at- 
tention to the matters in hand, which could but 
result in bringing to him large property in- 
terests, and he was esteemed one of the very 
successful men of the Walla Walla country. 
As his interests centered in this country, he 
removed to the city of Walla Walla and erected 
a fine residence at the corner of Birch and 
Palouse streets, which has been since that time 
the family home. 

In 1886 Mr. Durry married Miss Alecia 
Thomas, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George 
Thomas, of Walla Walla. Two children were 
born to this union, Homer and Marie, both 
of whom survive their father. Mrs. Durry is 



residing at the family home, a highly esteemed 
lady, cherished by many warm friends. The 
only other relatives of the deceased are his 
two sisters, Mrs. McGillivary and Miss Isabella 
Durry. 

For some time Mr. Durry had not been 
in the best of health, but was not taken seriously 
ill until just before his death. Few, even of 
his intimate friends, knew of his last illness, 
so sudden was its attack. On Thursday he was 
taken to the St. Mary's hospital, as a surgical 
operation was deemed necessary. So low was 
his condition, however, that the operation was 
postponed for several hours. As there seemed 
to be no immediate improvement, it was de- 
cided to proceed with the case. But Provi- 
dence had made another decree, for the reaper 
was ready with his sickle to garner the sheaf 
for the final resting place. So, while Mr. 
Durry was being borne to the operating table, 
the brittle thread of life snapped and his soul 
sped to be with his Creator. So sudden was 
his departure that it came as a great shock 
to the community and to his wide circle of 
friends and business associates. 

The funeral services were held at the Cath- 
olic church, Rev. Father Flohr officiating, and 
with appropriate and solemn ceremony was 
laid to rest, amid deep mourning of many, 
the cherished form of one of Walla Walla's 
highly respected and influential business men. 
Mr. Durry was a quiet unassuming man, faith- 
ful and kind and won many friends from all 
classes. 



MARGARET A. HAZELWOOD, the 
widow of Richard Hazelwood, was born in 
Boyden county, Virginia, in October, 1839. 
When ten years of age she removed with her 
parents to Ohio, and there, six years later, mar- 
ried Richard Hazelwood. Her maiden name 
was Stewart and her people remained in the 
Buckeye State. She and her husband, how- 
ever, deeming that better opportunities were 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



'■6$ 



offered in the west, and desiring, too, with the 
true spirit of adventure so strong in the Amer- 
ican breast, to take part in the development 
of the great country west of the Rockies, made 
preparations for the extended journey and 
turned their faces toward the setting sun. For 
weary weeks they traveled westward, across 
mountains, plains and deserts, never flinching 
from the hardships and trials incident to such 
undertaking. In due time they arrived, weary 
and worn pilgrims, in the Walla Walla coun- 
try. Upon search, they decided that a piece 
of farm land was the best investment at that 
time, and accordingly, they took a homestead 
in Oregon. After some years of farm life, 
it was thought best, for the purpose of educat- 
ing the children, mainly, to remove to the city 
of Walla Walla, and they purchased two acres 
on East Alder street, erected a residence and 
this has since been the family home. To this 
worthy couple : fourteen children have been 
born, seven sons and seven daughters.- Those 
now living are, John P., Macellus M., William 
Edward, Joseph, Gertrude Luella and Bes- 
sie E. 

One daughter, Cora Estelle May, gradu- 
ated as valedictorian of her class, 1903, from 
the Walla Walla high school. Her graduation 
essay was published by the local papers and was 
considered a splendid production. She was a 
brilliant, promising young lady, but soon after 
her graduation, she was stricken with illness, 
the effects of over study, it is believed, and 
soon she was called to pass the river of death. 
This was a most severe blow to her mother, 
especially, whose heart had been set on this 
lovely girl, while her teachers and associates 
were stunned by the sudden taking of one so 
beloved and with such bright hopes for the 
future. 

Although Mrs. Hazelwood has been called 
on to mourn for her child, as well as for her 
husband, she has borne all with fortitude and is 
discharging the duties of a faithful woman of 
true heart and right principles, and may well 



take pride in the fact, thpt she has reared a 
large family, of whom those living, are a credit 
to the community and a comfort to her riper 
years. She is possessed of a generous allow- 
ance of the goods of this world and lives in 
comfort in the country where she has labored 
so faithfully to bring' about its development. 



ADRIAX MAGALLON, a native of 
Hautes-Alpes, France, and now residing at 313 
Sixth avenue, Walla Walla, is one of the 
wealthy stockmen of the ■ county. His birth 
occurred on August 10, 1859, and his father 
was Joseph Magallon, who was born on the 
same place as his son. His father was a repre- 
sentative and wealthy man of his native place 
and married Melanie Arnault, who was also 
born in the same place as her husband, and 
her ancestors for several hundred years prev- 
ious to her birth, lived in the same section. 
Our subject was educated in his native place 
and started in life for himself when very 
young. As early as fourteen he sailed for the 
New World and arrived here in California in 
1874, where he went to work for wages, con- 
tinuing thus for some years. In 1882 he came 
to Walla Walla county and began raising stock 
on a small scale. Owing to his thrift and good 
management he was prospered and increased 
his holdings steadily until he became one of 
the large stockraisers of this part of Washing- 
ton. He is handling cattle, sheep and horses 
and has been very successful in all his ventures. 
From time to time Mr. Magallon purchased 
land in Walla Walla county, and now is one 
of the heavy real estate owners here. Much 
of his land is producing fine wheat and the in-" 
come from this and his stock, places him as 
one of the leading financial men of his com- 
munity. 

In 1889 Mr Magallon married Mary Char- 
rier, who was born in Quebec, Canada, where 
also she was educated. When fifteen years of 



264 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



age she came to Washington with her parents, 
Joseph and Mary (Couture) Charrier, natives 
of Quebec, whose ancestors were among the 
earliest settlers of Canada. To our subject 
and his wife, five children have been born, 
Adrian J., Marie V., Lucy A., Armand H., 
Albert E. 

Mr. Magallon has shown himself a very 
progressive man and always takes a deep in- 
terest, not only in political and educational 
matters, but in whatever there is worth being- 
brought forward for the benefit and improve- 
ment of the country. He is a substantial citi- 
zen, has many friends and is to be classed 
among those who have made Walla Walla 
county what it is at the present time. 



GEORGE DELANY, one of the active 
and aggressive agriculturists of Walla Walla 
county, resides at 422 E. Rose street in Walla 
Walla. He was born in eastern Tennessee, 
on March 2$, 1832. His father, Daniel 
Delany. was a native of the same place and 
married Elizabeth McGee, a native of Greene 
county, Tennessee. Our subject's paternal 
grandparents were native of Ireland and his 
mother's father was also born there, while his 
mother's mother, was of German ancestry. 
Our subject was raised in his native place 
until ten years of age, when the family re- 
moved to southwestern Missouri. In 1843 tne 
father, accompanied by his two sons, Daniel, 
who is mentioned elsewhere in this work and 
William, now deceased, crossed the plains with 
ox teams to Marion county. Oregon. Two 
years later our subject with his mother and 
two brothers, David M.. living in Spokane 
county and James, in Montana, crossed the 
plains with teams to join those who had come 
previously. The trips were about as usual in 
those days and in due time the}- arrived in 
the Willamette valley. Owing to the fact that 
our subject was on the frontier most all his 
life where very little school privileges were 



offered, he had no opportunity to gain an edu- 
cation in the ordinary way and in fact was 
never inside of a school house during session 
hours. However, he made the best of his op- 
portunities at home and has been a close ob- 
server and reader since, which have resulted 
in his being a well informed man. In 1865, 
our subject's father was murdered by Peale 
and Baker, who were afterwards convicted and 
hanged for the crime. Until 1858 George re- 
mained in the Willamette valley, then came to 
Walla Walla and for a while was freighting 
in the various mines and handling stock as 
well. He had participated in the Rogue River 
Indian War in Captain Bob Williams' com- 
pany. Afterwards he was with Captain 
O'Neil. In 1864, he engaged in stock raising 
on quite a large scale in the Grande Ronde 
valley, Oregon, being one of the first settlers 
there. In 1870, he went thence to the Crab 
Creek country, Washington and handled stock 
until 1880, when he returned to Walla Walla 
and rented five thousand acres of land, pur- 
chasing twenty-three hundred acres, besides. 
The latter tract was just over the Oregon line 
from Walla Walla and he embarked in grain 
raising-. Since that time he has been more 
or less engaged in this occupation as well as in 
supervising his stock interests and he is known 
as one of the heavy land owners of the state. 
At present he has over six thousand acres of 
land, considerable of which is utilized for 
grazing purposes. The balance is cropped to 
wheat. 

On June 22, 1870, at Salem, Oregon, Mr. 
Delany married Olive F. Day, who was born in 
Ohio and whose parents were early California 
pioneers. To this union, six children have been 
born, named as follows: Sarah, the wife of 
George M. Jenkins, at Ellensburg, Washing- 
ton ; Roxey, single, living at home ; Henry and 
Burton, handling their father's stock ranch in 
the Tucanon country: George K., a student at 
Whitworth college at Tacoma; and Howard, 
attending high school at Ellensburg. 

In October, 1863, Mrs. Delany was called 




George Delany 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



265 



away from her husband and children by death. 
At that time, she was aged fifty-two years/ In 
politics, Mr. Delany is a Democrat and always 
takes a marked interest in those affairs. He is 
a man well acquainted with the frontier and 
pioneer life and has accomplished a great 
amount to open up this rich country of the 
northwest. He is quite deserving of the re- 
wards he has gained in the financial world, 
having always manifested an integrity and in- 
dustry becoming the true American citizen. 
He has many friends and stands well in the 
community at this time. 



FIELDING W. C. HAIL, better known as 
Sam Hail, is one of the prosperous and promi- 
nent farmers of the Eureka Flat country. His 
parents, F. W. and Martha A. (Watson) Hail, 
are now deceased. The father was a native of 
Kentucky and crossed the plains in 1863 to 
Butte county, California, and there he engaged 
in farming until the time of his deatb. Our 
subject is the fifth in a family of ten children, 
and was born in central Kansas on October 
19, 1859. When he was four years of age he 
accompanied his parents across the plains on 
the arduous journey to California, and in the 
Golden State, young Hail grew up, receiving 
meantime his education from the common 
schools near his father's residence. Also, dur- 
ing his youthful days, he assisted, his father 
in the conduct ■ of the farm and learned well 
the important business of tilling the soil so 
as to bring the best results. 

In 1 89 1 Mr. Hail determined to explore the 
northwest and accordingly set out with bright 
hopes on the journey. He traveled in various 
ways until he reached Walla Walla in 1891, 
and here he decided to locate. He at first 
rented a farm and then found that his decision 
was a good one to make the Walla Walla 
country his permanent home, and he at once 
began the acquisition of good wheat land. He 



has continued steadily in the occupation of 
growing wheat and has bought land betimes 
until he now owns many hundred acres of 
choice wheat land, all of which is producing 
bounteous crops. Mr. Hail deserves the suc- 
cess he has attained for he is a man who con- 
stantly attends to business, not alone in its 
general oversight, but also watches each detail 
so thoroughly that prosperity could but crown 
his efforts. He is a brother-in-law of Wiliard 
W. Babcock, who is mention elsewhere in this 
work. In addition to his Eureka Flat ranch, 
Mr. Hail maintains a residence in Walla Walla 
at No. 13 Idaho street. 

In fraternal affiliations Mr. Hail is asso- 
ciated with the M. W. A. Mr. Hail married 
Miss Mary Bennett, and they are now the pa- 
rents of six children, Ollie, Clara, Henry, 
Edith, Leslie B. and Lucy. The family are 
united with the Presbyterian church and Mr. 
and Mrs. Hail are estimable and highly re- 
spected people. 



ARCHIE DUNNIGAN is residing at 232 
McAulif avenue, Walla Walla, whence he 
oversees and directs his agricultural interests, 
being a farmer and wheat producer of this 
county. He was born in county Antrim, Ire- 
land, on February 22, 1861, and his parents, 
Michael and Mary (O'Raw) Dunnigan, were 
natives of that place also. The father followed 
farming there until he came to America in the 
early seventies. He returned to Ireland and 
then came back to Walla Walla in 1891, where 
he remained until his death, ten years later. 
The mother died in Ireland in the early 
eighties. Our subject was educated in his na- 
tive country and there remained until twenty- 
four years of age. in which year he came to 
New York city and sought employment. In 
1888 he came to Walla Walla county and 
worked for wages for six years, then he began 
operations for himself. His first venture was 



266 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



to purchase a small piece of land and began 
farming" and so successful was he that he soon 
was in a position to purchase another piece 
of land. The income of this rapidly increased 
his holding's and he purchased from time to 
time until he now owns eleven hundred and 
twenty acres of fine wheat soil. He has given 
his attention steadily to wheat raising ever 
since he has started and every year has seen 
him far in advance of the year previous. Mr. 
Dunnigan is a man who understands his busi- 
ness thoroughly and who has taken advantage 
of every opportunity which presented itself. 
The improvements upon and the handling of 
his land indicate him to be a man of thrift and 
good judgment and the labors he has per- 
formed in Walla Walla have augmented the 
wealth of the country very materially. He has 
gained a splendid success and it is all due to his 
own industry and sagacity. 

In 1889 Mr. Dunnigan married Bridget 
M. Cullen, the daughter of Patrick and Anna 
(Butterly) Cullen, natives of Dublin, where 
also Mrs. Dunnigan was born. She came to 
Walla Walla county in 1888. The children 
born to this union are Mary T., Patrick J., 
Margaret, Archie B., Michael J., and James J. 
Mr. Dunnigan has always shown himself a 
public minded, generous man and in connec- 
tion with handling his business has always 
evinced keen interest in all things devoted to 
the building up and advancement of the coun- 
try and state. He is possessed of that hearty 
genialty so common to his race and also has 
the aggressiveness and energy which accom- 
panies the true Irishman. He has won many 
friends, stands well in the community and may 
take pardonable pride in the financial success 
he has achieved. 



CHARLES V. WELLMAN has two resi- 
dences in Starbuck, Washington. He also 
owns a magnificent estate of eight hundred 
acres, ten miles west from that place. With 



his family he spends the winters in Starbuck 
and the summers usually on the farm. This 
year he has something over seven hundred 
acres of wheat and barley and is one of the 
leading grain producers of the county. In 
addition to this, Mr. Wellman pays consider- 
able attention to raising stock, especially thor- 
oughbred draft horses, having at this time, 
over fifty fine graded ^orses and forty head 
of blooded cattle. He has one fine Lomax 
stallion, J. Henry, one of the best horses in 
this part of the state. Mr. Wellman has been 
very successful in breeding fine animals as well 
as in his farm work and he is one of the well 
to do men of the county. 

Charles V. Wellman was born in Ralls 
county, Missouri, on September 5, 1856. His 
father, Alfred C. Wellman, was born in Ala- 
bama on November 3, 1835. When one year 
old he was taken by his parents to Missouri, 
where his father became an extensive farmer 
and merchant. After acquiring a good educa- 
tion in 1855, he took charge of his father's 
eleven hundred acre farm. In 1862 his father, 
the grandfather of our immediate subject, 
died. ' Mr. Alfred Wellman then started across 
the plains the next year and came with ox 
teams to the Walla Walla country. The first 
winter was spent in Walla Walla, then he 
took a preemption on Dry creek. After that he 
engaged in mining in Idaho and located some 
very rich claims. In 1871 he was elected as- 
sessor of Walla Walla county and at the ex- 
piration of that term became • deputy sheriff, 
serving two years. After that he made a trip 
east in the interest of a patent calculator which 
he had invented and then returned to take up 
mining in Silver City, Idaho, in 1876. Subse- 
quent to that he located a timber culture on 
Eureka Flat, and became one of the pioneer 
agriculturists of that section. 

In April, 1855, he married Miss Helen M. 
Merrit, a native of Missouri, and to them have 
been born seven children, Charles V., Alice 
C, Richard H., Percy L, Mary J., Mark A. 
and Al C. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



267 



Mr. Wellman belongs to the Elks, while 
his wife is a member of the Christian Science 
church. 

Returning to the immediate subject of this 
sketch, we note that he was reared in Missouri 
until May, 1863, when the family started across 
the plains, as before mentioned. In 1879 when 
the father settled on Eureka Flat, our subject 
also took three claims there, a preemption, 
homestead and a timber culture, and there he 
gave his attention to farming until 1895, when 
he moved to Starbuck. Two years later he 
sold the Eureka Flat estate and operated a 
livery for five years in Starbuck. Then he 
built a large hall for theatrical and lodge pur- 
poses in Starbuck, being in company with 
William Goodyear. In 1902 he bought a farm 
near Eureka Flat, three miles from Pleasant 
View and ten miles from Starbuck, which is 
his estate at the present time. 

In November, 1890, Mr. Wellman mar- 
ried Flora E. Rayburn, a native of Missouri. 
Her parents, John R. and Nancy (Baldwin) 
Rayburn, natives of Indiana, came to this 
country in 1885 and now live at Starbuck 
with Mr. Wellman. To Mr. and Mrs. Well- 
man two children have been born, Victor G., 
aged twelve, and Ray H., eighteen months 
old. 

He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and 
belongs to the Star of Bethlehem order. 
Politically, he is a Democrat and formerly 
was very active, being a delegate to the con- 
ventions, but of late years he has given less 
time to these things. Mr. W T ellman is a man 
of reliability and good standing and is pos- 
sessed of much valuable property . 



HON. FRED STINE. Among the earlier 
residents of Walla Walla appears the name of 
Mr. Stine, and he has been very instrumental 
in the development and upbuilding of this city 
for the intervening years, as he is, today, one 



of the substantial and well known men of the 
county, a leader in many lines. He has 
wrought in various capacities, but has always 
displayed that same strength of character and 
excellent judgment that characterize him at 
this time. His life has not been spent in 
theorizing, but in the highly important accom- 
plishment of "doing things." 

Fred Stine was born in Union county, 
Pennsylvania, on November 24, 1825. The 
father was a blacksmith and in 1839 brought 
his family west to Greene county, Ohio. Lo- 
cation was made at Fairfield and there the 
father wrought at his trade, and did farming. 
Our subject was reared on a farm in Ohio, 
had limited opportunity to secure an educa- 
tion, but mastered well the art of the black- 
smith. For several years he engaged at his 
trade in Fairfield, Ohio, but on the approach 
of spring in 1852, he together with his broth- 
ers, John and William, decided to come to the 
Pacific coast. They were three of a family of 
fourteen children, eight boys and six girls, and 
their departure to the little known west was 
an event of great importance to the house- 
hold. They started from St. Joseph, Missouri, 
on the first of May, 1852, and on the second 
day of July, 1852, they arrived in Sacramento. 
This is the quickest record of an immigrant 
party. The train was made up of twenty-six 
men with the necessary outfits, and our sub- 
ject was the captain. Shortly after arriving 
in California, our subject and his brothers went 
to Maryville, and went to work. A few days 
later Mr. Stine was taken with the typhoid 
fever and for sixty clays he languished under 
that dread disease. Then he recovered and 
started in business for himself. He burned out 
in 1854 and the following year he removed to 
Yreka, California, where he did farminsf and 
blacksmithing. On February 6, 1862, he sold 
his property in Yreka and started for the north. 
It was May 12th of the same year when he 
landed in Walla Walla, and here he has been 
ever since. Inside of four days he was in 



268 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



business on Main street, Walla Walla, after 
he arrived, and he did well. On November 
3. 1863, he started via Portland, stage to San 
Francisco, and boat via Panama, to Ohio, 
for a visit. On April 18, 1864, he started back 
to the Walla Walla country, making the trip 
by stage, arriving at his destination on May 
25th, of the same year. He at once went to 
work in blacksmithing and wagon work and 
maintained a first class shop until September I, 
1873. when he retired from business. For 
nearly thirty-three years Mr. Stine worked at 
the blacksmith trade, all together, and he knows 
well the hard toil of life, and the putting into 
practice the injunction "Thou shalt eat thy 
bread by the sweat of thy face." During all 
this time Mr. Stine was an active worker for 
the advancement of Walla Walla, and was 
an aggressive, energetic man in all lines. In 
1872 he erected the Stine house, the first brick 
hotel in Walla Walla. In 1880 Mr. Stine pur- 
chased a farm of five hundred and sixty acres, 
six miles south of Walla Walla, in Umatilla 
county, Oregon, and since that time he has 
actively managed this important estate. He 
now has nineteen hundred acres of choice land 
in that locality and last year his yield of wheat 
was thirty-seven thousand bushels, from half 
of the land, as he summer fallows half each 
year. 

Mr. Stine has always been an active Demo- 
crat, and takes a keen interest in such matters. 
In 1869 he was chosen to represent his dis- 
trict in the lower house of the territorial legis- 
lature, and in 1873 he went to the tipper house. 
He was a man who made his presence known 
and felt in legislative halls and his unerring 
judgment was of great benefit in many meas- 
ures. In 1865 Mr. Stine was chosen city 
councilman, the next year was chairman of 
the board, and was reelected many times. His 
popularity on this board was manifest, owing 
to his excellent care for the welfare and in- 
terests of the city, and to him, individually, 
much is due for many important measures. 



On November 7, 1888, Mr. Stine removed 
to his present home place, No. 17 Eagan 
avenue, Walla Walla, where he has a fine 
residence and one of the choice places of the 
city. 

In 1868 Mr. Stine succeeded in getting a 
lodge of the F. & A. M. established in Walla 
Walla, and for ten years thereafter, he was 
master of the same. He also belongs to the 
chapter. He is deeply interested in fraternal 
matters and an enthusiastic worker for the 
advancement of his orders. 

It is thus seen that in all lines where he 
has wrought, Mr. Stine has made an enviable 
success and built for himself a reputation for 
ability and integrity among the people who 
know him best, that is very gratifying. For 
more than forty years he has been in the van 
guard for the betterment of Walla Walla, and 
his labors speak for themselves. 



ALLEN J. LATIMER. Among the pro- 
gressive and enterprising young agriculturists 
of Walla Walla county, no one is more de- 
serving or worthy of mention than the subject 
of this sketch. He is a man methodical in all 
details necessary to the success which he is 
achieving, and while he carries on his business 
in a most systematic manner and devotes every 
moment of his time necessary to his business 
interests, he still does not lose his personality 
in a social way. He is possessed of those 
qualities that make him a favorite among his 
friends. To know him is to like him, and when 
one has gained his friendship they have secured 
much more than what is usually implied in the 
word "friend." 

George C. Latimer, the father of our sub- 
ject, was a school teacher by profession and a 
cultured gentleman. He taught in Illinois un- 
til the outbreak of the Civil War, when he felt 
that the federal government required his serv- 
ices and he enlisted with an Illinois regiment, 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



269 



where he served with merit and distinction until 
he received his discharge, in the meantime hav- 
ing been promoted to the rank of quartermaster 
sergeant. In 1894 he brought his family to 
Walla Walla. His wife, the mother of our 
subject, was, before her marriage, Elizabeth 
Hukill. She was also born in Ohio and is still 
living. Her husband died in 1901, aged sixty- 
four years. The children born to this worthy 
couple are Park L. ; Edward ; Bertha, who be- 
came the wife of William Blivens of Walla 
Walla county ; Judson E. ; Catherine, deceased ; 
Lydia, deceased; Burton E.. deceased; and the 
subject of this article, Allen J. 

Our subject was born October 22, 1877.. 
in Illinois. He graduated from the public 
schools at the age of seventeen, and remained 
assisting his father on the home farm until 
they came west in 1894. 

His first employment in Walla Walla was 
as clerk for R. Ludwig, where he remained 
for four years, when he took up a homestead 
twelve miles from Walla Walla. By purchase 
he has added to his holdings until they now 
aggregate one-half section, all under cultiva- 
tion. In addition to this land which he owns. 
he is also renting two hundred and fifty acres 
all of which is sowed to wheat. Mr. Latimer 
is yet a bachelor and in politics is a Repub- 
lican. 



JOHN LEROUX, who descends from a 
family of French noblemen and was born in 
the vicinity of Montreal, Canada, October 15, 
1862, is now dwelling at Walla Walla, being 
one of the wealthy men of the county. He 
owns an estate of about two hundred acres in 
Walla Walla county, and in addition thereto, 
is handling two thousand acres of wheat land. 
His business ability has been displayed in these 
large enterprises and he has won for himself 
a splendid property holding. His father, 
Frank Leroux, was born in the same place 
as this son and followed blacksmithing. He 



remained in Canada all his life. He married 
Esther Yell, who also was born near Montreal. 
John studied in the schools of his native place 
until twenty-one years of age, when he began 
the sterner duties of life for himself. About 
that time he came to Walla Walla and worked 
as a baker for a time. After that he did black- 
smithing, having learned the trade thoroughly 
with his father and continued at this for six- 
teen years, being known as one of the skillful 
mechanics of Walla Walla. Then he took a 
homestead which he now owns, three miles 
north from Walla Walla, and since that has 
been devoting his entire attention to farming - . 
The large estate that he rents is productive 
of very bountiful returns and Mr. Leroux is 
rated as one of the wealthy wheat producers 
of this part of Washington. 

In 1883 Mr. Leroux married Julian 
Leonille Jullien. She was born near Montreal, 
the daughter of John B. and Julia (Bergeqin) 
Jullien, also natives of Montreal. Seven chil- 
dren have come to bless the household, namely, 
J. Raymond, Frank R., Mary J., Joseph R., 
J. Lorenzo, James A., Lecetia Viola. 

It is of interest to know that when Mr. 
Leroux arrived in Walla Walla he had no 
capital whatever, but being possessed of two 
good strong hands, a resolute purpose and 
good judgment he immediately went to work 
and the result is that he has now placed him- 
self among the wealthy men of this very pros- 
perous county. A reminiscence of his family 
is very interesting. They were a branch of the 
French Royal house and when his great-grand- 
father was a child, he was one day chastized 
by the nurse for some little misdemeanor. He 
ran away to the sea shore and was there taken 
by a captain who kept him aboard his ship un- 
til he was twenty-one years of age. Then he 
landed at Montreal, Canada, and never re- 
turned to the old country. He is the head 
of the Leroux family in America. 

Mr. Leroux is a Republican in politics and 
takes an active interest in the campaigns as 



270 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



also in educational matters and in everything' 
for the benefit of the country. He has an ex- 
cellent standing and is known as a generous, 
kind hearted, upright man. 



LE FEVRE A. SHAW is one of the well 
known men of Walla Walla. In business, fra- 
ternal, social and political circles, he has won 
marked distinction because of his thorough- 
ness, his genial personality and his unflagging- 
interest in every line. His life's work is in- 
separably bound up with the history of Walla 
Walla county and the state of Washington, 
and a detailed account would far exceed the 
limits prescribed. However, it can but prove 
very interesting reading to the citizens of this 
part of the state, and we grasp with pleasure 
the opportunity to give a succinct review of 
the same. 

Le Fevre A. Shaw was born in Fall River, 
Massachusetts, on February 7, 1842. Edwin 
Shaw, his father, was a native of Midclleboro, 
in the Bay State, and in early life followed 
merchandising, while his later years were spent 
in banking, handling cotton mills and various 
other important enterprises. During Lincoln's 
and Grant's administrations, he was for many 
years postmaster of Fall River and was a 
very prominent and influential citizen. His 
death occurred in 1891. He had married 
Keziah Weston, a native of Midclleboro, Mass- 
achusetts, also, who died in 1842, very shortly 
after the birth of our subject. In 1856 the 
family removed to St. Paul, Minnesota, where 
they remained four years, then returned to 
Fall River. Our subject was educated in the 
public schools and then learned thoroughly, 
the art of the sign painter, which he followed 
for a few years in his native place. In 1865 
he turned his face to the west and came via 
the isthmus to San Francisco, arriving on 
March 15th, in that metropolis. For a while 
he was engaged at his trade and then took up 



insurance, which occupied him until 1869, in 
the fall of which year he came to Portland 
and there continued as an underwriter until 
1872, at which time he was appointed clerk of 
of the United States custom house. He dis- 
charged the duties of that office efficiently for 
five years, at the end of which time he was 
appointed deputy collector of internal revenue 
with headquarters at Walla Walla. He was 
so well pleased with the country and the out- 
look that he determined to make his home in 
the Garden City and accordingly went into 
business, opening up an insurance and general 
conveyancing office. In 188 1 he was elected 
city clerk and served in that capacity for six 
years and he has held various other offices in 
the county and city, as coroner, county clerk, 
city treasurer and so forth. However, from 
the day of opening- his office in Walla Walla, 
Mr. Shaw has continued as one of the leading 
underwriters of the state and is better known 
in that business than in any one line. He 
writes for the leading companies in the world, 
and is one of the best posted insurance men 
in the northwest. His office is No. 13 Third 
street, and his business is far reaching and 
extensive. 

On October 10, 1870, Mr. Shaw married 
Florence Myers, a native of Vernon, Illinois, 
and the daughter of Dr. John H. and Rebecca 
Myers, natives of Pennsylvania. On Febru- 
ary 5, 1874, at Portland, Oregon, Mrs. Shaw 
passed the river of death. On July 27, 1878, 
Mr. Shaw married Mrs. Emma Kellogg, the 
daughter of Daniel H. Good, a pioneer of 
1845. Her mother was Mary E. (Dunbar) 
Good, also a pioneer of the same year. Mrs. 
Shaw was born in Oregon City and knows 
well the pioneer life. By his first marriage 
our subject has two children. Pearl, the wife 
of J. C. Astredo ; and Ruby, married to New- 
ton W. O'Rear. 

In fraternal affiliations, Mr. Shaw is ex- 
tensively connected. He belongs to Walla 
Walla, No. 7, F. & A. M. ; to Columbia lodge 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



271 



of Perfection, A. A. S. R. He also belongs 
to the El-Katif Shrine, A. A. O. N. M. S. 
Spokane; is past C. C. of the Columbia, No. 
8, K. of P. and belongs to Walla Walla, No. 
3, I. O. R. M., being past great sachem of the 
state of Washington. He is present grand 
master of the grand lodge of the state of Wash- 
ington for the I. O. O. F., having his mem- 
bership in the Washington, No. 19, at Walla 
Walla. For thirteen years he was grand secre- 
tary of the grand lodge of this order and for 
the same length of time was grand scribe for 
the grand encampment and has represented 
both bodies in the sovereign grand lodge for 
several years. He is a member of the Walla 
Walla, No. 287, B. P. O. E. and also is past 
.master of the A. O. U. W. He belongs to 
Garden City, 170, Fraternal Aid Society and 
to Bee hive, No. 70, of the Rebekahs. His 
local membership for the encampment is in 
Walla Walla, No. 3. He is a brilliant man 
in fraternal circles and is an enthusiastic 
worker along these lines. 

In politics, he is an active Republican, and 
takes great interest in the campaigns. 

Mr. Shaw's membership in fraternal orders 
dates from 1866 with the Odd Fellows, from 
1868 with the Masons and from 1867 with 
the Red Men. He is a thirty-two degree 
Scottish Rite Mason and is as well posted in 
fraternal lore and usages, as perhaps, any 
other man in the northwest. 



MILO D. GROSS, who resides at 808 
Whitman street, Walla Walla, is one of Walla 
Walla county's substantial agriculturists and 
the account of his life is a pertinent part of 
the history of this prosperous section of the 
Avest. He was born in Davis county, Iowa, 
on October 14, 1859. A biography of his 
father, B. H. Gross, appears in another por- 
tion of this work and the family history is 
there recited. Our subject was the second 



of eight children and when he was but two 
years old the father decided to come west and 
accordingly made the trip from their home in 
the east to Virginia City, Nevada, with teams. 
Eight years were spent in that vicinity and 
then the family removed to Modoc county, 
California, where our subject finished his edu- 
cation and grew to manhood. When he had 
reached his majority, he came, in company 
with his father, to Walla Walla. Soon after 
his older brother joined them. Milo D. pur- 
chased land and took a homestead about ten 
miles north from Walla Walla and commenced 
the work of raising wheat. The father and 
other brother also took land and since that 
day the Gross family has been well known in 
the county. When Mr. Gross came here his 
list of worldly property was exceedingly small, 
and his cash assets were almost a minus quan- 
tity, but his determination to carve for him- 
self a fortune and win success was not to be 
turned aside and he took hold with a will to 
accomplish that purpose. How well he has suc- 
ceeded is told when we mention that he is now 
the owner of eight hundred acres of choice 
wheat land ; he has a beautiful residence in the 
city of Walla Walla ; he owns a full equipment 
of all kinds of machinery and stock for the op- 
eration of the farm ; and in addition, he has 
other property. All this splendid holding has 
been accumulated by the thrift and labor of Mr. 
Gross and while he has been doing this work 
he has had some varied and trying experiences. 
During the panic of 1893. Mr. Gross and his 
father turned their crop of wheat in bulk over 
to a banker. J. K. Edmiston, to pay a note 
of one thousand dollars held against him. A 
few days later the bank failed and this caused 
a loss to Mr. Gross of fourteen hundred dollars 
besides the note mentioned. Shortly after- 
wards suit was instituted against him to collect 
the note and if it won, Mr. Gross would have 
been completely broken up financially. At 
such a juncture he could but resort to the 
courts and defend himself. Judge Brents was 



272 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



his attorney and it developed that when the 
suit was called the judge before whom it was 
to be tried was a director of the bank men- 
tioned and one of the jurymen was also a 
director of the bank. Judge Brents so skill- 
fully conducted his case that these interested 
parties were disbarred from trying the case 
and in the end he won the case for Mr. Gross. 
After this cloud was dispersed, the sun of 
prosperity shone brighter on Mr. Gross and 
he has had one continued line of success since. 
His efforts have been bestowed wisely and his 
success is but the reward of his wisdom and 
care of his business. 

In May. 1886, Mr. Gross was married to 
Miss Abbie Armstrong, a native of Vancouver, 
Washington, where her parents were pioneers. 
Later they removed to California where they 
both died. To this union one child was born. 
But two years after her marriage the wife and 
mother died. On February 12, 1903, Mr. 
Gross married Minnie M. Woods, and they 
also have had one child. 

Mr. Gross is a Republican in politics and 
although he never seeks office for himself, still 
he is a strong supporter of the principles of 
his party. He and his wife are members of the 
Central Christian church and are people of 
excellent standing in the community. 



WILLARD H. BABCOCK. It is very 
important in reading the history of a country 
that one should have properly chronicled the 
deeds of its leading men ; otherwise true his- 
tory cannot be brought out, for it is the doings 
of men that make history and in order that 
these should be seen in their proper light, 
they must be written up from the standpoint 
of biography, otherwise the individuality of 
them is lost, which detracts markedly from the 
proper light of history. We boldly assert that 
no proper history of Walla Walla county, or 
in fact of the state of Washington could be 



written without embodying at least a portion 
of the career of the gentleman of whom we 
now have the pleasure to speak. When we 
consider the success that has attended his ef- 
forts, it is certainly demanded that the power 
which has brought it about be exploited 
in such manner that others may be bene- 
fitted. It is well known throughout Wash- 
ington and far, far in the east too, 
that Willard H. Babcock is the "wheat 
king" of the west. The writer of this 
article has frequently heard both in the east 
and west his name mentioned in that connec- 
tion and he is certainly one of the prominent 
figures of the northwest. Some leading char- 
acteristics in Mr. Babcock demand especial at- 
tention before entering upon a detailed ac- 
count of his career. First, we mention his 
unswerving integrity, which refuses to be bent 
in any deal or walk of life. Another thing 
evident to any one who knows him is his 
quiet retiring" demeanor, which shines out very 
markedly now in his prominent position, but 
none the less true than when he beat the anvil 
to the stirring tune of honest industry. It may 
be truthfully said of him that while in the 
later years his dealings have been in the hun- 
dreds of thousands, he maintains the same 
modest demeanor that characterized him when 
he was laboring at the forge; and another point 
no less by any means is the fact that Mr. 
Babcock has never been puffed up by his suc- 
cess and he has a hearty, kind word for every 
fellow creature and a helping hand to any 
brother in distress, as may be testified to by 
scores of grateful beneficiaries. This is beauti- 
ful in the character of any man and shines out 
with added lustre when it comes right from 
the heart as in the case of Mr. Babcock. It 
may be said of him that he never turned his 
back upon real need, that he could supply. If 
the reader will keep in mind these points as we 
enter more into detail regarding Mr. Babcock's 
life, he will have a photograph before him of 
the real man as he stands todav familiar with 




WILLARD H. BABCOCK. 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



273 



finance in a high degree and yet a man devoid 
of ostentation, quiet and unassuming. 

Willard H. Babcock was born in Oswego 
county, New York, on August 12, 1842. His 
father was Jonathan Babcock, and he was 
born in Oneida county, New York. The 
grandfather of our subject was a veteran of 
the Revolution and the War of 18 12. The 
stern material that could fight for the in- 
dependence of the country and then maintain 
it, accounts for the qualities that we find in the 
descendant from this American patriot. Mr. 
Babcock' s family traces its ancestry among the 
English, German and French, about equally 
blended. The father of Willard H. followed 
blacksmithing and died about 1875, at Parish, 
New York. He had married Mary Eliz- 
abeth Bowen, a lady born in Ohio, of 
English parentage. She died in 1858. She 
and her husband were both devout mem- 
bers of the Baptist church. Our subject 
was reared principally in Oswego coun- 
ty and gained his education in the graded 
schools of Syracuse, New York. He learned 
the blacksmith's trade in his father's shop and 
also the art of making axes, in Dugway, New 
York. He followed this strenuous labor until 
1864 in the home county, then went to Nash- 
ville, Tennessee, and did blacksmithing and 
carpentering for the United States govern- 
ment in the erection of hospitals. After that, 
he went to Zilwaukee, Michigan, and followed 
his trade in the barrel factory. Three months 
later, he journeyed to St. Louis and then to 
Atchison, Kansas, from which point he started 
across the plains to Salt Lake and attended to 
the shoeing of the mules for the entire route. 
He arrived at Salt Lake, then returned to 
Colorado and drove team and attended to the 
shoeing of the horses of the train through to 
Golden City. Then he shod horses through to 
Omaha on another train. Afterwards, he at- 
tended to the shoeing of the oxen on a train 
back to Denver. Then Mr. Babcock bought a 
blacksmith shop at Golden City and conducted 



it for six months, after which he moved to a 
camp near Boulder, Colorado, and purchased 
a half section of land for ten dollars per acre, 
intending to irrigate it. That is the land on 
which Boulder now stands. In the spring of 

1866, Mr. Babcock sold his property and went 
to Julesburg, Colorado, where he bought a 
blacksmith shop and conducted the same for 
two years. During these two years he put 
up six hundred and fifty tons of wild hay for 
the government at seventy-three dollars per 
ton, but the Indians burned every pound of it 
and he lost the entire amount. In the fall of 

1867, he went to Cheyenne and opened a shop 
which he sold two months later and took a 
party to Mexico with a horse team. Then he 
sold the team and returned by stage to Che- 
topia, Kansas. He wrought at blacksmithing 
and wagonmaking there for one year, then 
drove a four-mule team to Dallas, Texas, and 
sold the team and located a blacksmith shop 
in Calvert, that state. Six months later, he 
returned to Dallas and worked along the line 
of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, 
conducting shops there for three years. Next, 
we see him in Fargo, Dakota, where he had a 
contract for blacksmithing on the Northern 
Pacific railroad and he operated in that 
capacity along the line for two hundred miles. 
In the fall of 1872 Mr. Babcock took 
a flat boat loaded with lumber down 
the Red river to Lake Winnipeg. He 
then returned to New York for a few months 
and went thence to Colon, on the Isthmus of 
Panama, intending to go on to Vera Cruz, 
Mexico, in railroad work. Owing to the war, 
he remained on the Isthmus and followed 
blacksmithing and gunsmithing. Owing to the 
fact that spinal meningitis swept away about 
fifteen hundred people in a short time, he left 
the country in January, 1873, and came to 
California by steamer, landing at San Fran- 
cisco where he wrought at his trade one winter. 
In the spring, he went to Chico, California, and 
worked a short time after which he located in 



18 



274 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



Cana, Butte county. He conducted a black- 
smith and wagon shop there for seven 
years. 

There, on December 30. 1874, Mr. Bab- 
cock married Mary E. Hail, who was born in 
Missouri, on November 16, 1857. Her father, 
Felix W. Hail, was a native of Illinois and 
served in the Mexican War. He followed 
farming and came to California in 1863. cross- 
ing the plains with horse teams. Settlement 
was made in Butte county, where he died in 
1887. He had married Martha A. Watson, 
a native of Springfield, Illinois, who died in 
Walla Walla, February 17, 1901. In the 
spring of 1880, Mr. Babcock sold his home 
and business in California and came to 
Wallula, Washington. He worked in the O. 
R. & N. blacksmith shops for a short time and 
in August, came to Walla Walla and thence 
to Eureka Flat where he farmed for two years, 
after which he selected a homestead preemp- 
tion, and a timber culture on Eureka Flat. 
That was the beginning of his career in agri- 
culture in Washington. He commenced farm- 
ing and met with such good success that he 
soon bought more land. He purchased land 
from time to time until in 1897, he had in 
Walla Walla county alone over nine thousand 
acres. He has since sold about two thousand 
acres, leaving him seven thousand acres on 
Eureka Flat alone. In 1898, he purchased 
land in Douglas, Chelan and Kittitas counties 
and owns in these three counties over one hun- 
dred thousand acres, the same being utilized 
for wheat and stock. For twenty-one suc- 
cessive years, Mr. Babcock operated a thresh- 
ing outfit in Walla W'alla county, mostly on 
Eureka Flat. It is evident to even the casual 
reader by this time, that Mr. Babcock is an 
intensely practical man. He is one of those 
men, of whom our president has said, "He 
is a man who does things," and it is well 
known that from the merest detail in his busi- 
ness to the most extensive plans, Mr. Babcock 
is master of every portion. In addition to the 



seven thousand acres on Eureka Flat, which 
he rents mostly, he has a large acreage in 
wheat in Douglas and Kittitas counties. On 
the former place, he has a steam plow which 
turns sixty acres in one day. In addition to 
that, he has a pumping plant of one hundred 
horse power on the Columbia river, which irri- 
gates many acres of alfalfa. He is the presi- 
dent of and the heaviest stockholder in the 
Modern Manufacturing Company of Spokane, 
an enterprise launched in 1905. The company 
has a large plant in the eastern part of 
the city, and they manufacture combines, 
threshers and other farm machinery. It is 
a very important industry. Personally, how- 
ever, Mr. Babcock gives his attention largely 
to stock interests as he owns fifteen thousand 
sheep, one thousand cattle and one hundred 
and twenty head of horses. He raises and has 
raised more wheat than perhaps any other 
individual in the northwest. His farms are 
always in the best condition and yields are 
among the heaviest to be found in any part 
of the country. Everything connected with his 
business indicates that unerring judgment and 
care of details which have won for him his 
splendid success. There is nothing about the 
business that escapes his attention or that is 
neglected. In his dealings, he is a man clean 
cut and accurate, while among his neighbors, 
he is known as generous and public spirited. ■ 
Mr. Babcock is a man who attends to business 
in business hours, never allows anything to 
interfere with its course, while socially, he 
puts in practice the same rule. 

Air. and Mrs. Babcock are the parents of 
three children, Jessie M., aged eighteen; 
Jimmie Elizabeth, aged thirteen and Josephine 
A., deceased. Josephine was aged eighteen 
years and twenty days at the time of her death, 
which was May 21, 1902. She had a sweet 
character, was beloved by all and a young lady 
of marked talent. She was a student at the 
Whitman college during the year of her death 
and was a leader while there. On one occa- 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



275 



si on, during a basket ball contest, she was in- 
"jured which injury resulted in her death. 

Mr. Babcock had two brothers, William 
H., who enlisted to fight in the Civil War and 
was never heard of since, and Charles H.. 
who died in New York from the effects of 
his service in the Civil War. He also has 
two sisters, Martha A., the widow of Abraham 
Petrie in Oswego county. New York, and Ella, 
who also resided in Oswego county until her 
death, December, 1904. Mrs. Babcock has 
the following named brothers and sisters, F. 
Grundy, owner and editor of a newspaper in 
Quincy, California; James P., of Chico, Cali- 
fornia; F. W. Columbus, a farmer on Eureka 
Flat ; Leonard B., also a farmer on Eureka 
Flat; Charles L., a retired farmer residing 
in Walla Walla ; Martha, wife of Richard 
Burch, a fruit raiser in Chico, California; 
Susan, widow of P. Vernon, residing in 
W'alla Walla; Arminta, the wife of Fred 
Walker, a merchant in Dunsmuir, California; 
Effie, the wife of Charles Sellick, a farmer in 
Butte county, California; Luella I., who was 
the wife of Reverend W. C. Ward. She died 
at Winnemucca, Nevada, September 9, 1897, 
aged thirty-five. 

Mrs. Babcock has always joined heartily in 
her husband's plans and has assisted materially 
in their furtherance, supplying that wisdom, 
discretion, support and sympathy that are the 
becoming part of the true helpmeet as God has 
ordered, and together this worthy couple have 
wrought faithfully during the journey of a 
third of a century for the success they now 
enjoy. 

In political matters, Mr. Babcock, is a 
Democrat and some fifteen years since was 
commissioner of Walla Walla county, but in 
later years he has never accepted office. 

As would be supposed in his long career 
on the frontier, Mr. Babcock met with con- 
siderable difficulty with the Indians at various 
places. He did some especially hard fighting 
at Julesburg, Colorado. He always escaped 
imscathed, however, and was known as a 



fearless frontiersman and a hard fighter. 
While laboring faithfully as he has done in 
years gone by to conserve his business interest, 
Mr. Babcock has not forgotten the part of the 
good citizen and is always found ready to 
assist every enterprise to forward and develop 
the country. He is a man upon whose judg- 
ment all rely and who stands among the lead- 
ing men of Washington. He commenced life 
barehanded and everything that he possesses 
at the present time, has been gained as the 
result of honest endeavor. His wealth has not 
been wrung from the sweat and blood of 
others, but has been gained honorably by wise 
investments, by carefully handling what he 
had, and by hard and patient industry. He 
has risen to the top by virtue of genuine merit 
and business ability and his doing and life 
are inseparably connected with the history of 
Washino-ton. 



GEORGE H. McWHIRK is a native of 
Walla Walla county, his birth occurring on 
the old family homestead about six miles east 
of the present city of Walla Walla on Febru- 
ary 18, 1 86 1. His parents were Henry and 
Eliza (Sickler) McWhirk. The father came 
west in the fifties from his native state, Ohio, 
and took the homestead above mentioned and 
there resided till his death, 1862. The mother 
is a native of Pennsylvania and now resides 
one-half mile from the old homestead, having 
married Mr. Thomas Gilkerson. Our subject 
is an only son, but has four half brothers who 
reside in this county. Mr. McWhirk claims 
the distinction of having been the third white 
boy born in Walla AValla county, and his 
mother was the first white woman to be mar- 
ried in this county. The old fashioned sub- 
scription schools furnished the education of 
young McWhirk, and three months of each 
vear sufficed for attendance on the school. 
The first school he remembers was held in a 
private house and the seats were slabs smoothed 



276 



HISTORY OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 



as benches. When sixteen our subject left 
school and began working out to support him- 
self. When twenty-one he took the estate 
his father had left for him and for nineteen 
years after that he continued on the farm, 
having some ups and downs as the other early 
farmers had to encounter. The panic of 1893 
was the most severe, still Mr. McWhirk suc- 
ceeded in passing through the tight times with- 
out going in debt. 

In 1900 Mr. McWhirk came to Walla 
Walla and went into the liquor business at the 
corner of Colville and East Main streets. Two 
years later he opened his present place of 



business, the Kentucky Home saloon, at i6> 
East Main street, and sold the other about the 
same time. 

On November 12, 1882, Mr. McWhirk 
married Miss Arrah Patterson, a native of 
Iowa, and the daughter of Abraham and 
Cynthia (Page) Patterson. The family came 
to the west in 1872, and the parents now live 
in the vicinity of Walla Walla. To this mar- 
riage three children have been born, Mrs. 
Nettie Martin, Hattie and Carrie. 

Mr. McWhirk is a member of the A. O. F., 
the Red Men, and the Eagles. In politics, he 
is independent. 



PART III 

HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY 



CHAPTER I 



CURRENT EVENTS— 1805 TO 1878. 



Undoubtedly the first white men who ever 
gazed upon the territory now comprising Co- 
lumbia county were the Lewis and Clark party 
which passed down the Snake river in October, 
1805, one hundred years ago. They had pre- 
viously conferred the name of "Lewis" upon 
what is now recognized as "Snake" river; and 
they camped at the mouth of Alpowa creek 
(in Asotin county), where five dogs were killed 
for supper. To them Snake, or Lewis river 
appeared a succession of shoals and rapids. 
Doubtless the season had been an exceedingly 
dry one, with less water in the channel than 
"has coursed there since. 

The Tucanon river was called by Indians 
""Kim-oo-enim ;" the name of "Drewyer" was 
given to what is now known as the Palouse 
river. This was in honor of George Drewyer, 
a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, 
and the Nimrod of the party. In Captain 
Lewis' diary the Yakima is mentioned as the 
"Tapsteal," its Indian name. 

The voyage of the explorers down the 
Snake, from the junction of the Clearwater 
river, to the Columbia, was without especial 
incident otherwise than meeting with Indians, 
running dangerous rapids and finding it dif- 



ficult to kill game. From the speculative In- 
dians they continued to buy dogs, fish and edi- 
ble roots. The party won its way to the Co- 
lumbia river October 16, 1805. On the return 
trip of the expedition they passed through ter- 
ritory that has since been carved into Walla 
Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin coun- 
ties. From the vicinity of what is now the 
former county, April 29, 1806, the party 
crossed the country by the trail, east, gaining 
the Touchet river a trifle north of where the 
railroad now crosses it. They pursued the 
course of that stream to a point now occupied 
by the city of Dayton. Otter and beaver were 
captured in the Touchet by Sportsman Drew- 
yer; the country was pronounced fertile, re- 
sembling the plains of the Missouri. On their 
second day out reference is made to an incident 
as fellows, vide Captain Lewis' "Journal :" 

"We had scarcely encamped when three 
young men came up from the ll'ollazi'ollah 
vi'llage (where Wallula now stands, and where 
the party had previously encamped), with a 
steel trap which had been left behind incident- 
ally, and which they had come a whole day's 
journey in order to restore. This act of integ- 
rity was the more pleasing because, though 



278 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY 



very rare among Indians, it corresponds per- 
fectly with the general behavior or the IVolla- 
wollohs, among whom we had lost carelessly 
several knives, which were always returned as 
soon as found. We may, indeed, justly affirm 
that of all the Indians whom -ice have met since 
leaving the United States, the JVollawollahs 
zvere the most hospitable, honest and sincere." 

"Gamblers' River" was the name given by 
Lewis and Clark to what is now Coppei creek, 
and "White Stallion" to the main Touchet, 
which bears southeast from Dayton, because 
of the present made to Captain Lewis by the 
YVallawollah tribe. Following up Patit .creek 
the party camped at a small bottom two and a 
half miles from its mouth. At that time they 
were on the old Nez Perce trail, yet traceable 
through the country. It trends in the same gen- 
eral direction as the present stage road be- 
tween Lewiston and Dayton, which passes 
along the Pataha and down the Alpowa. 
Thirty-one years later Missionary Spalding 
planted an apple orchard, still standing, at the 
point where Lewis and Clark reached the 
stream, at the mouth of Alpowa creek, Sun- 
day. May 4, 1806. 

The Nez Perce trails across southeastern 
Washington, which were so familiar to the 
early settlers, were as old as the hills. The 
first reference to the trails in history was by 
the Lewis and Clark expedition which fol- 
lowed them on the homeward journey in 1806. 
The course of the trail through the territory 
we are considering — Entering Columbia county 
near S. L. Gilbreath's place, where is now 
Long's station it followed the south side 
of the Touchet, crossing that river where now 
stands Dayton, the main street of that city 
being the trail; thence it followed up Patit 
creek; near the present town of Pomeroy the 
trail forked, one branch leading to Snake 
river, at Almota, and the other to the crossing 
of Snake river near the mouth of the Alpowa. 

This trail, or trails, rather, as there were 
numbers of them all parallel, were used by the 



Nez Perce Indians from time immemorial, in 
bringing stock to this country from the south, 
as far as California and Mexico, where they 
would go on marauding expeditions. The trail 
through southeastern Washington was very 
straight, and very seldom were detours made in 
the courses of the trails only for exceptionally 
high hills. The first settlers in Columbia 
county found these trails well defined, in many 
places being worn deep by the travels of count- 
less head of stock upon them. The earlier 
pioneers invariably located along this trail, and 
for several years this was the only course of 
travel through this part of the Territory. 

Lewis and Clark passed on to the eastward 
and reaped in fame and pecuniary emoluments 
the reward of their ardurous toil. They had 
traversed portions of the territory of Columbia, 
Garfield and Asotin counties. The next visit 
of the white men of which we have definite in- 
formation was the expedition of Captain 
Bonneville. This was in 1834. Up to that 
period the Hudson's Bay Company had re- 
mained sole and undisputed occupants since 
1829. Captain B. L. E. Bonneville, with 
three companions, penetrated the country as 
far as Walla Walla. Bonneville was a United 
States army officer. To him had been given 
permission to lead a party of trappers into the 
far regions of the then mysterious northwest ; 
the expedition being endorsed by the govern- 
ment only to this extent; it was argued that 
sufficient additional information of this terra 
incognita would be obtained to warrant the 
government in according this permit for what 
was, practically, a private venture. 

It was in 1832 that Bonneville's party 
gained the Rocky Mountains. Forty men 
were sent, in 1833, to California, under com- 
mand of Joseph Walker. On Christinas of the 
same year Bonneville left his camp on the Port 
Neuf river, for Walla Walla, his object being,, 
as stated by Washington Irving, "To make 
himself acquainted with the country, and the 
Indian tribes ; it being one part of his scheme 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



279 



to establish a trading post somewhere on the 
lower part of the river (Columbia), so as to 
participate in the trade lost to the United 
States by the capture of Astoria." January 12, 
1834, he reached Powder river. Thence he 
voyaged down Snake river, on the west bank, 
until he gained the mouth of Alpowa creek. 
Up that stream the ancient Nez Perce trail 
was followed, across to the Touchet ; thence to 
Fort Walla Walla, arriving there March 4. 
1834- 

The scene of a thrilling battle of the Cayuse 
war, in 1848, was the territory now embraced 
in Columbia county. It was waged between 
Oregon volunteers^ under Colonel Gilliam, and 
a predatory band of Palouse Indians. In this 
immediate vicinity there were no white men 
living at that period. The engagement, a hot 
one, took place on the spot where Dayton is 
now situated, March 13th. 

Gilliam's force was encamped at a spring 
near the Tucanon. Here he received a mes- 
sage from Tauitan, a chief, who made strong 
professions of friendship and an intention to 
abandon his support of the hostile Cayuses. 
He, also, said that he was encamped on the 
Tucanon, a little farther above, and that Tarn- 
sticky had left for Red Wolf's place on Snake 
river, in the Nez Perce country. The rest of 
the Cayuse tribe had incontinently fled down 
the Tucanon under command of Tiloukaikt. 
It was their intention to cross the Snake river 
into the Palouse country. 

These actions on the part of the Indians 
suggested treachery. But Colonel Gilliam 
was undaunted. He determined to "act in the 
living present,'' and take time by the forelock. 
It was after dark when he marched for the 
mouth of the Tucanon. arriving before day- 
break near the Indian camp. Morning dawned 
and Gilliam advanced, only to" be checked, 
when within 400 yards of the lodges, by the 
approach of an old, unarmed Indian. One of 
his hands was placed on his head ; the other 
covering his heart in token of friendliness. 



The camp, so spoke this wily hostile, was that 
of Peupeumoxmox, an Indian who would not 
fight American soldiers. The truce seeking 
old man declared that the murderers were 
gone — the assassins of the Whitman Mission 
— and the only recourse for the whites was to 
take possession of their stock, at that time 
quietly feeding on the neighboring hills. At 
the lodges the volunteers found a few warriors, 
painted and armed, yet to outward appearances 
friendly. Colonel Gilliam concluded to follow 
the suggestion of the old patriarch and drive 
off the enemy's stock ; thus crippling them. 

Through a deep canyon courses the 
Tucanon; to win the hills where were the cat- 
tle, necessitated a toilsome march of a quarter 
of a mile up a steep ascent. They gained this 
elevation, but to their surprise and disgust the 
soldiers saw the cattle swimming across Snake 
river. Outwitted by a band of painted sav- 
ages ! Nothing was left but to collect about 
five hundred head of stock, mainly horses, and 
return to the Touchet. One mile on their road 
and they were attacked in the rear by four 
hundred Palouse hostiles. Then began a run- 
ning fight; it continued throughout the day; 
the soldiers were compelled to camp several 
miles from the Touchet on a small stream. 
And here, destitute of food or fire, a wretched 
night was passed. Added to this the Indians 
kept up a desultory but harrassing fire into the 
camp. In hope that repossession of their stock 
would content the hostiles it was turned loose. 
But in vain. In the morning, when the soldiers 
were prepared to march out, Indians swarmed 
about them ; they hung upon the flanks of what 
was, in reality, a retreating army of American 
soldiers. 

A battle must be fought at the crossing of 
the Touchet. This much was evident. The 
Indians made a shifty dash to pass the volun- 
teers and take up a position in the river bottom 
protected by a cover of scrubby trees 
and underbrush. This movement was con- 
tested by the whites ; here desperate fight- 



280 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



ing ensued. The Oregon army was a full hour 
at the ford before it gained the southern side. 
Unequal though the numbers, the soldiers won 
a most decided victory; though sustaining a 
loss of ten wounded, none killed; the Indians 
lost four killed and fourteen wounded. While 
crossing the Touchet the Americans were not 
pursued. Rattle of musketry, whoops and 
yells ceased for the first time in thirty hours. 
Then, from the farther side of the stream 
swelled the plaintive, melancholy death song, 
chanted by the Indians over the bodies of their 
slain. 

March 16th, jaded and famishing, the vol- 
unteers arrived at Fort Waters. During three 
days one small colt had been the extent of their 
commissary stores. 

The visit of Governor Isaac Ingalls Ste- 
vens to this locality in 1855 has been described 
in Part I of this work. Here are added a few 
details more local in color. June 17th he 
camped on the Patit, and describes the country 
as "very beautiful and inviting," and "the 
whole country in view was well adapted to pur- 
poses of agriculture and stock raising." 

At the outbreak of the Cayuse Indian war 
of 1855-6 we find that there were living in 
what is now Columbia county Henry M. Chase, 
who had working for him two transient men, 
Louis Raboin and P. M. Lafontain. Later in 
the year 1855 Lloyd Brooke, George E. Bum- 
ford and John F. Noble, partners, who had 
lived at the Whitman Mission, erected a house 
on the Touchet, between the towns of Dayton 
and Waitsburg. Following the close of the 
Indian troubles Raboin returned, and settlers 
coming into the country in 1859 found him 
with his family living quietly on his place on 
the Tucanon. He had been driven away in 
June, 1855, by Indians. Here he was visited 
by Governor Stevens, who says in his report: 

In the valley of the Tucanon we found a very 
experienced and kind hearted mountaineer, Louis 
Moragne, who, with his Flathead wife and six 
children, had gathered about him all the comforts 



of a home. Moragne left St. Louis in 1831, served 
some years in the employ of the American Fur 
Company; then went to the Bitterroot valley, but 
left in consequence of difficulties with the Black- 
feet. He is the owner of some fifty horses and 
many cattle. His potatoes were in blossom, and 
his wheat excellent. He had four acres under culti- 
vation. He succeeded well in raising poultry, of 
which he had three or four dozen. 

Raboin, or Moragne, was of Illinois French 
stock, and for years was a companion of those 
brave men who trapped and hunted through the 
Rocky Mountains from Mexico to British Columbia, 
and fought Indians from the Missouri to the Sierra 
Nevadas. Being of an exceedingly lively and active 
disposition his French comrades called him "Marin- 
gouin," the French word for mosquito. This was 
variously corrupted in after years, Governor 
Stevens calling it Moragne, and the early settlers 
here knowing him as Marengo. Many years ago 
he was killed near his cabin, and in later years 
his property passed into the hands of J. M. Silcott. 

June 29, 1893, the Dayton Courier pub- 
lished the following account of the earlier set- 
tlers. 

» 
H. M. Chase, of Barnstable, Massachusetts, was 
in the city Thursday last. Mr. Chase was one of 
the first white settlers in what is now the city 
of Dayton, Columbia county, he, in company with 
others, having built a fort in the park, close to 
the place now occupied by the residence of W. H. 
Van Lew. This was during troublesome times 
with the noble red man. Here he prepared to take 
up land and fence it in, but fate decreed other- 
wise. One by one his companions, tiring of the 
loneliness and hardships of pioneer life, deserted 
him until only two were left. One day a friendly 
Indian called on them and imparted the cheerful 
information that the next day there would be a 
large party of his red brothers there to scalp them 
and burn their house. Their first thought was that 
they would stay and hold the fort, but upon medi- 
tation concluded that their scalps would be safer 
as far as possible from their present abode. Sure 
enough, the next day a band of five hundred 
Indians invaded the place, but finding no victims, 
contented themselves with burning everything in 
sight. Two years later Mr. Chase returned to 
claim his property, but found it occupied by others, 
and after considerable litigation gave up any hopes 
of retreiving it, and finally returned to the east 
to live. 

Of the men mentioned Mr. Gilbert, in his 
well-written and authentic historv, savs : 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



28 r 



Henri M. Chase first came, in the latter part 
of 1851, with William McKay, to Umatilla river, 
where he wintered. The next summer he joined 
William Craig in the Nez Perce country, wintered 
in 1852 at The Dalles, returned to the Nez Perce 
country in 1853, where he remained with his stock, 
purchased from emigrants, until 1855, when he 
became a resident of what is now Dayton. 

Louis Raboin, was an American of French ex- 
traction, who had been living in the country east 
of the Cascades since 1851, and in 1855 lived at 
the place now known as Marengo on the river 
Tucanon. P. M. Lafontain, a neighbor of Mr. Chase 
in 1855, adjoining whom he had taken up a claim, 
had been a resident since 1852. 



It may be interesting to know that at this 
time there were living east of the Cascades 
not over twenty men, outside of the Hudson's 
Bay post at Wallula, and about twenty ex- 
Hudson' Bay Company's men. most of whom 
had Indian wives. 

The Kamaikun outbreak occurred in the 
earlier days of October, 1855. Messrs. Chase, 
Lloyd, Brooke and Lafontain had started for 
The Dalles for winter supplies for their ranches 
near the present site of Dayton. Having 
passed the agency on the Umatilla river, a 
horseman overtook them and informed them of 
the trouble. Returning to the agency they 
found Mr. Whitney. He had hurriedly come in 
from where is now the city of Pendleton, Ore- 
gon, on his way out of the country with his 
family. He, too. had been warned by a 
friendly Indian. His wife was in ill health ; 
he was striving to place her beyond the reach 
of the scapling knife — or worse. To this sorely 
harassed husband Mr. Chase generously 
turned over his team and wagon ; thus aiding 
him to save his wife and family. It was a 
span of valuable horses then worth $500. 

For McKay's cabin on a creek of that name, 
debouching into the Umatilla, the men then 
started. Here they took possession of it, de- 
termined to remain through the night. Again 
they were warned by a friendly Indian against 
an oncoming partv of hostiles. They immedi- 
ately left the dangerous locality and went to 



Dry creek, in the Walla Walla valley, and 
passed the remaining hours of an anxious 
night. Gaining the Whitman Mission they 
counseled among themselves as to the next 
course to be pursued. Brooke's house they de- 
cided to convert into a fort, and Chase and 
Lafontain returned to their lanches on the 
Touchet and made preparations for a siege. 
Three Americans, working for Mr. Chase, de- 
cided to remain and assist in protecting the 
property. It was learned, however, that the 
party left at Brooke's house had abandoned it ; 
that the whole American population in the 
country was on the eve of flying for their 
lives; and they had written Chase a letter ad- 
vising him to do the same. He declined to do 
this, declaring that if only one man remained 
with him the country should not be aban- 
doned. At this time he lived in a good log 
house on a claim which included the present 
site of Dayton. He found his companions en- 
thusiastic to convert the house into a stockade. 
A day passed; with evening came reflec- 
tion; another council was held with the result 
that all deserted with the exception of the un- 
daunted Lafontain. At a place called Marengo, 
on the Tucanon, was then living Louis Raboin. 
Thus he, and Mr. Chase became the only two 
Americans in the hostile country after Nathan 
Olney and his party had left Walla Walla for 
The Dalles in October. Ex-Hudson's Bay 
Company's employes, counting upon their mat- 
rimonial connections to find friends among the 
Indians were the only other whites remaining. 
Chase and Lafontain, though not being able 
to build a stockade, continued to cast bullets 
and prepare for war. Port holes were cut 
through the log walls ; flour stored away in the 
building; communication with the creek was 
made by a tunnel in order to obtain water, or 
in event of disaster to afford a possible avenue 
of escape ; potatoes were placed in the tunnel. 
Ten days these two determined men stood 
guard alternately and continued the labor of 
strengthening their position. Not an Indian 



282 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



appeared ; but the ceaseless vigil produced a de- 
pressing effect that finally caused them to aban- 
don their stronghold and seek, with their stock, 
protection of the Nez Perces, the long tried 
friends of the Americans. On their way they 
passed one night at the cabin of Raboin ; he 
joined them, and no longer an American was 
left in the hostile country.- And the day fol- 
lowing their escape a horde of savages swept 
down on the place with intent to capture them ; 
they found an empty house and burned it to 
the ground. 

An account of Colonel Steptoe' battle with 
hostiles and subsequent retreat is given in Part 
I of this volume. What immediately affects 
the vicinity of Columbia county is as follows : 

On the night of May 17, 1858, the defeated 
troops under him followed the faithful chief. 
Timothy. Their lives depended upon his judg- 
ment and fidelity. It was impossible to carry 
along the wounded ; perforce they were left to 
the scalping knife of the savage. The fugitives 
had but one thought; to gain Snake river and 
safety. Seventy miles they had ridden twenty- 
four hours later, reaching the Snake at the 
mouth of Alpowa creek. Then they passed up 
the river to Timothy's village ; the chief placed 
his own people out as guards ; the women of the 
tribe ferried the worn soldiers and their effects 
across the stream. On the night of the follow- 
ing day this passage was completed ; on the 
20th Steptoe's party met Captain Dent with 
supplies and reinforcements on Pataha creek, 
where the road now leading from Dayton to 
Pomeroy crosses it. The soldiers went into 
camp; while there Chief Lawyer, of the Nez 
Perces, came in and urged the soldiers to re- 
turn with him and again try titles with the 
northern savages. They expressed no ardent 
desire to follow the advice of the friendly chief, 
but continued on their way to Walla Walla. 

On their return they passed Tucanon ; here 
Sergeant Thomas Beall found one Snickster, 
who had been wounded in the arm at Pine 
creek on the 17th. He was in a little cabin 



a short distance below the present site of 
Marengo. A wonderful story he told. Ser- 
geant Williams and himself had made their 
way to the mouth of the Palouse. Here they 
had attempted to cross Snake river; Williams 
had been killed by Indians. He had saved him- 
self only by jumping from a boat into the 
stream which he swam. Accepting this ac- 
count as true Colonel Wright subsequently 
hanged a Palouse Indian who was accused of 
having killed Williams in the attempted cross- 
ing of the Snake. 

There is, however, another side of this 
story. It was known by Sergeant Kenny that 
Williams was left by the trail helpless with a 
broken arm. Kenny says it would have been 
impossible for him to have reached Snake river 
in his shattered condition. Further, he de- 
clared, that a squaw found Williams where he 
lay and took him to a lodge where within a few 
days he died. From the squaw and other In- 
dians this fact was learned years afterward. It 
was, also, doubted by Kenny that any one 
would be able to swim Snake river during the 
high water late in the month of May, with a 
broken arm. 

For a number of years the late Hon. J. E. 
Edmiston noted items of historical interest in 
Eastern Washington. The following, taken 
from his collection, and published in the Cour- 
ier Press, will be of interest to Dayton people : 

July 13, 1858, W. J. Lindsay, in charge of thir- 
teen packers, escorted by Lieutenant Wickliff, of 
Company P, Ninth Infantry, camped on the south 
bank of the Touchet, opposite the mouth of the 
Patit. He was packing government supplies from 
Port Walla Walla to Colonel Wright, who was 
then on Rock Creek, north of Snake river. About 
5 o'clock p. m., 70 Indians came down the hill 
from the north, near where the reservoir is now 
located, and in true Indian warfare made a circle, 
running near the north bank of the Touchet, just 
where the Brooklyn mills now stand, passing up 
the Patit and back again to the hill. They were 
armed with guns and bows and arrows. They fired 
into camp as they passed, and Lieutenant Wickliff 
had his men out of camp, which was in a grove 
of timber, and drawn up near the bank of the 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



283 



Touchet, and there in the open field he received 
and returned the fire of the Indians. He lost two 
men killed and three wounded. It was his first 
experience in Indian fighting, and his fifty men 
were not ahle to stop a single Indian on their 
first charge. 

The packers were all Californians and armed 
with navy revolvers, and some of them were good 
. shots. On the first attack of the Indians they 
hid themselves behind their packs, and observing 
that the Indians in making the circle passed very 
near the bank of the Patit, which at that point 
was high and formed a good protection for am- 
bush. Led by Lindsay they waded the Touchet 
just above the mouth of the Patit, and ran along 
up that stream under cover of the high bank and 
stationed themselves for service during the next 
charge. They had not long to wait, and after the 
Indians had discharged their fire at the soldiers 
and were circling off near .the bank of the Patit, 
the packers arose from behind the bank and each 
gave them six shots from their revolvers at short 
range. The Indians made six or seven charges, 
but never approached near the Patit after that. 
As a result of the fight eleven dead Indians and 
thirteen dead ponies were found on the flat the 
next morning between the creek and the foot of 
the hill. 

During the Indian wars of 1858 the terri- 
tory now embraced in Columbia count}-, while 
not the scene of any notable battle, except the 
one previously described, was patrolled by 
troops in pursuit of hostile savages. According 
to Colonel George Hunter, in his book, "Remi- 
nescences of an Old Timer," in the spring of 
1858 after the government troops under Col- 
onel Steptoe and Major Luginbeale had met 
their disastrous defeat near the two buttes 
known afterward as Steptoe and Kamiackun, 
in what is now Whitman county, they returned 
to the south. They crossed Snake river at the 
mouth of the Tucanon. There they built a 
stone corral, or fort, which they designated as 
Fort Taylor. The site of this rude fortifica- 
tion is the present location of Grange City, 
Columbia county. This defense was erected 
during the campaign of Colonel George Wright 
against northern Indians. An examination of 
Part I of this History will call to mind that 
after the defeat of Colonel E. J. Steptoe, Col- 
onel Wright, then stationed at Walla Walla, 



was ordered to move against the hostile In- 
dians north of Snake river. His forces com- 
prised five companies of the First United States 
Cavalry under command of Major William 
Greer ; three companies of the Ninth Infantry 
commanded by Captain F. T. Dent; two com- 
panies of the Third Artillery, led by Major 
(after General Ord, and forty Nez Perce In- 
dians in charge of Lieutenant John Mullan, of 
the Second Artillery. This expedition moved 
forward the latter part of July, 1858. In a 
narrative of this war by Thomas Beall in 
"Stars and Bars," he says, concerning the 
founding of this fort : 

"We left Walla Walla and marched to the 
mouth of the Tucanon, near where the town of 
Riparia now is, where we left one company of 
artillery under Major Wise (Major Wise 
built a fort there, called- Fort Taylor, in honor 
of Captain Taylor who fell in the Steptoe 
fight). There we constructed a ferry boat to 
cross our supplies, proceeded into what was 
known as the Tour Lake Country,' and near 
what is now Medical Lake." 

Another incident is told by the same nar- 
rator, upon the return of the forces from this 
expedition, which took place in what is now 
Columbia county : 

"In crossing the Tucanon On Hi. the pris- 
oner chief, attempted to escape. He knocked 
down the horse of the guard officer, and be- 
ing mounted struck out for liberty. He was 
halted by a bullet from the revolver of a sol- 
dier called 'Big Ben,' which brought down the 
horse, and a second shot killed On Hi." 

This history has recorded the first attempts 
at permanent settlement of territory now 
known as Columbia county, by H. M. Chase 
and two allies and employes, P. M. Lafontain 
and Louis Raboin, and the building of the 
cabin by Lloyd Brooke, George C. Bumford 
and John F. Noble. We have told how they 
were conpelled to leave their possessions on ac- 
count of Indian hostilities in 1855. 

Now the inciting cause of the settlement of 



284 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



the upper portion of Walla Walla county, in 
1859, was the vigorous campaign prosecuted 
by Colonel Wright the preceding year. Set- 
tlers believed they would be protected from In- 
dian outrages. Prior to this hostiles had been 
on the war path for a number of years ; settlers 
did not dare take up a residence in the upper 
country. Following the crushing blow deliv- 
ered to the savages by Colonel Wright pioneers 
began to push further into the interior. True, 
there were not many in that part of the coun- 
try now known as Columbia county in 1859, 
but a beginning had been made; the following 
year others came feeling comparatively safe 
from marauding Indians. It was, practically, 
in 1859 that the regular and permanent settle- 
ment of the country began — the year that Ore- 
gon was admitted into the union. A number of 
claims were taken up along the Touchet, Patit 
and Tucanon. Then it was that people be- 
lieved implicitly that only along river bottom 
lands was there arable soil in this country. A 
few cabins were built. Frederick D. Schneb- 
ley had a homestead claim where now is Day- 
ton, in the autumn of 1859; near him was 
Richard Learn. John C. Wells, Thomas T. 
Davis, and Jesse N. Day were located further 
clown the stream. Above the Milton, or Long's 
Mill. Lambert Hearn had a claim ; helow him 
were S. L. Gilbreath, James S. Dill, Joseph 
Starr. George Pollard, John Fudge and David 
Whiteaker. Further down were a number of 
settlers now within the limits of Walla Walla 
county. One Nash was above Dayton, on the 
Touchet, on the place formerly occupied by 
H. M. Chase, later the property of John Mus- 
tard. Joseph Ruark, or "Kentuck," was above 
him. Where the Nez Perce trail crossed the 
Patit was William R. Rexford. He was em- 
ployed in trading with Indians. On Whiskey 
Creek Israel Davis held a claim. This was not 
a great ways from the present site of Hunts- 
ville. Ten miles down the Tucanon, from 
Louis Raboin, was O. P. Platter at a point 



called Platter's Crossing. Joseph Boise had a 
claim five miles below him. 

At the crossing of Whisky creek lived Wil- 
liam Bunten, and with him were George Ives 
and "Clubfoot George," engaged in trading 
whiskey for Indian cayuses. These three sold 
out and went to Montana in the early sixties, 
where they were shortly after hung by the 
vigilantes. The prosecution of Ives by Col. 
Wilbur F. Sanders, who made a fearless 
speech from the tail end of a wagon, in the face 
of an angry mob of miners and road agents, 
has become a noted event in the history of the 
Northwest. 

Following is an interview with S. L. Gil- 
breath, by J. E. Edmiston. 

In August, 1859, Gilbreath and his wife, in 
company with John C. Wells and Thomas Davis, 
both bachelors, came to what is now Columbia 
county, from the Willamette valley. Wells and Gil- 
breath had wagons and brought the first wagons 
over the Nez Perce trails, unless, possibly, the 
soldiers had a wagon in 1856. Gilbreath located 
on his present farm at Long's Station in August, 
1859. Davis settled just below Dayton. He 
bought the claim from Freelon Schnebley (Stubbs) 
for eleven head of yearlings, and built his cabin 
in the fall of 1859; Wells also bought a location 
from Stubbs, on which The latter had already built 
a small cabin; the only cabins on the Touchet at 
that time were Stubbs' cabin, on the south side 
of the Touchet, where the China Garden is now 
located, and a cabin about where Alex Price's 
residence now is, in Dayton, which had been built 
by Henry M. Chase and was then occupied by two 
squaw men by the name of Bailey. "Stubbs," 
whose name was Schnebley, was a squaw man, and 
was killed in 1862 at the mouth of the Okanogan 
river by the soldiers for horse stealing. His 
brother, F. D. Schnebley, filed on his place on 
which Dayton is now located, and after proving up 
sold to Jesse N. Day. In 1859 there was a general 
camping ground for the Indians where Dayton 
now stands; there were from 75 to 100 tepee pole 
frames standing; the grass was eaten out up to 
the foot-hills. 

Mrs. Gilbreath was the first white woman to 
locate in the county, being at that time only sixteen 
years of age. In October, 1859, Lambert Hearn 
and wife came up from the Valley and located 
just above Gilbreath on the Touchet. He bought 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY 



28s 



his location from one of the Forrest boys, who 
were brothers of Mrs. Jesse N. Day. Jesse N. Day 
and the Forrest boys came up in 1859, located 
claims, and returned to the Valley for their fam- 
ilies, coming back the next year. In 1859 there 
were no cabins below Gilbreath's on the Touchet, 
but every half mile four poles were laid in a 
square with a notice posted on a pole as follows: 
"This is my claim; I have gone to the Valley for 
my stock and will be back in three months." 
These locations were all made in the spring of 
1859. Most of these persons came back in the 
autumn of that year. John Forsythe, a bachelor, 
located on the first place below Gilbreath, his only 
capital being a shotgun and a cayuse. James S. 
Dill, a widower with one boy, located just below 
Forsythe. James Bennett settled just below on 
what is now the Bateman place. His wife came a 
year or so later. Joe Starr settled at the crossing 
of the Touchet; he was a bachelor. Below him 
George T. Pollard, a bachelor, came and located 
in the fall of 1859. Four brothers, David, Joseph, 
William and Ben Whittaker, came in the fall of 
1859 and settled just below Pollard, where Hunts- 
ville now stands; they were all bachelors. A. B. 
and Albert G. Lloyd lived just below, across the 
county line. 

Missionary Spalding and wife, and Andrew 
Warren, his son-in-law, came in 1859 and built a 
cabin on the Touchet at Mullan Bridge, near Pres- 
cott. Gilbreath and his wife heard Rev. Spald- 
ing preach in the fall of 1859. 

Henry B. and Jesse N. Day, brothers, who 
had been engaged in the cattle business in what 
is now Douglas county, Oregon, in 1859 first 
came to the present territory of Columbia 
county. They drove in a band of cattle, the 
property of Jesse Day, and located headquar- 
ters on the Touchet, the present site of Day- 
ton. Henry Day subsequently returned to 
Oregon, but the year following came back and 
settled with his own stock on the Touchet. 
Already owning 320 acres he could not take 
up more land, but simply ranged his stock here. 
Henry Day died in September, 1900. 

The founder of Dayton was Jesse N. Day, 
born in what is now West Virginia, in 1828. 
He crossed the continent at the age of 22 
years, locating in the Willamette Valley, after 
passing some time in the mines of California. 
The following extract is from a sketch written 
by the wife of Jesse N. Day : 



The Indian difficulties having been settled in 
Washington Territory by treaty, many who had 
heard of the agreeable climate, fertile soil and rich 
bunch grass, but had had too great a fear of the 
Indians to venture among them, came with a view 
of locating here if the country suited them. Mr. 
Day was one of these pioneers, coming to this 
vicinity in March, 1859. He camped on the banks 
of the Touchet under a pine tree, which still re- 
mains as one of the oldest landmarks of pioneer 
days. He explored the surrounding country, but 
decided to locate a homestead on the land sur- 
rounding his camp, which is two miles west of 
here and is now owned by Mr. W. T. Richardson. 
The present site of Dayton had been occupied ere 
this, but the Indians had driven the settlers away 
and burned their dwellings. Mr. Day preferred 
this to the other location, but feared the owners 
might return to claim it. They did not return, 
however, and a few years later Mr. Fred D. 
Schnebly settled upon it. The land patent dated 
1867, bearing the signature of Andrew Johnson 
is still preserved in Dayton. In 1865 Mr. Day 
bought the land of Mr. Schnebly and moved his 
family to the old tavern, which occupied the pres- 
ent site of Weinhard's brewery. In the time of no 
railroads and stage coaches this house was a 
lucrative investment. 



John, David, James and William Fudge 
came to Washington Territory in 1859, locat- 
ing near the point where Huntsville is now. 
They were young unmarried men, and for the 
next two years their residence was transitory. 
At one period John Fudge was a commissioner 
of Columbia county and was, throughout his 
life, a highly respected citizen. He died March 
3, 1892. 

It is, undoubtedly true that very few of the 
earlies settlers came with a view of establishing 
permanent homes in Washington Territory. 
Their aim was to graze stock for a few years, 
raising some grain in the meantime for their 
own use, and then return east with the profits 
of their adventure. The following is an in- 
terview with George W. Miller, describing 
conditions, and people living in the county at 
that period, i860. 

"Myself and father-in-law, Elisha Ping, 
came to Columbia county in August, i860. 
At that time there were only two white women 



286 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



in the county, Mrs. Gilbreath and Mrs. Hearn. 
They located on the Patit, just above its junc- 
tion with the Touchet, and the Ping homestead 
is now part of the city of Dayton. During the 
season of 1861 we plowed up that part of Day- 
ton from the Chase cabin west to Patit creek, 
and from that creek west to the foothills where 
Brooklyn now stands, being something over 
fifty acres, and farmed it for two years. When 
harvest came the grain was cut with a turkey- 
wing cradle and bound and shocked. Then it 
was hauled from the field and the grain 
tramped out by two yoke of oxen which were 
used on the farm. Then a scoop shovel was 
used to throw the grain up in the air that the 
wind might blow the chaff out. The first crop 
was sold to George Ives to feed his pack train 
of mules during the winter of 1861-62, for 
which not a cent of payment was ever made. 
When Ives was hung in Montana we felt 
avenged. We both built log cabins on the 
Patit, and in the fall of 1862 I built a barn of 
lumber, being the first lumber structure erected 
in the count)'. This barn is yet standing on 
the homestead one mile east of Dayton, and is 
in a good state of preservation. The lumber 
was whip-sawed on the Eckler mountain at the 
big spring near the Fewster pkce. In 1866 a 
high wind blew the roof off my house, and a 
rafter was driven through the barn, wounding 
a horse. The hole is still in the barn, and 
shows in the picture published in this work. 

"In i860, Schnebley, called "Stubbs," had 
a cabin at the crossing of the Touchet, present 
site of Dayton." 

The year i860 witnessed the arrival in the 
Columbia district of quite a number of set- 
tlers. At the annual reunion of the Old Set- 
tlers of Columbia county, held at Dayton, De- 
cember 7, 1893, there were present seven men 
who had been in the county since i860. Their 
names, date of arrival and former homes were : 
George W. Miller, August, Oregon; Robert 
Ping, August, Oregon ; Frank Ping, August, 
Oregon; C. F. Miller, August, Oregon; J. N. 



Day, September, Oregon ; Henry B. Day, Oc- 
tober, Oregon ; J. F. Yenny, November, Iowa. 

S. L. Gilbreath's first child was born in 
March, i860, and was the first white child 
horn in the county. It was a girl, and died in 
1862, and is buried at the Richardson ceme- 
tery. Celeste Miller, daughter of Mr. and 
Mrs. George W. Miller, now Mrs. J. E. Steen, 
was the second child born in the county, Janu- 
ary 24, 1 86 1. 

Elisha Ping located August 19, i860, on 
the Patit, a portion of his land being now in the 
t< iwnsite of Dayton. George W. Miller's claim 
adjoined Ping's on the east. Ping was in part- 
nership with his son-in-law, George W. Miller, 
and they rented the ground that Dayton now 
stands upon and farmed it two years. Mr. 
Ping lived in Columbia county thirty years. 
He died at his home near Covello very sud- 
denly, August 16, 1890. 

Among other settlers who came in 1861 
were these : R. G. Newland, wife and chil- 
dren settled in the northern part of Walla 
Walla, which territory subsequently became 
Columbia county. He located on what was 
later known as the "Richardson farm," subse- 
quently taking up land in another part of the 
county. Addison Jacobs came in 1861. 
Thomas W. Whetstone, accompanied by his 
family, came from Oregon in the autumn of 
1 86 1 ; he located in the "Hollow" which still 
bears his name. Here he continued to live until 
his death in December, 1888. In the course 
of the early settlement of the country Mr. 
Whetstone was compelled to undergo many 
hardships and suffered many privations. 
Simon Critchfield crossed the plains in 1861 
with Thomas Winnet and sons and spent the 
next winter on Dry creek. 

The severe winter of 186 1-2 proved a seri- 
ous blow to the few settlers in the vicinity of 
the Touchet, Patit and Tucanon. Cattle died 
in droves from starvation. With the exception 
of 65 head Jesse N. Day lost all his stock. His 
brother, Henry Day, was more fortunate; his 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



287 



Stock stampeded for the timbered district and 
was saved. But it is safe to say that every one 
then living in the locality lost, practically, all 
their stock with the exception of Mr. Henry 
Day. Even the hardy cayuses, generally sup- 
posed to be able to weather any kind of a severe 
season, perished by scores. A very few cattle 
were saved, but at an expense of $20 per hun- 
dred pounds for oats. It is alleged that one old 
fellow living on the Tucanon saved a portion of 
his band of cattle by feeding them a kind of 
bouillon made from the carcases of dead ani- 
mals. The Indians suffered the loss of most of 
their ponies. A party of them coming over the 
Blue mountains were snowed in ; a large num- 
ber of ponies they had with them were left 
along the trail to die, the Indians making' their 
way down to the valley as best they, could. 
But in the spring all these tough cayuses were 
found alive and, comparatively, hearty. The 
snow was deep, but not crusted ; they had been 
able to paw it away and reach the grass. For 
three months the snow invaded Walla Walla 
county. It fell every day in succession for one 
month. A slight Chinook caused it to settle ; 
but it was still 32 inches deep on the level. 
Farmers burned their fence rails for firewood ; 
rails sold readily for $30 a hundred ; flour was 
worth $24 a hundred pounds; for forty days 
the mercury was 28 degrees below zero. And 
yet this unusually severe winter had been in- 
troduced by an autumn singularly mild. No- 
vember was as balmy as an ordinary May. On 
mountain ridges the temperature was suffi- 
ciently low to turn the copious precipitation into 
snow, covering the ridges to a great depth. 
During the closing days of November the tem- 
perature rose almost to summer heat; rains 
poured along the valleys ; the mountain snows 
were dissolved in a day; floods swept down 
every gorge swelling rills into torrents, torrents 
into vicious, brawling rivers. From Sacra- 
mento to British Columbia valleys were inun- 
dated. 

This remarkable and unseasonable heat 



suddenly turned to frigidity with the advent of 
1862. West of the Cascade mountains the 
mercury dropped to zero ; east of them many 
degrees below. In a chain of ice' the hyper- 
borean winter held the land for three full 
months. Harships and intense suffering were 
the lot of Eastern Washington settlers. Im- 
poverishment was escaped by few. On the 
open prairie and in among the hills travelers 
froze to death. At Walla Walla bacon sold 
for 50 cents, butter $1, sugar 50 cents, beans 
30 cents and tobacco $1.50 per pound, with all 
other necessaries of life in proportion. Yet it 
was small satisfaction to the settlers of whom 
we write to know that up in the mines of Sal- 
mon river these prices were multiplied by three 
and four. 

After i860, during the succeeding four 
or five years, all low ground along the streams 
was settled and, to a certain extent, cultivated. 
Little value was attached to the upper bench 
lands except for grazing purposes. But popu- 
lation did not increase rapidly. It had been 
discovered, however, in 1864, that hill soil was 
equally fertile and valuable for grain raising 
purposes as that along the streams. This dis- 
covery proved a great impetus to immigTation ; 
the succeeding few years, beginning with 1866, 
saw an influx of settlers whose cabins soon 
dotted the hills ; and they were soon surrounded 
with fields of grain. As improvements pro- 
gressed better houses and more substantial 
barns were built; the grain fields grew larger; 
orchards were planted and the entire country 
wore an air of peace and prosperity. As the 
population increased schools were established ; 
property increased in value. Of course, at this 
period the farmer progressed slowly. Trans- 
portation facilities were nil; there was no out- 
let for grain ; the home market could net con- 
sume fifty per cent of what was raised. Yet 
land increased in value; farmers raised some 
grain; bred cattle, sheep and horses, and be- 
came wealthy despite a serious handicap in the 
way of transportation. 



288 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



There was considerable history made in 
1862 throughout the county of which we write. 
One traveler who made the journey from 
Walla Walla to Lewiston, Idaho, that year, 
stated that he saw only four houses, or cabins, 
during the entire trip. In what has since been 
carved into Columbia county Robert Winnett 
this year took up his residence, remaining until 
his death in September, 1900. This year was, 
also, accentuated by a wind storm of unusual 
severity. At that period the country was 
sparsely settled ; there were few shade trees or 
fences, and nothing in particular for the storm 
king to satiate his wrath upon, with perhaps 
the exception of George W. Miller's residence, 
which was unroofed. 

Another important event of this year in 
the way of industrial enterprise was the build- 
ing of a wagon road between the city of Walla 
Walla and Lewiston. It at once became the 
main traveled route between these two towns; 
the principal ones at that period in the country. 
Following are the official proceedings of the 
Walla Walla board of county commissioners 
relating to this highway, at their session, Feb- 
ruary 20, 1862 : 

"The petition of Henry M. Chase and 
twenty-five other citizens to locate a county 
wagon road, commencing at the town of 
Walla Walla, thence following the present 
wagon road to the crossing of Dry creek at 
Aldrich's claim, thence up said creek to Charles 
Actor's; thence to the left, up a hollow about 
two miles ; to the intersection of a wagon road ; 
thence following said road, crossing the Cop- 
pei at saw mill; thence following the present 
wagon road to Schnebly's claim, the present 
crossing, of Touchet (Dayton's location), 
thence following the old Nez Perce trail, cross- 
ing the Tucanon at Chase's place (provided 
that a more suitable route cannot be found), 
thence with said trail to the line of Indian 
reservation. 

■ 'On motion said road- was located accord- 
ing to the prayer of said petition, and W. S. 



Gilliam, E. L. Massey and A. B. Roberts were 
appointed viewers of said road ; that said view- 
ers will, with the assistance of E. F. Gray, sur- 
veyor, commence viewing said road on the 1 5th 
day of May, A. D., 1862; and will make a 
report of their proceedings to this board as 
soon after the survey as practicable." 

The proceedings of June 2d of the same 
year in regard to this road reads as follows ". 

"On motion it was agreed to accept the 
plat and adopt the road surveyed by E. F. 
Gray between the cities of Walla Walla and 
Lewiston, wherein E. L. Massey, A. B. Rob- 
erts and F. D. Schnebly were viewers of said 
road." 

From this it appears that Mr. Schnebly 
was appointed to take the place of Mr. Gil- 
liam as one of the viewers. Following are the 
proceedings of the commissioners in the spring 
of 1863: 

"We, the undersigned, petition the Honor- 
able Board of Walla Walla county, Washing- 
ton Territory, to grant a relocation, or a change 
of a certain portion of the Lewiston road in 
Walla Walla county, Washington Territory, 
commencing at a point near Whetstone's place, 
thence on the main used wagon road to Stark's 
and Freeman's places, on Tucanon, and thence 
to intersect the old survey on the top of the 
hill on the south side of Pataha creek. 

"This March 8, 1863. 

"Signed by William K. Starks and others. 

"On motion the location of the proposed 
change in said road was allowed, and W. K. 
Starks, William Freemen and O. P. Platter 
were appointed viewers of said road. No per- 
son appeared to claim any damages or make 
any objections thereto, and no remonstrance 
filed." " 

Some of the early wagon roads opened by 
order of the commissioners of Walla Walla 
county in what is now Columbia county, were 
as follows : 

In 1863 — One from Wallula, thence across ta 
John Manion's claim on the lower Touchet; thence 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



289 



up the north side of the Touchet to the crossing 
of said river to the claim of D. Fudge, in section 
No. 5, township No. 9 north, range 38 east; thence 
along the south side of the Touchet to intersect 
the Lewiston road near the claim of John Forsythe. 
February term, 1864 — Commencing at A. J. 
Cain's claim; thence to the crossing of Dry creek 
at J. Greer's; thence to the Touchet at the crossing 
of H. D. O'Bryant's; thence by way of J. Dobson's 
and McKay's ranches; then intersecting the Lewis- 
ton road at Whetstone's ranch. The petition ask- 
ing for this road was signed by B. F. Blodgett, 
A. G. Lloyd, J. C. Lloyd, S. Caldwell, H. D. 
O'Bryant, J. P. Bowyer, P. R. Rhodes, Isaac 
Kellogg, Aaron Hardman, J. N. Foster, Robert 
Mason, James McKay, Elisha Harris, A. Jasper, J. 
W. Atkinson, James Woodruff, J. P. Perkins, T. 
W. Whetstone, M. H. Hauber, L. P. Berry, A. J. 
Cain and John W. Pullman. 

December term, 1865 — A road through the 
gulch, known as A. Johnson's hollow, leaving the 
Lewiston road at Schnebly's ranch, about three- 
quarters of a mile above crossing of Touchet and 
up some six miles through the aforementioned A. 
Johnson's hollow; thence about a mile across 
through a gulch into Whetstone Hollow, where it 
will intersect the Walla Walla and Lewiston road. 
The petition for this road was signed by A. Abel, 
John Abel, William Montgomery, James Cunning- 
ham, William Perryman, M. Hatten, Andrew Abel, 
John Hays & Company, F. Billups, J. M. Hobbs, A. 
Johnson and Luther Cashow. The advantages of 
such a road as set forth by the petitioners, were: 
"First, an outlet for settlers in the aforementioned 
hollow to either the Wallula or Lewiston roads; 
Second, as a means of communication between the 
Wallula and Lewiston roads, and an advantage to 
travelers." 

December term, 1866 — Road from Walla Walla 
to Blackfoot Ferry, on Snake river. Commencing 
at Walla Walla; thence on the present traveled 
road to O. Gallaher's ranch, crossing Dry creek at a 
point between his house and barn; thence direct 
to the mouth of a hollow, up said hollow to the 
mouth of Straight hollow; here intersecting the 
road to William King's ranch; thence by Dicken- 
son's ranch to bridge on Coppei at A. Cox's ranch; 
thence to Wait's mill (the present site of Waits- 
burg), thence up A. Lloyd's to Whetstone Hollow, 
up the same to the mouth of Sam Smith's hollow, 
up the 'same, over the summit, and down Boise 
some four miles; thence on the Platter trail to 
Platter's bridge, on Tucanon; thence upon Ken- 
tuck's trail to Blackfoot Ferry. 

May term, 1868 — Road from Wait's mill up 
what is known as the Wilson hollow to the Blue 
Mountains, as follows: From Waitsburg upon the 
present traveled road to Mark Old's land claim; 
thence along the east side of said hollow to inter- 
19 



sect the old road on the east of Moses Wright's 
house; thence along the same road to Preston 
Brickley's land claim north of his home, about 
thirty yards upon the bottom, intersecting the old 
road again at the northwest corner of Thomas 
Jasper's field; thence on the old road as now 
traveled to the rail pens on the Blue Mountains. 

Session of May 8, 1868 — Road from the Ken- 
tuck road, near A. C. Dickenson's, to a point in the 
Blue Mountains near the waters of the Touchet. 

Session of November 2, 186 9 — Road from a 
point on the Lewiston road, at Thomas Winnett's 
house, to Spackman's cabin, in the Blue Mountains. 
Road from the 30-mile post on the Lewiston road 
to the home of S. G. Miller, on Patit creek. 

During the year 1871 numerous roads were 
opened in the county, and on up to the forma- 
tion of Columbia county in 1875. 

Among - those who took up their residences 
in Columbia county at an early day, and for 
many years made their homes here, some still 
living in the county, with the date of their ar- 
rival and former home, were : 

Mathias Mathew, September 30, 1862, 
Iowa; H. C. Montgomery, October, 1864, 
Iowa; S. D. McCauley, August, 1865, Illinois; 
John Mustard, 1866, Oregon; John K. Rain- 
water, August 15, 1869, Oregon; Matt Riggs, 
May, 1870, Ohio; B.M. Turner, March, 1871, 
Missouri; Lang Sang, August, 1871, China; 
Cyrus Davis, October 27, 1871, Wisconsin; 
Daniel B. Kimball, November 12, 1871, In- 
diana; Dennis C. Guernsey, November 20, 
1 87 1, Wisconsin; A. H. Weatherford, No- 
vember, 1871, Oregon; W. O. Matzger, 
March, 1872, Walla Walla; Levi W. Watrous, 
May 1, 1872, Iowa; Robert F. Sturdevant, 
November, 1873, Wisconsin. 

Many of the early settlers of Columbia 
county were men who had taken part in the 
different Indian wars and who had been 
through the country with the army. Among 
the first settlers who had thus served were : 

Samuel Love Gilbreath, of Company E, 
of the First Regiment of Oregon Mounted 
Volunteers, taking part in the Cayuse Indian 
war of 1855-6. Other residents taking part 
in various Indian wars were : Henry Black, 



290 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



Jesse Cadwalleder, Daniel Delaney, Simeon 
D. Earl, Perry G. Earl, in the Caynse war of 
1847-8; Daniel Davis, Company E, George T. 
Pollard, Company F, Lieutenant Archimedes 
Hanan, Henry Bateman, George W. Miller, 
and Abel White, Company H, George Hunter 
and Albert G. Lloyd, Company I, First Regu- 
lars, Newton G. Curl, Company D, First Bat- 
tery, Charles Abraham, Company E, Second 
Regiment, Isaac Carson and Sylvester M.Wait, 
First Battery to Second Regiment. 

In the year 1866 enough tillers of the soil 
had made homes in the vicinity to warrant the 
erection of a flouring mill. It was built on the 
site of Long's Station where there was an ex- 
cellent water power ; the place was then known 
as "Milton Mills." In 1879 its owners became 
involved in numerous lawsuits, and the prop- 
erty was permitted to lie idle ; in the course of 
time it became, practically, worthless, with the 
exception of the water power. The old mill- 
stones decomposed ; the mill-race filled up with 
debris ; the flume was entirely decayed. Not 
until 1900 was there another flouring mill on 
the site of this pioneer "grist mill" of Colum- 
bia county. It is to be noted that when this 
new mill was erected, 34 years after the first 
one, some of the heaviest timbers utilized in 
the old one, which had been hewn from red 
fir logs, were used in the new structure, as sub- 
stantial as on the day the)' were first put in by 
the early pioneers. 

In 1869 was made the first attempt to cre- 
ate a new county from the eastern portion of 
Walla Walla county. This was due to the ef- 
forts of citizens of Waitsburg. For their town 
they were anxious to secure the capital of the 
proposed new county. At this period Waits- 
burg had a number of stores, a good school 
building, hotel, saw and grist mills, and was, in 
fact, the only town in the proposed new coun- 
ty. But at this time the upper portion of the 
territory desired was not thickly settled. An 
acceptable county seat Waitsburg could not be- 
come owing to its proximity to Walla Walla, 



and would, in the event of the proposed divi- 
sion, be situated in the extreme corner of the 
county. Despite these handicaps a petition was 
signed by 150 residents and presented to the 
legislature in October, 1869. This document 
was accompanied to Olympia by a delegation 
of Waitsburg citizens. The proposed division 
would leave one-half the area and one-third 
the population in the new county; the assess- 
ment valuation would be segregated. After con- 
sidering the pros and cons concerning this di- 
vision the Washington Territorial legislature 
declined to take any action in the premises; 
the dream was over ; the upbuilding of Dayton 
a few years later convinced the "division" peo- 
ple that, had their petition been granted, it 
would have been both unwise and transitory. 

A bill had been introduced in congress in 
the spring of 1873 granting a right of way 
from the Northern Pacific Railroad line at Spo- 
kane river via Penawawa, Dayton, Waitsburg, 
Walla Walla, La Grande, Baker and Boise 
cities, to a point on the Central Pacific rail- 
road. This measure failed to pass. In 1873 
the Seattle & Walla Walla Railroad Company 
was organized on the Sound. A. A. Denny 
and J. J. McGilvra, in August of that year, 
visited this section in the proposed road's in- 
terest. In Walla Walla, Waitsburg and Day- 
ton mass meetings were held. Through the 
Snoqualmie pass the frowning Cascades were 
to be crossed ; the road was to cost $4,500,000 
and be, in length, 260 miles. Five-tenths of 
this money the Walla Walla people agreed to 
raise. But in this event it was stipulated that 
Walla Walla was to be the terminus, with per- 
mission to name five of the thirteen directors. 
This proposition was readily acceeded to; the 
five directors named were W. F. Kimball, S. 
Schwabacher, Jesse N. Day, W. P. Bruce and 
William Shelton. But further work on the 
enterprise ceased; another "hot air" proposi- 
tion passed noiselessly into oblivion. , 

There were, however, more "paper rail- 
roads," for the future. A number of com- 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



291 



panies in various parts of Washington were or- 
ganized to build roads. The Dayton & Co- 
lumbia River Transportation Company was 
one of them. It proposed to construct a nar- 
row-gauge road from Dayton to Wallula via 
Waitsburg and Walla Walla; thence by 
steamer and "portage" railroads on to As- 
toria. Nothing" came of it. Then, in 1875, 
the energetic Dr. D. S. Baker came to the front 
and, in the patois of the business classes, there 
was "something doing." The Walla Walla & 
Columbia River Railroad was completed from 
Wallula to Walla W r alla ; the latter city had its 
first connection by rail with the outside world. 
It should be observed that it was this year 
initial attempts were made to secure a railroad 
into the territory that was, the same year, set 
off ?s Columbia county. Mass meetings were 
held at Waitsburg and Dayton ; the matter of 
securing railroad connection with the then 
county seat, together with the more important 
question of county division, was discussed. 
But this railroad agitation proved fruitless. 
Not until six years later did the locomotive 
whistle awaken the echoes of Columbia county. 
Without minutely going into the details of 
the somewhat complicated features of the early 
county organizations of Eastern Washington, 
we deem it necessary to give a brief summary 
of the different divisions that a clear under- 
standing may be had of the evolutions that led 
up to the formation of Columbia county. In 
the preceding chapters we have told of the 
creation of Walla Walla county by the first 
legislative assembly — that of 1854 — and of the 
organization of that county a few years later. 
Then Walla Walla county included all of the 
present Eastern Washington and a generous 
share of the present states of Idaho and Mon- 
tana. Shortly thereafter the disintegration of 
this mammoth county began. Spokane county 
was created in i860, taking from the mother 
county all that vast territory north of the 
Snake river and east of the Columbia. Then 
came the creation of Klickitat and Stevens 



counties, and Walla Walla was reduced to 
that portion of its original area lying south of 
Snake river and bounded on the west by the 
Columbia — a territory including the present 
counties of Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield 
and Asotin. Thus we find conditions when in 
1875 Columbia county was formed. 

Reference has already been made to the 
attempt of Waitsburg to effect a division of 
the county in 1869, the effort being unsuccess- 
ful. But increase in settlement, the rapid de- 
velopment in agricultural and other industrial 
lines made the proposition to form a new 
county not an unreasonable one in 1875. From 
a previously published history of Columbia 
county (Gilbert's), we make the following ex- 
tracts which will show clearly how the division 
of the county, by the creation of Columbia 
county, was effected : 

The springing up of Dayton and great increase 
of wealth and population of the country surround- 
ing it, led the minas of people to the idea that a 
new county should be created. They were a por- 
tion of Walla Walla county, but were so far from 
the county seat that it was a matter of great in- 
convenience and expense to transact official busi- 
ness. Especially were the citizens of Dayton in 
favor of a new county and the location of a seat 
of justice in their midst, as such a step would help 
the town. Dayton was the only town in the pro- 
posed new county, yet, as it was near the western 
verge, those who could see into the future recog- 
nized the fact that settlement of the Pataha, Al- 
powa and Asotin country would result in taking 
the county seat away from Dayton in time, or 
in creating another county to accommodate the 
people of that region. This served only to spur 
them on in their effort to secure the prize for Day- 
ton, hoping to retain it when the conflict came 
in the future by creating a new county, thus leav- 
ing Dayton in permanent possession of what it had 
gained. The democrats had elected Elisha Ping 
to the Territorial Council in 1874, and as this 
gentleman was a resident and property holder of 
Dayton his services were assured in securing the 
desired legislation. A petition was circulated and 
largely signed in 1875, asking the legislature to 
divide Walla Walla county by a line running 
directly south from the Palouse ferry, on Snake 
river, to the Oregon line, thus leaving Waitsburg 
just within the limits of the new county. 

The people of waitsburg objected. If they had 



292 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



to be the tail to any kite they preferred Walla 
Walla to Dayton. They delegated Mr. Preston to 
visit Walla Walla and consult with the people there 
on this subject. He addressed a large meeting in 
that city in September, and a remonstrance was 
prepared which received many signatures, and was 
forwarded to the legislature. Representatives 
Hodges, Lloyd, Lynch and Scott, of Walla Walla 
county opposed a division with earnestness. The 
cause of Dayton was in the hands of A. J. Cain, 
who managed it in Olympia, with the assistance of 
Mr. Ping. The remonstrance sent in by the peo- 
ple of Walla Walla and Waitsburg called the at- 
tention of the legislature to the fact that the pro- 
posed line of division cut off two-thirds of the 
county, including the bulk of the agricultural land 
and all the timber, and suggested that if it was 
necessary to create a new county at all, that a line 
running from Snake river to the Touchet on the 
line between ranges 38 and 39, thence up the 
south fork of the Touchet to the Oregon line, be 
selected. This was twelve miles east of the other 
proposed line, and would leave Waitsburg in Walla 
Walla county, as well as a large belt of agricultural 
and timber land that otherwise would be set off to 
the new county. Walla Walla found herself help- 
less in the matter in the legislature. The members 
from the western side of the mountains were in 
the majority, and they were in favor of a division 
as desired by the people of Dayton. A bill to 
create "Ping" county was introduced and passed 
both branches, only to meet with a veto at the 
hands of the Governor, who objected to certain 
features of it. Another bill was prepared in ac- 
cordance with his objections, to create the county 
of Columbia and was hurried through the legisla- 
ture in the last days of the season, receiving the 
governor's signature on the 11th day of November, 
1875. The line was a compromise between the two 
proposed, and struck the Touchet two miles above 
Waitsburg, then went south six miles, east six 
miles, and then south to the Oregon line. 

R. G. Newland, who was a member of the 
assembly of the Territorial legislature from 
Walla Walla county, introduced the bill author- 
izing the creation of Columbia county and by 
him the name of the new political division was 
selected. One who has been called the "Fa- 
ther of Columbia County," was A. J. Cain. 
He was one of the leading spirits of the di- 
vision movement, and rendered valuable as- 
sistance in securing the county seat for Dayton. 
In 1874 he established the Dayton News, the 



first newspaper in the county. He died July 
6, 1879. 

Following is the organic act organizing the 
county of Columbia : 

An act to organize the County of Columbia in 
Washington Territory: 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislative As- 
sembly of the Territory of Washington, That all 
that portion of Walla Walla county included with- 
in Washington Territory, and included within the 
following limits, be, and the same is hereby known, 
as the county of Columbia, viz: Commencing at a 
point in the middle of the channel of Snake river, 
where the range line between ranges thirty-six 
(36) and thirty-seven (37), east of the Willamette 
meridian intersects said point; thence south on said 
range line to the northwest corner township num- 
ber nine (9) north, range thirty-seven (37), east, 
to the northeast corner of said township; thence 
south on the line between ranges thirty-seven (37), 
and thirty-eight (38) east of the Willamette 
meridian, to the northeast corner of township num- 
ber seven (7), range thirty-seven (37) east; thence 
along the north boundary line of township number 
seven (7), north range thirty-eight (38), east, to 
the northeast corner of said township; thence due 
south to the line dividing the Territory of Washing- 
ton from the state of Oregon; thence due east on 
said dividing line to the dividing line between the 
Territories of Washington and Idaho; thence due 
north to a point where the dividing line between 
the Territories of Washington and Idaho intersects 
the middle channel of Snake river; thence down the 
middle channel of Snake river to the point of be- 
ginning: 

Provided, That all taxes levied and assessed by 
the beard of commissioners of Walla Walla county, 
for the year 1875, upon persons or property within 
the boundaries of the said county of Columbia, 
shall be collected and paid into the treasury ot 
Walla Walla county, for the use of said county ot 
Walla Walla. 

Provided, however, That nothing in this act 
shall be so construed as to deprive the county of 
Columbia of its proportion of the tax levied for 
common school purposes for the above named year, 
and provided further that the county of Columbia 
shall not be liable for any of the indebtedness of 
the county of Walla Walla, nor entitled to any por- 
tion of the property of said county of Walla Walla. 

Sec. 2. That B. Oliver, Frank G. Frary and 
George Pollard are hereby appointed a board of 
commissioners to call a special election for the 
election of county officers for said county, and to 
appoint the necessary judges and inspectors there- 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



293 



for. Notice of which election shall be given and 
the said election conducted, and returns made as is 
now provided by law. Provided, That the returns 
shall be made to the commissioners aforesaid, who 
shall canvass the returns, and declare the result in 
the same manner as county commissioners are re- 
quired to do by law. 

Sec. 3. That the justices of the peace and con- 
stables who are now acting as such in the precincts 
of the county of Columbia be, and the same are 
hereby declared justices of the peace and con- 
stables for the said county of Columbia. 

Sec. 4. The county seat of the said county of 
•Columbia is hereby located at Dayton until the 
next general election, at which a majority of the 
legal voters of said county may permanently locate 
the same. 

Sec. 5. The county of Columbia is hereby 
united to the county of Walla Walla for judicial 
purposes. 

Sec. 6. That all laws of a general nature 
-applicable to the county of Walla Walla, shall be 
applicable to the county of Columbia. 

Sec. 7. Until otherwise provided by law the 
said county of Columbia shall be entitled to elect 
two members of the house of representatives of 
the Legislative Assembly, and the county of Walla 
Walla, of which it has been heretofore a part, until 
■otherwise provided by law, shall elect four members 
•of said house of representatives, and the said 
county of Columbia shall, with the counties of 
Whitman and Stevens, constitute a joint council 
district, entitled to elect one member of the coun- 
cil in said Legislative Assembly, and the county 
•of Walla Walla shall hereafter constitute a council 
-district, entitled to elect one member of said Coun- 
cil. Acts and parts of acts providing a different 
■apportionment for representation in the Legislative 
Assembly, than herein contained for the districts 
of which the said Columbia, while part of said 
Walla Walla county, was a part, are hereby made 
to conform to this act. 

Sec. 8. All acts and parts of acts in conflict 
with any of the provisions of this act shall be and 
the same are hereby repealed. 

Sec. 9. This act shall take effect and be in 
force from and after its passage. 

Approved November 11, 1875. 



Columbia county came into existence on the 
.29th. day of November, 1875, at 9 o'clock, a. 
m. At that time F. G. Frary, Eliel Oliver and 
■George T. Pollard who had been named in the 
•enabling act as county commissioners, met at 
Dayton and entered upon their official duties. 
The oath of office was administered to each 



commissioner by William Hendershott, justice 
of the peace. 

The first official act after being sworn was 
the selection of F. G. Frary as chairman, and 
the naming of D. C. Guernsey as clerk of the 
board to serve as such until a county auditor 
should be duly elected and qualified. The date 
of the first election was set for Tuesday, De- 
cember 21st, the details of which political elec- 
tion will be found in the political chapter re- 
lating to this county. The matter of securing 
rooms for use of the county officers was decided 
January 4th, 1876, by the acceptance of a bid 
of James M. Hunt to furnish rooms at $15 
per month for the year 1876. 

This division of the county greatly dis- 
pleased the citizens of Walla Walla. They 
considered that their interests had not been 
properly safeguarded, and that the people of 
the Sound had discriminated against the ter- 
ritory east of the mountains, and, also, deprived 
them of considerable revenue. It was during 
this exciting condition of affairs that another 
annexation scheme was sprung by Oregon, and 
it was vigorously supported by many who had 
hitherto, strongly opposed the measure. The 
accounts of the preceding efforts to annex this 
territory to Oregon are given in the history of 
Walla Walla county. United States Senator 
James K. Kelly, of Oregon, in the senate in- 
troduced a bill which provided for the submis- 
sion to the voters of Walla Walla and Colum- 
bia counties the question of their annexation 
to Oregon, the territory thus including all south 
of the Snake river. But the Puget Sound peo- 
ple believed they had some interest even in the 
eastern portion of the commonwealth, and they 
vigorously opposed the measure, as did, also, 
people in Idaho. Especially bitter were the 
citizens of Dayton. The latter argued that 
rapid settlement of the Territory of Washing- 
ton would soon enable it to be admitted into 
the union. Loss of well populated districts, 
like Walla Walla and Columbia counties 
would greatly retard this movement. 



294 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



Accordingly Dayton forwarded to congress 
a memorial strongly objecting to Senator Kel- 
ly's bill. But Walla Walla bad other and op- 
posite views. Her citizens held a mass meet- 
ing and sent to congress another memorial fa- 
voring the bill for annexation. But it failed 
to pass as did, also, the house bill of similar 
character, introduced by Representative Lane, 
of Oregon, providing that the question should 
be voted upon at the coming November elec- 
tion. It had been reported on favorably by the 
committee on Territories, but went under be- 
fore the house. The result was gracefully ac- 
cepted by Walla Walla county, and it at once 
fell into harmonious lines with all other sec- 
tions of the Territory. 

During the spring of 1876 a railroad war 
broke out in Walla Walla, that favorably af- 
fected Columbia county. It was waged be- 
tween the citizens of Walla Walla and the 
company whose line extended from that town 
to Wallula. The railroad company, collec- 
tively, was declared a robber ; a boycott was de- 
cided upon ; farmers hauled their grain to Wal- 
lula ; merchants had their goods shipped back 
to them by teams. At the mouth of the 
Tucanon a litle place called Grange City, Co- 
lumbia county, sprung' up, and here freight 
was received for river transportation. It was 
then that the Oregon Steam Navigation Com- 
pany, heretofore alternately flattered and 
abused, "looked good to them." In its own 
interest it was trying to draw freight to the 
river above Wallula. Yet, singular as it may 
appear, the offer of Captain J. T. Stump to 
build a boat adapted to the Snake river trade, 
and transport freight in direct opposition, to 
that company, was cordially endorsed by the 
Volatile Grangers, and they aided him with 
financial and moral support. This steamer was 
the Northwest, commanded by Captain Stump. 
By him and the Small Brothers it was run un- 
til 1878 — and then was taken over by the Ore- 
gon Steam Navigation Company and became 
a part of its service. But it was found imprac- 



ticable to compete with the railroad by team, 
and the attempt was finally abandoned. The 
road was making an immense profit at $5.50 
per ton, but that was cheaper than teamsters 
could afford to haul it. 

Nothing permanent resulted from the or- 
ganization of the Walla Walla & Dayton Rail- 
road Company. It was incorporated in March, 
1876, and the trustees were E. Ping, S. M. 
Wait, Jesse N. Day, A. H. Reynolds and H. M. 
Chase. Dayton was the principal place of such 
business of the proposed road as was trans- 
acted. It never passed the "map" stage. 

In January, 1876, Columbia county was 
called upon to furnish six grand jurors and nine 
petit jurors for the district court for Walla 
Walla and Columbia counties, in session at 
Walla Walla, and to the following fell the 
honor of serving: 

Grand jurors — Henry Ousley, A. Fuller, 
J. S. Thomas, Thomas Holowell, George Gib- 
son and R. G. Newland. Petit jurors — C. P. 
Griffith, William King, James Skelton, Wil- 
liam Burge, H. Morris, E. Hastings, David 
Woods, D. M. Vaughn and T. S. Reynolds. 
, By the organic act Dayton was named as the 
county seat of Columbia county to remain such 
until the next general election, which occurred 
in November, 1876, when a permanent county 
seat should be selected by a majority vote of the 
legal voters of the county. The people of the 
extreme eastern half of Columbia county knew 
that their population would rapidly increase, 
and Dayton was far from occupying a central 
position. The eastern citizens clamored for 
another location of the county capital. A meet- 
ing was called, a townsite was selected on the 
Tucanon which they named Marengo. There- 
was an energetic combination against Dayton. 
At this meeting, held April 22, 1876, at the 
stage crossing of the Tucanon, 125 represent- 
ative men assembled in response to the call. 
T. W. Whetstone was elected chairman ; A. E. 
McCall, secretary. For a townsite J. M. Sil- 
cott offered to donate twenty acres of land, 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



295 



and ten more for a mill site. The same offer 
was made by Mr. King of land two miles be- 
low. Mr. Silcott's offer was accepted by a 
large majority. To all who would build on 
them it was decided to give lots within the next 
three years. Sewell Truax laid out the town ; 
quite a number of settlers complied with the 
imposed conditions and accepted lots. In May 
a store was built by A. C. Short ; preparations 
went forward for the erection of a mill. But 
the county seat contest was by no means de- 
cided; the Marengo people hesitated to make 
improvements ; three hundred people attended a 
Fourth of July clebration at the embryo town. 
But advantages were all with Dayton; it 
had a large population and thriving business ; 
Marengo existed chiefly on paper. True, 
Marengo partisans represented a larger section 
of agricultural land, but the settlers spread 
thinly, and when collected for voting purposes 
fell far short of the number required to over- 
come the Daytonites. At the fall election the 
vote was 418 for Dayton; 300 for Marengo — 
the exact number that had attended the Fourth 
of July celebration at the ambitious town. The 
firm grasp thus secured by • Dayton on the 
county seat she has never lost. The story of 
the second and last contest, in 1881, will be 
related in due order. 

In 1876 the rate of taxation was $1.60; in 
1877 property was assessed at $1,122,123, tax 
rate, $1.50; in 1878 property was assessed at 
$1,521,434, tax rate, $1.60; in 1879, $1,948,- 
016, tax rate, $1.70; in 1880, $2,630,056, tax 
rate, $1.60; in 1881, $2,747,081, tax rate 
$1.60; in 1882, $2,726,340, tax rate, $155. It 
will be seen that assessed values of property 
gradually increased from year to year. The 
rate of taxation included a territorial levy, 
ranging through the different years at from 
28 to 40 cents. 

The memorable event of 1877 was the Nez 
Perce Indian war. Although to a certain ex- 
tent it affected the whole of Fastern Wash- 
ington, so far as the war per se, was concerned, 



Columbia county had but little connection with 
it except to furnish a company of stalwart 
volunteers. June 22d, soon after the massacre 
in Idaho, a man named Ritchie was killed north 
of Snake river by a renegade Snake Indian. 
This originated the report that all northern 
Indians were on the war path. Exposed settle- 
ments were deserted, and in the towns prepara- 
tions were rapidly made for defense on an ex- 
tended scale. All kinds of sanguinary stories 
were afloat on the wings of rumor. Absurd 
and improbable tales were readily believed. It 
was soon demonstrated that these reports that 
had caused great agitation, stagnation of busi- 
ness and obstruction of travel, were false; the 
people quieted down; settlers returned to their 
homes and the tumultuous country resumed its 
normal condition. The war never crossed 
Snake river ; it was confined to Idaho and Mon- 
tana. 

It is undeniable, however, that settlers east 
of the Tucanon were in great trepidation. 
Leaving their homes they congregated at 
Lewiston, Dayton and Walla Walla. It was 
not so much Chief Joseph's band they feared ; 
it was reasoned that his outbreak might en- 
courage other tribes to rise, slaughter and burn. 
Volunteers came forward from Dayton, Walla 
Walla and the Pataha country, and served for 
several weeks with the troops in Idaho, and 
in scouting through the exposed sections of 
Washington. April 20, 1877, a conference 
with General Howard was held at Walla Walla. 
The volunteers from this town were com- 
manded by Captain Paige, a little more than 
20 strong. The company from Dayton num- 
bered 45 young men ; they had elected Colonel 
Geo. Hunter their captain. Levi Watrous was 
their lieutenant. In his book Colonel Hunter 
says : 

"They said they would go to the assistance 
of the North Idaho people if I would lead 
them. When this transpired I was some 40 
miles away, attending to some business for the 
Patrons of Husbandry, and had not heard 



296 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



of the outbreak until the messenger met me 
one morning about eight o'clock. Together 
we hastened to Dayton, arriving there about 
three o'clock, p. m., where we found tbe boys 
rushing around, securing horses and all things 
needed for the trip. 

"On my arrival I was warmly received by 
all. The command was tendered to me and I 
accepted it. It took us but a short time to 
secure horses, saddles and other articles re- 
quired, for I told the boys I was sure that the 
government officers would be glad to receive 
and arm us. Late in the evening we moved 
out about seven miles, and encamped near my 
farm for the night. * * * The following- 
morning we resumed our march for Lewiston, 
55 miles east, where we arrived that night. 

"The next morning I tendered our services 
to Colonel Spurgeon, tbe representative of the 
government there, General O. O. Howard the 
commander of the department of the Columbia, 
having gone to the front, leaving Colonel 
Spurgeon to forward men and supplies as fast 
as they arrived at Lewiston, by steamer or 
otherwise. On presenting myself to the colonel 
I was received in a most courteous manner. 
He asked me whether I wished to co-operate 
with tbe United States troops, or go inde- 
pendently. I told him I was not able to arm, 
equip and maintain 45 men in the field, nor 
were any of my command able to do so ; that 
I proposed to attach my company to General 
Howard's forces, and to operate in accordance 
with his orders, and requested him to fit out 
my company. He said General Howard would 
be glad to have us with him, and that within 
a day or two he would have plenty of needle 
guns and ammunition up from Fort Van- 
couver; that on their arrival he wished that I, 
with my command, would escort some army 
officers up to General Howard on Camas 
prairie." 

At the time the Dayton boys arrived in 
Lewiston a company of about 25 men from 
Pomeroy, under command of Captain Elliott 



and Lieutenant E. T. Wilson, arrived there. 
An attempt was made to consolidate the two 
companies, but failed and each went alone. 
While waiting for arms Captain Hunter es- 
corted a party of" army officers to Lapwai. The 
steamer carrying the arms arrived in a short 
time and the Dayton company was armed with 
50-calibre needle guns, and furnished suf- 
ficient rations to last it to Camas prairie. The 
company at once started on a forced inarch 
for the front, in company with a small body of 
mounted soldiers. They moved swiftly to 
Lapai, and thence up and over Craig's moun- 
tain. The next day the company crossed the 
prairie and over the hills to the head of White 
Bird Creek, the scene of Colonel Perry's defeat 
a few days before, where soldiers were en- 
gaged in burying the dead of that disastrous 
battle. 

About four o'clock the Dayton volunteers 
reached General Howard's headquarters on 
White Bird creek. Captain Hunter reported 
and formally tendered the company's services, 
and that night took up a position and put 
out guards. The following morning the com- 
mand, all except the Dayton company, moved 
on to Salmon river, a few miles away. As the 
Dayton troops had been on a forced march 
from Lewiston they were left in camp to re- 
cuperate, but after a short time, the men be- 
coming restless, they followed to the front. 
Indians could be seen on the opposite side of 
Salmon river and it was believed that they 
were strongly fortitfied and would give battle 
were an attempt made to cross the river. 
Reaching the summit of the high hills that 
overlooked the river, Captain Hunter dis- 
mounted his men, left a few in charge of the 
horses and with others ran swiftly down the 
steep hills to some cabins that had been built 
years before by miners. There they scouted 
up the river to where the White Bird trails 
struck it. Here they found General Howard's 
headquarters already established, and were 
soon joined by those who had been left in 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



297 



■charge of the horses. Colonel Hunter con- 
tinues : 

"Having obtained permission from General 
Howard, I, with a part of my company, went 
up the river a mile or two to where one Mason 
and others had been killed, and burned up in 
their cabins. My recollection is that in all 
there were three killed and burned here. We 
collected all the remains we could find and 
buried them. We found an old skiff that had 
been split in two which we managed to patch 
Tip; then we made paddles out of boards, and 
I and one of the boys paddled it down the 
river to headquarters, the rest of the boys run- 
ning along the bank, ready to cover us in case 
of an attack." , 

After this incident Captain Hunter, First 
Sergeant John Long, of the Dayton company, 
and a gentleman named Randall, crossed the 
river in a skiff and made a scouting tour on 
the other side. They found no Indians, but 
plenty of "signs," the hostiles having, appar- 
ently, just left. That same evening, June 29th, 
by order of General Howard, the Dayton 
volunteers reported to Captain Marcus P. 
Miller, of the Fourth Artillery, for duty. 
The next day the command crossed the river, 
the Dayton company being the first over. 
Captain Hunter then received the following 
order : 

SPECIAL FIELD ORDER NO. 22. 

Captain George Hunter, commanding Dayton 
Volunteers, will at 6 p. m., tomorrow make a 
reconnaissance in the direction of Pittsburg Land- 
ing, and examine the country thoroughly as he 
proceeds, especially in the direction of Joseph's 
reported encampment. 

By order of Brigadier General Howard. 

(Signed): M. C. WILKINSON. 

First Lieutenant Third Infantry, Aide de Camp. 

Concerning the fulfillment of these orders 
Colonel Hunter in his book says : 

Pursuant to this order I selected ten or twelve 
of my best mounted men, and in company with a 
signal officer furnished by the general to accom- 



pany this expedition, we pushed on up the moun- 
tain in the direction of Canoe Encampment. We 
found the mountain very steep and hard to climb. 
On reaching the summit we soon struck Joseph's 
trail, which was broad and easily followed, as 
Joseph had hundreds of horses with him. These 
trails we followed some distance, then swung 
around, and returned by way of Pittsburg Land- 
ing. Arriving at the summit of the mountain we 
tried for some time to attract the attention of 
those at headquarters on Salmon river, twelve 
or fifteen miles away, but we failed to catch their 
eye. After fully satisfying ourselves that the 
Indians had gone toward Canoe Encampment, on 
Snake river, we returned, having traveled over 
forty miles over rough mountains, and the most 
of the way without a trail. 

The Dayton company then proceeded with 
General Howard's army on the trail of the 
hostile Indians, and gained as far as a small 
rivulet nearly opposite ■ the mouth of Rocky 
canyon, where they camped. Here news was 
received that Chief Joseph had made a flank 
movement and swung around back to Camas 
prairie, and that he had Colonels Perry and 
Whipple's commands surrounded near the Cot- 
tonwood house. These were the troops that 
had been so roughly handled in the White 
Bird canyon. They had been sent back by 
General Howard from Salmon river for ammu- 
nition and supplies, and were attacked at the 
Cottonwood house, where brave young Lieu- 
tenant Raines lost his life. He was out with 
eight or ten soldiers making a reconnaissance, 
and was cut off by the Indians, and the whole 
party killed after making a gallant fight. This 
news resulted in the company of Dayton volun- 
teers, of 45 men, and Captain McConville's 
company of fifteen Lewiston volunteers, being 
sent on a forced march across the country by 
way of Rocky canyon to the Cottonwood house 
to the relief of Colonels Whipple and Perry. 
The order for this move was as follows : 

SPECIAL DRDER NO. 23. 

Captain George Hunter, commanding Dayton 
Volunteers, will proceed via Rocky canyon to 
Cottonwood, I. T., reporting upon his arrival there 
to the commanding officer. As soon as his serv- 



298 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



ices can be dispensed with on reaching Lewiston, 
[. T., Captain Hunter, with his company, is hereby 
relieved from duty with this command. 

By order of Brigardier General Howard. 
(Signed.) M. C. WILKINSON, 

Aide de Camp. 

Accompanying this order was the fol- 
lowing: 

Headquarters Department of the Columbia, in 
the field. Camp Raines; Junction of Rocky canyon 
and Canoe Encampment Trail, I. T., July 4, 1877. 
Special Field order No. 23. 

The commanding general of the department 
takes this opportunity to convey to Captain George 
Hunter, commanding Dayton Volunteers, and the 
individual members of his company, his thanks 
for the hearty, prompt and energetic manner in 
which they have responded to every call to duty 
during the period in which they have served in 
his command. Often sent in the advance under 
the most trying circumstances they have never 
failed to answer cheerfully every demand to 
perilous duty. 

By command of Brigadier General Howard. 
(Signed.) M. C. WILKINSON, 

First Lieutenant Third Infantry, Aide de Camp. 

I 
In his book Colonel Hunter says, explain- 
ing this order relieving his company from 
duty : 

"As the most of my command were young 
farmers who were needed at that time at their 
homes to care for their crops, and Howard 
thought he had sufficient United States troops 
to cope with the hostiles, he sent the order by 
the men he dispatched for boats to cross us 
over Salmon river." 

Continuing Colonel Hunter says : 

Receiving Special Field order No. 22, McCon- 
ville's company and mine (sixty-five men all told), 
made a forced march to Salmon river opposite 
the mouth of Rocky canyon, and there camped 
for the night. The next morning the boats reached 
us about daylight, when we ferried our men and 
supplies over, swimming our horses, and pushed 
on over the mountain for Camas prairie. On the 
top of this mountain we met another courier who 
stated that fighting was still going on at Cotton- 
wood. So we hurried on to the prairie where we 
stopped half an hour to rest our horses and par- 
take of a lunch ourselves. From an adjacent hill 



we could see men riding back and forth near the 
Cottonwood. This assured us that the fight was 
still going on. Soon remounting we rode across 
the level prairie as fast as our horses could stand 
it. At about sundown we were among the low 
mounds, or hills, a few miles from the Cottonwood 
house. Then, as we could not see any signs of 
the Indians, or hear any shooting, we concluded 
that they had drawn off to attack us, and were 
lying in concealment among these hills. We be- 
lieved they could make it warm for us before we 
were able to reach the soldiers. Having arrived at 
this conclusion, we called in our advance guards. 
I told McConville I would do the scouting through 
these hills myself, and in case he was attacked he 
had better have our horses shot down and use their 
bodies for breastworks, for they were so tired it 
was about impossible to get away from the Indians 
on them. The Indians would be mounted on fresh, 
fleet horses or ponies. All must make up their 
minds to either whip the Indians or themselves 
be killed to a man. 

Captain McConville was an old soldier, but 
without experience in Indian warfare. He was a 
brave man and a good officer. He requested me, 
in case of an attack to return and assume com- 
mand of our men. Getting ready to go forward, 
I told him to keep his men a few yards apart, and 
to move only as I should signal to have him from 
time to time as I passed over the hills, and to 
always keep a good place in view whereat to make 
a stand and fight. All being understood I passed 
rapidly ahead, from mound to mound, closely ex- 
amining the ground for evidences of the presence 
of Indiana as I went, and signalling McConville 
as I proceeded over mound, hill, gulch and flat 
at as rapid a pace as my "Little Wonder" could 
carry me; and until in the fast gathering dark- 
ness I heard a loud voice saying, Don't shoot at 
the man coming on that white horse; that is 
Captain Hunter — I know his riding." The sentence 
was hardly finished when I galloped up the slope, 
and into the midst of a squad of soldiers who were 
standing around a gatling gun near some rifle 
pits. I was soon grasping the hand of Major Bab- 
bitt and others. This hill had been fortified with 
rifle pits by the soldiers, who had defended and 
held it against Joseph's entire force for a day or 
two. 

Captain McConville soon came up with our two 
commands. But our rejoicings at having gotten 
in so easily were soon turned to exclamations of 
sadness as we listened to the particulars of the 
gallant fight that had been made a few hours be- 
fore our arrival by seventeen Mount Idaho men. 
* * * It was believed that the Indians had 
seen me and the command approaching across the 
prairie, and that the warm reception they had re- 
ceived at the hands of the seventeen Mount Idaho 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



299 



boys was a "pointer" to what they might expect 
at the hands of sixty-five men of similar habits. 
At least they drew off in the direction of the 
Kamai reservation pretty soon. On the arrival of 
our two commands the boys were soon in camp and 
listening to different accounts of the happenings of 
the past few days at and near the Cottonwood 
house. * * * The next morning I received 
orders to escort the dead and wounded of the brave 
seventeen across the prairie to Mount Idaho. Fully 
expecting the Indians would give us battle when 
they saw us out in open ground, and as we had 
never tried our needle guns, I ordered my men 
to try them at a target. The boys moved out and, 
to our utter astonishment, not one in twenty of 
our cartridges would fire, as one after another 
of the boys attempted to test their guns. 

Then things began to "rumble," and the air 
was resonant with "cuss" words as we all began 
to realize the helpless condition we had unknow- 
ingly been in while making the dangerous and 
toilsome marches of the past few days, sometimes 
almost into the jaws of death, encumbered with 
heavy belts filled with worthless cartriges, which 
rendered our guns useless except as clubs, and only 
a portion of the command provided with small 
arms. Major Babbitt, who had issued these cart- 
ridges to my men, being present, he at once had 
other cases brought out, opened and examined. 
He said there had been some damaged cartridges 
discovered before, and by accident we had got 
hold of some of them. We were all satisfied that 
it was an unintentional mistake, and could see 
that the officer who had furnished them to us felt 
really worse about it than we did. * * * This 
incident I note to show that sometimes luck favors 
those who are unable to favor themselves. In 
other words, "a fool for luck." 

Being furnished with good cartridges we 
started across to Mount Idaho with the dead and 
wounded, arriving there without molestation. The 
next day we buried the dead. As we were now 
away from the government troops, and were not 
likely to be able to join them for some time, and 
the hostiles being near us, it was thought best 
to consolidate the Idaho and Washington volun- 
teers and form a regiment, there being three com- 
panies of Idaho men and one (my own) from 
Washington Territory. After some delay we ef- 
fected an organization by electing Captain Mc- 
Conville,. colonel; myself, lieutenant colonel, and 
George Sears, major, of the First Regiment of 
Idaho and Washington Volunteers. 

It was at this time that Colonel Hunter 
was shot in a quarrel with E. T. Wilson, who 
was at the time a member of Captain McCon- 



ville's company. The quarrel grew out of 
jealousy over the selection of the officers of 
the regiment. Matters were straightened out 
and Colonel Hunter and Mr. Wilson became 
warm friends. The volunteers moved on in the 
direction of Kamai, under command of Colonel 
McConville, leaving their newly chosen lieu- 
tenant colonel in the hospital. Within a day 
or two the volunteers were attacked on a hill 
where they had made a stand, but the hostiles 
found them too strongly fortified, and drew off 
after succeeding in capturing a few horses. 
Continuing his story Colonel Hunter says : 

The ball had been extracted from my neck and 
I was able to move around a little, when the 
courier arrived at Mount Idaho with the news 
of the attack. I proceeded forthwith to secure a 
sufficient number of horses to remount our men 
and sent them to the command. A day or two later 
a courier brought in word that the Indians had 
engaged General Howard in battle at Kamai, and 
that the volunteers had refused to assist him in 
the fight, and moved down to Clearwater on their 
side of the mountain, General Howard being on 
the opposite side of the Clearwater from Mount 
Idaho. When I heard this I induced a one-armed 
courier named George Greer to bring my horse 
to me, and to fill my canteen with water. Then 
we quietly left the hospital and Mount Idaho, and 
went to the scene of battle as fast as we could, 
armed with only one old revolver between us. 
On going into the hospital I had loaned my gun 
and revolver to a party who I believed could make 
better use of them in the field than I could in 
bed. Being both well mounted we made good time, 
and arrived at Kamai just after Howard's cavalry 
and McConville's command, together with a few 
Indian scouts, had been repulsed on the Lo-lo 
trails. * * * The volunteers and cavalry, 
having found the hostiles too well posted in the- 
timber and brush, had returned to Kamai. My 
first inquiry upon meeting General Howard was as 
to the conduct of the volunteers during the battle 
of Kamai, of which I had heard the uncompli- 
mentary report at Mount Idaho. He said there 
was no blame to be attached to McConville's com- 
mand; that their showing themselves on the moun- 
tain was all that could be expected of them under 
the circumstances; for they, by their presence 
there, were attracting the attention of the hostiles 
to a certain extent, and preventing them from 
flanking Howard and returning to Camas prairie,, 
where the people were now almost at their mercy. 
Besides, if McConville had attempted to come 



300 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



down with a small body of men, the Indians would 
have undoubtedly, cut him up badly. Finally, he 
said, that McConville had used good judgment 
and done all that was necessary to be done on his 
ride to the river. 



To Colonel Hunter General Howard also 
said that he had given Lieutenant Watrous 
permission to return with the Dayton volun- 
teers to Mount Idaho for the colonel and 
accompany him home. This was subsequently 
done. 

Such was the part played by the Dayton 
volunteers in the war inaugurated by the great 
Indian strategist. Chief Joseph. The history 
of the latter reads like a tale of romance, and 
his death at Xespelim. in September. 1904, 
awakened many favorable comments, editorial 
and otherwise, on his life and character. 

At the time of the organization of Colum- 
bia county, in 1875, there were not a few who 
doubted the ability of the people living in 
the new county to maintain the organization 
owing to the small population and assessable 
property. But those who secured the creation 
of the new political division were far-sighted. 
And the dawn of prosperity had arrived. Not 
only was the county organization maintained, 
but the county was kept out of debt and its 
scrip was at par. During the first few years 
the increase in population was so great that, 
according to the census of 1878, Columbia 
county had a population of seventy more than 
the parent county, Walla Walla. In the lan- 
guage of the Columbia "Chronicle" of August 
31, 1878, "Walla Walla is no longer the rival 
of Columbia ; her rival has crossed over the 
river." 

In 1877 tri e air was full of railroad rumors. 
A road from Dayton, via Waitsburg and 
Walla Walla, to -Weston, Oregon, was pro- 
jected but did not materialize, at least, not 
until the Oregon Railroad & Navigation Com- 
pany came to the front. In the autumn of this 
year the Seattle & Walla Walla Railroad Com- 
pany made a "forlorn hope" effort to secure 



financial aid to build a line across the Cas- 
cades, and thus forestall the Northern Pacific 
Railway Company. At this period the latter 
corporation was on the eve of resuming active 
operations. In November, during the closing 
hours of the legislature, a bill was passed in 
the interest of the Seattle and Walla Walla 
Company, under a suspension of the rules. The 
act provided that the latter road should amend 
its articles of incorporation so as to continue 
the road from Walla Walla through Dayton 
to Colfax. A special election to be held April 
9, 1878, was provided for in the measure, for 
the purpose of voting on the question of a sub- 
scription to its stock by various counties, the 
amount for each county being designated. It 
was provided that an adverse decision by both 
King and Walla Walla counties should act as 
a negative to the whole proposition. The or- 
ganic act of the Territory of Washington con- 
tained a clause expressly forbidding the Legis- 
lative Assembly to issue, or authorize the is- 
suance of any obligations. In view of this 
it was the general opinion that the legislature 
had exceeded its authority, and the whole mat- 
ter was dropped. 

For the first time, in 1877, Columbia coun- 
ty was connected with the outside world by 
telegraph. Between Walla Walla and Dayton 
was this link with the world's great telegraph 
chain built, and the name of the corporation 
was the Dayton & Walla Walla Telegraph 
Company. It had been organized in the spring 
of that year. The line was completed and 
opened for service in July. About $2,000 
were advanced by the citizens of Dayton as 
aid in the construction of the line, they agree- 
ing to use this amount in telegraphing. Later 
this enterprise passed into the Western Union 
Telegraph Company. 

In the spring of 1879 a telegraph line 
was constructed from Dayton to Lewiston and 
Fort Lapwai by the war department. This 
was for military purposes. On the 17th of 
June the first message was sent by the citizens 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



301 



of Lewiston to those of Dayton, honoring the 
patriots who had fought at Bunker Hill 103 
years before. The line was at once extended 
from Pomeroy to Couer d' Alene by the way 
of Colfax. 

Before Columbia county was penetrated by 
railroads, and when the only transportation 
facilities were stage coaches to Columbia river 
points, and thence by boat to Portland, an ice 
blockade on the Columbia shut off the county 
entirely. With each succeeding year the block- 
ade came, and then the county was dead to the 
world until the river again opened its channel. 

An important institution was the North- 
western Stage Company for a number of years. 
Through Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada 
and Utah it began operations in 187 1. It car- 
ried passengers, the United States mail and the 
Wells, Fargo & Company's express business. 
In consequence of losing its government con- 



tracts in 1878 it was compelled to go out of 
existence, and at that period its line did not 
extend east to Boise City. It had been operat- 
ing 435 miles of daily stage line; from Boise 
City to Umatilla, 290 miles; Umatilla to The 
Dalles, no miles; a branch from Cayuse to 
Walla Walla, 35 miles. In its service were 
three hundred horses, twenty-two coaches, 
thirty-four stations and one hundred and fifty 
employes. Annually it consumed 730,000 
pounds of grain and 825,000 pounds of hay. 
The new contractor's route was from Kel- 
ton, Utah, to The Dalles, connecting at Pendle- 
ton for Walla Walla. Another route from 
Walla Walla to Colfax via Waitsburg, Dayton, 
Pomeroy and Almota, and one from Dayton 
to Lewiston were let to other contractors. 
From the larger ones shorter routes, or spurs, 
branched out. Concord coaches were employed 
drawn by four or six horse teams. 



CHAPTER II 



CURRENT EVENTS— 1878 TO 1884. 



During the year 1878 an abortive attempt 
was made to slice from the Territory of Wash- 
ington the two rich counties of Columbia and 
Walla Walla, and annex them to the state of 
Oregon. Yet this was not the initial raid on 
Washington territo^, although it was the last 
assault on the integrity of this commonwealth. 
Land-lust is not confined to international af- 
fairs; counties look with the eye of covetous- 
ness on sister counties; states reach out into 
adjoining states for the fell purpose of swell- 
ing their own public domain and increasing 
their own tax revenue. The temper of the 
residents of Columbia and Walla Walla coun- 
ties in regard to this attempt to leave an ugly 
jog in the southern boundary of Washington 



Territory is shown by the following editorial 
published in the Columbia "Chronicle" of 
April 20, 1878: , 

"The wise men of Washington have been 
importuned by Oregon's ambitious senator, 
Mitchell, to cut a slice from Washington Terri- 
tory and bestow the same upon Oregon. We 
stand for the territorial integrity of our coun- 
try, and grant that the area of our Territory 
is large, but we do not understand that Ore- 
gon is so small that it is necessary to divest 
us of two magnificent counties to magnify 
her dimensions. Columbia county would very 
reluctantly and sadly withdraw from her sister 
counties ; from the Territory. Its broad re- 
gions of bunch grass, its fertile valleys and 



302 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



rolling hills, its meandering streams, its mag- 
nificent mountains are clear to our hearts. 

"The pioneers of Columbia county came 
from many lands, by divers ways, and at the 
end of weary wanderings nestled down to rest 
and thrive upon the sustaining bosom of Wash- 
ington Territory. Memories of the past en- 
twine around her heart and bind her to these 
people. For scheming politicians to attempt 
to make our county the tail-end of Oregon is 
too much, and a unanimous voice would be 
heard from every valley and hill-top against 
such a scheme. It would, certainly, have been 
well for Mitchell to have waited until the 
people of Columbia and Walla Walla counties 
asked for his services and the music of his 
silvery tongue in regard to annexation. Our 
county is out of debt, our scrip is worth its 
face in greenbacks, or silver, neither our county 
or Territorial taxes are high ; then why 
should we be annexed to a tax-ridden state 
like Oregon, whose citizens are groaning under 
an enormous state debt? It is merely the work 
of a few political wire-pullers, and they might 
as well quit now." 

Statistics gathered in 1878 bearing directly 
upon the conditions of Columbia county in 
those early days will, certainly, prove of more 
than passing interest to the present and future 
generations. The following were copied from 
the assessor's books by County Auditor O. C. 
White : 

Total number of inhabitants, 5,820; num- 
ber of voters in Columbia county, 1.705 ; num- 
ber of voters in the town of Dayton, 251; 
number of voters in the county east of Tucan- 
non, 605; total assessment, $1,520,887; per- 
sonal property, $1,014,235; real estate, $506,- 
652; increase in population, 1,944 — over 50 
per cent. ; increase in taxable property, $398,- 
764 — over 35 per cent. 

This population of 5,820 made Columbia in 
1878 the most densely populated of any county 
in the Territory, Walla Walla being a close 
second with 5,701 and King county third, with 



5,443. At that period the total population of 
the state was only 51,333, thus leaving to 
Columbia county nearly one-ninth of the total 
number of inhabitants in the Territory. From 
the assessor's books of that year we find that 
the total acreage of Columbia county (then in- 
cluding, of course, Garfield and Asotin), was 
as follows : wheat, 28,337 acres ; barley, 
4,260; oats, 4,260; corn, 555; potatoes, 205; 
timothy, 633; orchards, 496; alfalfa, 15; flax, 
14; clover, 3. 

With this showing of flattering statistics 
the Columbia "Chronicle" was moved, May. 
18, 1878, to rhapsodise as follows: 

"The sun-browneel ranks of immigrants 
move along the highways, some days in almost 
unbroken columns. Welcome, strangers' to our 
land of plenty! You will never have cause, we 
are certain, to regret making- homes in this 
new and favored country." 

November 2d, of the same year, the 
"Chronicle" added : 

"The unlimited number of immigrants 
passing through Dayton is astonishing. Where 
do they all come from ? However, we are con- 
tent, since a goodly number are finding homes 
in our midst." 

It is unquestioned that an immense immi- 
gration penetrated the confines of Washington 
Territory during the year 1878, perhaps more 
in proportion than any other year before or 
since. Nearly every state in the union was 
represented ; from the pineries of Maine to the 
mesquite plains of Texas, and from Missouri 
they came in shoals. It had fairly dawned 
upon the minds of many who had made 
thorough investigation that the first explorers 
of this marvelous country, and more especially 
the military officers, had been wrong in their 
diagnosis of Washington's soil. Practical re- 
sults had proven them to have been wide of 
the mark in pronouncing the country a desert, 
and that what they were pleased to term 
"sand" was, in reality, soil — soil the most pro- 
ductive and far more enduring in its productive 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



3°3 



qualities than the blacker earth east of the 
rockies. 

The Bannock and Piute Indian War of 
1878, while not directly affecting any of the 
southern tier of counties in the Territory of 
Washington, created no little excitement and 
trepidation in Columbia county. People were 
continually on the quivive and a new Indian 
scare was of almost daily occurrence. The 
incidents and details of he Nez Perce war of 
1877 were still fresh in the minds of the peo- 
ple and served to swell the volume of terror 
that swept through Columbia county. Reports 
of the battle of Willow Springs and the siege 
of Pendleton had reached the settlers. William 
Lamar, a school teacher, had been killed, S. I. 
Landsdon. A. Crisfield, S. Rothschild, G. W. 
Titsworth, C. R. Henderson, Frank Hannah, 
Jacob Fraser, J. W. Salisbury and H. H. 
Howell had been wounded. The body of 
Lamar had been horribly mutilated; Indians 
had cut out his heart and roasted it over a 
slow fire. In this condition it had been found 
after the savages had retreated. Editorializing 
upon the sensational conditions of 1878 the 
Columbia "Chronicle," of May 4th- said: 

"Evejry now and again sfome wild and 
bloody rumor starts that the Spokane or Nez 
Perce Indians are on the war path. We are 
inclined to the belief that these rumors are 
manufactured and put into circulation by a 
class of fellows who would delight to see an- 
other Indian war. And, in our opinion there 
are army officers, camp followers, and mule 
contractors who are now and have been in- 
dustriously trying to inaugurate another Indian 
war, notwithstanding the failure of the hymn- 
book policy; for General Miles preached the 
true religion to them; his doctrine converted 
them to the happ)' hunting grounds without 
prayers or probation. The voice of the Spo- 
kanes is for peace, if possible, and war if 
driven to it by fanatics. Nearly all of the 
straggling, roaming Indians we have seen in 
this part of the country were well armed. The 



Indian does not need improved fire arms to 
kill game. The old-fashioned muzzle-loading 
rifle or shot gun is all that he needs for that 
purpose." 

Two months subsequently, July 6th, the 
"Chronicle" added : 

We glean from the Pendleton Independent of 
the 4th that a strong, hostile force are marching 
from John Day's river toward the Columbia. The 
Umatillas met them and have been fighting them, 
but eventually had to retreat. They appealed 
for help from the whites, which is being furnished 
as fast as possible. Four Umatillas and a number 
of Snakes were killed. General Wheaton has sent 
all available troops, a battalion of sixty men, 
down to prevent the Indians crossing north of the 
Columbia, but turned them to Pendleton which 
was in great danger. The hostiles are Snakes, 
Bannocks, Piutes and Shoshones. 

A dispatch received at Dayton yesterday states 
that the hostiles have penetrated the Umatilla 
reservation and are beating the troops and 
threatening to take Pendleton. Cannon is heard 
from Weston. General Wheaton has forwarded all 
the force at his command. It is hoped that the 
cavalry which passed down yesterday morning will 
reach the scene of action in time to be of service. 
It seems that General Wheaton recognizes the situ- 
ation and is using diligence to meet the emergency. 
It appears that Howard's forces are in the rear 
of the Indians pursuing them with all possible 
dispatch through John Day Valley. I. N. Arment, 
of the telegraph office, hands us the following re- 
ceived here the fifth: 

"Courier in. Reports Indians fighting between 
Cayuse and Umatilla, and they are licking h — 1 
out of the soldiers and settlers, and say they Will 
take Pendleton this morning by daylight. Courier 
says you can stand in Weston and hear the can- 
nons roar; says they have killed several settlers. 
About the Umatillas holding them is all a farce. 
A man just came in and reports to General 
Wheaton that the Indians have killed his brother 
and wife, and that they threaten to take Pendleton 
and come through the lower part of the valley. It 
is reported that there are one thousand Bannocks 
and Snakes in the mountains at Cayuse; they 
have burned Cayuse and stolen several stage 
horses." 

Preparations in Columbia county for actual 
warfare culminated on the evening of July 4th. 
At that time an independent company of rifle- 
men was organized in Dayton. J. A. Warwick 
was chosen captain, Newt Thomas, first lieu- 



304 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



tenant and R. P. Steen, second lieutenant. 
This fact was heralded by the "Chronicle" with 
the additional commentary that this company 
was composed of "all good men who will stand 
fire if necessary." By July 6th eighty-two 
men had been enrolled. It was then announced 
that the company was ready to meet any 
emergency that might call them to the defense 
of their own or their neighbors' homes. 

On the evening of the 5th Captain War- 
wick, Jasper Thomas and C. Burge left for the 
seat of war, their intention being- to report 
Captain Warwick's command ready for such 
service as they might be called upon to per- 
form. It is not recorded that this company 
was ever thrown under fire, but it may be con- 
sidered certain, judging from the material of 
which it was composed, that had the necessity 
arisen these volunteer riflemen would have 
given a good account of themselves. Irregular 
war alarms continued. July 20th the editor 
of the "Chronicle" frankly stated that: 

"From all accounts, dispatches and rumors 
there appears to be no definite 'front' to the 
Indian war yet. The hostiles are reported here 
today and there tomorrow. Their numerical 
strength is variously estimated from eight to 
sixteen thousand, but General Howard thinks 
there are about seven hundred warriors. First 
they broke out at Big Camas Prairie in Idaho ; 
then they fled to the Stein Mountain country 
in eastern Oregon ; next into John Day Valtey, 
and now they are reported making their way to 
Wollowa Valley, probably intending to get on 
Chief Joseph's old battle grounds. Reports 
say that General Howard is passing up Snake 
river to head them off. For some cause it 
seems as though the General never catches up 
with the Indians. It is a great pity for this 
country that General Crook was not sent up 
here, but then Crook would have hurt some 
Indians; and that does not seem to be the 
program of the United States Army. These 
Indian troubles will yet have to be settled 
by volunteers — and then the settlement will 



last. The discipline and precision of soldiery 
is a mockery among quick-moving small bands 
of Indians; while soldiers are brave enough, 
still they never reach the opportunity. General 
Howard is, no doubt, a brave soldier, but he 
is always behind and, as stated above, we 
believe the slow policy of the army is inten- 
tional. Goverment would like to protect set- 
tlers, but does not want to kill Indians." 

July 20th the editor of the "Chronicle" 
resumed : 

"The Indian difficulties are certainly be- 
coming serious enough to give facts instead of 
wild rumors. At times in Dayton the air has 
been blue with sensational reports. It is be- 
coming so that our people give but little, if 
any, credit to what they hear unless some citi- 
zen or reliable traveler brings the news. Of 
course everybody is anxious to hear the latest 
news, and for a time false stories created undue 
excitement, but now positive danger might 
threaten the border settlements, and people 
would be slow to believe it. In regard to the 
wild and inflammatory Indian news that is 
telegraphed to Dayton and put on the bulletin 
board, the operators here are not responsible. 
They take the news off the wire just as it is 
sent. During the first of an Indian excitement 
people must allow for many a startling rumor. 
But this matter is now beginning to injure 
the country; it is stopping immigration. But 
all the rumors are almost entirely false, without 
a shadow of foundation where they originated, 
other than a big scare. From all the latest 
news that we can gather before going to press 
we are led to believe that the Indian news of 
the week has come to Dayton rather highly 
colored. During just such an Indian scare 
as this one it is a difficult task for a country 
journal to keep on the right track. If we do 
not give the current news some readers 
grumble; if we give the news as it comes all 
are liable to be humbugged. Time will tell 
how this war goes, and its course. 

"The 'Chronicle' has all along endeavored 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



305 



to keep down undue excitement and unreliable 
rumors in regard to the Indian outbreak. 
These Indian troubles grow more serious day 
by day. The hill-tops and valleys of Eastern 
Oregon, adjoining our Territory, are made to 
ring with the murderous war-whoops of red- 
handed savages. The exact strength of the 
Indians is not known, but it is quite an army, 
and no doubt every day they are gathering 
strength from the renegade bands and dis- 
affected tribes. It is becoming alarming. 
They have been murdering, burning and de- 
vastating the country along their course from 
the Stine Mountain country in Eastern Ore- 
gon to the vicinity of Weston and Pendleton. 
A number of brave volunteers and soldiers 
have already lost their lives fighting the 
murderous Bannocks and Snakes. The Indians 
are practicing more of a pirateering, murderous 
game than warfare. They are cowardly, yet 
cunning; they threw General Howard off his 
guard, and started him up Snake river, then 
immediately began fighting near Pendleton. 

"In view of these facts the people in the 
upper country are beginning to be alarmed. 
The Palouse Gazette has all along been very 
guarded against publishing inflammable stor- 
ies, knowing that a panic in the Palouse coun- 
try would be almost ruinous to that district. 
In its last issue the people are assured that they 
are in no danger. It says that a general 
Indian war is probable; advises the people of 
that country to delay no longer, but to effect 
organization for their own and neighbors' 
safety. We were told by a gentleman just 
down from there that Chief Moses had sent 
word to Colfax that many of his young men 
and warriors with Coeur d' Alene Indians 
would soon be on the Avar-path ; that he could 
hold them in check no longer. 

"The bad blood of all the Indians seems 
to be up, and it begins to look as though a gen- 
eral war is to be the result; and if so it 
will be sad enough in many localities. As 
we said last week the people will have to take 
20 



the matter in hand yet and put an end to these 
Indian troubles. Just so long as Indian wars 
are left for the United States army to quell, 
just so long will they annually occur. What 
is to become of our Territory? Every sum- 
mer an Indian outbreak! The soldiers trail 
around all summer, and then some general 
like Miles or Crook have to do the capturing; 
then the Indians are treated as honorable pris- 
oners of war; petted and honored by the gov- 
ernment ; these are true facts of Joseph and his 
band. It is a bid for some ambitious chief 
to annually go on the war-path ; and the same 
sluggish policy is annually enacted by the 
United States army. This thing of keeping 
the whole border country of Idaho and Wash- 
ington Territories in a nervous quiver of ex- 
citement is becoming intolerable; and it is be- 
coming time for the people to take the matter 
in hand." 

In summing up the vast amount of con- 
flicting evidence concerning these threatening 
Indian outbreaks one is forced to the conclusion 
that many of them were instigated and manipu- 
lated by renegade whites who were familiar 
with the lasso rope and branding iron. There 
was at that period a determined stand made by 
stockmen "throughout the Territory of Wash- 
ington, as well as the state of Oregon, to 
frighten the would-be grain raisers from the 
ranges, and force them to leave the country 
to the cowboy and maverick. For years the 
contention was waged between these two repre- 
sentatives of two conflicting industries. It is 
on record that at one time in the Crab creek 
country, Washington, a party of white stock- 
raisers disguised themselves as hostile Indians 
and appeared on a neighboring hill for the ex- 
press purpose of scaring away the agriculturists 
and their families. But this ruse did not suc- 
ceed and when the rifles of the husbandmen 
began to crack on the evening air the masquer- 
ading stockmen took to their heels and the 
farmers continued thereafter to sow and har- 
vest in comparative peace. 



306 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



And this Indian outbreak" of 1878 was simi- 
lar to a flash in a pan of powder ; while it 
blazed out in all directions, it lacked the co- 
hesive force and energy of the previous ris- 
ing- of 1877 under Chief Joseph. Still, the 
constant tremor of excitement under which 
men, women and children lived was decidedly 
uncomfortable. By August, 1878, the war 
cloud had completely blown over and, as the 
editor of the "Chronicle" said, "we get no 
more war news." True, the treacherous hos- 
tiles had made a rapid, but short raid ; in their 
trail they had left destruction and death. Ap- 
parently they had retreated to the Bannock 
country. While these Indian troubles in 
Eastern Washington did not result in a series 
of bloody battles, or sickening massacres in the 
county of Columbia, they entered largely into 
the history of the county, and had the effect 
of retarding to some extent the settlement of 
the country. Said the "Chronicle" on January 
18, 1879: 

"If we are to have Indian wars every sum- 
mer ; if the lives and property are to be 
jeopardized as they have been in the past; if 
business is to be retarded and crippled by these 
troubles, then just to such an extent is our 
development retarded. But if, on the other 
hand the government adopts such measures and 
policies as will insure the people that there is 
no danger, that their homes and lives are safe 
from attacks of the savages, that business is 
not liable to be crippled as it has been in some 
communities, then the immigration will be 
doubled, and many who understand that no 
protection is offered, and have heretofore been 
kept back on this account will flock in and our 
country will soon become thickly settled." 

January 11, 1879, the "Chronicle" had 
said : 

"A newspaper would be incomplete at the 
present time unless mention were made of the 
Indians and the prospect of trouble with the 
government pets. No further news has been 
received that would indicate immediate danger 



of an outbreak ; but recent events have caused 
steps to be taken which we think will cause 
our red heathens to be more closely watched in 
the future. A gentleman who recently passed 
through Dayton and had been in the vicinity 
where the excited ones were intending to locate 
the next Indian war, informs us that little 
confidence is reposed in the professed friend- 
ship of Moses, and that he is closely watched 
by the authorities. Indications are, though 
there may be cause for anxiety at present, the 
Indians will wait till summer to carry into 
execution their usual raids ; and judging from 
past occurrences the government will find plenty 
of time at that time, to place in progress a 
tedious campaign to subdue a few Indians." 

According to the census of 1878 the popu- 
lation of Washington Territory was 50,511. 
During 1879 there was, as shown by certain 
reports, an increase of 7,273, thus swelling 
the population to 57,784. The greatest gain 
was shown by Stevens county, 1,755; Whit- 
man county came next with a gain of 1,581; 
while Columbia stood third in the list, having 
gained 1,074. At that period Columbia coun- 
ty, despite Indian "scares," still retained the 
lead in population, having 6,894 inhabitants; 
Walla Walla being next with 6,215. It is to 
be noted in this connection that King, Pacific 
and Wahkiakum counties exhibited a slight 
decrease in the number of their inhabitants., 
August 2, 1879, the following items were 
gleaned from the census and assessment rolls 
of Columbia county: Population, 6,894; num- 
ber of dwellings, 1,421; increase since 1878, 
244; number of families in the county 1,254; 
increase during the past fiscal year, 211 ; num- 
ber of voters, 2,002 ; increase, 292 ; white 
males, 3,888; increase, 605; females, 2,957; 
increase, 471 ; number of children born during 
the year, 239. 

The legislature of 1878-9 enacted a law 
changing the boundary line between Walla 
Walla and Columbia counties by adding to the 
former township 8,morth range 38 east. The 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



307 



township added to Walla Walla county in- 
cludes the upper Dry creek, Coppei and 
Whiskey creek countries. It was at this time 
that the editorially expressed opinion of the 
Walla Walla Union was that this was " a 
region that should never have been included 
in Columbia county." Following is the text 
of the act : 

An act to change the line between Walla 
Walla and Columbia counties. 

Be it enacted by the legislative assembly of 
the Territory of Washington: 

Section 1. That the line now existing between 
Walla Walla and Columbia counties shall be so 
changed as to take township No. 8, range 38 east, 
from the territory of Columbia county, and the 
same shall become a part of Walla Walla county. 

Section 2. That all taxes for the year 187 9 shall 
be paid into the treasury of, and belong to, 
Columbia county from said township; and the 
collector of taxes for Columbia county shall have 
the same power and authority to collect such taxes 
as he has by law for the collection of taxes in 
Columbia county. 

Section 3. This act to take effect from and after 
the first day of January, 1880. 

Approved November 13, 1879. 

Notwithstanding the hearty approval of the 
Walla Walla Union there was, apparently, a 
vast difference^of opinion concerning this tak- 
ing, over of Columbia county territory by 
Walla Walla county. The "Chronicle," speak- 
ing of the cutting off of this township from 
Columbia declared that an injustice had been 
done Columbia county and the journal blamed 
the two Columbia county representatives for 
not having been alert and canny enough to 
prevent such an outrage, by defeating the ob- 
noxious legislation. But the Walla Walla 
"Union" patriotically came to the defense of 
the act, saying : 

"The Columbia Chronicle growls because the 
last legislature performed an act of justice by 
attaching township 8 north, range 38 east, 
to Walla Walla county." 

To which the "Chronicle" replied : 
"We never growled at the justice, but the 
injustice of the legislation. Columbia county 



only wanted justice and that would have been 
just one-half of the aforesaid township." 



Continuing: on 



August 2 1 , 



1880, the 



"Chronicle" said : 

"The feeling of indignation in relation to 
the loss of township 8, 38, seems" to be as 
strong with our people now as it was last 
winter. And we are informed that this feeling 
is now being used to advance certain political 
aspirations. While we greatly regret the 
change in our boundary and would like to see 
justice done our county, we are satisfied that 
if any change is made it must be with the con- 
sent of Walla Walla, and this, of course, can- 
not be done without a price. Well informed 
men say that less than one-half of the voters 
of the lost township are in favor of a return 
to this county. Put no confidence in the as- 
sertions of any man who tells you that he will 
get that township back if you will only send 
him to the next legislature. He can't do it. 
Don't try to send him. 

During the year 1879 there was marked 
advancement in Columbia county. Indeed, the 
people were peculiarly blessed — the harvest 
was plentiful, the county free from Indian 
troubles, famine or pestilence, and to the pop- 
ulation was added an immigration that went 
far in practical development of a most promis- 
ing territory. Thus were industrial and social 
conditions in the county just one decade prior 
to the admission of Washington into the sister- 
hood of states. 

A severe wind-storm in Washington is of 
such unusual occurrence that it becomes of 
historical interest. There are no cyclones; 
seldom, if ever, the devastating hurricanes or 
tornadoes which afflict some of the eastern and 
middle western states. But January 9, 1880, 
Columbia county received a visitation from 
a wind storm unusual in severity and involv- 
ing considerable loss to property. The earliest 
pioneers had never witnessed such a scene; 
it is certain that it has not since been repeated. 
For several days previous to the full burst 



3 o8 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



of its fury there had been a number of gentle 
intimations of the approaching storm. The 
wind began blowing about one o'clock, p. m., 
gradually stiffening to a strong gale. This 
continued until six o'clock in the evening. 
From this hour it gradually decreased, but 
not until Saturday morning could the citizens 
approximate their losses. The entire front of 
Torrance's blacksmith shop, in Dayton, was 
demolished. The huge addition to Tolbert's 
livery stable was displaced at the top about 
four feet. This was barely saved going over 
into the street. Several buildings appeared 
minus their roofs, and there were not a few 
looming up barren of Hues or chimneys. 
Woodsheds, outhouses and fences served as 
playthings for the gale. Heavy damage was 
sustained by Joy's hall. The Baptist church 
was shaken slightly from its foundation. In 
the outlying suburbs of Dayton the damage 
was considerably greater than within the 
limits of the city. Several houses were blown 
down and in a number of instances the 
structures caught fire and soon developed into 
masses of smouldering ruins. The residence 
of R. G. Newland, two miles below Dayton, 
was despoiled of its roof, and a number of 
barns were destroyed. In marked contrast to 
the furious, implacable electric storms of the 
east — the most fearful and awe inspiring 
phenomena known to those localities — no lives 
were lost in the Washington storm, although 
the damage to property in Columbia county 
was considerable. 

February 7, 1880, the postoffices in the 
county numbered eight; Alpowa, Dayton, 
Pomeroy, Tucannon, Central Ferry, Marengo, 
Pataha City and Anatone. At that period 
Columbia included the present counties of Gar- 
field and Asotin, and with the exception of 
Dayton, Marengo and Tucannon the other 
postoffices mentioned were in Garfield and 
Asotin counties as at present situated. The 
United States census of 1880 gave the popu- 
lation of Columbia county as 6,911. Yet from 



the results of this census the county dropped 
from first into third place — Walla Walla 
leading with 8,600 and Whitman being second 
with 6,957, a difference of 46 between Colum- 
bia and Whitman. 

Although Washington, as Territory or 
state, has never suffered from the devastation 
of grasshoppers to the extent of Kansas, Ne- 
braska and the Dakotas, the year 1880 wit- 
nessed a visitation from this pest in Colum- 
bia county. These depredations were confined 
to localities noted for a warm, sandy soil, or 
along the beds of creeks. The "Chronicle" 
of June 26, 1880, said: 

"A. Kneff, nurseryman, fears that he will 
lose his entire nursery of 175,000 trees. The 
garden of Mr. Smith, being on Tucanon creek, 
has been entirely destroyed, and also ten acres 
of wheat has been eaten as bare as if there 
had never been any planted. We hear in sev- 
eral different localities that the grasshoppers 
have taken small patches of grain, but the in- 
dications are that they will not take the entire 
country as was at first feared. May they, 
like all those who do the country harm, soon 
emigrate." 

July 31st the discovery was made that the- 
grasshoppers were heading the oat crop. The 
"Chronicle" said : 

"Ask a farmer if the grasshoppers are 
hurting his crops and he invariably answers, 
'No, not much; only they got away with my 
garden and are now heading my oats.' ' 

The hard winter of 1881 will.be recalled by 
the earlier residents of the county. Yet, it 
is undoubtedly true that there was consider- 
able exaggeration connected with the various 
rumors that floated in from the territory out- 
lying in the vicinity of Dayton. It was the 
published opinion of the editor of the 
"Chronicle" that the loss of stock in Colum- 
bia county was lighter than had been reported 
from various localities. Mr. Sargent, of the 
firm of Morris & Sargent, admitted that their 
stock loss for the winter had been about 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



3°9 



twenty-five sheep from a band of twenty-six 
hundred. Early in the season they had lost 
three hundred and fifty head of sheep from 
poisoning by wild parsnips. Other bands gen- 
erally fared -worse and in a few instances 
drowning occasioned considerable loss. Still, 
■compared with other counties in the Territory 
and other years, Columbia was a light sufferer 
from the memorable winter of 1881. 

During the late 70's the most important — 
and serious — problem that confronted the peo- 
ple of Columbia county was that of transporta- 
tion. The growth of Columbia county had 
been marvelous. The question of securing a 
market for the generous products of the soil 
liad not yet been satisfactorily answered. 
There was a plethora of railroad rumors, 
assertions, contradictions, false alarms and 
""hope deferred which maketh the heart sick." 
Yet nothing definite was promised at this time. 
Not until 1 88 1 did railway transportation 
materialize in the vicinity of Dayton. 

In March, 1879, a i" e port was in circulation 
to the effect that a route for a railroad was 
heing surveyed from Walla Walla to Day- 
ton. The "Chronicle/' however, announced 
that it had been "unable to learn whether this 
report has foundation or not, or any further 
particulars. If it be true we are prone to re- 
joice, as will all the people of this section. 
The project is said to be under the supervision 
•of Dr. Baker." 

Under date November 22, 1879, the Walla 
Walla "Statesman" commented on railway 
•enterprises as follows : 

Jesse N. Day has been in town the past week 
stirring things up considerably; he says that citi- 
zens of Dayton and surrounding country are a 
unit for a railroad and are determined to have 
one by some means, and as an inducement they 
offer to ship $100,000 worth of freight the next 
season as a starter. Situated as Dayton is, right 
in the heart of the finest agricultural lands in 
this beautiful and fertile valley, and with an 
immense extent of prolific country directly tribu- 
tary to it, there cannot be the slightest doubt that 
& railroad connecting it, either with the Northern 



Pacific at Ainsworth or with the Columbia River 
Railroad in Walla Walla, would be other than a 
legitimate and profitable business proposition from 
the start. 

There is no section of country in this great 
interior that more requires an outlet for its pro- 
ducts through the medium of rapid transit than 
this; it does not rely merely upon its vast cereal 
products alone, although that is, as a matter of 
course, the leading industry and the basis of its 
prosperity. Dayton possesses, for all practical pur- 
poses, unlimited water-power facilities and other 
essentials lying around loose and only waiting to 
be utilized" to become important factors in build- 
ing up the great manufacturing center which it 
is destined speedily to become. In addition to 
its vast production of cereals and fruits common 
to this latitude, it annually produces quite large 
amounts of wool and other products which, even 
in the present infancy of these industries, and 
the cramped condition necessarilj entailed upon 
them by lack of transportation facilities, would, 
nevertheless, materially enhance the business of 
a railroad which provides an outlet by rapid 
transit. 

We have alluded incidentally to the unrivaled 
manufacturing facilities possessed by Dayton; the 
town at present possesses a flouring mill, two plan- 
ing mills, a soap factory, a brewery and other 
manufactories necessary to the business of the 
place; the fame of the materials made in the Day- 
ton woolen mills has extended from tidewater to 
the remote territories bordering on the great con- 
tinental divide, and with speedy communication 
by rail they could easily supply towns in the 
countries below that are now tributary to Cali- 
fornia and the east, and by extending their trade 
and the basis of their operations, encouragement 
would be given to other industries, and thus the 
Walla Walla valley would become not only self- 
supporting, but would levy tribute upon other 
sections with fewer natural advantages. 

When we remember that the citizens of Day- 
ton have made the place what it is today since 
1871, when the town was first laid out, in spite 
of discouraging circumstances and comparative 
isolation, which would have disheartened other 
communities, the finite mind of man can scarcely 
grasp the immensity of the progress which such 
An energetic, enterprising people would accom- 
plish acting under the impetus and encouragement 
which a railroad invariably brings. Dayton must 
nave a railroad; it is contrary to every law of 
nature that a place of its present and prospective 
advantages, located in the midst of the garden 
valley of the world, with its granaries full to 
overflowing, should remain bottled up. The peo- 
ple of Dayton want a railroad — they must have 
it and are bound to get it; we commend the enter- 



3io 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



prise to Walla Walla capitalists, promising that 
the citizens of Dayton will give it substantial 
aid, and the columns of the "Statesman," as a 
matter of course, are always at the disposal of 
those who desire to further public enterprises of 
a character calculated to advance the progress 
and prosperity of every section of our fair and be- 
loved Territory. 

Saturday, December 18, 1879, at Joy's 
hall, Dayton, a large number of citizens as- 
sembled to discuss such railway projects as 
were in sight at that period. The chairman 
of this meeting was E. R. Burk ; I. E. Palmer 
was chosen secretary. The object of the meet- 
ing \\as clearly stated by Chairman Burk 
It was. also, his opinion that if the citizens 
desired to secure the benefits of railroad com- 
munication they must themselves make the 
supreme effort. Messrs. H. H. Wolfe, R. G. 
Newland, George Hunter, and a number of 
others presented their views on various rail- 
way enterprises now in contemplation. Fol- 
lowing a comparison of these views it was the 
concensus of opinion that a line tapping the 
Northern Pacific railroad at Ainsworth, would 
be the most advantageous for Columbia coun- 
ty. Two routes were principally discussed at 
considerable length : one down the Touchet 
and across to Ainsworth; the other down the 
Snake via Grange City. Messrs. E. D. Miner, 
S. M. Wait, J. L. Smith, I. Carson and J. B. 
Schrum were appointed a committee to in- 
vestigate various routes, a report to be made 
on the same within thirty clays. Another com- 
mittee consisting of I. E. Palmer, U. S. Brew- 
ster and E. R. Burk was appointed to gather 
funds for the purpose of defraying expenses 
of the former, or investigating committee. 
January 31, 1880, the Columbia "Chronicle" 
grew enthusiastic : 

"We cannot talk railroad too much. In 
the first place our county needs a road and 
needs it immediately. In the second place, it 
will be a paying investment for some enter- 
prising man or men to furnish us with the 
much needed facilities of transportation. It 



is evident that the resources and productions 
of the country .surrounding Dayton will justify 
a branch road to this place; and we would 
be accused of exaggeration if we were to- 
approximate even at a low figure how a rail- 
road would multiply the crops already pro- 
duced." 

Monday evening, February 3d, there was- 
held a called meeting of the citizens of Dayton 
for the purpose of discussing the railroad out- 
look and comparing notes. Condensed to one 
burning issue the question resolved itself to 
this: "Shall Dayton have a railroad or not?" 
F. G. Frary was selected as chairman. The 
meeting was addressed by J. N. Day, E. R. 
Burk, Isaac Carson and others. One promi- 
nent proposition advanced was for the citizens 
of Dayton and vicinity to organize a stock 
company immediately, prepare stock books and 
articles of incorporation and ascertain, if pos- 
sible, the sentiment of the Columbia county 
citizens concerning this problem. It was- 
ordered by Chairman Frary that the committee 
appointed at the preceding meeting to look up 
the most feasible route into Dayton be dis- 
charged, and the money secured by the finance 
committee to defray expenses be refunded. 

Following this action a new committee 
consisting of U. S. Brewster, Isaac Carson, 
E. R. Burk and William Matzger was ap- 
pointed. They were commissioned to confer 
with prominent railroad men in that section 
of the country. Their object was to secure 
reliable data concerning the possibility of in- 
fluencing aid in the construction of a railroad 
from the most favorable point to Dayton, pro- 
vided the citizens of Columbia county would 
do their full share in furtherance of the pro- 
ject; also to take such steps as might be neces- 
sary toward the organization of a joint stock 
company ; draw articles of incorporation, pre- 
pare stock-books and report progress in two 
weeks to Dayton citizens. 

But it was three months and a half, or in 
May, 1880, before the true railroad atmos- 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



3" 



phere began to condense within the limits of 
Columbia county. Then Henry Villard — 
whose name became a prominent one in the 
history of western railroading — appeared on 
the scene. At that period — before he had be- 
come identified with the Northern Pacific Com- 
pany — he was president of the Oregon Rail- 
road & Navigation Company. Tuesday even- 
ing, May 1 8th, in response to the request of 
citizens he came to Dayton. Here he met the 
railroad committee, heretofore announced, in 
the parlors of the Columbia Hotel. Aside 
from the committee a number of leading citi- 
zens of Dayton had been requested to be pres- 
ent at this conference, and they had complied. 
The subject of the proposed railroad was in- 
troduced by E. R. Burk. He earnestly referred 
to the great and constantly increasing demand 
for transportation ; the undoubted benefits that 
would certainly accrue to the builders of a 
road to Dayton, and to the willingness of citi- 
zens of Columbia county to secure a free right 
of way for the company. 

Responding to the statements of Mr. Burk 
Mr. Villard substantially replied that he had 
been advised of the agricultural resources of 
Columbia county, and had come prepared to 
say that it was the intention of the company 
he represented to build a branch line into 
Dayton, provided a free right of way and 
suitable grounds for a depot be donated by the 
citizens. It is scarcely necessary to say that 
such assurances were heartily welcomed. Mr. 
Villard added that it was highly probable a 
survey would be run within two or three 
weeks ; that a force of five hundred men would 
begin work on the Whitman county line to 
Texas Ferry the following week ; and so soon 
as the road-bed down the Columbia river was 
graded, a thousand men and five hundred 
horses would be brought to the Columbia 
county side, and the work of grading the main 
line from Grange City to Walla Walla, and 
the branches to Pataha and Dayton would be 
rapidly pushed forward, and that the road 



might be completed that winter. Still, owing 
to the immense amount of material and roll- 
ing stock that must come up the Columbia 
river that season for the Northern Pacific and 
his own company, it was doubtftil if the road 
could possibly be completed and stocked be- 
fore the coming spring. However he zvould 
promise that it zvould he completed within one 
year from that time. 

It will be readily understood by the reader 
that this line of argument and generous pro- 
fessions greatly pleased and encouraged the 
citizens of Columbia county. Following Mr. 
Villard's visit the Dayton people immediately 
went to work to secure the promised right of 
way. The committee to whom was consigned 
this task comprised R. G. Newland, S. M. 
Wait, W. W. Day, John Fudge, H. B. Bate- 
man, George Boyles, Elias Muncy, George 
Pollard and S. L. Gilbreath. 

Railroad affairs rapidly and favorably 
shaped themselves after the conference with 
Mr. Villard at Dayton. In August, 1880, 
grading was commenced from Walla Walla 
by the Oregon Railroad & Navigation Com- 
pany, the line extending from the county seat 
of Walla Walla county to Grange City, and 
thence via a branch to Dayton. The right of 
way for this branch was procured by the citi- 
zens of Dayton. The greater portion of the 
land was generously and cheerfully donated 
by the settlers who fully appreciated the 
promised benefits of the proposed line. Other 
lands were purchased with money secured by 
subscription of citizens. 

In October, 1880, the main body of the 
graders was transferred from the Grange City 
road to the Dayton branch; the road was 
rapidly pushed forward, there being eight 
camps at one time between Dayton and Waits- 
burg. The sum subscribed by Dayton citi- 
zens to pay for the undonated right of way 
was $2,784. It had been estimated that the 
total cost of this concession would not rise 
above $2,000 or $2,500; but the cost was 



W2 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



swelled to $4,517, or about twice the estimated 
cost. September 15, 1883, the Columbia 
"Chronicle'' said : 

"It is a shame for the citizens of Dayton 
to allow the men who signed the notes for the 
right of way for the Oregon Railroad & Navi- 
gation Company up the Touchet to have to 
pay the amount that is back out of their own 
individual pockets. Probably none of them 
have been benefited by the road more than 
those who would now stand back and see them 
pay for the whistle. A note for $1,000 is now 
due, also about $800 more upon the bond given 
to the company to secure the original amount 
subscribed, which was $2,784. About $1,900 
of this amount has been paid. It is thought, 
and we hope they will, that the company will 
throw off the latter sum and not exact it." 

July 15, 1881, the railroad track was laid 
into Dayton. The first passenger train pulled 
out for Walla Walla at 3:15 p. m., Tuesday, 
July 19th. Early in December, 188 1, the 
Oregon Railroad & Navigation Company com- 
pleted the road to Grange City, and trains be- 
gan running December 5th. Prior to this 
period all the trains had been running- over 
the Dayton branch and that town was for a 
time the terminus of the road. Several years 
after the building of the road the Columbia 
"Chronicle'' said : 

"The advent of the first railroad into this 
section of the country marked the beginning of 
a new era in agriculture. Previous to that 
time wheat was laboriously hauled to Walla 
Walla by wagon and sold at twenty-five cents 
a bushel. At that time, too, but little of the 
soil was tilled — narrow fields here and there 
in the bottom lands. Since the coming of the 
railroads those fields have lengthened and 
broadened ; have crept down the valleys and up 
the slopes. And our rugged hills which at 
that time were considered useless for agricul- 
tural purposes, now furrowed with the plow- 
share, heave their brown backs to the sun. 
With this great agricultural development, fol- 
lowing immediately upon the completion of 



the first railroad, have come better farm 
buildings, better school houses throughout the 
country, increased activity in business every- 
where." 

The year 1881 was fecund with industrial 
significance in Columbia county. The town 
of Pomeroy had increased to considerable im- 
portance; had become ambitious, in fact, for 
county seat honors. Consequently it organized 
its forces and waged a war on Dayton. The 
latter town, as a casual glance at the map 
will indicate, was far from the geographical 
center of the county which then comprised the 
counties of Columbia, Garfield and Asotin. 
But not for an instant did the Dayton people 
seriously entertain a proposition for the re- 
moval of the capital of the county. But so 
determined were the up-country residents to 
make Pomeroy the county seat that Dayton, 
purely in self defence, began agitating the 
question of county division. This was finally 
accomplished ; the county of Garfield was 
formed by the Territorial legislature of 1881 ; 
the new county then comprising Garfield and 
Asotin. As this matter relates more particu- 
larly to the history of Garfield county we 
shall treat it at length in the portion devoted to 
that section of the state. With the final settle- 
ment of the Columbia county seat question the 
matter of a new court house was brought 
forth on to the carpet in 1882. Yet it was not 
until 1886 that the present handsome official 
building was completed. So early as May, 13, 
1883 the "Chronicle" said: 

Columbia county is now paying a yearly rental 
of $800 for the county offices and is forced at 
each term to hold her court in a building orignally 
intended for other purposes, inconveniently ar- 
ranged and at some distance from the offices of the 
officials. The small rooms now in use as county 
offices are illy adapted for that purpose and afford 
no accommodations for the transaction of busi- 
ness. The safes in which are kept the county 
records are slipshod affairs and are not large 
enough to contain one-fourth of the important 
papers that with the growth of the county are 
rapidly increasing in number and importance. 
In a few weeks the commissioners propose to sub- 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



313 



mit to the residents of the county a petition to 
secure from them an expression of opinion as to 
the feasibility and propriety of erecting a court 
house. The site of the proposed building will be 
on court-house block, and it is intended to erect 
the same at a cost not to exceed $4,000. 

But the entire matter continued to hang 
fire. October 28, 1882, the optimistic 
"Chronicle" declared that "at the next elec- 
tion voters will decide whether or not Colum- 
hia county will build a $7,000 court house.'' 
They decided to build neither a $7,000 edifice, 
nor any other lower-priced structure. By a 
vote of 447 to 255 the electors of Columbia 
county defeated the proposition. This election 
was held November 7, 1882. 

Tuesday afternoon, December 12, 1882, a 
heavy rain began falling at Dayton, and con- 
tinued uninterruptedly about thirty hours. 
During this period the total precipitation was 
4.90 inches. The Touchet river and Patit 
creek flowed over their banks and the sudden 
rise was phenomenal. Especially was the Patit 
higher than ever before since the inception of 
the town of Dayton. Owing to the extent of 
the territory submerged by the Touchet it was 
impossible at that time to ascertain the com- 
parative height of the flood. But it is known 
that it did not reach by eighteen inches the 
high water mark of 1879, on Main street 
bridge. Yet in other localities a higher mark 
was indicated than ever before known. At 
the Park gate indications were about twelve 
inches higher than in 1879. The damages to 
property was not so great as might have been 
expected by one who was in a position to 
survey the turbulence of these waters. Cellars 
were flooded and in the upper part of town 
considerable land was washed away. This 
was, also, the case with many small bridges 
and footways. Never before, from rain alone, 
had such a threatening stage of water been 
known. The storm had extended far into the 
mountains, and judging from reports from the 
various signal stations Dayton must have been 
in the immediate vicinity of the storm center. 



Following is the report of rainfall at stations 
along the line: Lapwai, 3.69 inches; Lewiston, 
3.33; Pomeroy, 2.77; Spokane Falls, .48; 
Coeur d' Alene, .28 ; Dayton, 4.90. 

The year 1883, in Columbia county, was 
an era of marvelous crops. Many fields yielded 
from forty to fifty bushels of wheat to the 
acre, although this was considerably above the 
average, some yields not running higher than 
twenty and twenty-five bushels. And yet this 
season was, indeed, a trying one, no satis- 
factory amount of rain having fallen since the 
middle of May. Again was illustrated the ab- 
normal, phenomenal and almost supernatural 
agricultural conditions in Washington ; four 
months and eight days of hot, scorching 
weather and still an abundant harvest — a 
"bumper crop." And it was fortunate that 
this was so; many merchants throughout the 
"upper country" had done an extensive credit 
business ; a poor grain year would have 
wrought incalcuable disaster. September 18th 
a refreshing shower of rain fell, and "fall 
work" was greatly accelerated. 

July 14, 1883, the figures of the assessor 
gave Columbia county a population of 5,369. 
This, of course, was subsequent to the settling 
off of Garfield county. 

The following spicy correspondence took 
place between two rival papers in 1883 relative 
of another attempt of Walla Walla county to 
secure Columbia county territory. October 
27th the Waitsburg "Times" said : 

"Almost without exception the citizens re- 
siding in townships 10, 11 and 12 north, 
range t>7 east, now a part of Columbia county, 
are anxious to have the county line so changed 
as to attach them to Walla Walla county. 
Walla AValla county is ready to give those 
townships a hearty welcome, if they want to 
come in, but how will the idea strike Colum- 
bia county?" 

To this specimen of bear-baiting the Co- 
lumbia "Chronicle" replied: 

"It strikes us as decidedly thin, and we 



3H 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



have grave doubts of the desire being so 
unanimous. Walla Walla county is sufficiently 
large and populous to get along without those 
townships, and we object to Columbia county 
being whittled down any more to satisfy Walla 
Walla.' 

The proposed slicing of Columbia county 
was not accomplished. 

The years 1882, 1883 and the earlier part 
of 1884. in Columbia county, were made 
memorable by a brutal murder, robbery, a 
lynching, a legal hanging and the death from 
frost, hunger and exposure of a third pricipal 
in the original tragedy. 

Wednesday, July 26, 1882, William Suttie 
and John Butterfield, of Pataha City, went to 
New York Bar for freight. On their arrival 
they were surprised to find no one in the vicin- 
ity and, accordingly, they repaired to the ware- 
house to await the arrival of Eli H. Cummins, 
agent for the Oregon Railroad & Navigation 
Company. He did not put in an appearance. 
Suttie and Butterfield then slept in the ware- 
house until about two o'clock a. m., when 
Butterfield entered Cummins' room to ascer- 
tain the time. It was with horror and con- 
sternation that he discovered the body of the 
unfortunate agent lying in his bed and welter- 
ing in blood. Butterfield ran out, informed 
Mr. Suttie of his gruesome discovery, and the 
two men procured a boat and pulled across 
the river where they gave the alarm. Several 
men returned with them to the scene of the 
tragedy and, on entering the room, they pro- 
ceeded to make an examination. Cummins, 
with a heavy quilt thrown across his body, 
another one over his feet, lay on the bed, a 
frightful gash across his mouth, made with 
some sharp instrument, like the blade of an ax, 
another in his cheek and his skull crushed in 
at the top of his head. Bloody footprints were 
traced upon the floor. His coin purse was 
empty ; his currency purse lay on the table, 
also empty. An ax, stained with blood and 
covered with hair, was found near the stove, 



which, undoubtedly, had been one of the in- 
struments of death. The money drawer was 
open and rifled of its contents; a pistol scab- 
bard hung on the wall behind the bed, but 
the weapon lay on the floor, unloaded and 
stuffed full of sand. 

It was estimated that when found Cum- 
mins had been dead twenty hours, or possibly 
less, as freight teams had left the bar at 4 
o'clock p. m., the previous day. At that time 
two Chinamen had been at work loading a 
boat. They were the only ones known to 
have been with him that night. There was in- 
disputable evidence that Cummins had been 
foully clone to death for money which he had 
collected for the railroad company. Mr. 
Butterfield hurried away and wired Dayton for 
the coroner, the murder having been com- 
mitted in Columbia county. August 5th the 
Columbia "Chronicle" published the following: 

"An examination of the house and corpse 
disclosed the following : The cabin in which 
deceased was found consists of one room ad- 
joining the warehouse on the easterly or upper 
end. In the end toward the warehouse is the 
door, near which, on the right, sets the stove. 
Opposite the door is the bed. In the side of 
the cabin opposite the warehouse is a window 
which showed no signs of having been dis- 
turbed. When found the body was lying on 
the left side on the bed, dressed only in shirt 
and drawers, with a heavy quilt thrown across 
him and a doubled quilt over his feet. There 
was one bullet wound in his hand, one in his 
right hip, one in the left shoulder, one in the 
back of his head, on the right side, behind the 
ear, another in the back of his head and one 
in his back, under the right shoulder. There 
was, also, an ax-wound on the top of his head, 
one across the mouth and one over the eye. 
The throat had been cut with a knife, the 
blade of which had entered the left side of the 
neck and been drawn around to the front, 
severing the wind pipe and jugular vein. There 
was a pool of blood and bloody footprints by 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



3i5 



the side of the bed, and, also, blood on the 
bottom of the dead man's feet. 

"At the examination four battered bullets 
were picked up in the cabin and one had gone 
entirely through the wall. Since then two 
more bullets have been found, making seven in 
all which it is thought missed the deceased, 
and as his body showed six bullet wounds, it 
is evident there were twelve or thirteen shots 
fired." 

July 27th a coroner's jury was impaneled. 
It comprised S. L. Malcolm, C. J. Mulkey, O. 
S. Davis, Richard Dooley, A. A. Hazen and 
C. Griffith. It was convened by Coroner 
Clarke, and returned a verdict in accordance 
with the facts above stated. The remains of 
Cummins were buried on a knoll near the 
warehouse whose interests he had heroically 
defended at the expense of his life. He was 
a man about thirty-five years of age ; a native 
of Wisconsin. His mother and sister resided 
in Iowa, and other relatives lived in the vicin- 
ity of Salem, Oregon. A pathetic feature of 
the tragedy was the fact that he was engaged 
to be married soon to a young widow in 
Forest Grove, Oregon. 

Late in the year 1882 one Canada Owenby 
was arrested as one of the principals — if not 
the only one — in this terrible crime. Previous- 
ly several parties had been arrested on sus- 
picion, but subsequently released. Later de- 
velopments raised excitement in the Owenby 
case to a high pitch. Incidents connected with 
the discovery of Cummins' body; the mystery 
surrounding the murder; the arrest of dif- 
ferent parties from time to time, all contributed 
to keep alive public interest in the tragedy of 
New York Bar. January 10th the trial of 
Owenby was commenced before the district 
court. It was shown that the prisoner was a 
man of limited means ; that shortly after the 
murder he had spent money quite freely; that 
he was familiar with the scene of the crime; 
that the day previous to its commission he had 
been seen at Pataha City until late in the 



evening and had returned the following morn- 
ing and had the shoes of his horse removed 
by a local blacksmith. It had been known 
that he possessed a pistol of the same calibre 
as the one with which Cummins had been shot ; 
a hardware merchant in Pomeroy was found 
who had, a few weeks before the murder, sold 
him cartridges suitable for that kind of 
weapon. Subsequent to his arrest it was 
shown that Owenby had attempted to bribe 
his guards to allow him to escape. He had 
been willing to accept desperate chances, even 
to the extent of leaping, handcuffed, from a 
second or two-story window. Again he had 
tried to bribe a guard to swear that he had been 
in Pomeroy the night of the murder. At an- 
other time he had informed a guard that his 
wife would swear he was at home the whole 
night of the tragedy at New York Bar. Yet, 
at the trial Owenby refused to allow his wife 
to testify. 

A shirt was offered in evidence upon which 
it was claimed traces of human blood could be 
found. As they stood, prima facie, all these 
details appeared of great importance. Ex- 
plained, they might have been trivial ; unex- 
plained they wore an ugly look. Questions 
were raised : Where did Owenby get this 
money? Why did he not permit his wife to 
testify? The questions were met by silence. 
No explanation of them was attempted. 

Saturday, January 13th, the court room 
was packed with an eager, intensely interested 
audience. Arguments by the attorneys for the 
prosecution and defense were presented. At 
dark, that evening, the case was given to the 
jury. During twenty-three hours they 
wrestled with the verdict. Being unable to 
agree they were discharged Sunday afternoon. 
It was soon after made evident that the strain 
of this trial had told heavily on the nerves of 
Owenby. Saturday evening he made a con- 
fession. To Charles Lofland, confined in jail 
with him, he declared that he could keep his 
fearful secret no longer. The sheriff was 



316 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY 



notified ; the clerk of the court hurried over to 
the jail. To Owenby the latter said that if 
he desired to make a confession it must be done 
freely and voluntarily without hope of reward 
or release from punishment. Owenby replied 
that he wished to make a clean breast of the 
whole affair, let the consequences be what they 
might. Then, in the presence of Charles Lof- 
land, the jailer, and tbe clerk of the court, 
the following confession was reduced to writ- 
ing to which Owenby signed his name : 

McPherson and I left his house about ten 
o'clock and we went to New York Bar. Between 
one and two o'clock we reached the bar. I re- 
mained a little ways behind McPherson when he 
approached the house because Cummins had a dog 
that did not know me. McPherson made friends 
with the dog and walked up to the house. When 
McPherson entered the house I was about thirty 
yards behind him. McPherson pushed his finger 
through a hole in the door and raised the latch, 
then opened the door and commenced firing at 
Cummins on the bed. McPherson fired five shots. 
At the first shot Cummins cried out, but I do not 
know what he said. McPherson continued firing 
until he emptied the five chambers of his pistol 
and then stepped back from the door. Cummins 
then came to the door and closed it. I think I 
then heard Cummins say something about 
"water," and I think he took a drink, but I am 
not positive. McPherson fired very rapidly. After 
Cummins closed the door McPherson found an 
ax near the house and with it broke in the door. 
"When he struck the door a knot flew out of it. 
No shooting was done through the knot-hole. 
When the door flew open I was right behind Mc- 
Pherson, and Cummins recognized McPherson and 
said, "Mack, what in the world have I done to 
you?" McPherson answered Cummins and said, 
"Nothing, G — d d — m you; I'll finish you!" 

About the same time I commenced firing and 
fired three shots, when Cummins fell to the floor. 
We, McPherson and I, picked him up and laid 
him on the bed and I immediately went out of 
the room. Just as I commenced firing Cummins 
cried out, "My God! Don't murder me!" I was 
not in the house after placing Cummins on the 
bed. McPherson used the knife and the ax after 
I left the room. He, also, covered up Cummins 
and placed a cover over the window while I was 
outside the building watching. While I was out- 
side McPherson got the money and kept it all with 
the exception of $50 which he gave me at the 
time, until I came from the mountains a week from 
the next Saturday, when I met him at McBride's 



on my return from the mountains where he gave 
me $550. We took from the cabin the shot sack 
that contained all of the money — McPherson hav- 
ing put the greenbacks in the sack which he took 
(the greenbacks) from a pocketbook, leaving the 
pocketbood on the floor. We then immediately left 
the cabin and rode up the main road to Hagen's 
house, near the Territorial road where we sep- 
arated. I went to the right, following a line near 
the Territorial road until I got to Dry Gulch; 
then I followed the ridge around the breaks of 
the Pataha until I got home. McPherson went 
to the left and went across country to his house, 
arousing Fred Kausche on the way. 

Continuing from this point on Owenby 
related when he went to the mountains, facts 
in regard to ammunition, weapons and other 
irrevelant details which are unnecessary to 
record here. Continuing he said : 

Snoderly told me after the robbery that the 
reason he did not meet McPherson and me at Mc- 
Pherson's house was because Snoderly at that time 
was at work threshing, I think, at Henry 
Kausche's ranch, and could not leave at night 
without attracting attention. At the time I went 
to find a horse I had bought of Wilson I had a 
conversation with Snoderly about the murder, and 
I told him the whole thing. * * * I do not 
know how much money McPherson got on the 
night of the murder. He told me he got $1,600. 
(Signed) CANADA OWENBY. 

Witnessed by J. P. Spencer, Charles Lofland 
and O. C. White. 

There is, apparently, quite a serious dis- 
crepancy in the details of this rather confused 
and conflicting confession which appears to 
have passed unnoticed by the legal authorities. 
It will be observed by the reader that Owenby 
says in one place that after firing three shots 
he assisted McPherson to place the body of 
Cummins on the bed, and "immediately went 
out of the room," and "was not in the house 
afterward." Yet along further he minutely 
describes the actions of McPherson, the as- 
sault with the knife and the ax, the securing 
of the money, all of which details were sup- 
posed to have occurred while he, Owenby, was 
on the outside of the cabin. He, also, adds, 
naively, "We then immediately left the cabin 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



317 



(together), and rode up the main road to 
Hagen's house." From this it is quite apparent 
that if Owenby left the cabin at the time he 
said he did, he must have returned. 

Following this confession warrants were 
issued for the arrest of McPherson, Snoderly 
and one Porter. At noon, Sunday, while the 
jury in the Owenby case were still striving to 
reach a verdict, Deputy Sheriff Cavanaugh 
left to make the arrests. At Pomeroy he en- 
countered Sheriff Wilson, of Garfield county. 
The two officers immediately proceeded on the 
man hunt. Porter was taken at Pomeroy; 
McPherson and Snoderly at their respective 
farms in Garfield county. Monday they were 
brought in to Dayton. McPherson waived 
examination and was committed to jail to 
await the action of the grand jury. Snoderly 
was examined before Justice Drake. On the 
sole evidence of Owenby he Avas sent to jail 
until the next term of the district court. 
Porter was released. That he was innocent of 
any implication in the crime the officers were 
firmly convinced. 

Ezra Snoderly and James T. McPherson 
were tried at Dayton at the June term of the 
district court, before Judge Wingard. Those 
who were present will never forget the sensa- 
tional details of this trial. When arraigned 
each pleaded not guilty. The re-trial of 
Canada Owenby took place at the same time, 
the original jury having disagreed. The 
Snoderly jury comprised John Gwinn, D. H. 
Singley, Andrew Robinson, Abe White, Mar- 
ion Sherry, Moses Moore, Curtis Shingler, 
James Bratcher, James Sweeney, Riley Privett, 
John Long and John Catron. 

Those forming the McPherson jury were 
James Welch, A. W. Sargent, C. W. Fitz- 
simmons, Joseph McCall, John Standiferd, 
William McKey, Jacob Rainwater, N. C. Will- 
iams, J. H. Jackson, Daniel Davis, F. M. 
Kagy and George Ihrig. 

Those comprising the second Owenby jury 
were Moses Moore, James Welch, Joseph 



Ledgerwood, Curtis Shingler, James Sweeney, 
Riley Privett, Jacob McCall, J. H. Chastain, 
John Ray, J. D. Tyrrel, James Bratcher and 
D. H. Singley. 

The jury in the Owenby case having been 
charged by Judge Wingard, retired for half 
an hour and returned with a verdict of "guilty 
as charged." There was a worn and haggard 
look upon Owenby's face, dark circles around 
his eyes and he presented every evidence of 
one having suffered the torments of the 
damned. Hopeless, yet apparently resigned, 
he bowed to his fate. While the juries were 
out in the several cases fears were expressed on 
the streets of Dayton that they would not 
convict. Yet there was scarcely a person who 
attended these trials and heard the evidence, 
but who believed them guilty of the murder 
of Eli H. Cummins. All were found guilty. 
On the morning of Friday, January 29, 
1883, Ezra Snoderly was taken into court and 
sentenced to be hanged by the neck until he 
was dead. With supreme, almost insolent in- 
difference, the prisoner received his sentence, 
remarking to an officer of the court that he 
did not have "to die but once." At 3 130 
p. m., the same day, James T. McPherson. 
through his attorneys, entered a motion for a 
new trial. The motion was overruled. Before 
pronouncing the death sentence the court 
ordered the prisoner to rise and state what 
reason, if any, there was why sentence should 
not be pronounced against him. In a voice 
trembling with emotion McPherson said that 
he knew of no legal reason, but he added, 
"Before God, I knew nothing of this murder 
until the morning of the 27th of July." He 
was then reconducted to the dismal precincts 
of the jail. Owenby had not yet been sen- 
tenced, but the sensational tragedy was ap- 
proaching the final act. 

July 21, 1883, it was generally conceded 
that McPherson would appeal his case to the 
supreme court. It was not thought, however, 
that Snoderly would do so. It would not be 



3i« 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



necessary for McPherson to appear personally 
before the court. Section 1152 of the Terri- 
torial Code provided that "The personal ap- 
pearance of the defendant in the supreme court 
on trial of an appeal, or suit in error, is in 
no case necessary. - ' Thus it was seen that 
nothing save the interposition of Divine 
Providence or Governor Newell could cause 
McPherson or Snoderly to be removed from 
their quarters in the Dayton jail. July 20th 
McPherson and Snoderly were chained to the 
floor of their cells. On learning of Sheriff 
Hosier's decision to do this both the prisoners 
broke down and wept like children. For once 
the brazen impudence, brag and bluster of 
Snoderly deserted him ; the man was com- 
pletely whipped. After the chains were se- 
curely riveted by Jack Hntcheon the sheriff 
informed them of the day set for their execu- 
tion, and said that they had enjoyed more 
liberty in this jail than they would in that of 
any other county in the Territory. "In other 
places." he added, "a death watch would have 
been set the moment you were sentenced. The 
present precautions are taken because you have 
been discovered telegraphing to each other 
and making secret gestures." 

The two men still strenuously declared 
their innocence. Owenby said that he did not 
desire his sentence commuted, but wished to 
hang, preferring execution to the mental suf- 
fering he then endured. The date set for the 
hanging of McPherson and Snoderly was 
August 7th. The former offered his attorneys 
$1,000 to carry his case up to the supreme 
court. Accordingly Attorneys Anders, Caton 
and Crowley served notice upon the Columbia 
county prosecuting attorney of McPherson' s 
intention to apply to the supreme court for a 
writ of error, and that he would, on the 30th 
instant, apply to Judge Wingard for a stay of 
proceedings. In July, 1883, me Pomeroy 
"Republican" said : 

"We were surprised to hear several prom- 
inent citizens of this place, well acquainted 



with McPherson and Owenby, express a dis- 
belief in the latter' s testimony in the late trial, 
and consequently a doubt as to McPherson's 
guilt. If it is also true that the jury which 
convicted him were improperly influenced by 
threats, a new trial should be granted and 
every opportunity afforded him to prove his 
innocence." 

In line with this suggestion the Columbia 
"Daily Chronicle" of July 28th, said: 

"We, too. wish McPherson to have every 
opportunity afforded him to prove his inno- 
cence, and can well understand how residents 
of Pomeroy believe him innocent, as no man 
stood higher among his neighbors than did 
McPherson before his arrest. We were among 
the last to believe in his guilt, but having 
watched the case in all its phases, we are com- 
pelled to acknowledge that we believe him to 
be guilty and that Owenby has told the truth 
from the first. Late developments strengthen 
this belief. It is impossible that he is inno- 
cent. The idea of the jury having been im- 
properly influenced is preposterous." 

Continuing on July 30th the editor of the 
"Daily Chronicle" said: 

"We were informed this morning that 
Snoderly had signified his intention to appeal 
his case to the supreme court, but upon in- 
vestigation learn that it is too late to do so. 
Last Saturday Messrs. Sturdevant & Wood 
had an interview with him to learn if he 
wished them to take his case up, and he said 
if there was not a good chance of success he 
did not. If he was to lie in jail another year 
and then have the same thing to go through 
over again he preferred to let it go. This 
morning, however, he changed his mind and 
sent word to his attorneys to go ahead, but 
Mr. Sturdevant says he has not time to do so 
now and comply with the law and the chances 
are that he will swing." 

The following day the "Chronicle" added 
this : 

"Lumber is on the ground and work will 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



3i9 



commence tomorrow on the scaffold from 
which Snoderly will take his final leap into 
eternity. It does not look exactly right for 
the one the least guilty of the crime to be the 
first to swing, while those who actually com- 
mitted the deed gain another year's lease of 
life and a possible acquittal if the case should 
come up for another trial. If McPherson is 
allowed an appeal, Snoderly should not be 
hanged until the case is decided, as he was 
convicted upon the same evidence as was Mc- 
Pherson, and consequently the same evidence 
that would clear McPherson would clear him." 
Under date of August 2, 1883, McPherson 
published the following: 

Editor Chronicle: I noticed an article in either 
the Chronicle or Statesman a short time ago ex- 
pressing surprise how I could have had a six-horse 
team, and had them paid for, and out of debt, when 
I had not much money when I came to the country 
five years ago. 

In reply I would say, I only wish I was out of 
debt, but instead of that, at the time I was 
arrested I was owing $150 in Pomeroy, besides 
a note in Portland of $100, and what I wish to 
say to the public is that I got all my money 
honorably, and I am ready and willing to show 
where I got it, and can do so, not only by my own 
books but by other men's books that I have dealt 
with. And, furthermore, some people say, how 
could Owenby make a confession, and him locked 
up in jail, without it was true? Perhaps it was 
not as hard a matter as people might think, when 
he had a good helper on the outside. The question 
is this, if Owenby had known all of these things, 
what use did Godman have in asking A. H. Hagans 
if he knew what kind of ammution I got for Cum- 
mins, and if he knew whether I gave it to Cum- 
mins or not. Jonas Wilson also told me when 
we were going home from Dayton the Saturday 
hefore I was arrested, that Godman asked him if 
it would be possible for a man to go from where 
Kauche's dog was shot, around the south side of 
his and my field, and come down to my house 
without being seen. 

They also wanted me to testify to falsehoods 
to clear Owenby, which I would not do. I will re- 
late the conversation between Col. George and 
myself after the prosecution had closed in Owen- 
hy's first trial. They requested me to come to 
George's office. After I was seated in the office 
George said to me, "we want to prove by you that 
Owenby sold his pistol before the murder." I 
said, "you cannot do it." He then said, "we 



want to prove by you that Owenby's pistol was a 
32 calibre." I said, "you cannot do that, either, 
for I never saw him have a pistol." He then 
said, "we want to prove by you that the box of 
cartridges that Owenby bought at Mulkey's were 
32-calibre." I said, "you cannot do that, either. 
I saw him buy a box of cartridges at Mulkey's, but 
it was a good while ago and I did not pay any 
attention to them, therefore I could not say 
positively what calibre they were." At this he 
studied a minute and then said, "well, I hate to 
see this man convicted, for if he is he will make 
a confession and implicate others." 

I said, "that is none of my business." He then 
said, "that is all." I then started to go out of the 
office, when he said, "this is not my case; it is God- 
man's. I am only working for him." There are 
other things that occurred in Pomeroy after the 
murder, and before Owenby was arrested that gave 
him a chance to make up his story, that I will not 
make public at present, but I would say this much, 
that there was a certain party in Pomeroy that was 
uncommonly anxious to have my name circulated, 
for what reason is more than I am able to ex- 
plain, but my readers must not think that I 
mean Ed. Wilson, for I do not. 

I am now a prisoner and condemned of murder 
in the eyes of man, hut not in the eyes of God, 
for I had nothing to do with the murder of Cum- 
mins whatever. But it seems hard to die under 
the hands of Owenby in a worse way than Cum- 
mins had to, but God only knows how thankful 
I am that my poor, suffering wife knows that I 
am innocent. And there is one thing I wish to ask 
the people, and that is, if I am executed before 
the truth is explained, and if the truth ever does 
come to light, which it will undoubtedly, sooner 
or later, and people are convinced that I was 
not guilty, then if there are any that can aid 
my family on their journey through this world 
of trouble, I will be ever so thankful for them to 
do so. Respectfully yours, 

j. t. Mcpherson. 
August 2d the "Daily Chronicle" said : 

Considerable murmuring is heard on our 
streets concerning the execution of Snoderly to 
take place next Tuesday, many thinking there is 
no justice in such a proceeding, when the wretches 
who really committed the deed are granted a 
respite of one year and a half. Granting this to 
be the case we cannot ignore the fact that he is 
guilty and was so found by twelve good and true 
men. If his companions in crime succeeded in get- 
ting a larger sum of money by their foul deed 
than he did, enabling them to prosecute their case 
in higher courts, it does not make him less guilty 
of being an accessory before the fact. If a reprieve 



320 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY 



were granted him the chances are that he would 
never hang, but his sentence would be commuted. 
Don't let your sympathies get the better of your 
judgment. 

The following day the "Chronicle" added 
this information : 

"Mr. Isaac Carson returned from Portland 
last evening. While in that city he met N. T. 
Caton who informed him that he had procured 
a stay of proceedings for McPherson. In 
consequence Snoderly will shuffle off alone on 
the 7th." 

For several days the impression prevailed 
in Dayton that the reason Snoderly did not ap- 
peal his case was because of lack of funds. 
In explanation of the matter he published the 
following card in the ''Chronicle" on the 4th: 

"In jail, Saturday, August 4th: — It hav- 
ing been intimated that I did not appeal my 
case to the supreme court on account of the 
want of money, I desire to state that I was 
told by my attorneys that an appeal would be 
taken if I wished it at all events, whether 
money was furnished for the same or not. 

"EZRA SNODERLY." 

Efforts were then made for a reprieve. A 
petition addressed to the governor was cir- 
culated by Attorneys Sturdevant & Wood. 
After having been diligently circulated 
throughout the town it was returned to the 
attorneys with no signatures but that of E. 
R. Burk, ex-clerk of the district court and 
representative of the Associated Press. 

N. T. Caton returned to Dayton on the 
evening of the 3d inst. and filed a copy of the 
stay of proceedings in the McPherson case. 
This would give the prisoner a lease of life of 
about nineteen months, and possibly a verdict 
of not guilty. The tragedy was now moving 
swiftly to a conclusion. There was evident 
dissatisfaction with the result of Judge Caton's 
western trip; there were ominous threats and 
mutterings of discontent. Saturday night, 



August 4th, McPherson was lynched. Of this 
affair the "Chronicle" said: 

McPherson Hanged! A Vigilance Committee 
Take Him Out of Jail and Deal Summary Ven- 
geance! Cummins Avenged! 

For several days rumors have been rife of the 
probable lynching of J. T. McPherson if he se- 
cured a stay of proceedings from the court, but 
as there was so much talk we were inclined to 
think that it was all talk. It was noticed Satur- 
day, however, that a great many people were on 
the streets who seemed to be engaged in earnest 
conversation whenever a squad would congregate. 
In the evening the streets were alive with people, 
but very little was said in regard to the murderers. 
About ten o'clock a body of masked men number- 
ing about sixty persons, took possession of the 
public square, and placed guards around the 
scaffold and throughout the park to keep out- 
siders from interfering. A portion of the crowd 
then demanded admittance into the jail yard, and 
upon refusal of the jailor to open the door, a crow- 
bar was procured and the door pried open. The 
jail guard began shooting, the fire being returned 
by the mob, who then grabbed the guard and held 
him until the work was done. 

George E. Church, who was acting as death 
watch, locked the jail door at the first alarm and 
threw the key under the steps. As the mob en- 
tered the jail they remarked to the guard, "We 
are not here to break the law but to fulfill it. 
That appeal don't go." The jail was then broken 
into and McPherson taken out and assisted upon 
the scaffold, his shackles still upon his feet, and 
the rope was placed around his neck and made 
fast over the beam. As he ascended the scaffold 
he exclaimed, "Before God I am innocent. You 
are hanging an innocent man." He begged 
piteously for mercy and asked them to hang Owen- 
by first. 

McPherson then offered up a prayer, when, as 
soon as he was through, he was pushed off the 
scaffold. The rope was either too long, or else it 
slipped, McPherson striking the side of the trap 
as he fell, and his feet reached the ground. Strong 
hands grasped the rope and his ponderous body 
swung clear between the heavens and earth, and 
he was literally strangled to death. By this time 
the streets were full of people, all eager to see 
the execution, but the vigilantes kept them out of 
the yard until all signs of life were extinct. The 
body was then given to the jail guard and the 
coroner summoned. Upon his arrival the body was 
cut down and he summoned a jury who returned 
a verdict as follows: 

"We, the undersigned coroner's jury, sum- 
moned to inquire into the cause and circumstances 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



32T 



attending the death of James T. McPherson, do 
find that the said James T. McPherson came to 
his death by hanging and strangulation, the per- 
son or persons causing his death being unknown to 
the jury. 

I. N. ARMENT, 

T. S. LEONARD, 

G. A. CAMERON, 

LOUIS YOUNG, 

JOSEPH W. SMITH, 

S. M. WAIT." 

Jurors. 

The body of McPherson was taken to the 
undertaking establishment of Kimball & 
Martin, where it was placed in a coffin. His 
neck had not been broken. The remains, ac- 
companied by the widow and children, were 
taken to Pomeroy for interment. 

Unlike a majority of mobs this party pro- 
ceeded to their work coolly and systematically. 
They hanged the one whom they believed the 
most likely to escape the just consequences of 
a horrible crime, leaving the others to be dealt 
with as the law directed. Yet there was no 
indication that the supreme court would have 
interfered with the verdict of the jury which 
had found the prisoner guilty. It appears, 
then, that this summary and unlawful proceed- 
ing was simply the result of incontrolable im- 
patience at the law's delay. 

Tuesday, August 7th, Ezra Snoderly, at 
high noon, was taken from his cell and from 
the same scaffold from which McPherson was 
pushed into eternity, he took his adieu of all 
things earthly and the law was vindicated. 
Quite a change had come over the doomed 
man since the day previous, and in company 
with a man named Glover he sang, "I am so 
glad that Jesus loves me," and other familiar 
hymns. After 11 o'clock he had slept well 
during the night. In the morning he ate a 
hearty breakfast and wrote a letter to his wife, 
saying that he was innocent, and that if she did 
not believe it to always teach the children so. 
G. A. Sawyer, of Pomeroy, called upon him 
and Snoderly insisted that he should go and 
see his Avife and tell her of his innocence. He 
21 



admitted that he realized his fate and dreaded' 
it, but was ready to meet it. Crowds of peo- 
ple flocked into town from every direction, 
among them many from Pomeroy, Pataha and 
Waitsburg, until it was estimated that fully 
3,000 persons were present. At 11 :2o a. m., 
the sheriff's posse, numbering about 75 per- 
sons, under command of Col. George Hunter, 
marched out of Drake's Opera House and 
formed in behind the Dayton Grays, number- 
ing 27 men, and marched to the scaffold, form- 
ing a line around it to keep back the dense 
throng of people already upon the ground. 

At 1 1 .-40 the prisoner, dressed in a neat 
suit of black, escorted by Sheriff Hosier, was 
taken from his cell and at his own request was 
taken into Owenby's cell. He extended his 
hand to Owenby and said: "You are taking 
my life; the life of an innocent man." Owen- 
by replied, "I am not; I have only told the 
truth and cannot tell anything else." To this 
Snoderly answered, "I forgive you, and I hope 
the Lord will forgive you and you will be a 
better man." Owenby replied, "God help you, 
Ezra." 

They then separated, Owenby appearing to 
be greatly affected, while Snoderly wore the 
same expression as when on the scaffold. The 
sheriff and prisoner, preceded by Revs. Whit- 
comb and Van Patten, and followed by Sheriff 
Wilson, of Garfield county, Sheriff Thompson, 
of Walla Walla county, Colonel Shaw, of 
Portland, and Deputy Sheriff Cavanaugh, as- 
cended the scaffold. Snoderly walked with a 
firm tread, scarcely leaning upon the officer at 
all. The prisoner seated himself in a chair, 
pale but perfectly self-possessed. A passage of 
scripture was read by Rev. Whitcomb, after 
which the prisoner was asked if he had any- 
thing to say. Snoderly arose and in a firm 
voice addressed the vast assemblage as fol- 
lows : 

"Gentlemen : I die an innocent man. The 
last words I have to say, I am an innocent man. 
I have been a bad boy and have stolen things. 



322 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



Is that any reason that I should die? I forgive 
every one. I know nothing of this murder or 
of the intention of robbery. Am innocent. 
I hope yon will all pray for me and meet me in 
heaven. I am here for some one else's crime. 
I forgive everybody. Pray for the ones who 
brought me here. I have no hard feelings 
against anyone." 

Following a short prayer the hands and 
feet of Snoderly were pinioned, the noose ad- 
justed and before the black cap was placed 
upon his head he again said. "Gentlemen, I die 
an innocent man. Yon are taking the life of 
an innocent man." The cap was then adjusted 
and at 11:50 the trap was sprung, the body 
falling four and one-half feet, where it hung 
perfectly still, with the exception of spasmodic 
breathing and a slightly swinging motion of 
the lower limbs. Twelve minutes afterward 
he was pronounced dead. At the expiration of 
twenty minutes the remains were cut down, 
placed in a neat black coffin and, by request 
of friends, sent to Pomeroy for burial by the 
side of his brother. 

After the execution of Snoderly, Owenby 
was conveyed to Walla Walla and confined in 
the county jail at that place. On the evening 
of December 25, 1883, he, in company with 
another criminal, escaped. This jail delivery 
occurred at 5 -.30 p. m. During the outbreak 
Sheriff Thompson and Jailor Williamson were 
seriously injured. Thompson entered the jail 
for the purpose of locking the prisoners in the 
steel cages. Just as the sheriff passed through 
the doorway from the ante- room to the jail 
corridor, he was struck on the head with a 
brick thrown eithed by Owenby or the other 
prisoner, Elfus. Then followed a scuffle be- 
tween the officer and the prisoners. Elfus and 
Owenby both struck Thompson, grappled with 
him and forced him back into the corridor in 
the directions of the jailor's room. From here 
they rushed Thompson back into the jail and 
closed the door upon him, having in the mean- 



time battered his head with a couple of bricks 
which they had taken from the walls of the 
jail. The escaping prisoners then turned their 
attention to Jailor Williamson who had come 
to Thompson's rescue. 

The former, finding he could not success- 
fully resist the desperadoes ran to the window 
and gave the alarm. Upon this one of the 
prisoners seized him and cut his throat with 
a small pocket knife, inflicting a deep wound 
from the right ear, following under the jaw 
bone for about four inches, and barely missing 
the jugular vein. They then rifled his pockets, 
found the outside jail door key and escaped 
under cover of approaching darkness, without 
bats or coats. The jail-breakers stole two 
borses from the stable of Mr. Coombs, who 
lived in Congressman Brent's house, and rode 
away. A posse of fourteen men, well armed, 
left Walla Walla at eight o'clock, with grim 
instruction to bring back the outlaws dead or 
alive. They learned the following day that 
the two desperate men had gone to Cold 
Springs, left their exhausted horses, stolen two 
others, killed a Chinaman and robbed the body 
of $140. 

January 2, 1884, Owenby was captured 
near Milton, Oregon, only a short distance 
south of Walla Walla, and brought back to 
jail. Of this capture the Walla Walla "Union" 
of January 3d said : 

Yesterday afternoon a young son of a farmer 
named DeHaven, living about three and one-half 
miles above Milton on the Walla Walla river, while 
near his father's barn, noticed a man crawling 
on the ground inside the building. The little 
fellow informed his parents of the fact and they 
in turn went to the barn to look into the matter. 
As told by the boy they found a man with his feet 
frozen and about starved to death. Thinking him 
a tramp they took the suffering man into the 
house and made temporary provision for his 
wants, at the same time sending word to Milton, 
stating the facts. Deputy Sheriff Phelps started 
for DeHaven's thinking that the supposed tramp 
might possibly be one of the escaped murderers. 
On arriving at DeHaven's he began quizzing the 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



323 



man, who finally admitted that he was Owenby. 
He said that he reached the barn in which he was 
found the day after his escape from jail, and that 
he suffered greatly from the flux, which kept him 
from proceeding any farther; he had had nothing 
to eat from the time of his escape until he was 
discovered, excepting what little milk he could 
steal from a cow which was stabled in the barn. 
Owenby said he suffered so much from his frozen 
feet, loss of blood and hunger that he found it 
impossible to move about. 

Owenby was taken to Milton and then to 
Walla Walla, where a strong guard was placed 
over him as there was some little talk of 
lynching theprisoner. The "Union" said: 

"To the good credit of our fair city only 
one or two hot-headed individuals were heard 
to intimate the propriety of mob law. The 
vast majority of the good citizens of Walla 
Walla are opposed to lynch law, and any at- 
tempt to resort to it would be met by determ- 
ined, resolute, armed men, ready to defend the 
officers of justice in the execution of their 
duty." 

It was decided to bring Owenby to the 
Columbia county jail, at Dayton, and there 
was strong talk of lynching the man at 
that place. Concerning this the Columbia 
"Chronicle" said : 

It has been strongly hinted on the street this 
morning that Owenby might be taken from the 
sheriff on his return from Walla Walla and sum- 
marily executed. Don't do it. That officer is 
sworn to do his duty and any such attempt will 
surely result in bloodshed; besides there has been 
no carelessness shown by the officers in this county 
in handling the prisoners entrusted to their care 
and we may rest assured that Owenby will not 
escape again. Be careful that nothing unlawful 
is done and Owenby will as surely meet his doom 
as daylight follows night. 



Owenby was safely landed in the Dayton 
jail, quite ill and feeble from the effects of his 
experiences while at large. At about 7 o'clock 
Monday evening, January 7, 1884, it was dis- 
covered by the jail guard that Canada Owenby 
was in artiado mortis. His hands and arms 
to the elbows were cold and the death damp 
was on his forehead. He lingered until Tues- 
day morning, January 8th, when his soul went 
forth to meet his victim and his accomplices 
in the great beyond. Before his death he was 
asked by Mr. Church if he was prepared to 
meet Cummins, Snoderly and McPherson. He 
replied that he was ; that he had clone Cummins 
a great injury, having, without any personal 
feeling against him, killed him solely for his 
money. Mr. Church then said: 

"Owenby, in making your dying statement, 
do you still say that Snoderly knew of the 
murder of Cummins?" 

"I do, I do!" the dying man answered. 
"I am sorry that they had to answer to the 
law, but they were guilty of the murder. I 
only told the truth. This is my dying state- 
ment. Rather than have caused my family 
this disgrace and grief I would have preferred 
to have spent my life in close confinement. 
I would give the world to recall my life for 
the past two or three years. I have made mis- 
takes in everything; in committing the murder 
and my last attempt to escape." 

Thus ends the closing scene of the fright- 
ful tragedy at New York Bar, each participant 
of that crime having been summoned to final 
judgment, two by the hangman's noose and 
one by illness contracted in a desperate attempt 
to escape punishment. 



CHAPTER III 



CURRENT EVENTS— 1884 TO 1905. 



The year 1884 will be remembered as one 
of immense immigration into Eastern Wash- 
ington, and Columbia county received its full 
proportion of the human tide. The first of the 
advancing wave reached this vicinity early in 
March of that year. From then on the stream 
of new arrivals from the east was almost con- 
tinual. 

But financially the year was dull. Three- 
fourths of the goods sold by local merchants 
throughout the county went on their books, al- 
though sales for the current month of Feb- 
ruary were greater than for the corresponding 
month of the previous year. It was hoped 
that the expected immigration of 1885 would 
bring money into the country, but the with- 
drawal of large amounts which formerly had 
been kept here on deposit by capitalists for 
several years caused an unusual stringency in 
the money market. The Columbia Chronicle 
of July 1 2th said : 

"On account of the prevailing hard times 
our farmers have not gone in debt as heavily 
as in previous years. Many of them have 
bought nothing but the bare necessities of life 
and have practiced strict economy wherever 
it was possible. Money could not be tighter 
than it is at present." 

During the month of December there came. 
a storm that was without precedent within the 
memory of white men. The first week of its 
continuance the greatest fall of snow was 
south of the Snake river and along the base 
of the Blue Mountains. Later it spread to 



points north of the river. H. S. Blandford, of 
the United States signal office, at Dayton, fur- 
nished the following data regarding the storm 
at that place : "Total snow falling up to 8 
o'clock, a. m., December 25th, 45.6 inches, 
equivalent in rain to 3.50 inches, a deficiency 
of about one inch owing to the excessive dry- 
ness of the snow. The minimum temperature, 
19 degrees below zero, occurred about 8 p. m., 
on the 23d. The highest temperature during 
the night of the 19th and 20th, when it reached 
37.5 degrees above zero, wind southwest, with 
a maximum velocity of 24 miles per hour. 
The prevailing wind direction during the 
whole storm was southwest. The heaviest 
snowfall was accompanied with light northeast 
wind and temperature ranging from zero to 
eight degrees above on the 22d, when the snow 
drifted to a considerable extent. Five inches 
of snow fell on this date between 12 m. and 8 
p. m." During the early part of January snow 
continued to fall at intervals and the weather 
remained cold. Stock suffered greatly and 
many sheepmen lost a portion of their bands 
through inability to drive them to hay stacks. 
Following this severe winter of 1884 there 
were raised in Columbia county, in 1885, 
2,460,000 bushels of wheat. 

A comparison of population of Columbia 
county is as follows: 1881, 6,675; : 883, 
5,139; 1885, 5,906. It should be remembered 
that this apparent decrease in population is 
owing to the cutting off of Garfield and 
Asotin, from the territory of Columbia county. 
The territory which had a population of 6,675 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



3 2 5 



in 1881, in 1885 had 10,872, an increase of 
•over 62 per cent within four years. 

In 1886 the residents of the county became 
ambitious for the acquisition of another line 
of railway, giving direct communication with 
Puget Sound. They believed that such a road 
"would result in competition and lower freight 
rates. The plan proposed was the construc- 
tion of a road from Dayton to connect with the 
Northern Pacific at Ainsworth.- April 24th a 
mass meeting was held at Dayton at which the 
following resolutions were adopted : 

"Be it resolved by the people of Columbia 
county, Washington Territory, in mass meet- 
ing assembled, that we recognize the necessity 
for transportation connected direct with Puget 
Sound, and that we are determined to have it 
if we have to build a road from Dayton to 
Ainsworth ourselves. 

"Resolved. That we will render all assist- 
ance in our power to any corporation which 
will construct a railroad to work in connection 
with the Northern Pacific Railway between 
Dayton and Puget Sound direct." 

The agitation thus started continued until 
the county secured the road. This was in 
1889 and is treated fully later on in this 
history. 

In May. 1886, the financial condition of 
the county was excellent. There was suffi- 
cient cash in the road fund to pay all outstand- 
ing warrants against it, and the same was the 
case with the incidental fund, leaving $1,000 
over. The county fund was only $1,619 be- 
hind, but considering the several funds as one 
there was in the treasury sufficient cash to pay 
all outstanding warrants, leaving Columbia 
county free from debt and with a satisfactory 
surplus. 

For a short period in 1886 prohibition 
ruled supreme in the county. During the win- 



ter of ii 



-6 the Territorial Legislature 



passed what was known as the "local option 
act." This measure allowed each precinct to 



decide by vote whether or no intoxicating 
liquors should be sold within the limits of any 
precinct in the Territory. The act incited con- 
siderable activity among temperance workers, 
and especially was this the case in Columbia 
county. Of her sixteen precincts, in the sum- 
mer of 1886, nine of them asked for the privi- 
lege of voting upon the question. These pre- 
cincts were Tucanon, Burksville, Huntsville, 
Patit, Starbuck, Harmony, Smith Hollow, 
Dayton and Brooklyn. The two latter were 
considered as one precinct, being in an incor- 
porated city. 

The campaign preceding the election of 
June 28th, at which time the question of pro- 
hibition was submitted to the voters, was ex- 
citing, sensational and fiercely waged. The 
woman suffrage law was still in force; ladies 
took an active and influential part in the cam- 
paign ; and more especially was this the case 
with the earnest workers in the W. C. T. U. 
Temperance meetings were held frequently; 
orators were imported from abroad; more as- 
sidious and thorough political work was done 
then than has since taken place in even a presi- 
dential campaign. The result was a complete 
victory for the prohibitionists. In Dayton 761 
votes were cast; there was a majority of 103 
for prohibition. 

It may be of interest to the reader to here 
note the work in several other towns in Wash- 
ington Territory. The following declared 
against prohibition by appended majorities: 
Spokane Falls, 437; Seattle, 1,030; Dunge- 
ness, 62; Olympia, 242; Vancouver, 120; Port 
Discovery, 49; Port Townsend, 170; Tocoma, 
604; Petaha City, 66; Sprague, 208; Cheney, 
100; Ritzville, 7; Ellensburg, 259; Harring- 
ton, 10; Whatcom, 62; North Yakima, 46. 

Towns which declared for prohibition and 
their majorities, were: Dayton, 103; Waits- 
burg, 123; Colfax, 26; Pomeroy, 20; Prescott, 
122; Old Yakima, 3. 

Saturday, July 24th, the prohibition vote 



326 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY 



of Columbia county was canvassed by Probate 
Judge F. G. Frary and County Treasurer F. 
C. Miller, with the following result : 

PRECINCTS. FOR. AGAINST. MAJORITY. 

Dayton and Brooklyn.. 429 326 103 

Patit 40 10 30 

Starbuck 21 18 3 

Huntsville jj — yj 

Smith Hollow II 2 9 

Burksville 19 13 6 

Tucannon 7 13 6 

Harmony 52 10 42 



656 



392 



276 



The total majority for prohibition in the 
county was 276. Eight precincts voted for 
and one against. 

Promptly at 12 o'clock M.. on the day the 
vote was canvassed all saloons in the eight pre- 
cincts closed their doors. Prohibition in Co- 
lumbia county became an established fact. 
Following a short lull in the excitement last- 
ing a few days, the saloon element decided to 
test the law. July 27th Jake Schuman was ar- 
rested by Deputy Sheriff Cavanaugh on com- 
plaint of A. L. McCauley. Schuman had sold 
a pint of beer. Monday, August 16th, he was 
brought before Justice J. C. Dorr on the 
charge of having violated the local option law. 
Schuman was held to answer in the sum of 
$500 for his appearance at the next term of 
the district court. In default of bail he was 
committed to the custody of the sheriff. He 
then petitioned for a writ of habeas corpus, 
claiming to have been illegally restrained of 
his liberty.- This was forwarded to Judge 
Langford, and Tuesday, August 31st, the case 
of the Territory of Washington vs. Jacob 
Schuman was argued. Messrs. Sturdevant 
and Crowley appeared for the prosecution; B. 
L. and J. L. Sharpstein for the defense. Argu- 
ments occupied nearly the entire day. At 
their close Judge Langford took the case under 



advicement, filing a written decision with the 
clerk of the court Wednesday, September 1st, 
at 1 1 o'clock a. m. So soon as the tenor of the 
decision became known, which practically de- 
clared the law unconstitutional, nearly all the 
saloons resumed business. Following is the 
syllabus of the decision : 



1. Whether the police power of the legislature 
extends to all matters which it may deem conserva- 
tive to public health and morals, so that it can regu- 
late, restrict or prohibit any use of any property 
and thereby impair or destroy its value without com- 
pensation; discussed but not decided. 

2. When a state law provides that a business 
shall be licensed without a consideration being paid 
to the state therefor, but merely the officers paid 
for the issuance of the license, this is not a contract 
made between the state and licensee, because no 
consideration is received by the state; but when the 
licensee pays into the state the sum of money, the 
transaction between the state and the licensee has 
all the qualities of a contract, binding the state not 
to prosecute the licensee for selling accoring to the 
license during the time which the license runs, and 
the state has no right to impair this contract nor 
rescind it without the consent of the licensee, but 
can destroy the right in no other way, except to 
appropriate the same to public use by due process 
of law and compensation. 

3. The payment to the licensee of the money 
he has paid is not the process of law, nor the com- 
pensation which the constitution provides, and hence 
the imprisonment of the petitioner for selling beer 
according to his license is illegal. 

4. The local option act does not take effect by 
virtue of its own force. When it left the legis- 
lature it was a mere proposition and not a law, and 
was to become a law only when the people in the 
different precincts ratified it by a majority of the 
popular vote. This is legislation by the masses of 
the people to whom no legislative power is granted 
by the organic act, and hence the said act is no law 
and repeals no law. 



In November, 1886, Judge George Turner 
held that the local option law was valid — the 
reverse of Judge Langford's decision. This 
ruling of Judge Turner in another district did 
not, of course, affect the decision of Judge 
Langford, handed down in Columbia county. 
The few days that the saloons were closed in 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



3 2 7 



this county was the only period that prohibi- 
tion ruled supreme in that vicinity. 

"Hope springs eternal in the human 
breast." Columbia county people in the clos- 
ing days of 1886 believed, and with good rea- 
son, that the dark clouds of business depression 
were about to roll away, or at least show their 
silver lining. December nth the Chronicle 
said : 

"From all parts of the United States come 
cheering words of hope for better times com- 
ing and now near at hand. There is an im- 
provement visible even in our quiet little city 
of Dayton. As yet it consists chiefly in an in- 
creased feeling of confidence among business 
men and property owners. Only this week a 
man of business and a close observer was 
heard to say that in less than six months men 
of means would be drawing their money from 
the banks and investing it in town and county 
property. There can be no doubt but that the 
lowest point of depression has been reached and 
passed, and that the trend is upward in the 
direction of fair returns for labor and judi- 
cious investments.'' 

Notwithstanding "hard times" in 1886 the 
question of building a county court house be- 
came an absorbing one to the citizens of Day- 
ton and the surrounding country. At the last 
election a proposition for such a building had 
been submitted to the electors and voted down, 
presumably for the reason that a $7,000 
structure was not much better than no build- 
ing at all. It was now on the wings of rumor 
that an effort would be made to bond the coun- 
ty for $40,000, the proceeds to be applied to 
the building of a court house. It soon devel- 
oped, however, that legislative action would 
be required before the county could proceed 
with the building. February 4, 1886, the Ter- 
ritorial Council passed a bill authorizing the 
county of Columbia to build a court house. 
The same day the house ratified the action of 
the council by passing the bill without amend- 
ment. It was promptly approved by the gov- 



ernor and became a law. This measure pro- 
vided for the erection of a county building the 
total cost of which should not exceed $40,000. 
March 6th the Chronicle said : 

"We publish in another column the bill 
providing for the construction of a court house 
and jail in Columbia county that our readers 
may peruse it and judge for themselves as to 
its efficacy. The bill was copied by Mr. Mc- 
Call from a bill which passed the legislature of 
1 88 1. He introduced it by leave on the last 
day of the last session, when it passed both 
houses under suspension of the rules. The 
legislature had already passed a memorial to 
congress asking that the commissioners of Co- 
lumbia county be authorized to issue bonds for 
the construction of a court house and jail, but 
upon consultation with his colleagues Mr. Mc- 
Call thought this bill would do no harm, even 
though it did no good. In the hurry incident 
to the last day we notice that our representa- 
tive "followed copy'' almost too closely, for 
the original from which this is drafted pro- 
vided for the construction of a $20,000 court 
house. Our bill provides for the construction 
of a $40,000 court house, but in its provisions 
for raising the funds with which to pay for the 
same, $20,000 only is provided for. It is true 
that section 8 provides for the levying of a tax 
at the end of five years sufficient to pay any 
deficiency there may be in the fund, but the 
levy of a $20,000 tax in one year would create 
a hardship upon our citizens. We have no 
doubt that the next legislature would pass an- 
other bill provided that the last $20,000 should 
be collected after the manner of the first, but 
the acts of the legislature are things upon 
which one does not care to rely too much. 

"Columbia county wants a court house and 
jail and wants them badly. If the commis- 
sioners believe that this bill is a good one 
under which to act, we trust they will begin 
work as soon as possible. Both labor and ma- 
terials are cheaper than ever before and there 
will be no trouble in disposing of the warrants 



328 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, 



at a reasonable discount, which will not exceed 
what is now paid for rent. Let us have a 
court house as soon as possible by some 
means." 

April 14th a special session of the county 
commissioners was held in Dayton at which it 
was decided to build a court house. A request 
that the United States Congress take favorable 
action on the bill authorizing Columbia county 
to erect this structure was made to Washing- 
ton's territorial delegate, Hon. Charles S. 
Voorhees. May 24th a contract for building 
this edifice was let, the work to begin so soon 
as the senate passed the bill permitting the 
bonding of the county. This measure was 
acted favorably upon by the senate, privilege 
being granted to issue bonds for $40,000. 
June 1, 1886. A. J. Dexter turned the first 
sod ; the new court house was fairly under 
way. Late in that year the building was com- 
pleted ; the cost in round numbers was 
$38,000. 

During the closing days of March, 1887, an 
appeal was made to the Inter-State Commerce 
Commission in the matter of rates charged for 
shipping wheat. At Walla Walla a meeting was 
held at which were present delegates from 
Dayton, Waitsburg and Walla Walla, in 
Washington, and from Pendleton, The Dalles 
and Milton, Oregon. Resolutions were passed 
calling the attention of the commission to the 
exorbitant charges, and requesting an immedi- 
ate investigation that the 1887 crop might be 
saved. From what can be learned of the 
status of this case at the period of which we 
■write it would seem that the Oregon Railroad 
& Navigation Company had developed into 
cormorants so far as grain rates from the Blue 
Mountain country was concerned. It is said 
that these rates were nearly prohibitive. And 
it was mainly the effect of these excessive 
charges that what is known as the "Hunt 
road" was completed two years later. 

In December, 1887, conforming to a de- 
cision of the Inter-State Commerce Commis- 



sion, in the case of Reed & Evans vs. the Or- 
egon Railroad & Navigation Company, rates 
per hundred pounds in car-load lots, were fixed 
between Portland and points named, going 
into effect December 15th. From Prescott, 
Bolles Junction, Waitsburg, Huntsville, Longs 
and Dayton, 26*^ cents; old rate, 27^2' cents, 
this reduction, while almost insignificant, was 
duly appreciated by the grain growers then, as 
now, completely at the mercy of transportation 
companies. But the people went right ahead 
with the "Hunt road" proposition. 

It was estimated from the books of grain 
shippers that there was raised in Columbia 
county during the year 1887 the following: 
Wheat, 1,455,900 bushels; barley, 225,015; 
oats, 177,200; corn, 87,360; total, 1,945,475 
bushels. 

The Columbia County Board of Immigra- 
tion was in active operation in 1888, and the 
influx of actual settlers was large. The work 
of the executive committee of the board was 
unflagging, and to them great credit is due. 
It was composed of J. E. Edmiston, W. H. H. 
Fonts, Henry Hunter, M. M. Godman, W. H. 
Kuhn, J. N. Thompson and D. B. Kimball. 
Through efforts of this committee thousands 
of pamphlets were printed graphically describ- 
ing the many advantages offered by Columbia 
county. These were distributed in nearly 
every section of the United States. 

Concerning the grain crop of 1888 the 
Chronicle of January 26, 1889, said: 

"The Chronicle has made an earnest effort 
to ascertain the number of bushels of grain of 
the crop of 1888 exported from this county. 
Every grain dealer in Dayton has been inter- 
viewed and his figures and views on the sub- 
ject obtained. There have been bought, in- 
cluding what is now in the various warehouses 
of the county, 1,289,000 bushels of wheat; 
2,500 of oats; 110,000 of barley; and 3,000 of 
corn, making a total of 1,422,000 bushels. 
This of course does not include the Columbia 
county grain handled at Waitsburg, nor that 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



3 2 9 



now in the hands of the farmers. It is a safe 
estimate to put the grain of all kinds raised in 
this county in 1888 at two million bushels, cer- 
tainly a most encouraging record.'' 

The assessed valuation of Columbia coun- 
ty property in 1888 was as follows: Real es- 
tate, $1,169,780; improvements, $580,000; 
personal property, $1,076,950; total, $2,826,- 
730. This was an increase over 1887 of 
$339,270, or nearly 14 per cent, truly a most 
encouraging exhibit for a purely agricultural 
country, a country containing no "boom" 
towns, and it certainly indicates a strong, 
healthy, substantial growth, and of a perma- 
nent character. 

November 25, 1887, the Columbia County 
Agricultural Association was organized with 
the following named gentlemen as incorpora- 
tors : G. A. Kelly, G. A. Parker. A. Bundy, 
W. A. Montgomery, \Y. A. Muncy. Jacob 
Rainwater, Ed Wright, J. N. Thompson, Gar- 
ret Romaine, W. M. Sweany, M. A. Baker, 
C. M. Grupe, John Rainwater, L. W. Watrous, 
A. J. Dexter, J. H. Day and J. H. Hosier. 
The capital stock was $20,000. Under the 
auspices of this association the first Columbia 
county fair was held at Dayton, Wednesday, 
Thursday and Friday, October 10, 11 and 12, 
1888. It was conducted in line with similar 
rural expositions, and included horse racing 
and the usual exhibits of stock and agricult- 
ural products. Financially it was above the 
average of success, the receipts exceeding ex- 
penditures by about $600. This initial fair 
has been followed nearly every year since that 
date by similar expositions. 

What is known as the "Hunt railroad"' was 
completed in 1889. It was considered at the 
time to be one of the greatest benefits ever con- 
ferred on Columbia county. But this enter- 
prise had its inception as far back as March. 
1887. A committee had then recently returned 
from Walla Walla where it had gone to inves- 
tigate what was known as the "wheat contract 



move,'" which had gained extraordinary pro- 
portions in Walla Walla county. These re- 
turned committeemen called a meeting at Day- 
ton, at which another committee was named 
comprising these members : H. H. Wolfe, J. 
N. Day, J. N. Thompson, M. A. Baker and H. 
Hunter. The business assigned them was the 
perfection of a system of contracts and having 
the same printed, to submit to the farmers of 
Columbia county at a mass meeting to be called 
to meet at Drake's Opera House. The object 
of this assemblage was to secure a reduced rate 
on grain to any seaport on the Pacific coast by 
signing contracts, "both farmers and ship- 
pers," agreeing to ship for two seasons over 
any road that would carry grain to port at a 
rate not to exceed $4.00 per ton. There were 
present quite a number of agriculturists, and 
from indications it was evident that the unani- 
mity of action in Walla Walla would be par- 
alleled, if not exceeded in Columbia county. 
For five successive years farmers had reluct- 
antly paid $6.00 per ton to Portland, constant- 
ly hoping that as the acreage and yield in- 
creased this excessive toll — or tax — would be 
proportionately diminished. So far these 
hopes had been in vain. This last effort was 
a Macedonian cry — an earnest and united ap- 
peal for relief. February 26, 1887, the Chron- 
icle published this editorial paragraph : 

"The leading farmers and business men of 
this county are becoming greatly interested in 
the wheat contract scheme and are almost uni- 
versally favorable to the change making the 
terminus on the Pacific coast, or in other 
words, Puget Sound. There is a general feel- 
ing that our section has helped build up Portland 
long enough, and that it is about time to take 
some steps toward relieving ourselves from the 
further payment of tribute in that direction. 
Several have volunteered to go to Walla Walla 
next Monday to consult with the leaders of the 
movement there." 

Those who went were John Brining, E. 



33Q 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



Bird, George Eckler, J. N. Day, D. K. Pearce, 
D. B. Kimball, J. N. Thompson and R. G. 
Newland. 

A full report of the Dayton meeting of 
March 5th, published in the Chronicle, is as 
follows : 

"Citizens' meeting called to order pur- 
suant to adjournment by H. H. Wolfe, tem- 
porary chairman, who stated that a prelimi- 
nary organization had been effected last 
Wednesday to take into consideration some 
measure to secure cheaper rates of transporta- 
tion for the produce of our county, and secure 
a competing line of railroad to tidewater, and 
had adjourned until today at two o'clock, p. 
m. Notice of this had been published in our 
county papers. He then called upon Hon. John 
Brining to state the object of the present 
meeting; whereupon Mr. Brining briefly stated 
the object of the meeting to be the co-operative 
organization of the people of Columbia coun- 
ty, and more particularly the farmers, in secur- 
ing the building of a competing line of railroad 
through, or from, Columbia county to some 
seaport town or to Puget Sound, to reduce the 
rates of transportation on the produce and raw 
material shipped out of our county. The 
chairman stated that the next business before 
the meeting was permanent organization. On 
motion H. H. Wolfe was elected chairman 
and W. H. H. Fouts, secretary. 

"Speeches were made by Messrs. Cole, 
Eckler, Brining, Pietrzycki, Day, Mohundro 
and others in regard to cheaper rates of trans- 
portation, and a competing line of railroad and 
some means of securing them. The secretary 
was then, on motion, directed to read the form 
of wheat contract adopted by the citizens of 
Walla Walla. On motion the following com- 
mittee was appointed to devise ways and means 
to take the matter into consideration, and to 
report next Saturday at one o'clock, p. m. : 
John Fudge, J. H. Martin, William Vaughn, 
J. N. Thompson, J. H. Putnam, T. M. May, 
D. K. Pearce, Lewis Neace, A. H. Weather- 



ford. W. E. Ayers, A. P. Gibson, J. W. Dun- 
can, James Elder, C. E. Mohundro, A. E. 
Richardson, A. L. Jinnett and M. R. Hanger. 

"On motion the meeting adjourned until 
Saturday, March 12th." 

The March 12th meeting was held at Day- 
ton. Three trustees, H. H. Wolfe, John 
Fudge and D. K. Pearce were elected. To act 
with these trustees a committee of ten was ap- 
pointed, their duties being mainly to solicit the 
signatures of farmers to the wheat contracts. 
The plan evolved was to bind signers of the 
contracts to ship their wheat at the rate of 
$4.00 per ton via any railroad that would 
build in, making connection with Puget 
Sound, for a period of two years. March 19th 
another meeting was held at Covello for the 
same purpose exploited at the Dayton meeting. 
Benjamin Turner, A. E. McCall and S. J. 
Lowe were elected trustees, and the following 
were named as a committee to act in conjunc- 
tion with the trustees : O. E. Mack, R. T. 
Sloan, Taylor Hayes, J. F. Gordon, E. C. 
Crouch, A. L. Sanford and J. H. Putnam. 

During the spring of 1888 a board of trade 
was organized at Dayton. One of its first offi- 
cial acts was in behalf of another railroad to 
Dayton. The initial step taken was an inter- 
view with G. W. Hunt, a well-known railroad 
promoter, in regard to building a competing 
line into Dayton. Jesse N. Day, John Brining, 
W. H. H. Fouts and J. C. Van Patten were 
elected to interview Mr. Hunt. The latter 
agreed to build a road connecting Dayton with 
the Northern Pacific provided that the citizens 
would agree to the following terms : Right of 
way and depot grounds to be donated, and a 
subsidy given in proportion to the amount 
contributed by Eureka Flat and Walla Walla. 
December 1, 1888, the Chronicle made the fol- 
lowing report : 

J. N. Day and J. E. Edmiston, of the 'com- 
mittee appointed by the board of trade of this county 
to interview G. W. Hunt regarding the extension of his 
railroad from Walla Walla to Dayton, returned Wed- 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



33i 



nesday morning. They found Mr. Hunt at Waitsburg, 
and traveled with him to Walla Walla. They report that 
he made substantially this proposition : He will ex- 
tend his road to Dayton by way of the Coppei and 
Waitsburg for a subsidy of $75,000, the right of 
way and depot grounds. His idea is that Waits- 
burg can give $35,000, Dayton $40,000, and the cost 
of the right of way to be divided equally between 
the two towns, each giving its own depot ground. 
As it will be necessary to secure the right of way 
from the station within the corporate limits of Walla 
Walla, and as the whole length of. the road will 
be about thirty-four miles, it is possible that the 
sum to be raised will aggregate $100,000. Can it be 
raised? It is said that the Waitsburg board of 
trade has accepted their part of the contract and 
agreed to raise the $35,000, and guarantee the right 
of way and depot grounds. This county can surely 
do that well. 

Why should this money be given for the con- 
struction of another railroad into this county? Be- 
cause we are assured that without the subsidy the 
road will not be located here; because as a simple 
business proposition it is money in the pockets of 
the farmers and business men of this county to 
have a choice of lines to the sea-board, and because 
upon completion of this road the price of wheat 
will at once advance at least six cents a bushel. 
Wheat in Walla Walla during the past week has 
been selling at 77 cents a bushel, sacked, while 
here it has been only 68 cents. Putting the export 
wheat of the county for this season at 1.500.000 
bushels — a very conservative estimate — and the dif- 
ference in favor of the Hunt road to a Puget Sound 
market is the snug sum of $90,000, for this item of 
wheat alone. What with the oats and barley which 
would have been shipped over this road, the aggre- 
gate would be over $100,000, or double the amount 
demanded by Mr. Hunt. This vast sum, equal to 
about $16 for each and every man, woman and child 
in the county, and which has been lost this year for 
the lack of this road, will by prompt, liberal response 
on the part of those most vitally interested be saved 
to enrich and build up Columbia county, not next 
year alone, but every year for an indefinite period. 
The estimated advance of six cents a bushel is based 
upon the experience of those along the lines of 
Hunt's roads, both in Umatilla and Walla Walla 
counties and is put at from one to three cents below 
in order to be on the safe side. It is the opinion 
of the Chronicle that with a through competing 
line to Sound ports, the construction of adequate 
facilities for handling the grain and the positive 
information on the part of the ship owners of the 
world that cargoes of grain await transportation 
from the "Mediterranean of the Pacific." the dif- 
fence in the wheat market in favor of the farmers 



of the entire Walla Walla Valley will exceed ten 
cents a bushel over the present condition of affairs. 
Such a consummation every patriotic citizen most 
earnestly desires. To effect this the Chronicle 
urges our people to follow the example of Walla 
Walla and raise the required subsidy without in- 
quiring too closely into the motive or criticising too 
severely the fairness of the demand, but regarding 
it simply as an investment upon which there is an 
assured liberal annual return. 

December 8th the board of trade at once 
undertook to raise the money in accordance 
with Hunt's proposition. Committees were ap- 
pointed to secure the funds, look after the right 
of way, and confer with the Waitsburg board 
of trade, etc. 

January 26, 1889, Mr. Hunt came to Day- 
ton. There he met the citizens of Columbia 
county and with them discussed details con- 
cerning the building of the road. He found 
the people joining in this conference deeply in- 
terested, and they comprised leading farmers 
from all sections of the county. Mr. Hunt 
said that he purposed to connect Dayton with 
his railroad system by building a line up the 
Touchet from Waitsburg to Dayton, and 
through Dayton to Whetstone Hollow, for a 
bonus of $45,000 in cash, or merchantable 
wheat at not less than fifty cents a bushel ; the 
right of way and depot grounds; the road to 
be completed into Dayton by December 1, 
1889; and to Whetstone Hollow by Septem- 
ber 1, 1890; one-half of the subsidy to be paid 
when the road was in operation to Dayton and 
the remainder within twelve months there- 
after. Should the road not be in operation to 
Dayton December 1st, no subsidy whatever 
was to be paid. One-half of the subsidy was 
to be held for a year as a guarantee that the 
road would be continued to Whetstone Hol- 
low. Mr. Hunt further stated that if his prop- 
osition was accepted he would have the road 
to Dayton in September, in time to move the 
1889 crop. 

Nearly every influential man in Columbia 
county at once got into the harness and began 



332 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



working in behalf of the new road. It was 
decided that the most prompt and effectual 
method to raise the required money for the 
subsidy would be to issue county warrants. 
Petitions were at once circulated and signed 
by a majority of the taxpayers. They re- 
quested the county commissioners to issue the 
necessary amount in warrants. Sentiment of 
the people was strongly in favor of this plan ; 
the petition amounted to almost a demand ; 
February 4th the commissioners assembled 
and passed the following order : 

"A petition of 869 names of legal voters of 
this county ( said named voters being assessed 
for the year 1888 in the sum of $1,335,000), 
being presented and read to this board, asking 
the board to issue county warrants to, and in 
the name of G. W. Hunt, in the sum of 
$60,000 as a subsidy for the purpose of build- 
ing a railroad, and for obtaining the right of 
way and depot grounds for said road. The 
road in this county to be built from the coun- 
ty line at or near Waitsburg, and from there 
by the way of Dayton and nine miles beyond 
said city of Dayton, to some point in Whet- 
stone Hollow. And the board being fully ad- 
vised in the matter, and taking into considera- 
tion that said petition is signed by a majority 
of the voters of this county, and that the}- rep- 
resent the majority of the taxable property in 
said county, therefore this board, deeming it 
for the best interest of this county that said 
subsidy be paid and said railroad be built, it is 
hereby ordered that the county auditor be, and 
he is herebv authorized and directed to imme- 
diately issue warrants in the name of G. W. 
Hunt or bearer, for the sum of $60,000, and 
to deliver the same to him or to his order, said 
warrants to be drawn on a fund to be known 
as the railroad fund of this county." 

The validity of the action of the commis- 
sioners in this matter was at once brought into 
question. On the 5th another large mass 
meeting was held in Dayton at which Mr. 
Hunt was present. Nearly nine-tenths of the 



citizens present were in favor of the commis- 
sioners' action, whether it was in strict accord- 
ance with law or not. A few argued against 
the proposed subsidy, as is invariably the case 
whenever such questions are sprung upon the 
public, and the meeting became quite spirited 
and interesting. Mr. Hunt spoke along the 
following lines : 

"Now that the question of the validity of 
this scrip has arisen, upon which there ap- 
pears to be a division of opinion, I desire it 
understood that in case I cannot collect the 
money on these warrants when they become 
due, that is, when the road is completed to 
Dayton, that my traffic contract, in which I 
agree to deliver your produce on the Sound 
for the same price that the Oregon Railroad 
& Navigation Company charges to Portland, 
shall be null and void. Or, in other words, in 
the event that I cannot collect a dollar on this 
scrip, I do not care to be bound to take your 
produce out of the country for a stipulated 
figure, after having received nothing for build- 
ing the road to Dayton. But in case I collect 
the money on the scrip, the proposition I 
made you last week shall hold good." 

Before the adjournment of the meeting the 
question was put and carried unanimously that 
the people were in favor of the road and would 
stand by the action of the commissioners. 

But in June another plan was submitted by 
the versatile Mr. Hunt — a plan that had been 
accepted in Walla Walla county a short time 
previous. It was, in lieu of the county scrip 
to the amount of $60,000, which he then held, 
payable in one and two years with ten per cent, 
interest, he would accept bonds of the county 
for a like amount, payable in thirty years, with 
the option of paying them in ten years, to bear 
interest at the rate of five per cent. 

At a special meeting of the board of trade 
held Saturday, June 15th, it was decided to ac- 
cept Mr. Hunt's proposition, and the petitions 
asking the legislature to authorize the bond 
issue were circulated for signatures. Hence- 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY 



333 



forth railroad events moved swiftly and 
smoothly. Before June 29, 1889, five hun- 
dred graders on the Walla Walla-Dayton ex- 
tension commenced work. November 12th the 
Oregon & Washington Territory Railroad, 
commonly known as the "Hunt road," was 
completed to Waitsburg. The track of this road 
was laid up to the Touchet river, just outside 
the town of Dayton, Thursday afternoon, No- 
vember 2 1st. A large throng of people were 
on the ground to witness the work of the con- 
struction train. Thursday, November 28th, 
the first regular train on the new road left 
Dayton at 1 :20 p. m. 

Wednesday, December 1 ith, the citizens of 
completion of the "Hunt road" through the 
Dayton enjoyed a half holiday to celebrate the 
city limits. Although but little time was al- 
lowed to notify the citizens at least 1,000 peo- 
ple viewed the expeditious track-laying. 
Schools were given a half holiday ; business 
houses were closed from 9 until 1 1 o'clock, a 
m. Seventy workmen, with the track-laying 
machine reached the east end of Commercial 
street ; during- the afternoon track-laying was 
completed within the city limits. 

It is comparatively easy to vote subsidies 
to railroad corporations, but there are likely to 
occur a variety of impediments in the way of 
paying them. Concerning this particular Hunt 
subsidy the Chronicle of April 19, 1890, said: 

The Hunt subsidy guaranteed by the county 
has not yet been paid, and it is time some action 
should be taken in the matter. It will be remem- 
bered that the citizens of this county, in mass con- 
vention, February 5, 1889, agreed to pay Mr. Hunt 
$50,000 if he would extend bis road to Dayton, and 
an additional $10,000 to put his road into Whet- 
stone Hollow. Mr. Hunt's part of the contract has 
been fulfilled to the letter so far as Dayton is con- 
cerned, and he has until September next in which 
to extend his road to Whetstone Hollow, according 
to the terms of the agreement. The county com- 
missioners issued scrip to the amount of $60,000, 
a part of which Mr, Hunt has received. We now 
understand that said scrip has been ordered re- 



turned, and there is a general impression abroad that 
a subsidy will not be paid. If the subsidy is not 
paid, Mr. Hunt will be released from the traffic con- 
tract into which he entered with the people, which 
is now a great benefit, and one that promises to be 
everlasting. Neither will he be obliged to extend 
the road any further east this season. 

Saturday, November 19, 1904, Editor Pea- 
body of the Columbia Chronicle said : 

"G. W. Hunt, the father of the W. & C. 
R. R., was in the city the first of the week and 
appeared before the board of county commis- 
sioners, to which body he presented a claim for 
$30,000 due him for constructing the road to 
Dayton within a given time. 

"The facts in the case are these : The board 
of county commissioners during the year 1889 
issued county warrants to Mr. Hunt to the 
amount of $60,000. He was to receive, ac- 
cording to agreement $30,000 when his 
road was completed to Dayton, and $30,000 
when his road was completed to Whetstone. 
The county commissioners at that time were 
John Fudge, chairman, D. W. Gritman and J. 
W. Fields ; W. R. Marquiss, sheriff and J. A. 
Kellogg, auditor. 

"The commissioners were authorized to is- 
sue the warrants by a petition signed by over 
800 of the taxpayers of the county, represent- 
ing three-fifths of all the taxable property in 
the county. The warrants had not been pre- 
sented for payment un;til this week, and in 
looking over the records it is found that in the 
year 1891 in the month of May the county 
commissioners ordered the warrants canceled. 
No reason is given in the proceedings for 
doing so. 

"The story of the Hunt road is quite lengthy, 
starting with the organization of the Board of 
Trade in April, 1883. The board was composed 
of citizens of both the city and county. At 
the first meeting W.- H. Fouts, D. C. Guern- 
sey, J. H. Day and J. C. Van Patten were ap- 
pointed as a committee to confer with Mr. G. 
W. Hunt in regard to extending his road to 



334 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY 



Dayton. The committee reported at the sec- 
ond meeting of the board of trade that they 
had called upon Mr. Hunt and he informed 
them that the road would be extended to Day- 
ton provided the citizens granted him depot 
grounds, right of way, etc. Without going 
into detail in regard to what was done at all 
the meetings of the board, which will no doubt 
be remembered by many now living in the 
county, we will state that the matter was agi- 
tated on all sides until the entire county under- 
stood the proposition. The matter was finally 
brought to a conclusion at a mass meeting' held 
in the opera house in Dayton on January 26, 
1889. At the meeting Mr. Hunt made the fol- 
lowing proposition to the people of Columbia 
county : 

"He said he would connect Dayton with 
his railroad system by building a road up the 
Touchet from Waitsburg to Dayton, and 
through Dayton to Whetstone Hollow for a 
bonus of $45,000 in cash, or merchantable 
wheat at not less than fifty cents a bushel, the 
right of way and depot grounds ; the road to 
be completed to Dayton by December 1, 1889, 
and to Whetstone Hollow by September 1, 
1890: one-half of the subsidy to be paid when 
the road is in operation to Dayton and the re- 
mainder within twelve months thereafter. 
Should the road not be in operation to Dayton 
December 1. 1889, no subsidy whatever is to 
be paid. One-half of the subsidy is to be held 
for a year as a guaranty that the road will be 
continued to Whetstone Hollow." 

"It is not known what action the present 
board of commissioners will take in the matter 
to uphold the honor of the county so generous- 
ly granted by the citizens of fourteen years 
ago, many of whom are yet residents of the 
county. The Hunt road was completed into 
the city limits about the 21st clay of Novem- 
ber, and thereby Mr. Hunt fulfilled his agree- 
ment. The road was in operation hauling pas- 
sengers by the first of December. Now Mr. 
Hunt asks the people of this county to fulfill 



their part of the contract. Since building into 
the city the road has paid into the county treas- 
ury in taxes close on to $20,000. It is up to 
the people to say whether they will pay Mr. 
Hunt or not." 

At a mass meeting held in Dayton April 
26th the financial question between the citizens 
and railroad people was definitely settled ; the 
citizens of Columbia county had secured a 
competing line, and freight rates were mate- 
rially reduced. In August, 1892, the Wash- 
ington & Columbia River Railroad Company 
was incorporated with a capital of $3,000,000. 
The incorporators were Hon. Levi Ankeny, F. 
W. Paine and W. D. Tyler, all of Walla 
Walla. It was their announced intention to 
build new roads and, also, purchase Hunt's 
lines. Friday, November 4th, of that year, 
the formal transfer of the Oregon & Washing- 
ton Territory Railroad properties (the Hunt 
road), was made to the new corporation, 
which had purchased it at foreclosure sale. 
Since December, 1891, the road had been in 
the hands of a receiver appointed by the 
United States District Court of Oregon. The 
principal owner in the new company was C. 
B. Wright, of Philadelphia. 

In September, 1890, according to the re- 
turns of the United States Census enumera- 
tors the population of Columbia county totaled 
6,379, divided among the different precincts 
as follows : 



Precinct. Number. 

South Dayton City.. 1,870 
Dayton Precinct ...1,188 

Patit 287 

Huntsville 128 

Smith Hollow 92 

Starbuck 233 

Tucannon .... .... 9 

Highland Precinct . . 300 

Marengo 180 

Delaney 119 

Bundy 331 

Mountain 75 

4,812 



Precinct. Number. 

Dayton 81 

Mountain 145 

Harmony 259 

McKay 290 

Alto 132 

Lost Springs 129 

Brooklyn 46 

Highlands 14 

Burksville 185 

Cahill 7 

Pine Grove 279 

1.567 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



335 



The total assessment valuation of the coun- 
ty at the same period was $3,865,075. 

March 17, 1893, tne Pioneer Association 
for Columbia County was organized at Day- 
ton. All who had been residents of the county 
prior to January 1, 1874, were eligible to mem- 
bership. These were charter members : Joseph 
H. Day, Frank E. Ping, Robert Ping, C. F. 
Miller, John Messenger, Daniel McGreevy, 
Fred Yenney, Andrew L. McCauley, Stephen 
D. McCauley, Alfred H. Weatherford, Wil- 
liam A. Newman, Dennis C. Guernsey, Dan- 
iel B. Kimball, Benjamin MaGill, Cyrus 
Davis, Mathew Riggs, J. H. Gough, George 
Eckler, Joel A. Thronson, Robert F. Sturde- 
vant, George W. Miller, Henry B. Day, D. L. 
Payne, Jesse N. Day, John Mustard, John K. 
Rainwater, Simon Critchfield, Robert Win- 
nett, M. L. Maynard, W. O. Matzger, J. N. 
Thompson, Pres Stedman, Conrad Knobloch, 
Richard Walsh, L. W. Watrous, F. M. Weath- 
erford, B. M. Turner, Calvin Montgomery 
and O. C. White. 

The financial depression — "Hard Times" 
— which swept the entire country in 1893 
proved an unusually severe blow to the resi- 
dents of Columbia county. It must be con- 
fessed that the stringency in the money market 
was felt here to a greater extent than in many 
other portions of Eastern Washington. In 
the Big Bend and other parts of the state that 
had been settled only a short time previous the 
blow was not so severe. There lands were ex- 
ceedingly cheap; a majority of the settlers 
were quite poor. Their lands being then of 
not much market value owners were not able 
to mortgage them ; many were unproved 
homesteads and, consequently, the rank and 
file of the ranchers were not so badly har- 
assed as were their neighbors in older settled 
portions of the state, especially Walla Walla, 
Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties, and 
throughout the Blue Mountain district. This 
may seem an anomalous or abnormal condi- 
tion, but an analysis of the facts warrants the 



statement. Columbia was an old settled coun- 
ty; its lands were held at a high market value 
and it suffered severely. October 21, 1893, 
the Chronicle, of Dayton, said: 

"It is safe to estimate that fully two-thirds 
of this county is under mortgage. If the 
farmers cannot get an extension of time on 
them the wreck that must surely follow can- 
not be correctly estimated. * * * * No 
one can borrow money as there is none to be 
had. Very few can pay their debts at home 
and should the mortgage companies foreclose, 
taking all that the farmer possesses, the mer- 
chants and mechanics will be left entirely." 

The price of wheat was discouragingly 
low. There was, also, considerable talk on the 
line of threatened law suits. At grain prices 
then prevailing there were left to the farmers 
only a few cents a bushel over and above har- 
vest expenses. On behalf of the agriculturists 
the Chronicle spoke as follows: 

"If suit is brought against them they will 
have "to pay the cost of action, which will leave 
them nothing, the man who brings suit will 
get nothing, as the harvesting expenses come 
in ahead of other accounts, so what is to be 
gained by bringing suit? The best way is to 
let the farmers dispose of their crops at pres- 
ent prices if they must. There will be more 
money to settle up with all around. The situ- 
ation in this county is not pleasant to contem 
plate, but there is a slight satisfaction in the 
thought that it could be much worse. The 
country has produced a wonderful crop ; this 
is gratifying; prices are low; this is discourag- 
ing; but if there had been no crop at all the 
situation would have been depressing indeed. 
(Wheat was quoted at 32 cents per bushel at 
this time.) Deplorable as this condition 
seems, the country is not beyond redemption. 
* * * * Farmers generally do> not like 
to part with their crops at present prices, and 
no one can blame them, but it is a question 
whether the merchants and mechanics can 
longer afford to do without their pay. They 



336 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



are being pressed for payment of their bills to 
wholesalers and if relief is not soon brought 
to hand the merchants must close their doors. 
* * * * j t j s es timated that there are 
2,000,000 bushels of grain to be disposed of 
in this county." 

It is undeniably true that farmers were in- 
clined to hold their grain for higher prices; 
but if this were done many merchants who 
were creditors would have had to go to the 
wall. The plan of the Chronicle was for the 
farmers to sell one-half of their crop at that 
time, and at the prevailing prices, and thus, to 
a considerable extent, relieve the business men. 
And in a number of cases this was the result. 
Still, in October, 1893, the outlook was, cer- 
tainly, gloomy: "Hard times" and low grain 
prices were bad enough, but heavy October 
rains wrought untold damage. The crop, an 
immense one, was generally spoiled; pros- 
pects were discouraging. The Washington 
Independent of October 14th described these 
unhappy conditions as follows : 

"The crops of this county were damaged 
35 per cent by the rains up to last Sunday. 
That night the rains set in again and continued 
up to Tuesday of this week. Many of the 
sacks had been tumbled down and opened up 
to dry during the few days previously of sun- 
shine. Since the last rains began greater 
damage has resulted, and not over half the 
crop will be marketable grain. A large per 
cent of injury was done to threshed grain piled 
up in the fields. Now it is very much greater 
since the last rain. * * * * There will be 
people all over this section who will have only 
bread and potatoes for diet for many months 
to come. Such luxuries as groceries are out 
of the question for many hard working fami- 
lies whose entire resources were in their wheat 
crop. Now that this is, practically, gone there 
is nothing to pay debts already contracted, 
much less any supplies for the future." 
_ In November the people faced most dis- 
couraging prospects. On the 28th a mass 



meeting was held at Dayton attended by about 
200 people to consider ways and means of re-- 
lieving the stress. Dr. Pietrzycki and J. C. 
Van Patten addressed the assemblage and sug- 
gested plans for relief ; no definite action, how- 
ever, was taken at this time. 

The year 1894 opened with an unwelcome 
visitation of floods. Continuous rains and 
Chinook winds during the early part of Jan- 
uary rapidly melted the snow in the moun- 
tains ; the Touchet river rose to a greater 
height than at any time previous within ten 
years ; the Patit was out of its banks ; the track 
of the "Hunt road" became a veritable flume 
for a distance of half a mile, flooding Commer- 
cial street, Dayton, completely. On the 
Touchet the railroad bridge came perilously 
near going out ; only by keeping a strong force 
of men constantly at work cutting away the 
drift was it saved. The entire bridge at 
"Abies' place" was carried away; the apron 
of the Gibson bridge was washed out. The 
bridge itself was only providentially saved by 
the creek tumbling over its banks and taking 
for its new course the road. The residents of 
Railroad Addition, Dayton, were in constant 
danger, as the city's dykes on the west side of 
the stream were carried out. The total 
damage ran high into the thousands of dollars. 
Residents of the two forks of the Touchet 
were completely cut off from communication 
with the city of Dayton. January 27, 1894, 
a correspondent of the Chronicle, writing from 
Thumville, said : 

"Last Saturday (January 20th) and Mon- 
day the Touchet's raging, roaring, muddy, 
boiling torrents completely inundated the 
lower portion of this village. There were some 
very close calls ; everybody got a move on him, 
or herself, and escaped with their lives and 
tools. * * * * Our last rain storm was 
followed by a very heavy wind which blew 
down a great many trees across the canyon 
road and flume; they did more damage to the 
flume than the high water. The telephone line 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



337 



between here and Dayton was broken in twen- 
ty-five or thirty places, communication with 
the outside world being cut off for two days." 

It was conservatively estimated that it 
would cost Columbia county in the neighbor- 
hood of $6,000 to repair roads and bridges 
damaged by snow slides and high water. And 
the end was not yet. Thursday afternoon, 
March 15th, and throughout a greater portion 
of the night, the district in the vicinity of Day- 
ton was visited by a heavy rain, causing an 
overflow of both the Touchet and Patit. The 
latter stream did much damage to resident 
property on Commercial and Front streets. 
Several families were compelled to move from 
their homes at midnight. The old mill flume 
crossing the mouth of the Patit caught a lot 
of drift wood ; this caused the water to back 
up almost level with Front street. Finally the 
flume broke before the heavy pressure; the 
water subsided. A portion of Railroad Addi- 
tion was flooded by the Touchet ; people were 
taken from their residences in carriages. Main 
street and the railroad bridges withstood the 
unusual strain, and the weather turned cooler; 
the highest stage of water had been reached. 
The residences of Mrs. M. E. Culver, Samuel 
Rittenhouse, Mr. Rogers and those of others 
living near the Patit were all surrounded by 
water Thursday night. 

During the month of February, 1894, 
wheat reached the depressingly low price of 
28 cents per bushel, and in the latter part of 
November of that year the cereal sold for 24 
cents in Dayton. A large number of farms 
were taken in by mortgage companies at ex- 
ceedingly low prices. Land values became 
correspondingly depressed ; the same proper- 
ties selling at from $12 to $15 per acre which, 
three years previous had been valued at $30 
and $45 per acre. It may be pertinently asked 
why this depreciation in values within so short 
a time ? The facts appear to be these : 

Three and four years before this farmers 
of the county had been making considerable 
22 



money raising wheat at 50 and 60 cents per 
bushel. With a great many this created a 
desire for the acquisition of more land. Con- 
sequently, whenever a farmer disposed of his 
crop of wheat he was prone to invest the 
profits in land adjoining him; quite often he 
wanted more land than he could pay for; he 
mortgaged his home place and the recently 
acquired tract to make payment, confidently 
expecting to wipe out the entire debt within 
one year. This was often the case; the in- 
vestment proving a good one. But with the 
rapid decline in grain prices many farmers 
found themselves seriously embarrassed. The 
price of wheat fell off 50 per cent; there was 
not sufficient profit in wheat raising to pay 
cost of production, together with interest and 
taxes. And now the price of wheat having 
remained low for a series of years, the natural 
effect was the swamping of a number of 
farmers who had purchased land at high 
figures. It was this land that, in 1895, was 
taken in by mortgage companies. This land 
was as fertile as ever, producing an average of 
25 bushels of wheat per acre and from 45 to 
60 bushels of barley each year. 

As an extra west-bound freight train was 
passing over a high bridge one mile west of 
Alto, at 10:05 a - m -> August 5, 1894, the 
structure collapsed, carrying the caboose and 
sixteen car-loads of ore, wheat and flour to 
the bottom of the abyss. The engine crossed 
the bridge and remained in safety on the 
track; the tender turned over. The engineer 
and fireman escaped injury; the conductor and 
brakemen were seriously wounded. The train 
was in charge of Conductor Watson, engine 
number 1,478; engineer, Jesse ; fire- 
man, J. H. Roddy; brakemen, David Wright 
and Fred Harrison. Conductor Watson was 
taken from the caboose by the engineer and 
fireman, assisted by some farmers. His in- 
juries consisted of a compound fracture of his 
left arm above the elbow ; right shoulder dis- 
located and head bruised. Brakemen Wright 



338 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



and Harrison were found near the center of 
the fallen bridge between cars that had 
dropped a distance of ninety-six feet. Their 
injuries were: Wright's left arm broken in 
two places, below the elbow; his right ankle 
hurt ; his head badly cut and his fact cut and 
bruised. None of Harrison's bones were 
broken, but his face and head were cut and 
bruised and his hips injured, but none of his 
wounds were serious. 

So soon as the accident occurred a farmer 
made all haste to Alto, a distance of a mile, 
and related the details of the accident. Trains 
were at once dispatched from Starbuck and 
Walla Walla with physicians and assistance. 
Dr. Baker from Starbuck arrived at 12:40 p. 
m., and found the victims of the accident at 
the residence of Milton Jonas, whither they 
had been conveyed. He did what he could to- 
ward their temporary relief. xA.t 2 o'clock p. m. 
a train arrived from Walla Walla with Super- 
intendent A. J. Borie and Dr. E. H. Van Pat- 
ten, of Dayton, who after dressing the wounds 
of the injured men took them to Walla Walla. 
The bridge was about 1.000 feet long and 96 
feet high, and had been rebuilt in 1892. The 
reason of the collapse was not obvious, but it 
was at the time considered a miracle that any 
of the train crew escaped with their lives. 
Whatever was the cause of the going down of 
the trestle one thing is certain, the wreck was 
a complete one. Not a timber was left stand- 
ing. From the top of the hill on one side 
down to the valley and across the valley and up 
the hill on the other side extended one long 
windrow of splintered timbers. 

Of rare occurrence are electrical and 
thunder storms in Washington — so rare, in 
fact, as to deserve comment whenever they ap- 
pear. In the hilly portions of Columbia coun- 
ty an occasional cloud-burst is known, but sel- 
dom of serious proportions. June 21, 1897, 
there was experienced the heaviest thunder 
storm ever known in the history of the county. 
It was accompanied by a cloud-burst. For the 



space of half an hour water descended in 
sheets; lightning played vividly around the 
electric light and other wires. At the height 
of its fury the residence of George Wick, of 
Dayton, was struck by a bolt, shocking several 
of the inmates of the family. Mr. Wick's 
youngest daughter was burned about the back 
and limbs, but was not seriously injured. The 
cloud-burst seems to have extended from the 
Patit, opposite the Taylor farm, to the 
Touchet, above Baileysburg. Immense boul- 
ders were washed into the road above the Tay- 
lor place; the rugged way, or grade, along the 
Touchet was filled with rocks and debris. 
Above Benjamin Magill's place a wall of 
water rushed down from the hill, sweeping 
grain, fences, boulders and everything mova- 
ble before it. Mr. Magill's garden was de- 
stroyed by the destructive wraith; the yard 
was covered with mud; wood was washed 
away; chickens drowned and the place deso- 
lated. 

The gulch, extending through John Mus- 
tard's place, belched forth such a torrent of 
water and rubbish that the mill race over- 
flowed into Walch's garden; veritable rivers 
coursed down Fourth and Fifth streets, in 
Dayton. Boys and men caught fish with their 
hands and gathered washed out potatoes in 
the streets. A number of cellars were filled 
with water and lawns were covered with lay- 
ers of mud. The place of C. W. Bishop was 
completely flooded and his chickens washed 
away. Gardens were damaged irretrievably 
and in many places grain was seriously 
"lodged." 

In December, 1898, railroad building in 
Columbia county was recommenced. For 
many years the people of the county, and es- 
pecially of Dayton, has been anxious to have 
the Oregon Railroad & Navigation Company 
extend its line from Dayton to Delaney, or 
some other point on the company's line, thus 
placing Dayton on the main line. Several 
times the company had considered the matter 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



339 



and several surveys were made. The Alto 
hill, on their present line, had always been a 
bugbear to the company, and that was their 
reason for desiring" to change the route. In 
December, 1898, grading was begun by that 
company from Dayton. But no iron was laid 
at this time. 

In November, 1899, articles of incorpora- 
tion were filed with the auditor of Columbia 
county, and the documents forwarded to the 
state auditor, incorporating the Columbia & 
Covello Railway Company. It was a farmers' 
movement; citizens, thoroughly disgusted 
with their past treatment by, and procrastin- 
tion of, railway magnates. The company pro- 
posed to build and equip a railroad from town- 
ship 1 1 to a point either at Dayton, Waitsburg, 
Menoken or Riverside, probably to the latter 
place, and passing down the Whetstone Hol- 
low, which is a natural grade with no obstruc- 
tions to be removed. It was intended that the 
contemplated line should tap the richest wheat 
belt in the county, furnishing in grain . alone 
at that period 300,000 bushels. The Oregon 
Railroad & Navigation Company had com- 
pleted a grade to Covello, but its agreement 
with the Northern Pacific Company afforded 
the farmers no encouragement that any relief 
would be given for many years to come. 
Eleven surveys had been made into the Covel- 
lo district ; four roads had been located during 
the past ten years, and all without avail, owing 
to the "community of interest"* between the O. 
R. & N. and N. P. The farmers' company 
was incorporated with 300,000 shares of stock 
at a par value of $1 each. The trustees named 
in the incorporation articles were J. A. Thron- 
son, Charles J. Thronson and J. A. Turner, all 
wealthy and influential farmers. The right of 
way was rapidly secured, the contracting par- 
ties entering into a written agreement to com- 
plete the road within six months. Twenty 
acres of land were purchased at Menoken for 
depot and roundhouse purposes. December 



28 the deeds were made out at Waitsburg. 
There was a rumor in the air that the Oregon 
Railroad & Navigation Company, informed 
of the farmers' movement, had determined to 
lay iron on the roadbed already graded to Co- 
vello, January 1, 1900, the Spokane Spokes- 
man-Review said : 

It is expected that the truce will be with- 
drawn so far as the laying of rails on the Covello 
branch of the O. R. & N. system is concerned. The 
track is ready for the rails and has been since last 
spring, and it is now nearly certain that the road 
will be completed. The farmers are working for a 
road, having organized to build one themselves, 
and at the same time the Northern Pacific has 
men engaged looking up the right of way in case 
it becomes necessary for that line to be extended 
in that direction. Numerous conferences between 
the officials of the railroads and the officers of the 
farmers' company have been held and it is generally 
believed to have been agreed that a road should 
be completed by one or the other line before next 
harvest. By agreement as to the territory which 
should be occupied by each road at the expiration 
of the truce the branches can be built with good 
business judgment. 

To this the Columbia Chronicle of Febru- 
ary 17, 1900, replied as follows: 

"A recent article in a daily paper stated 
that the truce between the Northern Pacific 
and the O. R. & N. had been renewed for an- 
other six months. This evidently means that 
neither of these roads will build a mile of road 
in Columbia county this year in time to assist 
the farmer in getting his crop to market when 
hauling time comes. Another evidence that 
there will be no railroad building is the fact 
that the O. R. & N. Company is shipping its 
ties to some other point from here. Knowing 
the above facts to be true the farmer can reas- 
onably expect nothing from the above men- 
tioned roads. 

"We do not know what the Columbia & Co- 
vello Company is doing or intend doing, but it 
would seem that right now is a good time to 
put forth an effort to construct the proposed 



34o 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



Dayton & Covello road, which was talked of 
two months ago. And if the promoters of that 
line appear on the scene again in the near fu- 
ture neither the people nor the railroad com- 
panies need he at all surprised. The fact of 
the matter is the farmers in the Covello dis- 
trict want a road and they are not above going 
into the railroad business themselves to secure 
one. They got the matter started in pretty 
fair shape two months ago, when they saw the 
possibility of the truce between the N. P and 
O. R. & N. coming to an end, and one or the 
other of these companies building a road for 
them this season. The N. P. company even 
went so far as to send agents through the 
country securing or trying to secure options 
on the right of way down the Whetstone. The 
best they could do in this line was to get a few 
options, conditioned that the road be built with- 
in three months. Two months have since 
elapsed and the farmers find themselves con- 
fronted with the old situation — fooled again. 

"It is the general opinion that the N. P.'s 
action in the matter was simply a bluff game 
to stay the hands of the Columbia & Covello 
people, and to coerce the O. R. & N. to renew- 
ing the truce. Now we suggest that in case 
the Columbia & Covello Railway Company 
make another move toward building a road, 
get right into the swim with them and stay 
with it. Give the company all the support in 
your power and you will have a railroad, with- 
out doubt, in time to be of some benefit to you 
this season. There does not seem to be any 
other way out of the difficulty and it is not 
likely that you will get a road soon — unless 
you all pull together with the Columbia & Co- 
vello Company." 

It was not until December, 1901, that rails 
were laid on the extension of the Oregon 
Railroad & Navigation Company's line from 
Dayton. The grading for this road had been 
finished as far as Covello when the tie-up re- 
sulted, and no road was built. At this time 



the track was built only to Ben Turner's, 
ranch, where the station named Turner now 
is. The building of this extension to Turner 
\\as of great benefit to the farmers in the vi- 
cinity of the line. Before this all were com- 
pelled to haul their grain to Dayton, many 
having a long distance to travel. 

July 14, 1902, Columbia county was visited 
by the most destructive wind storm in its his- 
tory. Previous storms that had swept over 
the country were in 1862, January, 1880, and 
in April, 1896. This, however, was the most 
severe in regard to damage done. The ap- 
proach of the storm was heralded by a pillar 
of dust fearful to witness. Many rushed to- 
their cellars and remained there until the first 
fury of this besom of destruction was expended. 
The storm lasted fully an hour. According 
to the signal service record the wind gained a 
velocity of forty-five miles an hour. The 
principal damage was the destruction of trees. 
Some were broken off; others torn up by the 
roots ; fences were blown down ; barns were 
unroofed and in Dayton one warehouse was 
completely demolished. Fortunately no one 
was injured. 

The valuation of Columbia county property 
for purposes of taxation for the year 1904 was. 
placed at $4,351,590, which is an increase over 
that returned the year before of $228,31 1. The 
gain this year was caused principally by the 
increase of the railroad assessment. Before 
that the year's total was $4,123,279. The real 
estate assessment for 1903 was $3, 133,704 * 
personal property, $989,575, with the exemp- 
tion deducted. For 1904 it was: Real prop- 
erty, $3,515,805; personal, $835,785. The 
difference between the assessment on personal 
property in 1903 and 1904 of $153,790, was 
caused partially by the decrease in the num- 
ber of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs the last 
year, as shown by the following : 

Number of horses in 1903, 8,179, value, 
$183,230; in 1904, 7,090, value, $173,020; 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



34i 



number of cattle in 1903, 9,327, value, $157,- 
275; in 1904, 10,844;, value, $114,895; num- 
ber of sheep in 1903, 30,093, value, $60,165; 



in 1904, 27,378, value, $46,505; number of 
hogs in 1904, 6,736, value, $14,667; in 1904, 
4,5 1 5,, value, $11,770. 



CHAPTER IV 



CITIES AND TOWNS. 



Dayton. 

In commencing a history of the city of 
Dayton the inclination grows upon one to de- 
vote considerable attention to the manifold 
beauties of the place rather than a bare recital 
of facts. Any one who has traveled over a 
large portion of the new country of the west, 
upon finding himself in Dayton, is fully and 
agreeably impressed with its atmosphere of 
substantiality, progressiveness and liberal- 
mindedness of its enterprising citizens. 

Dayton, the capital of Columbia county, is 
situated about ten miles from the foothills of 
the Blue Mountains, in the valley of the 
Touchet and Patit, two rapid streams of crys- 
tal water, alive with trout. The city proper 
lies in the interstice of the two streams — the 
Touchet skirting the southern side, cutting off 
a portion of the lower part ; the Patit coursing 
through the northern part and separating the 
original city from what is known as Brooklyn. 
Dayton is the terminus of the lines of the Ore- 
gon Railroad & Navigation Company and the 
Washington & Columbia River Railway ( the 
latter being in connection with the Northern 
Pacific), thus affording the town the best of 
transportation facilities. The altitude is 1,660 
feet. The main portion of the town lies in the 
bend of the Touchet. In laying out this city 
■every advantage was given for long, 
broad avenues, many of which are now lined 
with shade trees, behind which may be caught 
glimpses of handsome residences and cozy 



modern cottages, fragrant orchards and at- 
tractive flower gardens. It is known as the 
"City of Shady Walks and Pleasant Lawns." 

In preceding chapters of this work we have 
told of many incidents relating to the early 
history of Dayton or more properly the site 
now occupied by Dayton. Long before the eyes 
of white men looked upon this country now 
comprising the southeastern portion of the 
State of Washington, an Indian trail extended 
through this part of the country. At the point 
where Dayton now stands this trail crossed the 
Touchet river. Undoubtedly the spot was se- 
lected as a camping place by the perigrinating 
natives in their itinerary across the country, 
accompanied by bands of stock. We have told 
how in the early days of May, 1806 ( 100 years 
ago), the Lewis and Clark party, on their re- 
turn to the east, following the Indian trails, 
reached this crossing of the Touchet and 
camped there ; how one of their hunters 
caught otter and beaver from the sparkling 
stream at the point where Dayton now stands. 

We have told how later, in 1834, Captain 
Bonneville, with three companions, traversing 
this wild country along the Nez Perce trails, 
came also to the crossing of the Touchet — 
the second white party to gaze upon the future 
site of Dayton. Again it has been related how, 
on the 15th of March, 1848, the Oregon Vol- 
unteers and hostile Indians engaged in battle 
at this same point. Later was told of the set- 
tlement at this place of H. M. Chase, on what 
was afterward known as the "Mustard prop- 



342 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



erty,'' and its forced abandonment in 1855 on 
account of hostile demonstrations by Indians. 
In concise form these facts are here recapitu- 
lated in order that the history of the site of 
Dayton, as well as the future town, may be 
traced from their genesis. 

With the abandonment of the location by 
Mr. Chase in 1855 no white man lived in Day- 
ton until the summer of 1859. At that time 
Frederick D. and Freelon Schnebley, broth- 
ers, located on what afterward became the 
townsite. This comprised a part of the Chase 
claim, but other portions of the same 
claim (and they are now a part of the town- 
site), were settled upon in 1859 by 

Nash, and in 1862 by two brothers named 
Bailey. Other claims which are now a part of 
the town of Dayton were settled upon in 1859 
and i860 by John C. Wells, Lambert Hearn 
and Elisha Ping. 

Early in i860 Frederick Schnebley went 
to the Idaho mines. His brother Freelon, bet- 
ter known as "Stubbs," built a cabin on the 
north bank of the Touchet. The latter was 
engaged in trading with the Indians, and in 
the fall of i860 he erected another log house 
for a store building. This stood directly in 
front of the site of 'Wait's mill, undoubtedly 
the first business house in Columbia county. 
G. W. Miller and Elisha Ping, who had set- 
tled on the Patit the year previous, in 1861, 
raised a crop of oats and wheat on the three 
claims covering all the original town of Day- 
ton. The oats were worth seven cents a 
pound ; the wheat $2 a bushel. A man named 
Holman ran up a small building in the fall of 
1862 on the east side of Main street and sev- 
enty-five yards northeast of the old store build- 
ing, and opened a saloon, around which hung 
a gang of rather desperate characters, some 
of whom soon after met with violent deaths 
at the hands of vigalantes in various places. 
Early in 1862 "Uncle" Billy Stribly opened a 
blacksmith shop across the Touchet on the 
Hearn homestead. He was an Englishman 



and frequently made the boast that he could 
"ammer ell bout of hiron." 

In the spring of 1863 Henry C. Ricky, 
having leased Schnebley's place and made ad- 
ditions to the old log building, opened a hotel. 
Stages from Walla Walla to Lewiston began 
to cross the river at this point and the com- 
pany made Ricky's hotel one of the regular 
stations. That summer J. M. Pomeroy had 
charge of the ranch and station and raised a 
crop of barley, some of which he sold to the 
company for three and one-half cents a pound, 
and also hauled to stations on the Pataha and 
Alpowa for four cents. The store was aband- 
oned ; the building was converted into a stable 
for the stage stock. The saloon was closed : 
Mr. Ricky had diverted this trade to his 
hotel. 

Prior to 1864 the nearest postoffice to the 
settlers of Columbia county was Walla Walla ; 
for periods of several weeks duration they 
were without mail. In the year above men- 
tioned, however, a postoffice called Touchet 
was established in the vicinity of the present 
Dayton. It was difficult to find anybody will- 
ing to assume the responsibilities of post- 
master. Lambert Hearn first filled the posi- 
tion ; he resigned and George W. Miller was 
appointed in the spring of 1864, and held the 
office until 1872, when it was removed to the 
new town of Dayton. During 1864 Dayton 
remained simply a farm and stage station- 
That year Jesse N. Day purchased Schnebley's 
title and assumed possession of the property. 
In 1870 Day built a small house and, with 
William Kimball, of Walla Walla, put a stock 
of goods in the old hotel building. The store 
was placed in charge of D. C. Guernsey; the 
building stood on the river bank near the site 
now occupied by the brewery. 

The plat of the townsite of Dayton was 
filed and recorded in the office of H. M. Chase, 
auditor of Walla Walla county, November 23, 
1 87 1, by Jesse N. Day and Elizabeth Day. his 
wife. This original townsite comprised a part 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



343 



of the west half of the northeast quarter, and 
the east half of the northwest quarter of sec- 
tion 30, township 10, north range 39 east. 
Twenty-one blocks were comprised in the 
townsite, extending from Spring to Birch 
street, east and west, and from Second to Wil- 
low street, north and south. Since then addi- 
tions have been platted, as follows : 

Day & Mustard's, November 2, 1872; 
Guernsey's, March 18, 1878; Day's Brooklyn 
Addition, November 23, 1878; Mustard's, 
April 30, 1879; Rainwater & Mustard's, May 
1, 1879; Young's, August 18, 1880 ; Guern- 
sey & Strong's, August 31, 1880; Guernsey & 
Strong's Second, May 7, 1884; Day's Railroad 
Addition, July 25, 1882 ; Cameron's, August 
16, 1882; Hume's, July 3, 1886; Day's, April 
1, 1892; McCall's, July 13, 1893; Dexter's, 
February 27, 1891 ; Guernsey & Strong's 
Third, July 28, 1893; Syndicate Hill, April 
26, 1902. 

In 1 87 1 the town was laid out by Jesse N. 
Day, yet there was no enterprise put in motion 
to attract attention to the would-be city, named 
after its founder — Jesse N. Day. There was, 
in reality, no earnest effort made to draw peo- 
ple to this locality. When the postoffice was 
removed to Dayton Mr. Day succeeded Mr. 
Miller as postmaster. In the fall of 1871 S. 
M. Wait, whose mill enterprises had founded 
the town of Waitsburg, was passing through 
the country, and to him Day communicated 
his cherished plans for building up a town. 
Mr. Wait told him that if a few citizens would 
offer sufficient inducement is the way of land 
and waterpower he would build a mill and en- 
deavor to give an impetus to the place. This re- 
sulted a few days later in an agreement between 
Mr. Wait and William Matzger to erect a flour- 
ing mill, Mr. Day to donate five acres of land, 
where the Kinney mill later was built, one 
block where the mill was built near the 
bridge, with water power and right of way 
for mill race, and one block of land to each 
for residences. The recording of the town plat 



followed by the announcement that a mill was 
being erected drew general attention to Day- 
ton ; its advantages as a townsite were speedily 
recognized. Many lots were sold, both for 
business purposes on Main street, and for resi- 
dences on others. 

Sylvester M. Wait, who, in company with 
William Matzger, built the flouring mill, was 
a pioneer of southeastern Washington, coming 
from Walla Walla in 1864 and locating on the 
site of the present town of Waitsburg. With 
only $700 in cash, but plenty of grit and busi- 
ness sagacity, he built a $16,000 flouring mill. 
In six weeks he cleared $5,000. He was closely 
identified with the interests of Dayton until 
his death in December, 1891. William Matz- 
ger died in April, 1883, and during many 
years was interested in the leading business 
enterprises of the city. 

• A very interesting bit of data relating to 
the "town" of Dayton and Columbia county in 
the fall of 1 87 1 is furnished by O. C. White, 
who wrote to the Columbia Chronicle on its 
anniversary, as follows : 

Olympia, Washington, April 7, 1898. — My - Dear 
Bob: Your request for something from me for the 
twentieth anniversary edition of the Columbia Chron- 
icle put me in a reminescent mood. Memory goes 
back to August, 1871, when Hon. Elisha Ping, then 
a member of the Territorial Legislature, came from 
his home on the Patit to Walla Walla in search 
of a teacher for the school at the "upper crossing" 
of the Touchet. It was my good fortune to meet him 
and to make a conditional contract for the school, 
which contract the other directors, "Doc" Earl and 
J. K. Rainwater duly ratified. 

Being finanacially embarrassed, I left my Win- 
chester rifle with J. D. Cook, of the Oriental hotel, 
as security for an unpaid board bill, and bought 
on time a silver watch of A. B. Elmer, the Hon. 
T. H. Brents being in this case my pledge. Both 
pledges were in due time fully redeemed. Uncle 
Jesse Day was in town after a couple of loads of 
good for his store at the crossing. He very kindly 
gave me a seat beside his son Loren, then a hand- 
some youth in his teens, who handled the ribbons 
over one of the teams. It was a tedious drive, for 
the dust was light and dry, the breeze keeping us 
in a cloud of the alkali cereal producer nearly the 
whole distance. The day was exceedingly warm, 



344 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



as were the remarks of Uncle Jesse when an adi- 
tional cloud of dust covered him because of Loren 
thoughtlessly following too closely in the rear. 

Jesse N. Day owned the farm at the "crossing." 
The Lewiston road followed what is now Main 
street, through a wide lane which divided the farm 
into two wheat fields, and which was used as a 
race course by those having faith in the speed of 
their ponies. Next above on the Touchet resided 
John Mustard, and above him was the home of J. 
K. Rainwater. Both raised large families, but 
strange to say, they never mixed. Still above were 
the farms of Ezekiel Hobbs, W. S. Newland and 
Perry Earl. Going down stream one found Lam- 
bert Hearn, Phi Gibberson, Jim Danskin, R. G. New- 
land, Elias Muncey, John Long, J. B. Schrum and 
Samuel L. Gilbreath, on the Touchet; Uncle Joe 
Smith and Frank Thompson on the hill to the west 
of Long's station, and the widow Payne and E. E. 
Ellis in Payne Hollow. Elisha Ping, I. N. Robin- 
son, G. W. Miller, S. D. Earl and Lot Wiggins lived 
on the Patit. M. Cross and Robert Elwell farmed 
part of Cross Hollow. There may have been others 
in the vicinity, but memory fails to recall them. 
George W. Miller was postmaster and clerk of the 
school district. 

This district was at that time known as the 
"China district," because a half-breed Chinaman, 
who lived with Lambert Hearn, had created a dis- 
turbance by presuming to attend school. The chief 
kickers appear to have been Whetstone Hollow 
people. They invoked the aid of the county super- 
intendent who revoked the certificate of E. H. Or- 
cutt, the teacher. No attention was given the revo- 
cation, and the culmination was reached when the 
superintendent, backed by a crowd from Whetstone 
Hollow, attempted to eject Orcutt from the school 
room. This resulted in a most miserable failure, 
for "Ed" maintained his position by carelessly ex- 
hibiting a Colt's revolver before whose persuasive 
eloquence the crowd beat a hasty and inglorious 
retreat. Orcutt was an eccentric genius who for 
a time published the Boomerang at Palouse City. 
I have not heard from him for years. Possibly the 
paper, true to its name, proved his undoing. 

During the fall D. C. Guernsey came and took 
charge of the "Red Store," for Kimball & Day. 
Dan B. Kinball came soon after and went into busi- 
ness, followed shortly by W. O. Matzger, whose 
mind turned to pictures and literature. We four 
were the "boys" that winter. 

The year 1872 witnessed a large amount of 
building in the town of Dayton. The store of 
Day & Kimball was moved from its old loca- 
tion to the corner of Main street ; D. C. Guern- 



sey built a store where Dusenbery & Stencel's 
block was subsequently erected, and this was 
rented by Wait & Matzger and stocked with 
goods. This firm erected the first brick edifice 
in town. James M. Hunt built the Columbia 
hotel on the east end of a Main street block 
donated for the purpose by Mr. Day. In the 
spring of 1872 Wait & Matzger began the 
erection of a planing mill on Wait's block, 
above the flouring mill. It was in running 
order in July, costing $4,000; the brick store 
cost $4,500 and the flouring mill, completed in 
November, $16,000. 

The first fourth of July celebration in 
Dayton occurred in 1872, and among the lead- 
ing participants were Dr. W. W. Day, D. C. 
Guernsey, D. B. Kimball, D. L. Payne, H. M. 
Mulligan and H. B. Day. Mr. Guernsey was 
at this period manager of the "Red Store," 
the only one in the county, located then on the 
lot occupied twenty years later by the Farmers' 
Alliance House. The gentlemen mentioned 
proceeded to ransack the commissary for the 
purpose of ascertaining what could be pro- 
cured suitable for a celebration dinner. They 
found several dozen eggs and three bottles 
of Hostetter's Bitters. These articles pur- 
chased, a procession was formed and marched 
to the shady bank of the Touchet river. Here 
a fire was soon burning briskly ; the eggs were 
boiled hard and sluiced down with the bitters. 
Early in the morning D. C. Guernsey and D. 
L. Payne had fired a number of volleys from 
anvils in honor of the day they were attempt- 
ing to celebrate. Following the feast several 
of the party enjoyed a horseback ride, visiting 
neighbors in the suburbs. 

From 1872, when the active building of 
Dayton began, Jesse Day, the founder, de- 
voted his energies principally to pushing the 
interests of the town. Stockraising and farm- 
ing were merely incidentals. He assisted the 
various enterprises of the embryo city by do- 
nations of land and otherwise, but always ju- 
diciously and with proper discrimination. His 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



345 



faith in Dayton was of the most stalwart kind, 
and he lived to see his hopes realized. The 
town is his best monument. The phenomenal 
growth of Dayton in the year 1872 was due 
largely to the combined enterprise of three 
men — Jesse N. Day, S. M. Wait and William 
Matzger. As Jesse Day used to express it 
they "made the biggest yearling you ever 
saw." Dr. Day was one of the first to make 
his home in Dayton, going there in the spring 
of 1872 from Waitsburg. He lived there con- 
tinuously until his death, March 31, 1893. 
S. G. Ellis was, also, one of those who took 
up his residence in Dayton in 1872. 

During the summer of 1873 the volume of 
building exceeded that of the year previous. 
The flour, planing and woolen mills attracted 
a large trade ; the business of Dayton was now 
established on a solid foundation. Leading 
merchants of Walla Walla opened branch 
houses there and by investment of capital many 
people testified to their faith in its future. Be- 
fore completion of the flouring mill in 1872 a 
new enterprise was launched, upon which flat- 
tering hopes were centered. This was the 
Dayton woolen mill, promoted by F. G. Frary, 
a practical woolen factor from Indiana. He 
came there with A. H. Reynolds and was cor- 
dially welcomed. S. M. Wait became presi- 
dent of the stock company and Mr. Frary sec- 
retary, the other stockholders being Jesse N. 
Day, A. H. Reynolds, Winnett Brothers and 
William Matzger. By John Mustard seven 
acres of land were donated and a two-set mill 
erected at a cost of $40,000. 

The publication of the Dayton News was 
commenced by A. J. Cain in September, 1874. 
This paper was of great benefit to the town, giv- 
ing it a representation abroad that could have 
been obtained in no other way. Simply a town 
in Walla Walla county was Dayton until 1875 I 
of secondary importance to the countyseat. 
Dayton citizens were ambitious ; they cast 
about to change their condition; to become, if 



possible, a countyseat themselves. Steps taken 
toward this end have been detailed in the his- 
tory of the county. They were successful and 
this success was followed by increased pros- 
perity and public attention was drawn still 
more in this direction. This is a petition pre- 
sented to the board of county commissioners 
at their meeting of May 5, 1876, by the citi- 
zens of Dayton, asking for incorporation : 

To the Honorables, the County Commissioners 
of the County- of Columbia, in the Territory of 
Washington: 

We, your petitioners, do most respectfully repre- 
sent that we are citizens of the town of Dayton 
in said county and are qualified electors' under the 
laws of this Territory; that we have resided in said 
town for thirty days and upwards next preceding 
the date of this petition; that we are desirous that 
said town should be incorporated, and a police es- 
tablished for our local government; that the terri- 
tory we wish incorporated is bounded and described 
as follows, to-wit: The east half of the northwest 
quarter, and northeast quarter of section 30, and the 
east half of southeast quarter of section 30, and 
west half of southwest quarter, and southeast quar- 
ter of the southwest quarter of section 29, all in 
township 10, north range 39 east; also north half 
of northeast quarter of southwest quarter and north 
half of northwest quarter of southeast quarter of 
section 30, town 1.0, range 39 east, in the county of 
Columbia and Territory of Washington, a plat of 
which is hereunto annexed and made a part of this 
petition. And your petitioners do further represent 
that said town contains over one hundred and fifty 
inhabitants, and we do most respectfully pray that 
you incorporate said town. Dated April 27, 1876. 

John Mustard, A. L. McCauley, A. Vallen, R. 
F. Sturdevant, Mc. C. Lyon, J. S. Thomas, R. T. 
Watrous, F. Maynard, D. C. Guernsey, A. J. Cain, 
VV. O. Matzger, O. C. White, M. Riggs, E. Tatro, 
F. G. Frary, A. M. Sparks, I. G. Abbott, L. L. 
Davis, W. W. Day, J. W. Maddox, James Gough, 
J. M. Hunt, J. M. Sparks, B. Magill, J. N. Day, G. 
A. Opperman, A. J. Dexter, Wiley Sparks, Salmon 
Park, G L. Kirk, C. Hansen, J. H. Lister, P. Sted- 
man, H. S. Critchfield, Thomas T. Elliott, A Jacobs, 
J. M. Grinstead, J. H. Kennedy, J. L. Smith, Wil- 
liam Hendershott, S. M. Wait, W. S. Newland, 
George W. Giles, W. A. Belcher, J. Kerby, D. S. 
Richardson, D. F. Spangler, C. W. Frick, H. P. 
Keach, W. A. Moody, Thomas Smith, L. E. Harris, 
R. A. Rowley, R. H. Condon, J. B. Armstrong. W. 
A. Sparks, C. A. Clark, William E. Coney, Con Rut- 
tlemiller, L. Ritter, J. H. Kennedy, Edward Owens. 



346 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



By virtue of an act of the Legislative As" 
sembly of Washington Territory, passed No- 
vember 28, 1 87 1, county commissioners were 
empowered to incorporate towns; the com- 
missioners of Columbia county acted favora- 
bly upon this petition, and ordered that the 
town of Dayton be incorporated under the 
name and style of "The Inhabitants of the 
Town of Dayton," a rather peculiar nomen- 
clature, but fully complying with the law. The 
commissioners named Monday, May 22, 1876, 
as the date of the special election to elect five 
trustees. A record of the personnel of these 
trustes is lost, but the five trustees chosen to 
succeed them, in May, 1877, were J. F. Mar- 
tin, Perry Steen, George Eckler, William 
Matzger and W. S. Strong. 

The population of the town, as reported by 
the assessor in the spring of 1877, was 106 
families, containing 526 individuals. This was 
the number of people actually residing and 
doing business in the town, and did not include 
the transitory population. 

March 8, 1878, a number of business men 
in Dayton, realizing the necessity of some kind 
of an organization to fight fires, quite frequent 
even at that early day, met in the office of the 
county auditor and organized Columbia Hook 
and Ladder Company No. 1, with these of- 
ficers : H. R. Littlefield, president ; E. R. Burk, 
secretary ; George Reed, treasurer ; T. H. 
Dupuy, foreman; J. N. Fall, first assistant; 
Fred C. Collins, second assistant. During the 
organization of this efficient company of fire 
laddies T. H. Dupuy, F. P. Cartwright, E. R. 
Burk and George Ihrig served successively as 
foreman. This company continued in active 
service until 1892, at which time it was dis- 
banded. 

The following items, appearing in the ini- 
tial issue of the Columbia Chronicle, April 20, 
1878, convey some idea of the prevailing con- 
dition of Dayton at that period : 



Dayton School — Prof. J. E. Eastham com- 
menced the present term of school last Monday, 
with an attendance of fifty scholars, and flattering 
prospects for a prosperous session. Prof. Eastham 
is well liked as a teacher, for he gives his school 
his undivided attention. Parents should not fail to 
require punctual attendance of their children, for 
it enables the teacher to keep the rules and regula- 
tions of the school in perfect order. 

Lumber Yard. — We learn that a lumber yard is 
soon to be established in Dayton, in which will be 
kept a complete assortment of building and finish- 
ing lumber. This is a much needed enterprise, and 
will be a great convenience to the city and neighbor- 
hood. 

Dray. — Dayton now has a regular city dray, 
presided over by Mr. Rowley. This is a much 
needed convenience and we hope Mr. R. may keep 
the wheels rolling from morning till night each 
succeeding working day, at paying figures. 

Drummers. — Professional drummers are becom- 
ing a scarce article now. Scores of these drummers 
through Dayton drummed out of town without 
drumming up much business this season. 

Milk Wagon. — Dayton now has this much 
needed convenience, a regular milk wagon, the pro- 
prietor of which furnishes the lacteal fluid to those 
who want, in quantities to suit. 

A band of six thousand sheep passed through 
town not long since, going above. Such bands as 
that will soon shave off large tracts of bunch grass. 

Those who were in business in Dayton at 
this time, as represented in the advertising col- 
umns of the Chronicle, were : 

Dusenbery & Stencel, general merchandise ; 
Loren L. Day, drug store ; I. N. Arment, jew- 
elry, news and cigar store; Guernsey & Wolfe, 
general merchandise ; Frank Brothers & Com- 
pany , agricultural machinery, T. M. Day, 
agent; Paine Brothers & Brewster, agricul-i 
tural implements and hardware; McDonald & 
Schwabacker, general merchandise; G. M. 
Matzger, book store; Brining & Gilliam, Co- 
lumbia Hotel; W. S. Newland, drug store; 
Charles Carothers, furniture; W. A. Moody, 
contractor and builder; J. O. Schwartz, mer- 
chant tailor; M. Fettis, Walla Walla & Lewis- 
ton Stage Line; D. C. Guernsey, agent at Day- 
ton; Dick Learn, livery stable; J. B. Shrum, 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



347 



livery stable; Wagner & Caroll, blacksmith 
shop ; H. J. and E. A. Torrence, blacksmith 
shop ; J. L. Smith, meat market ; Gardner & 
McQuarie, Standard Soap Works ; J. A. Ga- 
vitt, harness shop; W. O. Matzger, photograph 
gallery; D. B. Kimball, contractor and builder; 
Pierce & Stafford, harness shop ; Hutcheon & 
Nilsson, blacksmith shop; L. E. Harris, sa- 
loon ; T. C. Frary, physician ; R. F. Sturde- 
vant, lawyer; J. H. Kennedy, physician; M. A. 
Baker, lawyer ; Day & Vandusen, homeopathic 
physicians ; Littlefield & Boyd, physicians ; T. 
H. Crawford, lawyer; A. Shoue, physician. 

During the latter part of 1877 there was 
expressed considerable dissatisfaction with the 
form of incorporation under which the city 
government was then conducted. It was also 
argued that it was illegal. The citizens, hav- 
ing petitioned the board of trustees asking for 
a special election, the following proclamation 
was by them issued : 

Whereas a petition has been presented to the 
board of trustees of the inhabitants of the Town 
of Dayton, signed by more than forty of the legal 
voters of the town, praying that the question of 
abandoning the present incorporation and reorga- 
nizing under the general incorporation act of No- 
vember 9, 1877, be submitted to the legal voters of 
the town of Dayton, and the board of trustees hav- 
ing ordered that the question of abandoning the 
incorporation be presented to the legal voters of 
the town: Now, therefore, I, D. C. Guernsey, presi- 
dent of the board of trustees of the inhabitants of 
the town of Dayton, Territory of Washington, by 
authority in me vested, do hereby call a special 
election to be held in this town on the first day of 
July, 1878, to be held at Justice Martin's office, 
Main street. The subject to be voted upon is for 
abandonment or against abandonment of the present 
incorporation. 

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my 
hand on this 29th day of May, 1878. 

D. C. Guernsey, 
President Board of Trustees. 
John W. Ranch, 

Clerk Town of Dayton. 

At the election the vote was nearly unani- 
mous for abandonment of the then imperfect 



town organization. It then became necessary, or 
at least the citizens believed it necessary, to call 
another special election for the purpose of 
choosing a mayor, seven councilmen and a city 
marshal. This election was held July 16. Two 
candidates appeared in the field for mayor — ■ 
D. C. Guernsey and W. S. Newland. The 
former received 76 and the latter 30 votes. 

For councilmen; the following were the 
names voted for with their respective votes : 
J. B. Schrum, 91 ; G. K. Reed, 89; J. Mus- 
tard, J2> ! J- L. Smith, 67 ; J. K. Rainwater, 65 ; 
Frank Pierce, 61; D. B. Kimball, 57; L. E. 
Harris, 56; S. Bramlett, 54; W. H. Boyd, 50; 
J. Clark, 37; W. A. Moody, 35. This gave 
the election to Schrum, Reed, Mustard, Smith, 
Rainwater, Pierce and Kimball. Edward 
Tatro was practically without opposition in 
his candidacy for city marshal and received 104 
votes. 

The first regular meeting of the common 
council was held Thursday evening, August 22, 
1878, D. C. Gurensey, mayor, in the chair. 
There were present of the councilmen Schrum, 
Reed, Smith, Rainwater, Pierce and Kimball ; 
absent, Mustard. The following were appointed 
officers of the new city government : R. F. 
Sturdevant, city attorney; J. F. Martin, jus- 
tice of the peace; John W. Rauch, clerk; W. 
A. Belcher, treasurer; Dr. J. H. Kennedy, 
health officer ; William O. Matzger, surveyor ; 
Edward Tatro, street commissioner; Charles 
White, assessor and collector. 

During its otherwise prosperous career 
Dayton has experienced considerable vexa- 
tious annoyance in the way of securing a stable 
city government. The results of the last in- 
corporation and the trouble resulting there- 
from will be explained in this work later. 

For the city of Dayton the year 1878 was 
certainly a most prosperous one. An immense 
volume of immigration to the surrounding 
country brought new enterprises to the prin- 
cipal, and, practically, the only town then in 
Columbia county. All summer and fall car- 



348 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



penters were busily engaged in the erection of 
new business and residence buildings. The 
ever public-spirited Chronicle said : 

"The amount of building in Dayton this 
summer is immense, and nearly all of the build- 
ing done is of the best kind of material and 
workmanship, showing a permanent and sub- 
stantial growth of the town. We doubt 
whether there is a town on the Pacific coast 
that has made the rapid and permanent im- 
provements that Dayton has enjoyed during 
the past two years. Indeed the rapidity with 
which our young city has grown within the 
past three years has been the subject of no lit- 
tle comment, even by many of her own best 
citizens." 

September 7 the Chronicle stated that Day- 
ton then had a population of nearly 1,100 peo- 
ple, although this is now admitted by some to 
have been somewhat exaggerated. A writer 
in the Columbia Chronicle had the following- 
pretty things to say concerning the town of 
Dayton in 1878: 

"In the valley of the sparkling river 
Touchet, winding itself with a silvery glimmer, 
crowned with the glittering sunbeams dancing 
lightly o'er the bosom of her swiftly running 
waters, lies the youthful village whose 
wonderful progress has surprised with pleas- 
ure, and exceeded the most sanguine expecta- 
tions of its sturdy race, whose lofty senti- 
ments have crowned her queenly brow with the 
laurel wreath of prosperity, imparting strength 
and reanimated vigor to the vital action of the 
heart, which sends its warm and healthy blood 
coursing through her veins of industry, and 
she, the child of but a moment, youthful in 
years, but with muscles compact and frame 
well knit, bids far to rival her sister with the 
poplar groves. 

"Let her watchword be 'onward,' forever, 

Her aspirations to be in the lead ; 
May she yield her supremacy, never. 
As o'er the race-course of time she shall speed. 



May her lithe, active muscles respond to her 
will, 
As the war horse responds to the fierce bat- 
tle cry; 
And the quick spark of youth all her industries 
fill 
With the ambitious spirit of 'conquer or 
die' !" 

A gentleman from Roseburg, Oregon, 
after paying a visit to Dayton in December, 
1878, has the following to say about the town 
in the columns of the Roseburg Independent: 

"Dayton is a very flourishing town nearly, 
if not quite, the size of Roseburg, and has 
about eight hundred inhabitants. It is a well- 
built town and comprises a well-established 
woolen factory, four substantial churches, 
grist mills, some neat private dwellings, pri- 
vate residences, and among the many business 
houses some brick buildings, not omitting men- 
tion of two large hotels, one of which has a 
Mansard roof. Town property is held very 
high. Some lots on Main street sold at the 
rate of $75 per foot, 120 feet in depth. Un- 
improved lots across the creek entirely sepa- 
rate from the main town are sold at $150 and 
$200 each. 

In May, 1878, business town lots sold as 
high as $50 a front foot. There were then in- 
dications, which have since reached fruition, 
that the town was destined to become an im- 
portant business and commercial point. True, 
the rather high prices asked for city property 
contributed somewhat to retard its growth, 
but that growth was sure and not at all of the 
mushroom variety. Assessors' returns exhib- 
ited a handsome valuation of Dayton pro|p- 
erty. In July, 1878, the Dayton postoffice was 
placed in the money order class. During the 
first quarter ending September 30, the fol- 
lowing volume of business was transacted : 
Orders issued, 205, amounting to $5,987.06. 
Orders paid, 37, amounting to $1,113.33. The 
number of money orders issued at the Dayton 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



349 



postoffice from July i, 1878, to January 1, 
1879, was 663, amounting to $18,510.44. The 
number of orders paid during the same period 
was 138; the amount being $4,063.64. At 
this time the demand for town property was 
constantly increasing ; houses for rent found 
tenants without difficulty; transfers were be- 
ing constantly recorded. 

"Brooklyn,'' or as it was first called, 
'Across the Patit," which is at present one of 
the finest residence parts of the city, began to 
build up in 1878. Among the first to cross 
the river and erect homes in this locality were 
Messrs. Brewster, Day and Dunkle. In Sep- 
tember of this year the district, now known as 
Brooklyn, did not contain a solitary building. 
In March, 1879, there were fifteen houses com- 
pleted. The first to build here was F. M. 
Day. He was followed by many others, and 
their tasteful residences adorned the wheat 
field that was. 

The first step toward organizing a mili- 
tia company was taken January 20, 1879. 
On that date a called meeting was held in 
May's Hall, at which Mayor Guernsey pre- 
sided, T. H. Dupuy serving as secretary. It 
was unanimously decided to organize a com- 
pany; before adjournment thirty-five men had 
signified their intention of becoming members. 
This company was named the Columbia 
Mounted Infantry. At the election of offi- 
cers, held Feburary 2J, the following were 
chosen and served as the first officers of 
the company: George D. Gibson, captain; 
E. R. Burk, first lieutenant ; D. B. Kim- 
ball, second lieutenant; C. N. Clark, or- 
derly sergeant; John Steen, first duty ser- 
geant; G. E. Colgate, second duty sergant; F. 
M. McCully, third duty sergeant; F. P. Cart- 
wright, fourth duty sergeant; Thomas Gra- 
ham, first corporal ; John Ellis, second cor- 
poral ; D. Bradly, third corporal; W. Wat- 
son, fourth corparal. 

This company, however, did not long re- 



tain its organization, but in December, 1880, 
a reorganization occurred and a new company 
rose from the ruins of the old, details of which 
will be related in their proper chronological 
order. 

In June. 1879, the estimated population of 
Dayton was 1,000. The assessor's figures of 
July 19, however, gave Dayton only 950 in- 
habitants, 307 voters, 207 dwellings and 200 
families. These figures of the assessor show 
the following increase since the previous 
year: Population. 213; dwellings, 56; families, 
44; voters, 56. Verily a fine record. Con- 
cerning the incorporation imbroglio, of which 
reference has been previously made, the Co- 
lumbia Chronicle of June 28, 1879, sai d : 

"City or no city. — Whether Dayton is a 
legally incorporated city or not has been a 
question of more than ordinary inter- 
est. Some have contended for some time past 
that the city is illegally organized and conse- 
quently the ordinances and other business 
passed by the council is null and void. Not 
being satisfied with the inexplicit law, and 
there being a doubt about the matter, the in- 
corporation was contested and brought before 
the district court. David Higgins, of this city, 
who prosecuted the case, has been studying it 
for several months and finally came out vic- 
torious, as the judge decided against the city's 
being legally organized. As there was a ques- 
tion about the matter, the best thing that could 
be clone was to bring it before the court be- 
fore delving too deep into municipal measures. 
While many are surprised and sorry as to the 
decision, all are agreed that it should be at once 
attended to. Great dissatisfaction prevails 
since the judge's decision, so the case has been 
appealed to the supreme court, where, in our 
opinion, it will be decided in favor of the city. 
The marshal and other city officials have no in- 
clination to stop the functions of the city, but 
are prosecuting their duty as though nothing 
had been said." 



35o 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



Wednesday, January 14, 1880, a hearing 
of the demurrer in the case of Jesse N. Da}- vs. 
H. H. Wolfe, treasurer of Columbia county, 
was had in the district court, Hon. S. C. Win- 
gard presiding. David Higgins, of Dayton, 
appeared as attorney for the plaintiff ; Hon. 
N. T. Caton for defendant. Public interest to 
a high degree was manifested in the outcome 
of this case. The action was brought for the 
recovery of personal property belonging to the 
plaintiff, but which had been seized in June 
by the defendant, in his capacity of county 
treasurer, to obtain payment of taxes claimed 
to be delinquent, and due the city of Dayton 
for the year 1878. 

Mr. Day had refused to recognize the le- 
gality of the incorporation of the city of Day- 
ton ; declining to pay some $200 in taxes 
assessed against him. County Treasurer 
Wolfe was by law required to collect all delin- 
quent taxes of duly incorporated cities and 
towns, as well as those throughout the county. 
Failing in this case to collect from Mr. Day he 
had seized some of the latter 's property. Follow- 
ing this action of the treasurer Mr. Day brought 
suit, as above stated. In his answer to Day's 
complaint Defendant Wolfe justified his seiz- 
ure of the property under a warrant from the 
Dayton city council, claiming the city to be 
duly incorporated under the act of the legis- 
lature of Washington Territory, passed No- 
vember 9, 1877. To this answer plaintiff's at- 
torney demurred on the ground that it did not 
state facts sufficient to constitute a defense, 
for the reasons : First, that the act of 1877 was 
void and of no effect ; second, that Chapter II 
of said act was in itself obnoxious to the or- 
ganic act; third, that Chapter II, of said act, 
even if valid, did not enable incorporated 
towns to reincorporate under its provisions. 

Aside from the foregoing grounds of de- 
murrer to the act of 1877, a number of others 
were raised relative to the validity of the 
amendatory and curative act passed at the last 
session of the legislature for the purpose of 



validating the incorporation of Dayton as a 
city, it having been at the last term of court 
decided to have no legal existence, by reason 
of towns not being able to avail themselves of 
the provisions of Chapter II of the act of 1877. 
In rendering his decision of the case at bar 
Judge Wingard sustained the demurrer on the 
ground, mainly, that the act of 1877, under 
which the city was incorporated, or at least in 
which an attempt had been made to incorpor- 
ate, was void and of no effect. This decision, 
it will be noticed, is based upon another and 
additional ground than one rendered in June, 
1879, m the mandamus proceedings instituted 
to compel the trustees of the town of Dayton 
to resume the duties of their trust. But it was 
conclusive in its effects against any amenda- 
tory acts of the legislature — providing it 
should thereafter be affirmed by the supreme 
court. 

Thus thrown into confusion by the decree 
of Judge Wingard's court, the citizens of Day- 
ton cast about for relief. The Chronicle an- 
nounced a meeting to be held Tuesday, Feb- 
ruary 21, for the purpose of discussing the le- 
gal tangle in which they found themselves 
emeshed concerning the validity of the city 
charter. ' As stated by the Chronicle it was de- 
signed to secure "an expression from the peo- 
ple so that immediate action may be taken in 
regard to the recent decision of the bench. 
Shall the question be appealed to a higher 
tribunal? Do the people want a city govern- 
ment or do they wish the control of Dayton to 
revert to the former trustees ? These are ques- 
tions the people should have a voice in deciding. 
If a majority of the people of Dayton want and 
are willing to pay for a city government, then 
let us have a stable charter, and one that will 
not have to be supported by special legislative 
acts; but if the people think a town organiza- 
tion sufficient for our fair and thriving village, 
then give us such a government." 

Certainly this was noncommittal enough 
and does not convey a very definite idea of the 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



35i 



Chronicle's position on this important ques- 
tion. But time was destined to reveal the 
exact attitude of Dayton's citizens on this 
subject. Tuesday evening, February 17, the 
meeting was held at Joy's Hall. S. M. Wait 
was selected as chairman; J. E. Edmiston, sec- 
retary. Speeches were made by David Hig- 
gins, R. F. Sturdevant and others, and a reso- 
lution was adopted by the assembly in sub- 
stance, as follows: That the matter be pre- 
sented to Judge Wingard by the former town 
trustees, city council and other parties inter- 
ested for his decision, in chambers, whether 
Dayton was a legal city or whether the gov- 
ernment should revert to the trustees. Mean- 
while the case had been appealed to the supreme 
court, but a discision from that bench could 
not be expected before July. It was, therefore, 
desirable that immediate light be thrown on the 
existing heterogeneous conditions. The Chron- 
icle said : 

"We trust that the matter will be referred 
in such a way that we shall soon know where 
we are. The decision (probably meaning 
Judge Wingard's). whatever it is, will be. we 
understand, accepted as final." 

March 18, Judge Wingard, then being in 
the city of Dayton, the case of the city charter 
was submitted to him without argument. Fol- 
lowing is the text of his opinion, filed a few 
days later : 

In the matter of the mooted question as to the 
status of the people of Dayton: 

I take it for granted that the town of Dayton 
was regularly organized under the laws of the Terri- 
tory as a town. If so, I am of the opinion that 
there has been no action on the part of its inhabi- 
tants under any law of the Territory to change its 
character and that it is still a town. 

I am also of the opinion that under the present 
laws of the Territory the inhabitants of the town of 
Dayton, by proper and legal steps, may incorporate 
as a city. (Signed) 

S. C. Wingard. 

By request, acting as a friend of all the people 
of Dayton. 



Following this decision the old town gov- 
ernment was again taken up and retained in 
force until January, 1882, when the peo- 
ple secured a city government, a charter having 
been issued by the Territorial Legislature of 
1 88 1. Details of this action will be treated 
later. 

It now becomes expedient to revert to pre- 
vailing conditions in 1880. April 17 the 
Chronicle said, editorially : 

"We have heard the decline of Dayton 
prophesied, but have thought, as we list- 
ened to weighty reasons for the opinion, that 
the prophets were destined to be disappointed. 
'Tis true our town has grown rapidly, perhaps 
too rapidly, but now it is settling down with a 
calm dignity, and substantial improvements 
are being contemplated and pushed forward, 
which insure a steady and favorable growth. 
Xot until the rich agricultural country sur- 
rounding, and tributary to Dayton is gone ; 
not until the industrious and solid inhabitants, 
whose homes are made in the country, have 
been superseded by a class of less deserving 
people ; then, and not till then, will Dayton be- 
gin to decline." 

Still the United States census of 1880 gave 
the city a population of only 996. 

Wednesday evening, December 8, a new 
militia company was organized, known as the 
Dayton Grays. Its officers were J. T. Burns, 
captain ; D. C. Guernsey, first lieutenant ; C. 
X. Clark, second lieutenant ; T. H. Dupuy, 
orderly sergeant. Sunday, June 31, the Day- 
ton Grays and the Walla Walla Guards met at 
the former's armory and organized the first 
regiment of the National Guard of Washington 
Territory. H. E. Holmes, of Walla Walla, 
was elected colonel, and J. T. Burns, captain 
of the Dayton Grays, lieutenant colonel. No 
other companies at that period were) organ- 
ized in this portion of the Territory, and the 
self-styled "First Regiment'' consisted of these 



35^ 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



two companies alone. And, .indeed, in Oc- 
tober, 1881, this was the only regiment in the 
Territory. It was incomplete; further legis- 
lation was necessary before it could be officially 
recognized. But it was in the lead of all others 
in spirit, at least, and was, undoubtedly, the 
"First." For several years the Dayton Grays 
continued as an organization ; took a promi- 
nent part in public affairs of the town, and was, 
all in all, a most popular organization. In 
1887 it> too > was disbanded and still another 
company organized. 

In the evening of December 13, 1880, Day- 
ton suffered a loss of about $25,000 by fire; 
the entire business portion of the city was 
saved only by most heroic work on the part of 
the volunteer fire department. The losses 
were covered by about $15,000 insurance. In 
detail they were : M. M. Learn, livery stable, 
$1,000, insurance $800; Long & Herren, hay 
and grain, $300; G. A. Winn, Palace Hotel 
and restaurant, $5,000, insurance $3,000; 
Bunnell Brothers, building and hardware 
stock, $4,000, insurance $2,000 ; L. E. Har- 
ris, saloon, building and stock, $1,000; H. W. 
Hull, $1,000; S. J. Saxon, saloon stock, $600; 
L. G. Treibig, tailor, $100; C. Hansen, boot 
and shoe stock, $800; Karrick & Witkind, 
groceries, $400; Dusenbery & Stencel, general 
merchandise, $10,000, fully insured. 

Much of this loss, as claimed by the Chron- 
icle, was occasioned by wanton destruction of 
property in its removal, by theft and by rain 
and mud. 

Another golden era of prosperity prevailed 
in Dayton during the spring and summer of 
1 88 1. The building of a flume by which the 
railroad timbers were carried down to be used 
in the construction of the railroad itself, to- 
gether with numerous side-tracks, depot, 
roundhouse, and other railroad property 
swelled a payroll to magnificent proportions; 
most of this money was expended in Dayton. 
One of the new business enterprises of this 
year was the First National Bank of Dayton. 



During the first six weeks of its existence its 
deposits amounted to $50,000. 

In August, 1 88 1, the destruction of Day- 
ton was again threatened by fire. This was on 
Saturday, the morning of the 6th, and only by 
hard work by the hook and ladder company — 
the town's sole protection from fire — was the 
community property saved. As it was ten 
buildings were consumed, the loss aggregating 
about $15,000. Individual losses were: 

R. P. Steen, building, $200; H. F. Law- 
rence, four buildings, tools and stock, $5,000; 
Field's estate, two-story building, $250; Frank 
Brothers, jointly with their agent, J. E. Ed- 
miston, farm implements, $1,200; Prof. Jones, 
office and school furniture, $100; John Car- 
ter, wheat, $100; Henry Carrol, blacksmith 
shop, $400; E. S. Gay, printing press, $275; 
Andrew Nilsson, wagon and blacksmith shop 
and material, $4,0000 ; H. J. Torrance & Com- 
pany, building and material, $1,000; D. B. 
Kimball & Company, lumber, $500; Hexter & 
Company, horse power, $200; R. L. Dashiell, 
mower, $100; Edward Owens, William Molt- 
ham and one Black lost each a wagon worth 
perhaps, $50. The burnt district was immedi- 
ately rebuilt. 

One of the natural results — the aftermath 
— of this conflagration, was a universally 
voiced demand for better fire protection. The 
hook and ladder company, which had been in 
service for several years, was now found to be 
unable to protect property in case of a bad 
fire. It was quite evident that Dayton had out- 
grown primitive pioneer methods ; water works 
and the accompanying equipment for protec- 
tion from fire were now become crying neces- 
sities. 

During the fall and winter of 1881 the 
town of Dayton was visited by an epidemic of 
smallpox of unusual severity. Schools were 
closed; business was paralyzed. So serious 
did the contagion become that citizens were 
at their wits end to devise means to stamp out 
the disease and bring the place again to its 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



353 



normal condition. A board of health consist- 
ing of thirteen members was organized. The 
officers were W. H. Kuhn, president ; D. D. 
Bunnell, vice-president and treasurer; W. F. 
Jones, secretary; Dr. Pietrzycki, health officer. 
One acre of ground was purchased and a pest 
house erected thereon. The sum of $400 was 
promptly subscribed by business men to apply 
in the erection of this structure; the county 
commissioners interested themselves in pro- 
viding care for the sick. Of this serious epi- 
demic the Chronicle, said, November 5, 
1 881: 

"This fearful disease which seems to be 
raging all over the Pacific Northwest, and in 
portions of the northern states, is in Dayton 
without a doubt. The steps taken to prevent 
its spread are being ably seconded by our best 
citizens, who have organized an executive 
committee to enforce the rules and regulations 
of the board of health. Had the advice of 
several of our leading citizens been taken and 
followed in the first stages of the disease, its 
spread would have been speedily checked and 
our business saved serious injury. There has 
been much carelessness — criminal carelessness 
— on the part of certain persons who have 
failed to recognize the dreadful nature of this 
scourge, or who were impatient of restraint 
and reckless of consequences. It is, perhaps, 
needless to say that such carelessness will not 
be tolerated in the future. It is to be hoped 
that the aid of Judge Lynch, who was inter- 
viewed during each week, will not be required 
to compel a more strict compliance with the 
quarantine rules. So far there have been but 
three deaths in town. All patients are reported 
as improving and it is hoped the worst is over 
and that no more deaths will occur." 

"November 12, 1881, three deaths had oc- 
curred during the week ending on that date, 
and two other cases were in a hopeless condi- 
tion. Quite a number of families reported cases, 
families where the disease had not previously 

23 



appeared. It was the published opinion of the 
Chronicle on that date that "there is no need 
for fear, while there is urgent demand for the 
strictest precaution." The epidemic continued 
to spread in increased numbers and virulence. 
The town was quarantined and the following 
joint orders issued by the board of health and 
the executive committee acting in conjunction 
with the board : 

"First : That the board of health in joint 
session with the executive committee, prohibit 
any person or persons from coming into, or 
leaving the town without permission of the 
chief of patrol, and this to be in force from 3 
o'clock p. m., November 17, 1881. 

"Second : That all business houses, offices 
and saloons be closed daily from 4 o'clock p. 
m., to 8 o'clock a. m., except drug stores, ho- 
tels, livery stables and restaurants, and that 
the bars in the hotels be kept closed between 
the hours of 4 p. m., and 8. a. m., as in other 
business houses ; to be in force from 4 o'clock, 
p. m., November 17, 1881. 

"Third : That the health officer, on giving 
a pass to any of his employees, and if approved 
by the chief of patrol, the said employee be 
permitted to pass the patrol. 

"Fourth: That the above proceedings be 
published in the Dayton papers and that pos- 
ters be distributed throughout the town." 

Citizens of Dayton subscribed $900, and 
General Tannatt, of the Oregon Improvement 
Company, authorized John Berry to draw on 
him for $100 more, to be used, if necessary, to 
prevent the further spread of smallpox in this 
section. One dozen new smallpox cases and 
six deaths were reported during the week end- 
ing November 18th. 

The postmaster at Dayton was unable to 
dispatch any local mail from between the 16th 
of November and the 1st of January, 1882. 
From the Walla Walla postmaster came the 
ultimatum to the effect that their contractor 
was under most positve orders not to receive 



354 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



Dayton mail. Concerning this the Chronicle 
of November 26th said : 

"The mail is accumulating in the Dayton 
postofhce and must be sent off some time. Will 
it be less dangerous then than now? If the 
mail now in the postofhce is infected, waiting 
will not purify it. It may be some satisfaction 
to the postmasters below to know that no mail 
from infected places is allowed to be deposited 
in the postofhce. Furthermore, we are will- 
ing to have the mail disinfected before it leaves 
the Dayton postofhce. Tubs full of asafcetida, 
gallons of carbolic acid, barrels of onions, but 
not one scent for tribute! Dayton's outlook as 
regards smallpox is favorable. During the 
past week there have been only four new cases 
and one death. Only one or two patients are 
considered dangerous, and the majority will 
be discharged as cured in the next four or five 
days. As we go to press there are just forty 
cases in town, including those in the pest 
house. The executive committee have insti- 
tuted a reform in the matter of our patrol. 
Several expensive officers have been dis- 
charged and their places filled by men who 
donate their services. D. C. Guernsey is chief 
of police, F. M. McCully assistant chief, and 
C. H. Day chief messenger. Over one hun- 
dred have volunteered to take their turns at 
guard duty." 

December 3, 1881, the Chronicle con- 
tinued : 

"Our report this week is still very favora- 
ble. Only two new cases since Friday and one 
of them has since been discharged as well. No 
deaths and every patient is rapidly improving. 
There are not over fifteen cases in town and 
only two under treatment. The town quaran- 
tine was removed Sunday, November 27th, but 
a rigid watch is still kept on those coming 
from infected houses. With continued watch- 
fulness Dayton will soon be entirely free of 
smallpox." 

Waitsburg followed in the lead of Walla 
Walla. Under date of December 2, 1881, the 



city council of Waitsburg notified the mayor 
and honorable council of the city of Dayton 
that an ordinance had on that day been passed 
by the council of Waitsburg prohibiting the 
reception of mail, and all mail matter made 
up and coming from Dayton from December 
2d to January 1, 1882. This rather remark- 
able communication contained a postscript to 
the effect that the Waitsburg city ordinance 
"referred only to the Dayton local mail and 
not to mail passing through, or distributed, 
at the Dayton postofhce." 

By December 17th the epidemic situation 
was considerably improved. No new cases 
had bepn reoorted for over two weeks. There 
were only three residences in town flying the 
yellow flag. Five cases were reported in the 
pest house and one from the country. But it 
was not until January 2, 1882, that the public 
schools were reopened and the town resumed 
normal conditions ; and although there were 
a few new cases, the malignant disease was 
under control; the wide-spread alarm and dan- 
ger to business came to an end. The last cases 
reported were in the Johnson family, and on 
February 18th they had all recovered. Four 
months the epidemic had raged with almost 
unabated malignancy. February nth the fol- 
lowing was published in the Chronicle : 

Dayton, W. T., Feb. 7, 1882: To the mayor and 
common council of the city of Dayton: 

We, your committee to whom was referred the 
matter of expressing our thanks to the late board 
of health, would respectfully submit the following: 

Whereas, The retirement of our esteemed fel- 
low citizens from the office of Board of Health, 
presents a suitable opportunity for expressing the 
esteem in which we hold them for their noble ser- 
vices when that dread disease, smallpox, hung like 
a pall over our beautiful city and wrapped it in 
gloom, and, 

Whereas, We deemed it expedient that measures 
should be taken to prevent its spread, we hurriedly 
called the council together on the nth day of 
October, 1881, little knowing the magnitude of the 
labor to be performed, appointed a board of health. 
They, seeing the need of prompt action reorganized 
and have been most successful in suppressing and 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



355 



driving the dread disease from our midst, there- 
fore be it 

Resolved, That the thanks of this council and 
the community are due to the board of health for 
the able manner in which they uniformly have per- 
formed their duties in relieving suffering humanity. 

Resolved, That they carry with them on retire- 
ment from their labors the sincere thanks of this 
community. 

Resolved, That the city clerk be requested to 
have the above preamble and resolutions published 
in the city papers. 

Respectfully submitted. 
J. L. Smith, ) 

George E. Church, > Committee. 
L. E. Harris, ) 

January 2d the Dayton board of health 
made their final report to the city council of 
cost of smallpox and other statistics. From 
this report we glean the following: Total 
amount expended by the board of health, 
$1,659; °t this amount $1,000 was received 
from the county; the remainder was raised by 
subscription. Cases in Dayton, 100; in hos- 
pital, 33; in county, 44; total cases, 167; 
deaths in town, 1 1 ; in hospital, 3 ; in county, 7 ; 
total deaths, 21. Of the 167 cases reported 
many were of the mildest form of varioloid ; 
so light, indeed, were the attacks in several 
instances that, under ordinary circumstances, 
they would have attracted no particular atten- 
tion. It is, also, doubtless true that many 
light cases were concealed from officers 
through fear of removal to the hospital. The 
Chronicle said, editorially, March 11, 1882: 

"To whom are the people indebted for the 
prompt and vigorous action which so effec- 
tually checked the epidemic ; In the first in- 
stance to Dr. Pietrzycki, who was the first to 
announce the name of the disease and urge the 
authorities to action. By his determined stand 
in the face of almost unanimous opposition, 
both from the profession and the people, he 
prevented the loss of many valuable lives. The 
doctor was soon ably seconded by the board of 
health comprised of the following gentlemen : 
W. H. Kuhn, president; J. H. Hosier, J. 



Hutcheon, J. H. Chastain, E. A. Torrance, A. 
L. McCauley, H. H. Wolfe, M. M. Learn, S. 
J. Saxon, D. D. Bunnell, A. W. Sargeant, 
John Brining, John Crossler, D. C. Guernsey, 
J. E. Edmiston and John Mustard. The board 
held their first meeting October 15, 1881, but 
finding the work before them greater than an- 
ticipated, they, two days afterward, reorgan- 
ized. The town was divided into wards and 
districts and committees assigned to each. Not 
one member of this board ever received a cent 
for his services, and some gave their undivided 
attention to the work for weeks at a time." 

October 2d the Chronicle added the fol- 
lowing : 

"One year ago Dayton was excited over 
conflicting rumors in regard to smallpox. Sev- 
eral cases had appeared which were pro- 
nounced by some physicians to be genuine 
cases of smallpox, while others stoutly denied 
the existence of any such disease in the county. 
On the 2d of October, 1881, Dr. Pietrzycki 
pronounced the disease to be smallpox. His 
opinion proved to be a correct one, although 
many had serious doubts of the existence of 
danger. They learned the truth by sad expe- 
rience." 

In August, 1 88 1, incorporation troubles 
again rose to the surface of Dayton's social 
and business life. Thq question was asked, 
"Are any steps being taken by our town au- 
thorities looking toward a more liberal muni- 
cipal organization?" Within a month the Ter- 
ritorial Legislature would convene. It was 
urged by the more progressive citizens that 
this subject demanded the most careful con- 
sideration. Many, in fact a majority, de- 
clared that they were unwilling to allow two 
years more to pass away leaving them in a 
semi-defenseless condition. 

Following the decision of Judge Wingard 
declaring the city's incorporation invalid, the 
town government had been placed in charge 
of municipal affairs, remaining thus until Jan- 



356 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



uary I, 1882. In the fall of 1881 the Territo- 
rial Legislature had granted Dayton a special 
charter as a city ; under this charter it was 
governed until 1904. This charter granted in 
1 88 1 provided for the government of Dayton 
by a mayor and seven councilmen ; the mayor 
to hold office for one year ; the councilmen two 
years, three and four members alternately 
being elected each year. It provided, also, for 
the election of a justice of the peace, marshal, 
clerk, attorney, treasurer, health officer, sur- 
veyor, street commissioner and assessor. With 
the exception of the city marshal these officers 
were to be elected by the council ; the marshal 
by the city electors. 

The new charter dissolved the old town 
government, and provided for the payment of 
all debts and collection of all credits of the 
town government. The following were named 
in the charter as the first officers : Oliver C. 
White, mayor; James L. Smith, George E. 
Church, Lewis E. Harris, J. E. Edmiston, 
John Brining and Warren A. Belcher, coun- 
cilmen. This is the legislative act authoriz- 
ing the city of Dayton to audit and pay certain 
claims : 

"Whereas, It appears that there are cer- 
tain sums due parties for labor and material 
furnished for the use and benefit of the present 
city of Dayton, when it was so-called "the 
city of Dayton," and prior to the passage of 
the act incorporating said city : Now, there- 
fore, be it enacted by the legislative assembly 
of the Territory of Washington : 

"Section I. That the city of Dayton is 
hereby empowered through its proper officers, 
to audit and pay such claims as they may deem 
just, for material furnished or labor per- 
formed for the benefit of the said formerly so- 
called city of Dayton. 

"Section 2. This act to be in force from 
and after its passage and approval." 

In this way was harmony restored and the 
impending confusion avoided. Although this 
municipal arrangement for a period gave sat- 



isfaction, a few years disclosed that it was, in 
a sense, defective. As will be shown later on an 
attempt was made, in 1887, to secure a new 
charter from the Territorial Legislature. But 
in this the people of Dayton were unsuccessful ; 
not until 1904 did they achieve the kind of 
government that gave universal satisfaction. 

The initial meeting of the city council 
under the 1881 charter was held January g r 
1882. There were present Mayor O C 
White., and councilmen Edmiston, Harris, 
Church and Smith, a bare quorum. The other 
councilmen named in the charter declined to 

qualitfy ; and J. N.. 

Thompson were appointed to fill the vacancies. 
These were the other appointments of city offi- 
cers: John Y. Ostrander, justice of the peace; 
A. L. McCauley, city marshal ; W. A. Belcher,, 
treasurer; W. A. George, city attorney; Dr. 
Pietrzycki, health officer; A. L. McCauley, 
street commissioner ; Walter Crosby, clerk and 
E. D. Miner, city engineer. 

The following is the Columbia Chronicle's 
graphic account of Dayton's first serious con- 
flagration. There were others later which de- 
stroyed the greater portion of the town, and all 
this was, evidently, the result of procrastina- ' 
tion in the matter of providing suitable fire 
protection. April 8, 1882, is the date of the 
Chronicle's report of this disaster. 

At a few minutes before two o'clock last Sun- 
day morning, April 2d, the back end of Thomas 8c 
Kirkman's saloon, adjoining the Northwestern Hotel' 
on the east, was discovered in flames. Alarm was 
instantly given and the occupants of the hotel and 
adjacent buildings awakened and had barely time 
to escape half-clad before the buildings were all 
ablaze. The fire crossed Main street to Fettis' 
large stables, and second street to Burge's at about 
the same time. The heat was intense and with 
Fettis' stables on fire and nothing to work with, 
it was impossible to save the block, hence it was left 
to its fate and all efforts directed to movables. 

At first a desperate fight was made at Burge's 
corner, but want of water and concert of action 
rendered every effort futile. The fire in this direc- 
tion burned more slowly, being an hour and a half 
in crossing the block. The attempt to arrest its- 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



357 



progress by tearing down buildings was abandoned 
for want of help. Rumpf & Weinhard's corner 
opposite Fettis' stable was the scene of a most des- 
perate struggle. Four times the brave fire boys 
were overpowered by the heat and compelled to 
give up, and as often returned to the conflict. They 
were at last victorious and the postoffice block was 
saved, through not without a fearful struggle all 
along its front, for while Day's two-story drug store 
"was burning the flames were carried directly toward 
the postoffice. 

Fortunately soon after the alarm was sounded, 
Foreman George Ihrig gave orders to tap the mill- 
Tace on Second street, which was quickly done, and 
a stream of water was soon pouring down Main 
street. It is, no doubt, owing to this circumstance 
alone that the postoffice block and the Columbia 
Hotel were saved. Holes was dug in the street and 
• the water dipped up by the bucketful and dashed 
on the burning fronts. Men, overpowered and 
scorched by the heat, rolled in the mud and water 
and renewed the fight. When it was certain that the 
fire was checked a feeble shout of victory went up 
from the weary crowd. The few members of the 
hook and ladder company present did good work 
and deserve great credit. The burnt district em- 
braces 560 feet on the northwest side of Main street; 
360 feet on the southwest side and Ping's residence 
in the rear of the Northwestern Hotel. The follow- 
ing list of losses includes damage to buildings and 
injury to merchandise: 

Columbia county, pump and fence, $25; H. H. 
Wolfe, Joy's Hall, $3,000. insurance, $2,000; Dayton 
Grays, militia company, uniforms, etc., $50; United 
States, 22 stands of arms, $450; Mrs. D. V. White, 
millinery, etc., $200; G. E. Colegate, restaurant and 
household fixtures, $1,900, insurance, $1,400; T. B. 
Atkinson, saloon, $1,800, insurance, $900; J. S. 
Thomas, buildings, $2,600, insurance, $800; Thomas 
& Kirkman, saloon fixtures, $2,400, insurance, $1,000; 
W. A. Moody, Northwestern Hotel and furniture, 
$12,000, insurance, $8,425; R. Franklin, hotel and bar 
fixtures, $5,000; E. R. Burk, furniture, $125; E. Ping, 
residence, $3,000, insurance, $2,500; J. M. Burge, 
building and merchandise, $2,000; Mrs. V. I. Towers, 
furniture and clothing, $200; Fred Patterson, cloth- 
ing, etc., $75; T. Kelly, saloon fixtures, etc., $1,800; 
J. J. McCleary, building, $700; Rogers Brothers, 
(Dollar Store), $2,000, insured; D. V. White, shoe- 
maker, $150; G. A. Winn, bakery, $3,500, insurance, 
$1,850; Bailor, Carr & Company, furniture, etc., 
$4,500, insurance, $1,500; Scott & Schmidt, brewery, 
$2,000, insurance, $1,000; I. Burroughs, barber, $12; 
H. M. Deal, notions, $300; L. D. Drake, opera house, 
and two other buildings, $5,200; J. H. Williams, bil- 
liard table, etc., $400; C. Hansen, building, $600; C. 
F. McClary, saloon fixtures, $300; R. F. Sturdevant, 



law office, $600; D. D. Bunnell, hardware, stoves, 
etc., $6,000, insurance, $1,000; S. Witkind, variety 
store, $800, insurance, $500; D. C. Guernsey, two 
buildings, $1,500; Guernsey & Burns, abstractors, 
$40; Mrs. Frank Clayton, millinery, $100; Young & 
Storer, barbers, $200 ; G. N. Matzger, books and 
stationery, $500, insured; Wells, Fargo & Company, 
safe, etc., $300; Windell & Maxwell, photographers, 
$100; J. H. Day, druggist, $2,000, insured; J. N. Day, 
three buildings, $3,000; Mrs. E. J. Gale, household goods, 
etc., $200 ; McDonald & Schwabacher, blankets 
$125; M. Hexter, general merchandise, $500, insured; 
Richards & Company, druggists, $150; E. A. Hawley, 
fronts, $200, insured; Paine Brothers, hardware, $180, 
insured; George Eckler, fronts, $200; L. E. Harris, 
front, $40, insured; Frank Pierce, front, $100, in- 
sured; Pierce & Crossler, harness, $100; William 
Matzger, front, $75; J. W. Jackson, jewelry, etc., 
$200, insured; Frary & Day, variety store, $100, in- 
sured; Levi Ankeny, front, $25; Clendennnin & Mil- 
ler, general merchandise, $450, insured; S. M. Kar- 
rick, groceries, $300, insured; M. A. Baker, lawyer, 
$50; Ihrig & Weber, meat market, $50; J. L. Smith, 
front, $20, insured; L. A. Davis, saloon fixtures, $150; 
Rumpf & Weinhard, saloon fixtures, $100; W. A. 
Belcher, hay scales, etc., $200; M. Fettis, stables, 
$1,500; M. R. Brown, livery stable, $100; Hulten & 
Martin, furniture, $2,400; D. B. Kimball, buildings, 
$1,500; J. Brodzeller, shoemaker, $100; O. Dantz- 
scher, merchant tailor, $2,300; W. A. Morris, build- 
ing, $1,000; Mrs. DeCoux, restaurant furniture, etc., 
$400; J. T. Wilson, blacksmith, $500; Crosby & Ost- 
rander, Dayton News, $2,000, insurance, $600; C. C. 
Garett, groceries, etc., $550, insurance, $400 ; Dr. 
Pietrzycki, furniture, etc., $300; John Brining, build- 
ing, blankets, etc., $2,000; Crossler & Kuhn, gro- 
ceries, $500; W. H. Kuhn, two buildings, $1,500, in- 
surance, $600; P. T. Giberson, livery stable, and ad- 
joining buildings, $3,300, insurance, $1,000; Wooten 
& Wait, meat market, $100; Milt Reed, harness, etc., 
$100, insured; James Wheelan, building, $40, in- 
sured; Methodist Parsonage, $150; total loss, $95,- 
282; insurance, $3i,7°5- 

It is possible that some small loss or insurance 
has not been obtained, but we think it safe to say 
that the loss in round numbers is $90,000, and the 
insurance payable $30,000, leaving a net loss of $60,- 
000. 



There was no wind at the inception of this 
blaze, but a light breeze sprang- up and carried 
the fire away from the Columbia Hotel. The 
origin of the fire remains unknown to this day, 
but indications pointed significantly to incen- 
diarism. Although this fire proved a severe 



358 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



blow to business industries it was no set-back 
to the progress of the town. Where before 
had stood highly combustible frame buildings, 
now were run up handsome brick stores, add- 
ing much to the appearance of the city. It was 
a severe lesson taught to the citizens, this fire. 
Adequate fire protection — so long in abeyance 
since the founding of the town — was now pro- 
vided. A steamer was purchased and a first- 
class company organized. April 7, 1883, the 
Chronicle, under the head, "One Year After 
the Fire," said : 

"One year ago last Sunday will long be 
remembered by the citizens of Dayton. They 
will remember how three of the city's business 
blocks were swept away by fire in the brief 
period of three hours, and among the smoul- 
dering ruins of the buildings and goods were 
the results of perhaps years of hard and earnest 
toil. The anxious faces of the tired workers, 
the occasional despondent, and the hopeful 
men of that day will also be remembered. Last 
Sunday, while walking along Main street we 
could not help contrasting the scene with that 
of one year ago ; how at that time real estate 
'jumped' in prices; how energy and faith in 
Dayton's future among our business men soon 
dispelled the gloom occasioned by the unex- 
pected flames. The original buildings, the 
former land marks that were so peculiarly 
familiar and dear to old Daytonites, have been 
replaced by a better class of buildings, and 
where before the fire was conducted business of 
minor importance, we now notice immense es- 
tablishments doing a prosperous trade. All 
things considered the contrast that we drew 
between Dayton's past and present conditions 
was extremely satisfactory. 

"Dayton has had many misfortunes, evils 
that would discourage and perhaps destroy the 
growth of a town less favorably located. But 
with all our smallpox, fires and opposition we 
have flourished, gained in wealth and grown 
in proportions as few towns in Eastern Wash- 
ington have done." 



All fared well with the city of Dayton dur- 
ing the year 1882. By the November vote she 
established her right to be known as the third 
city in the Territory. This vote was 778, 
against 1,214 f° r Walla Walla, 1,274 for 
Seattle, 536 for New Tacoma and 516 for 
Vancouver. And few towns of the size of 
Dayton had arrived at her degree of import- 
ance in point of wealth and population in so 
short a time without ostentatious commotion. 
One year before the railroad came, when 
Henry Villard, standing on the hotel porch, 
promised that before the expiration of twelve 
months railroad communication would be 
ample, he was implicitly believed. The people 
were satisfied with his assurances ; yet the real 
estate market remained as tranquil as a moun- 
tain lake unruffled by the faintest zephyr. One 
year later this promise was made good ; the 
iron horse, brass-bound and steel-sinewed, 
rolled into the midst of the community, and 
the citizens of Dayton swelled with pride. But 
real estate remained stationary. 

Since the great fire Dayton had added to 
her public works a steam fire engine, costing 
$5,250; an engine house at an expense of 
$2,200, and three inexhaustible water supplies 
on Main street. But, as the Chronicle ex- 
pressed the idea, "You may roll like a panora- 
mic scene her past existence before you, and 
by the most critical observation you cannot 
discover the minutest indication of a boom or 
riffle in the real estate market." The amount 
expended in buildings during this year, ac- 
cording to figures gleaned from the records,, 
was $162,975. Adding this to the money paid 
by the city for sidewalks, street crossings, 
fencing, street work and other improvements 
the total was brought up to about $180,000, 
or nearly $120 for each inhabitant of the city. 

Seventeen brick buildings Dayton boasted 
of in the early part of 1883. Sixteen of these 
were occupied by business firms ; one was a 
residence. Eight of these brick houses were 
erected during the year 1882. 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



359 



On the afternoon of July 17, 1883, ^ re de- 
stroyed, for the second time, Weinhard's brew- 
ery, entailing a loss of $12,000, with 
$4,000 insurance. In this year the total prop- 
erty valuation, as returned by the census offi- 
cials, was $1,008,000, or about $540 for every 
man, woman and child in the town. The start- 
ling events of this year were the lynching of 
McPherson, legal execution of Snoderly and 
the escape, recapture and death of Owenby, 
which are fully treated in the history of Cu- 
lumbia county. 

During the early 8o's Dayton suffered 
from a number of disastrous fires. In nearly 
every instance there were strong evidences that 
they were the malicious work of incendiaries. 
In January, 1884, an attmpt was made to burn 
Wait & Prather's flouring mill and, also, a 
planing mill owned by the same firm. Por- 
tions of each building had been thoroughly 
soaked with coal oil; leading to this was a 
powder fuse. The flouring mill was fired, but 
the incipient conflagration was under control 
before great damage was done to the plant. 
For some reason the planing mill was not 
fired, but the diabolical preparations for its de- 
struction were discovered. 

Because of this nefarious attempt which, 
had it been successful would, doubtless have 
destroyed the greater part of the town, and be- 
cause the town had materially suffered in the 
several previous attempts to annihilate it, the 
citizens held a mass meeting at which plans 
for strenuous efforts to apprehend the guilty 
parties were formulated. The city council 
held a special meeting and offered a reward of 
$1,500 for the arrest and conviction of the 
guilty parties ; Wait & Prather guaranteed that 
the amount would be raised to $2,500. The 
importance that Dayton's citizens attached to 
these attempts at incendiarism, and the temper 
of the people is shown by the following ap- 
pearing in the Columbia Chronicle of January 
26, 1884: 

"An accidental fire which would have de- 



stroyed thousands of dollars' worth of prop- 
erty would not have injured our city so much 
as this cowardly night attempt to burn these 
mills. It would not be surprising if every in- 
surance policy in the city were cancelled by the 
companies on account of this thing, and no 
man can go to bed at night feeling that his 
property is safe or that he will not awaken in 
the morning ruined. From the mutterings on 
the street it is a safe bet that if the scoundrel 
is found the clerk of the court will not draw 
any fees in the case. Detectives are at work 
and the chances are favorable for success." 

Facts and coincidences began to consoli- 
date concerning the firebugs. Mr. Wait had 
caused the arrest of several saloon men 
charged with having sold liquor to his minor 
sons. Suspicion fastened itself upon the liquor 
men. But nothing was done in the premises 
at that time. On Friday, July 6, 1886, how- 
ever, an arrest was made. That day Frank 
Taylor, C. F. McClary's bartender, was ar- 
rested in Dayton, and Dorus Hutchings was 
taken in the toils of the law at McMinnville, 
Oregon. They were charged with having 
fired the flouring mill. Taylor at once made 
a confession implicating McClary, and accus- 
ing him of having been the instigator of the 
crime. Hutchings followed suit with a con- 
fession of the same import. 

Thursday, July 8th, the case against Mc- 
Clary was tried before Justices Dorr and Gor- 
don. The prisoner was bound over to the dis- 
trict court in the sum of $3,000. The case 
against Hutchings was dismissed, but he was 
re-arrested for complicity in an attempt to 
burn the planing mill. On Friday following 
Taylor was held to answer in $3,000, and 
Hutchings in $1,500 bonds. In default of 
these bonds they were both jailed. McClary 
secured bail and was released from custody. 
July 17th the Chronicle said: 

The arrest of Charles " McClary for incendiarism 
came like a thunderbolt from a clear sky to many resi- 
dents of Dayton who had known him for years. 



360 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



The crime for which he was arrested had almost 
faded from the memory of our citizens, conse- 
quently the surprise was great. The fire of 1884, 
when the Columbia Hotel and other buildings 
burned, was, undoubtedly, of incendiary origin, and 
no doubt the guilty parties would today be in cus- 
tody had not our citizens insisted upon Sheriff Hos- 
ier making arrests prematurely and before he had 
sufficient data from which to make a case. With 
far better evidence in that case than in the last one 
to begin w-ith, he was forced by indignant citizens 
to touch off the match before the train was laid and 
the result was nothing. In the latter case he has 
taken his time and if the trial of the prisoners 
demonstrates their guilt, the credit belongs to him- 
self. 

The trial of Charles F. McClary was held 
in the district court at Dayton, Friday and 
Saturday, Septemher 24th and 25th. R. F. 
Sturdevant and M. M. Godman appeared on 
behalf of the Territory; M. A. Baker, John B. 
Allen and D. J. Crowley for the defense. The 
jury consisted of A. W. Hukill, William 
Christie, John Boldman, Joseph Culbertson, 
William M. Dwire, John Bramlett, Charles 
Pallett, A. C. Frantz. Alex Duffy, Add Cahill, 
J. L. Cowell and L. P. Getty. This jury, after 
an hour's absence, returned a verdict of "not 
guilty;"' the defendant was discharged. By 
the court's instructions it was, practically, im- 
possible to return any other verdict, but these 
instructions did not meet with popular ap- 
proval ; there was a latent feeling in many 
minds that there had been a miscarriage of 
justice. 

Frank Taylor pleaded guilty and received 
a sentence of two years in the penitentiary. In 
the case of Dorus B. Hutchings a nolle pros- 
equi was entered and the prisoner discharged. 
In the prosecution of these cases the costs to 
Columbia county were : C. F. McCrary, 
$835.20; D. B. Hutchings, $22.40; Frank 
Taylor, $98.05. 

From the report of City Assessor J. T. 
Burns, published in May, 1884, it is learned 
that the property within the limits of Dayton 
was as follows: Real estate, $211,320; im- 



provements on same, $266,510; personal prop- 
erty, $447,170; total, $925,000. As this is 
considerable less than is shown by the books of 
1883 it should be noted that Mr. Burns made 
an average reduction of about 30 per cent on 
the valuation of the previous year. He re- 
ported, also, the total population of the city 
as 1,743. 

Another fire, supposed to have been the 
work of an incendiary, broke out on the morn- 
ing of September 25, 1884, at 2:30 o'clock, 
involving a loss of $30,850, with $18,125 in- 
surance. Individual losses were as follows : 

A. J. Puffer, stock and building, $2,000, 
insurance about $800; H. Thornton, furniture 
and fixtures of Central Hotel, $1,400, insur- 
ance, $700; P. Carr, tailor shop, $1,200, in- 
surance, $700; J. W. Wilson, building and 
stock, $6,000 insurance, $3,000; William Kin- 
ney, Central Hotel building, $1,800, insur- 
ance, $1,000; Young & Storer, bath tubs and 
fixtures, $400, no insurance; Dusenbery & 
Stencel, Columbia Hotel building, $7,500, in- 
surance, $5,500; J. Y. Ostrander, damage to 
books by water, $50, fully insured ; M. P. 
Charles, furniture and fixtures of Columbia 
Hotel, $3,500, insurance, $2,850; Mrs. George 
Wagoner, barn, about $100, no insurance; 
McCauley & Crossler, second-hand store, 
$800, no insurance; Hop Lee, Chinese wash 
house, $250, no insurance; L. E. Harris, dam- 
aged about $200, fully insured ; Mason Taylor, 
damage to building, about $25, fully insured; 
Dusenbery's warehouse and contents, $3,000, 
insurance, $1,500; J. N. Day's loss on build- 
ings occupied by P. Carr, McCauley & Cros- 
sler and Young & Storer, $500, no insurance; 
Day's brick, damaged by water, about $1,000, 
fully insured. 

At the November election of 1884 Dayton 
made a showing of 1,264 votes, leaving her the 
fourth city in the Territory, with Seattle, 
3,218; Walla Walla, 1,950 and Tacoma, 
1,663. Only two other towns polled over 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



361 



1,000 votes, Sprague, 1,020 and Spokane 
Falls, 1,012. 

March 27, 1885, the Dayton Woolen Mills, 
one of the pioneer enterprises of the town, 
were burned, entailing a loss of $40,000, with 
insurance of half this amount. These mills 
were owned by Fouts, Bonnett & Rogers. In 
October of this year a disagreement occurred 
between the volunteer fire company and the 
city authorities. For some time there had ex- 
isted a feeling among the members of the com- 
pany that their services were not appreciated. 
This culminated in the refusal of the city offi- 
cials to pay $100 that had been subscribed by 
the city to assist the company in conducting a 
Fourth of July celebration. The fire bell was 
removed and a committee appointed to take 
charge of the apparatus. The cash in the com- 
pany's treasury was unanimously voted to the 
ladies connected with the Dayton public li- 
brary. Within a few days, however, the com- 
pany was reorganized with the same 35 mem- 
bers. The city council had allowed payment 
of the contested $100. 

In June, 1886, a memorial was forwarded 
to the Territorial Assembly asking for the pas- 
sage of an act incorporating the city of Day- 
ton. It stated : 

The incorporating act under which the city of 
Dayton is now operating is an exact copy of the 
Walla Walla charter of 1879. It is crude, inexplicit 
and very defective in numerous respects, so much so 
that Walla Walla city in 1883 found it necessary to, 
and did, obtain a new incorporating act in its stead. 

The common council of the city of Dayton 
realizing the defects in this said charter, and the 
necessity of amendments thereto, have given the 
subject most careful consideration and now present 
to your honorable body a new incorporating act for 
their city, which from their knowledge of what is 
meet and requisite in the premises, they believe will 
tend toward giving the muncipality a larger measure 
of corporate life, and at the same time invest the cor- 
poration with such powers and require of it such 
duties as will be most expedient for the public good. 

Touching the remonstrance which has been 
signed by a few persons and forwarded to your hon- 
orable body protesting against the passage of the 



amendatory act, we would respectfully represent: 
First, that said remonstrance was gotten up and cir- 
culated by two persons, of whom one is opposed to 
any city government at all, and the other interesting 
himself against the amended act lest it might give 
the cty increased powers of taxation, Second, that 
none of the signers of said remonstrance know what 
they were remonstrating against when they signed 
it, and, Third, that there is not a single provision in 
said amendatory act now submitted before you that 
cannot be found in some one or other of the various 
amended charters approved, of and passed by the 
Legislative Assembly of this Territory in the year 
1883. 

With these facts in view and the necessity for the 
needed legislation we respectfully urge upon your 
honorable body the speedy passage of this act in- 
corporating the city of Dayton as prepared and ap- 
proved by us at a regular meeting of the city council. 
D. B. KIMBALL, Mayor. 

D. C. Guernsey, 
T. J. Taylor, 

E. Ping, 

H. H. Wolfe, 
D. H. Hardin, 
H. F. McCornack, 
D. M. Vaughn, 

Council. 

Concerning this memorial a letter was re- 
ceived from Olympia by a Dayton citizen. It 
stated that the amended charter had been 
tabled by the committee to whom it was re- 
ferred. This committee, however, was willing 
to pass the charter provided the signers of the 
remonstrance would recall it. A special meet- 
ing of the city council was hurriedly called. 
They ordered that a wire be sent to Hon. A. 
E. McCall, at Olympia, asking him to with- 
draw and return without further action the 
amended charter. And for quite awhile after- 
ward this charter business was held in 
abeyance. 

March 5, 1887, the Dayton Grays having 
disbanded, a new militia company was organ- 
ized and mustered in by Major C. M. Ander- 
son, of Walla Walla. It consisted of 40 mem- 
bers officered as follows : J. T. Burns, captain ; 
John Carr, first lieutenant; D. H. Hardin, sec- 
ond lieutenant; A. M. Baer, first sergeant; 
Frank L. Wait, second sergeant : John M. El- 



362 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



lis, third sergeant ; T. B. Gilmour, fourth ser- 
geant ; Charles Matzger, first corporal ; Lars 
Nilsson, second corporal; Frank L. Edmiston, 
third corporal ; F. W. Bauers, fourth corporal. 
This was Company F, and was assigned to the 
Second Regiment. 

The fire of June 24, 1887, proved the most 
disastrous in the history of Dayton. Follow- 
ing is the account published in the Inlander of 
June 25th : 

Yesterday morning, June 24th, about 1:30 
o'clock, fire was discovered in the rear of Drake's 
Opera House. Alarm was given and the people 
rushed into the streets to discover the opera house 
and adjoining buildings wrapped in flames. Before 
the fire company could reach the ground the flames 
had jumped Main street and were fast consuming 
the wooden building occupied by August Engle. 

A stiff gale was blowing at the time. The fire 
company was practically at sea in the terrible con- 
flagration which did not cease until the blocks on 
either side of Main street, between First and Sec- 
ond, were entirely consumed, with the exception of 
Day's brick on the west, and the bricks occupied by 
Kasson Smith and M. Hexter on the east. The loss 
is estimated at $112,000, as follows: 

John Killingsworth, groceries, $600; D. C Guern- 
sey, Chronicle office, $2,000, insurance, $1,200 ; J. S. 
Miller, building, $6,000, fully insured; R. F. Sturde- 
vant, building, $8,000, fully insured; A. Oppenheim- 
er, stock loss, $5,000, fully insured ; M. M. Godman, of- 
fice fixtures and library, $500, no insurance ; A. Roth & 
Company, stock, insured ; C. Swegle & Company, meat 
market, $3,500, no insurance ; W. H. Vanlew, restaurant, 
$2,500, insured ; Jacob Weinhard, saloon, $2,000, insured 
for $1,200; M. A. Cavanaugh, stock, damaged by water, 
$250, fully insured; Young & Storer, barber shop, 
$500, insurance, $100; G. A. Parker, stock, $6,000, 
insurance, $1,600; M. E. Stanford, stock, $1,600, in- 
surance, $800; H. Haberstock, $100, no insurance; 
Peter Rumpf, saloon, $2,500, no insurance; M. A. 
Baker, water damage, $500, fully insured; F. C. Mil- 
ler, $8,000, insured; J. H. Long, stock damaged by 
water, $250, fully insured; Mrs. N. Fysh, millinery, 
$600, no insurance; W. M. Dumdi, barber shop, $6oo, 
insurance, $300; C. F. McClary, stock and fixtures, 
$1,200, fully insured; Dr. W. W. Day, stock and in- 
struments, $500, no insurance; Dr. C. H. Day, build- 
ing, $300, no insurance; Loren Day, building, $300; 
E. A. Hawley, brick buildings, $23,000, insured; Levi 
Ankeny, building, $300, fully insured; H. A. Cro- 
well, stock, $1,200, fully insured; George Eckler, 
buildings, $1,600, partially insured; L. E. Harris, $2,- 
000, insurance, $500; George Baker, office fixtures, 
$400, insured; R. F. Sturdevant, office fixtures and 



library, $750, not insured ; J. W. Romaine, loss $75, 
not insured; White & Rainwater, Chronicle plant, 
$3,500, insurance, $2,100; August Engle, stock, $4,000, 
insurance, $2,ooo;J. G. Burnette, building, $1,800; in- 
surance, $800; William Leach, building, $800; G. A. 
Cameron, hotel fixtures, $3,000, no insurance; Sher- 
iff Marquiss, office fixtures, $300, no insurance; J. 
F. Hall, building, $3,500, insured; Loren Day, build- 
ing, $700, insurance, $300; I. N. Arment, stock, $1,- 
500, insurance, $1,000; J. C. Dorr & Company, drugs, 
$300, no insurance; L. D. Drake, $4,000, insurance. 

In this fire Ex-Sheriff Hosier narrowly escaped 
being burned in the room occupied by I. N. Arment 
and J. C. Dorr. He was assisting the latter to re- 
move his stock until the smoke became so dense 
that all parties were compelled to desist. Mr. Hos- 
ier remained until all others had left and was over- 
come with heat and smoke. He fell to the floor and 
only by great exertion did he manage to gain the door. 

The organization of a board of trade April 
28, 1888, contributed greatly to advance the 
interests of Dayton. The first officers of the 
board were: O. C. White, president; W. S. 
Strong, vice-president; J. A. Kellogg, secre- 
tary; D. C. Guernsey, treasurer; J. E. Edmis- 
ton, M. A. Baker, John Brining, J. C. Van 
Patten and L. W. Cantril, executive committee. 

In March, 1889, the Dayton Electric Light 
& Power Company was incorporated with a 
capital stock of $12,000. The incorporators 
were C. M. Grupe, J. A. Kellogg, G. A. Par- 
ker, J. K. Rainwater, A. J. James; W. M. 
Sweany, J. E. Edmiston, G. B. Baker, G. A. 
Kelly, J. H. Day, A. H. Bishop, D. C. Guern- 
sey, A. Roth, C. A. De Sausseure and I. F. 
Lockwood. The officers were J. E. Edmiston, 
president; D. C. Guernsey, vice-president; J. 
A. Kellogg, secretary; G. A. Parker, treasurer. 

Long strides toward the front were made 
by the city during the year 1889. Each citizen 
appeared to take an active interest in building 
up the town ; the result was improvement on 
every hand. The construction of the Oregon 
& Washington Territory Railroad was the 
most important addition to the city during this 
year. Lighting by means of electricity ranked 
second. A company of local capitalists had at 
first incorporated with a capital stock of 
$12,000; this was raised to $20,000. A new 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY 



363 



hotel, the Dayton, was erected at a cost of 
$30,000 by a stock company comprised of Day- 
ton capitalists and George W. Hunt, the rail- 
road builder. N. N. Brown, now of Wenat- 
chee, was manager. Sewers were laid in the 
town and a number of substantial brick blocks 
erected. The population in 1890 was 1,880. 
July 14, 1890, the citizens voted the sum of 
$55,000 for the purpose of purchasing, or 
rather improving the water works plant of the 
Dayton Spring Water Company, and taking it 
over as a municipal affair. Subsequently this 
sum was increased to $75,000. 

By disastrous fires Dayton was for years a 
heavy loser. At 1 130 o'clock, a. m., Monday, 
August 11, 1890, an alarm of fire was rung 
out. It had originated in the rear of a "short 
order" house, or C. F. McClary's clothing store 
— no cne appeared to know exactly which. The 
loss was $115,125, with insurance aggregating 
$63,900. These losses were: 

A. Engle, furniture, $950, insurance, $600 ; 
A. Vallen, lard and bacon, $2,500; C. F. Mc- 
Clary, gentlemen's furnishing goods, $9,000, 
insurance, $6,000; Saul Krotki, dry goods, 
$12,000, insurance, $10,000; Guernsey Broth- 
ers, four frame buildings, $1,000, insurance, 
$400; Moritz & Hall, furnishing goods, 
$10,000, insurance, $8,000; B. F. Conner, 
saloon and fixtures, $1,900, $1,200; J. S. 
Miller, two two-story brick blocks, $20,000, in- 
surance, $9,000 ; R. F. Sturdevant, brick build- 
ing, $7,000, insurance, $4,200; W. H. Ven 
Lew, restaurant, $4,200, insurance, $1,900; J. 
Weinhard, building and furniture, $12,000, in- 
surance, $5,000; J. Weinhard, liquors and 
cigars, $6,000 ; Dr. W. W. Day, office furniture 
and medicine, $500; George Thomas, two 
brick buildings, $11,000, insurance, $3,000; M. 
M. Godman, office furniture, $25 ; W. K. Rog- 
ers, office furniture, $20 ; A. Oppenheimer, 
hardware, $12,000, insurance, $11,500; White 
& Peabody, printing office, $4,000, insurance, 
$2,200; Maxwell Brothers, photograph tent, 
$200; M. Walker, watches and jewelry, $830. 



August 1 6th the Chronicle said: 

"Dayton's principal business street again presents 
the appearance which upon frequent occasions in the 
past we have been too sadly familiar. Ragged walls of 
brick and smouldering embers alone mark the site of 
what but a few days since were substantial structures ; 
the sidewalks are strewn with debris ; goods saved from 
the flames are stored anywhere and everywhere, and 
the wreck and ruin represents to a few discouraged 
people the toil, the economy and self-denial of years. 
* * * Dayton's whole history for the past ten years 
has been written in an effort to recover losses from 
fire. This had been all but accomplished and with the 
immdiate prospect for an adequate water supply, the 
hope that we might he spared the repetition of past 
experiences was fondly cherished. We may be able 
to gain a few crumbs of comfort from the thought 
that the disaster might have been greater. In opposi- 
tion to this, however, and divesting it of whatever con- 
solation it might otherwise afford, comes the conviction 
that if due caution had been exercised the loss might 
have been much less." 

It was during the fall and winter of 1890 
that Dayton was infested by a gang of burg- 
lars. For several months they pursued their 
nefarious vocation. Then the citizens took a 
hand in the subsequent proceedings. Each 
week local papers reported from one to half a 
dozen burglaries of stores or private resi- 
dences. In a number of cases citizens had dis- 
covered these outlaws in the act of robbery; 
had emptied revolvers at the retiring thieves ; 
but without satisfactory results. Bolder be- 
came the marauders ; officers were unable to 
secure clues to the guilty persons ; citizens 
armed themselves ; hid their valuables and con- 
trived to catch a few moments of fitful slum- 
ber — with one eye open. The town was ter- 
rorized and detectives were employed without 
avail. 

At last one Smalley was arrested on sus- 
picion — and immediately discharged. Monday, 
December 22d, John Abels, Leroy Burris, 
Samuel Rittenhouse, A. Harrington, R. Rit- 
tenhouse and Samuel Nelson were rounded up 
and charged with numerous burglaries. The 
persons arrested were either day laborers or 
"gentlemen of leisure," with the exception of 



364 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



Burris. He had been foreman in the printing 
office of the Inlander for several months. Har- 
rington and one of the Rittenhouses had. also, 
been employed on that paper. Nelson, the two 
Rittenhouses and Abies were examined De- 
cember 26th and discharged for lack of evi- 
dence. This was the case, also, with Burris 
and Harrington on the following day. 

Throughout the city this result created 
considerable disgust ; it was the general opin- 
ion that the officers had captured the right per- 
sons. At least, during their incarceration the 
burglaries ceased. This, however, might have 
been intimidation of other parties. And then 
for the second time in the history of Dayton 
vigilantes were called in to supply the place of 
law. Tuesday evening, December 30th, about 
7 o'clock, they seized Leroy Burris and hur- 
ried him outside the town limits, into the dark- 
ness. Burris' cries attracted some attention, 
but those who responded early discovered that 
their services were not desired. This was after 
they had looked into the muzzles of half a 
dozen revolvers. When submitted to a "sweat- 
ing process" Burris declared that he had noth- 
ing to tell, an answer altogether unsatisfac- 
tory. Three times he was strung up by the 
neck, and three times lowered to the ground 
still recalcitrant. He was then permitted to re- 
turn to the city with the distinct understand- 
ing that he would leave the country by 
Wednesday night following. 

But the next morning he announced that 
he intended to remain, and accordingly he re- 
turned to work in the Inlander office. Quite 
a crowd visited him to satisfy a curiosity as 
to how rough a man might appear who had 
escaped from vigilantes ; something that had 
not occurred in Dayton before. By noon, how- 
ever, Burris had decided to leave the country 
"for his country's good." He was accompa- 
nied out of town by Harrington. It is be- 
lieved that Burris, by leaving Wednesday 
night, saved his neck. 

Subsequently Burris brought a damage 



suit against B.-F. Conner, A. L. McCauley, J. 
F. Hall, D. B. Kimball and C. A. De Saus- 
sure for $25,000. The case was tried before 
Judge Hanford in the United States court at 
Walla Walla, and dismissed on motion of at- 
torney for the plaintiff. There were then ru- 
mors that an attempt had been made at black- 
mail. In February, 1892, another suit was 
brought by Burris against D. B. Kimball for 
the same amount, $25,000. It was tried in 
Portland and thrown out of court. 

The completion of the Dayton water works 
in October, 1891, followed a disastrous fire of 
August 17th, resulting in a loss of $25,000. It 
originated in the Union Block, which was to- 
tally destroyed, as were a two-story frame 
building and warehouse owned by W. H. 
Kuhn, the Farmers' Livery Stable, Methodist 
Episcopal parsonage and barn, and E. A. 
Hawley's brick block adjoining Kuhn's store. 
Three brick buildings occupied by L. H. 
Gormley & Company, A. Mellin, and H. P. L. 
Young were damaged to the extent of $3,000. 
The two-story buildings of Mrs. W. J. Dexter 
and D. B. Kimball were slightly damaged by 
water. 

In February, 1892, the Columbia Fire En- 
gine Company was disbanded, having been 
nearly ten years in service. Its place was sup- 
plied by numerous hose companies stationed in 
various parts of the city. At this period the 
following firemen became exempt from duty 
by reason of seven years continuous service : 
T. H. DuPuy, S. O. Harmon, I. N. Arment, 
George Ihrig, John Carr, J. M. Ellis, J. A. 
Kellogg, W. A. Newman, J. W. Boothe, H. 
N. Pringle, Lars Nilsson, G. H. Ladue. T. B. 
Gilmore, W. A. Belcher, R. A. Rowley, W. 
M. Garner, B. F. Conner, M. Mathew, C. F. 
McClary, C. A. De Saussuer, Arthur Oppen- 
heimer, George B. Baker, L. E. Harris and W. 
H. H. Fours. 

The new hose companies organized at the 
time and their officers were: 

Owl Hose Company No. 1 — John Carr, 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



365 



foreman ; Grant Burkhart, assistant foreman ; 
C. F. Miller, secretary. 

Chinook Hose Company No. 2 — W. F. Ca- 
hill, foreman ; A. B. Thompson, secretary. 

Tiger Hose Company No. 3 — B. F. Con- 
ner, foreman; C. R. Dorr, secretary. 

Rescue Hose Company No. 4 — T. B. Gil- 
mour, foreman; J. W. Berry, assistant fore- 
man ; J. H. Day, secretary. 

Alliance Hose Company No. 5 — M. A. 
-Cavanaugh, foreman ; W. A. Newman, assist- 
ant foreman ; V. D. Norman, secretary. 

Diamond Hitch Hose Company No. 6 — 
C. H. Demory, foreman ; R. Peabody, assist- 
ant foreman ; E. L. Dexter, secretary. 

Cyclone Hose Company No. 7 — O. M. 
Stine, foreman ; Will H. Fouts, secretary. 

Hook and Ladder Company — W. M. Gar- 
ner, foreman. 

John Carr was unanimously elected chief 
engineer. He was the only charter member of 
Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 who was at 
that time a fireman. Other officers of the de- 
partment elected were B. F. Conner, assistant 
chief; C. F. Miller, secretary and F. W. 
Guernsey, treasurer. Since the establishment 
of the water system in Dayton and the reor- 
ganization of the fire company in 1892 there 
has not been a disastrous fire in the city. 

The Chinese must go! This ominous cry 
was raised in 1892. In February the follow- 
ing named gentlemen were appointed by the 
"Mutual Aid Society'' a standing committee 
of three to confer with a like committee from 
Local Assembly No. 3,520, Knights of Labor : 
A. Daggett, Sam Hamlin and W. F. Ander- 
son. These gentlemen were instructed to gain 
all the information possible in regard to the 
resident Chinese of Dayton ; to devise practical 
and effective methods of deporting them from 
Dayton, and to report at a subsequent meet- 
ing. April 30th the Chronicle said: 

"Last Saturday night, April 23d, about 1 1 
o'clock, a mob of 50 persons who style them- 



selves the 'Mutual Aid Society,' called at the 
various Chinese houses in this city and or- 
dered the inmates to leave, telling them they 
would be given two days in which to get out. 
The men composing this mob were not 
masked, but some of them carried revolvers 
and produced them when talking to the China- 
men. On seeing the crowd Nightwatchman 
Perkins walked toward them, but before he 
got to them they went down Main street and 
across the bridge. 

"The Chinese were greatly alarmed. They 
appealed to the sheriff to know what to do. 
They were informed that there was no danger 
and that they would be afforded necessary pro- 
tection. Tuesday some of the Chinamen drew 
what money they had in the banks and made 
preparations to leave, providing they found it 
was required of them. Tuesday night being 
the time set for the Chinese exodus, the sheriff 
went to the members of the 'aid society' and 
told them what they might expect if they at- 
tempted to run the Chinese out by force. This 
seems to have settled the matter for. the time 
being, as the Chinese are still here and no at- 
tempt at violence was made Tuesday night. A 
number of members of the 'aid society' are 
known and if they persist in riotous conduct 
there is likely to be trouble in store for them." 

This attempt to deport the Chinese of Day- 
ton proved ineffectual in every quarter and 
they are still a portion of Dayton's population. 

The writer of history — in any state in the 
union — encounters the same story, the same 
dismal details — whenever he writes of the hap- 
penings of the few years beginning with 1893. 
With Dayton it was the same story — depres- 
sion, hard times, business reverses, retrogres- 
sion, etc. Its history was the same as hun- 
dred of other towns in Washington ; the details 
being identical. 

The war with Spain, in 1898, developed 
considerable latent patriotism in the city of 
Dayton and throughout Columbia county. 



3 66 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



Wednesday, April 27th, Captain C. F. Miller 
received orders from Governor Rogers in- 
structing him to recruit his company to 10 1 
men and non-commissioned officers. Satur- 
day, April 30th, Major Carr, commanding the 
First Battalion, which included Captain 
Miller's company, F, was ordered to report at 
headquarters, Tacoma, on the following Mon- 
day. A sketch of the genesis of Captain 
Miller's company has formerly been given. Its 
other officers were C. A. Booker, first lieuten- 
ant ; and G. B. Dorr, second lieutenant. 

Acting upon the suggestion of Will H. 
Fouts, Esq., the citizens of Dayton joined in 
a patriotic demonstration on the night of April 
29th in honor of Company F. The exercises 
were held on the court house lawn. The sol- 
diers participated in guard mount ; Day's mili- 
tary band discoursed music and patriotic ad- 
dresses were delivered by Hon. J. E. Edmis- 
ton, H. E. Hamm, Hon. John Brining, Rev. 
W. P. Pope and Judge M. M. Godman. 

May 1st Company F rendezvoused at 
Camp Rogers, Tacoma, Saturday, April 30th, 
the day of their departure from Dayton, the 
city wore the air of a national holiday. At 10 
o'clock a. m., the company mobilized on the 
court house lawn for roll call. Following this 
they were invited to a grand banquet at Odd 
Fellows Temple, prepared by the Woman's 
Relief Corps. About the noon hour, escorted 
by the band they marched to the train and left 
for the west amid a scene of the wildest enthu- 
siasm. Tuesday, May 10th, the company was 
mustered into service. Following is the orig- 
inal roster of Company F, all being from Day- 
ton except when otherwise mentioned : 

Chester F. Miller, captain ; Charles A. 
Booker, first lieutenant ; George B. Dorr, sec- 
ond lieutenant ; George Wick, first sergeant ; 
Jesse G. Miller, James Dolan, William H. 
Dorr, Francis J. Gayman, Claud Becket, ser- 
geants ; George W. Baldwin, corporal ; John 
W. Gough, Edward W. Strain, Pomeroy, 
Fred Taylor, John W. Zebley, Frank L. 



Sweney, Horace W. Bigelow, Chester A. Mor- 
ris, Ray W. Thompson, John L. Ditte- 
more, Albert Ping, Jesse T. Jackson, corpo- 
rals ; Tracy B. Matzger, wagoner ; Francis M. 
Boldman, artificer; Walter Smith, musician; 
Walter Gammon, Pomeroy, musician. 

Privates — Ernest Armstrong, Lawson 
Conwell, Pomeroy; Alfred D. Dale, William 
C. Day, John W. Dennis, George C. Eckler, 
Virgil E. Embree, David H. Fitzgerald, 
Charles S. Garner, James M. Henderson, Er- 
nest A. Holman, Burr W. Hughes, Charles C. 
Jackson, Guy H. Jones, Charles J. G. Leichte, 
John J. M. Lyon, Jos. M. Mackey, Pomeroy; 
Wesley P. McGlothlin, John E. Norton, John 
T. Patterson, Pomeroy; Henry L. Porter, 
Thomas D. Petti John, Clarence A. Rowley, 
John F. Snider, Oliver E. Sherry, Thomas 
Thomsen, Vancouver; John J. Whitsett, Mar- 
tin A. Wick, Pomeroy; Nesmith Ankeny, 
Walla Walla ; Melvin W. Burks, Earl H. Con- 
well, Pomeroy; Charles C. Diers, Edward B. 
Dobbs, Hugh Dunning, Arthur R. Elliott, 
George B. Fargo, Emerson G. Ferguson, Ran- 
som T. Hammond, Pomeroy; Frederick E. 
Hicks, Palouse City ; Willis J. Hubbard, Cyrus 
E. Hull, Pomeroy; William A. James, Frank 
E. Klingman, Cedar Falls, Iowa ; John C. 
Liner, George O. Mustard, Robert J. Neal, 
Lafayette V. Offield, William W. Patrick, 
Franklin Polin, Puyallup, Frank Ping, Isaac 
T. Steadman, George W. Sagar, Tacoma; 
Sidney E. Thompson, Elmer H. Woodworth, 
William Watson, Wesley F. Dodge. 

Recruits enlisted June 27th, 1898, at 
Walla Walla, for Company F, all privates : 

George W. Boyer, Albert H. Blair, Lars 

E. Carlson, Robert A. Chrystal, Frank Fay, 
Charles Hillman, Fred O. Jamerson, Thomas 

F. McNulty, Charles A. Robbins, William 
Schlater, Stephen W. Sharpe, Leonard L. 
Simpson, Oliver C. Thornton, Benjamin Bor- 
man, Alex Bryant, Edward M. Curley, Wil- 
liam B. Cook, Walter A. Fay, David O. Far- 
lin, Reginald H. Horner, Thomas A. Logan, 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



& 



Andrew Nelson, Egbert G. Rice, Hugh Z. 
Salnave, Carrel Stephens, Harvey R. Smith, 
Andrew Wilson. 

Following is a condensed history of F 
Company, First Washington Volunteer In- 
fantry — Enrolled April 26th to April 30th, 
1898. Left Dayton April 30th; arrived at 
Tacoma May 1 st ; mustered in at Camp Rog- 
ers May 10th; left for San Francisco May 
14th, on Steamer Umatilla and arrived May 
1 7th ; were quartered at Fontana Barracks and 
transferred to Angel Island June 6th. Left 
for Manila October 19th on Steamer Valen- 
cia ; arrival at Honolulu October 27th, leav- 
ing November 1st. Arrived at Manila No- 
vember 22d ; landed and quartered in Bishop's 
Palace at Paco December 1st; transferred to 
Santa Ana February 5, 1899, after first battle. 
Discharged at San Francisco during October, 
1898, for business and family reasons, Wil- 
liam Dorr, sergeant ; Francis M. Boldman, ar- 
tificer; Wesley P. McGlothlin, Ray W. 
Thompson, Corporal John C. Siner, Frank 
Ping, Martin A. Wick. 

For disability — George Wick, first ser- 
geant; Guy H. Jones, William C. Day, Oliver 
E. Sherry. 

On writ of habeas corpus, being minors 
and not having parents' consent in writing — 
Horace W. Bigelow, corporal ; Chester A. 
Morris, corporal ; Jesse T. Jackson, corporal ; 
Frank L. Swinney, corporal ; Walter Gam- 
mon, musician ; Arthur R. Elliott. William W. 
Patrick. 

Transferred to regimental band, John D. 
Dittemore, corporal. 

Returned from Manila, discharged for dis- 
ability — C. F. Miller, captain, discharged May 
12, 1899; John J. M. Lyon, discharged April 
25, 1899; Harvey R. Smith, discharged Sep- 
tember 6, 1899; William Watson, discharged 
September 6, 1899. 

Killed in action April 27, 1899, at Taguig. 
Edward W. Strain, corporal. 



Died in Manila of disease — George B. 
Fargo, April, dysentery; Robert A. Chrystal, 
August 26th, nephritis. 

Wounded at Taguig, April 27, 1899 — 
Charles A. Booker, first lieutenant, slightly; 
Edward M. Curley, private, slightly ; Harvey 
R. Smith, private, severely. 

The company went through the campaign 
in the Philippines and distinguished them- 
selves nobly, participating with great credit to 
the state of Washington in a number of battles 
and skirmishes. The regiment returned to the 
states, arriving at San Francisco October 9, 
1899. and were soon after mustered out. Those 
of the company who remained to fight and 
who joined the Third Regular Infantry were 
Sergeant Carroll S. Stephens, Corporal Frank 
Polen and privates Albert H. Blair, Alex Bry- 
ant, William B. Cook, Edward Curley, George 
W. Boyer, Charles Hillman, R. H. Horner, 
David O. Farlin, William Schlatter, S. W. 
Sharp, L. J. Simpson, Thomas Thomson, An- 
drew Wilson (killed in action), and O. S. 
Thornton. 

Private Thomas A. Logan joined the 
Thirty-seventh Regular Infantry. Chief Mu- 
sician L. L. Day enlisted in the Eleventh Cav- 
alry as chief musician. Privates Fred O. 
Jamerson and E. B. Dobbs were mustered out 
in Manila. 

Concerning the reception accorded these 
gal lent veterans of the Spanish War the 
Chronicle of November 10, 1899, said: 

Never in the history of this city has Dayton so 
unanimously undertaken to do honor to a man or a 
company of men, as she did on Monday, November 
6th, when a reception was given to Company F, of 
the First Washington Regiment. 

Long weeks and months had we waited for our 
boys' return, and when they did finally arrive we 
were ready for them — "loaded for bear." Every man, 
woman and child were at their posts. Never before 
was Dayton so gaily decorated — every building- 
smothered in bunting, every pole floating our na- 
tional emblem, and every citizen wearing a smile. A 
committee met the company at Portland; a consid- 
erable delegation met them at Walla Walla, and the 



3 68 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



band and two car loads more went so far as Bolles 
Junction to greet them. Notwithstanding it was 
Sunday thousands of people from the country had 
come to bid them welcome, and the depot platform 
and the street were so crowded that it was with 
difficulty relatives could make their way through 
the throng to get to their boys and once more grasp 
their hands and say "Hallo!" , 

The parade was headed by the Dayton band, 
followed by the old soldiers of the Civil War (no 
distinction now being made between those who wore 
the blue and those who wore the gray), all proudly 
marching, pleased to do honor to the younger sol- 
diers, who like they, had shown to the world that 
the American soldier can always be depended on to 
fight for the principles he believes to be right. Then 
came a long line of the members of the Odd Fellows, 
Red Men and Woodmen lodges; and last, but not 
least in numbers, the Dayton public school, some- 
thing like five hundred, each carrying a flag, and each 
ready to cheer at short notice. At the court house 
square the exercises consisted of short speeches, 
music by the band, and glee club. Judge Godman 
presided. Hon. S. G. Cosgrove made an address of 
welcome and Rev. Van Patten offered a prayer most 
appropriate to the occcasion. This was followed by 
short speeches by Rev. McCullough Hon. R. F. 
Sturdevant, Dr. A. Thompson and responses by 
Sergeant Dolan and Lieutenant J. G. Miller. 
, Promptly at 6:30 the band and Company F pa- 
raded from the armory to the banquet hall in the 
Odd Fellows building their way being lighted 
throughout by the most brilliant display of fire- 
works ever witnessed in Dayton. The tables at 
which were seated the members of the company 
were, also, graced by the presence of Privates Bar- 
clay and Price of the Oregon regiment, Dillingham, 
of the South Dakota regiment and Sergeant Ned 
Collins of Company I. Following the banquet all 
adjourned to the main hall where speeches were 
made in response to the following toasts ; "Our Flag," 
by Will H. Fouts; "The Anxious Ones at Home," 
by Hon. J. E. Edmiston; "The Volunteer Soldier." 
by Hardy E. Hamm. 

The day will be one long to be remembered in 
Dayton. Their work as soldiers is done, and now 
they take up the burdens of citizenship which they 
laid down when they took up arms at their country's 
call. 

Concerning the early church history of 
Dayton it may be said that services of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church were held in the 
school house on the Touchet in 1866 by Rev. 
W. Calloway, presiding elder, before Dayton 
sprung up. As the town grew and the denom- 



ination gained in strength services were held 
regularly, and a church was fully organized 
March 20, 1875. The first pastor from the 
conference was A. J. Joslyn, succeeded by S. 
G. Havermale, J. D. Flenner and J. B. Ma- 
hanna. The first trustees were John K. Rain- 
water, James M. Hunt, George W. Miller, 
John H. Kennedy and Perry Earl. Reuben 
Watrous was class-leader and Julia A. Hunt 
and John K. Rainwater were stewards. A 
building was erected at a cost of $3,000, and 
was dedicated May 11, 1875. The first quar- 
terly meeting on the ground where Dayton 
now stands, then called Patit, was held by the 
editor of the Pacific Coast Advocate in the 
spring of 1 87 1. It was then an appointment 
on the Waitsburg charge. After the town was 
platted it soon became the head of a circuit 
which then included all the country north to 
Snake river. 

Rev. A. W. Sweney, of Waitsburg, 
preached in Dayton for some time, and Sep- 
tember 6, 1874, organized the Dayton con- 
gregation of the Cumberland Presbyterian 
Church. Those who thus united themselves to- 
gether were S. L. Gilbreath, Mrs. M. H. Gil- 
breath, John Long, Sr., John Long, Jr., John 
Mustard, Warren A. Belcher, Mrs. Celesta 
Belcher, Mrs. Elizabeth Maynard, J. P. Bow- 
yer, S. M. Wait, Mrs. Mary Wait, W. A. 
Newman, J. W. Atcheson, Mrs. Atcheson, T. 
D. Phelps, Charles Pringle, Mrs. Mary Wat- 
son, Miss Etta Wait, Miss Dora Long. In 
the early days of its history the church was ad- 
ministered to by Revs. A. W. Sweney, R. H. 
Wills, H. W. Eagan and J. C. Van Patten. 

The Baptist denomination effected an or- 
ganization in Dayton and began the work of 
erecting a house of worship. This was com- 
pleted in 1878, Rev. J. H. Bristow being then 
the pastor. It was dedicated on the 22d of 
September of that year. 

In the Universalist denomination Rev. A. 
Morrison organized a parish in the spring of 
1876, at Dayton, and Rev. E. A. McAllister 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



369 



coming the following summer organized a 
church and preached to the people the doctrine 
of the Universalist faith for several years. He 
was quite popular and had a large congrega- 
tion. In June, 1878, a Universalist convention 
was held in Dayton. The society erected a 
commodious church, the first house of worship 
in town, which was completed in the spring of 
t88o at a cost of $2,300. The church mem- 
bership was, however, subsequently dissolved, 
and services were no longer continued. 

Representatives of the Congregational de- 
nomination organized in Dayton during the 
late 70's, and services were occasionally held in 
other churches by Rev. E. \Y. Allen and vis- 
iting clergymen. Later they erected an edifice 
of their own. 

Quite a number of Seventh Day Adven- 
tists resided in Dayton and vicinity, who 
organized in 1877, and in 1880 erected a frame 
church 24x36 feet in size. Ambrose Johnson 
was the elder. 

Following are some of the earlier organ- 
ized fraternal societies of Dayton : 

Columbia Lodge No. 26. A. F. & A. M. — 
A dispensation was granted for the formation 
of a lodge of Masons January 16, 1877. A 
charter was granted September 27th, and Co- 
lumbia Lodge was constituted on the nth of 
October, following. The charter members 
and first officers were James E. Edmiston, W. 
M. ; S. M. Wait, S. W. ; S. G. Ellis, J. W. ; 
John Mustard, T. ; T. H. Crawford, S. ; J. 
W. Range, S. D. ; John Glazebrook. J. D. ; J. 
R. Kennedy, tyler; John Rainwater, Isaac 
Carson, Preston Stedman, George Eckler, H. 
H. Wolfe, D. C. Guernsey, AY W. Day, Lewis 
Ritter, C. E. Truax, Henry Bkck. W. H. 
Boggan, George Hunter. 

Patit Lodge No. 10, I. O. O. F.— This 
lodge was organized March 8, 1877, in Day- 
ton, the charter bearing date the fifth of the 
preceding February. The charter members 
and first officers were Lee Searcy, N. G. : L. 
Ritter, V. G. ; William Hendershott, R. S. ; 

24 



Robert F. Sturdevant, T. ; W. W. Day and O. 
C. White. 

Blue Mountain Lodge No. 28, Ancient 
Order of United Workmen, was instituted 
March 27,, 1880, with the following officers : 
W. H. Kuhn, P. M. W. ; Emil Bories, M. W. ; 
T. H. DuPuy, G. F. ; J. H. Kennedy, O. ; L. 
A. Davis, G. ; W. G. Smith, recorder; C. O. 
Field, F; G. F. Mover, W. J. Alexander, I. 
W. ; Henry Ihrig, O. W. 

Home Council No. 6, I. O. O. F. — This 
council of Chosen Friends was organized 
under the jurisdiction of the California Inde- 
pendent Order, April 6, 1882, with 23 charter 
members and the following officers : T. H. 
DuPuy, P. C. C. ; J. H. Hosier, C. C. ; J. W. 
Gray, V. C. ; J. W. Jackson. P.; J. Y. Os- 
trander, S. ; W. Crosby, F. ; J. T. Burns, T. ; 
G. J. Hill, M. ; A. C. West, W. ; R. C. Mays, 
G; David Higgins, S. 

Dayton Lodge No. 3, Knights of Pythias. 
This lodge was instituted March 27, 1878, 
by D. D. G. C. James McAuliff, assisted by 
members of Ivanhoe Lodge No. 1, of Walla 
Walla. It was attached to the grand jurisdic- 
tion of Oregon, until the organization of the 
Grand Lodge of Washington, six years later. 
The following were its first officers and char- 
ter members : W. O. Matzger, P. C. ; D. C. 
Guernsey, C. C. ; O. C. White, V. C. ; E. A. 
McAlister, P. ; C. F. McClary, K. of R. and 
S. ; L. D. Drake, M. of F. ; R. P. Steen, M. of 
E. ; C. H. Day, M. of A. ; J. W. Rauch, I. G. ; 
E. R. Burk, O. G. ; I. N. Arment, Emil Bories, 
Thomas Beall. W H. Boyd, Henry Critchfield, 
C. N. Clark, L. L. Day, J. N. Fall, A. J. 
Frary, J. A. Gavitt. L. C. Gilliam, J. W. Jes- 
see, H. R. Littlefield, Jay Lynch, J. H. Long, 
I. A. Palmer, R. A. Rowley and J. B. Shrum. 

Excelsior Lodge No. 21, I. O. G. T. — 
Dayton Lodge of this temperance order was 
organized August 5, 1878, with 52 members, 
W. H. Boyd being W. C. T. ; Ella Wills, W. 
V. T. ; and George Matzger P. W. C. T. It 
existed but a few months. March 15, 1879, 



370 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



Excelsior Lodge was organized to succeed it 
by J. N. Crawford, of Waitsburg, with 38 
charter members. The officers were : C. N. 
Clark, W. C. T. ; Ella Wills. W. V. T. ; Ed 
Singer. W. S. : Hiram Burge, W. F. S. ; Mrs. 
Tarbox. W. T. ; Mr. McKinney. W. A. S. ; L. 
Maynard. W. M. ; Miss L. Boggs, W. D. M. ; 
R. H. Wills. W. P. ; William Robinett. W. I. 
G.; Joseph Windell. W. 0. G. This lodge 
held meetings for about two years, and then, 
owing to lack of interest, ceased to assemble. 
It was reorganized September 9, 1881, with 32 
charter members, retaining the same name and 
number. 

Alfred Sully Post No. 2, Grand Army of 
the Republic, was mustered in at Dayton Janu- 
ary 27, 1881, with thirty members. The of- 
ficers were D. C. Guernsey, C. ; J. M. Gale, S. 
V. C. ; H. H. Wolfe, J. V. C. ; F. G. Frary, 
chaplain ; G. D. Gibson, A. ; A. J. Dexter, Q. ; 
W. T. Martin, O. of D. The post a short time 
afterward lost its charter by failure to properly 



maintain its organization, but was afterward 
reorganized and is now in a prosperous condi- 
tion. • 

Dayton Turn Verein. — In the spring of 
1879 tn e German residents of Dayton organ- 
ized a society konwn as the Turn Verein for 
the improvement of its members, both physic- 
all)- and socially. 

In 1903 the population of Dayton was 
given as 2,745. 

July 11, 1904, Dayton voted to do away 
with the old Territorial charter under which it 
had existed for so many years, and begin gov- 
ernment under the state laws. The vote was 
203 in favor, and 123 against the proposed new 
charter, a majority of 80. There were 403 
votes cast at the election, some, however, not 
recording the charter question, and as it was 
necessary to obtain a majority of all votes cast 
at the election, it will be seen that the majority 
was onlv one. 



CHAPTER V 



CITIES AND TOWNS— CONTINUED. 



Starbuck. 

In the picturesque valley of the Tucannon 
is situated this town, surrounded by a fine, ara- 
ble farming country. At all seasons of the 
year the stream is a powerful one, and Star- 
buck possesses a superior water power. The 
junction of the Tucanon with the Snake river 
is at old Fort Taylor, otherwise Grange City. 
Three and one-half or four miles above is 
Starbuck. Here the Tucanon forms an elbow 
and is joined by a spring branch coming in 
from the Alto canyon, giving a fine expanse 
of rich bottom land and forming a natural lo- 
cation for a town. On both sides of the river 



it is surrounded by hills of about the average 
height of 600 feet, which shelter the bottom 
lands from the bleak winds of winter, making 
it a promising district for fruit growers. The 
Tucanon river lands, like those of the Snake, 
are noted for their fine fruit producing quali- 
ties. There are rich farming lands on the sur- 
rounding hills — lands which the settlers have 
discovered are valuable for other pursuits than 
merely stock grazing. 

This is the second largest town in Colum- 
bia county. While, as stated above, it is sur- 
rounded by rich agricultural lands, it owes its 
prosperity principally to the fact that it is a 
"railroad" town on the main line of the Oregon 1 




Dayton, county seat of Columbia county 




Oldest Building now standing in Columbia County 



Erected in October, 1862, by G. W. Miller on his homestead one-half mile east of Dayton. The framing timbers were 
white fir hewed out in the mountains; the lumber was common pine sawed with a whip saw, and the shingles were 
white fir riven and shaved. All of the material came from what is now known as the Eckler Mountain. The roof of 
this building is fairly -well preserved with only a f ew leaks ; the timber and lumber are -well preserved at this date. 
Fall of 1905. 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



371 



Railroad & Navigation Company's road, 
and the western terminus of the 
Pomeroy branch. It was with the completion 
of this road to Grange City that Starbuck came 
into existence. The first mention of the place 
in newspapers was in the Columbia Chronicle 
of December 24, 1886, as follows: 

"We are informed that Colonel George 
Hunter has received the appointment as agent 
of the Oregon Railroad & Navigation Com- 
pany at Starbuck Station, with a fair salary. 
This station is about three miles from Grange 
City and Colonel Hunter still retains the care 
of the latter." 

In August, 1882, the railroad company 
had a large warehouse and section house at 
Starbuck, and were considering the erection 
of a depot. And the people were then demand- 
ing a store and blacksmith shop. Gradually a 
small town reared itself in the wilderness, but 
it was not until the completion of the Pomeroy 
branch that Starbuck assumed any particular 
importance. August 20, 1887, fire destroyed 
the depot building, freight warehouse and Mc- 
intosh Brothers' store and warehouse, to- 
gether with a number of other smaller build- 
ings. Two years later quite a number of new 
structures were erected to accommodate in- 
coming immigration. October 4, 1890. a cor- 
respondent of the Columbia Chronicle wrote 
as follows : 

"One year ago I visited this place. All 
that were here was one or two dwellings, one 
store, an old dilapidated building used as a 
school room, and Mrs. M. Mcintosh was then 
building a house in which she expected to feed 
a few passengers bound to and from Pomeroy 
that were compelled to lay over for the 
through train. But now this is the end of a 
railroad division and a great change has come 
over Starbuck. Now I find a roundhouse con- 
taining seven stalls, a machine shop, a forge, a 
turn table, sand house, two section houses and 
an agent's house and telegraph office open day 
and night, all improvements of the Oregon 



Railroad and Navigation Company. There are 
employed on the various trains, in the shops 
and in the yard 79 men." 

In addition to the number of business 
houses erected in the autumn of 1890, there 
were five or six residences built and "several 
more under contract. There was, also, a 
fine school building recently completed, two 
hotels and a saloon. 

In January, 1892, Starbuck was in a most 
hopeful condition. It had recently been de- 
cided by a committee of the Presbyterian 
church to erect a $3,000 edifice. It was pur- 
posed, also, to bond the school district in the 
sum of $5,000 for a new school building. 

Early on the morning of May 18, 1893, 
Starbuck was assailed by a most disastrous 
fire. The roundhouse of the Oregon Railroad 
& Navigation Company was discovered ablaze. 
From here the flames spread to the machine 
shops, oil tanks and coal bunkers, and all were 
destroyed. Thirteen locomotives went through 
the fire and were considerably damaged. It 
was estimated that the railroad company's loss 
was half a million dollars. No private prop- 
erty was burned. 

With the advent of the historical "hard 
times" of 1893 to 1896 Starbuck did not suffer 
so heavily as her sister towns. This was owing 
to the fact that her industrial prosperity de- 
pended more on the railroad company's pay- 
roll than it did on its superior agricultural en- 
vironments, in this respect much resembling 
Pasco, Franklin county. December 30, 1893. 
an optimistic correspondent of the Columbia 
Chronicle penned the following: 

"Although dullness and destitution, accord- 
ing to all accounts, have wantonly scattered 
the most utter dismay throughout all parts of 
the Union, it is a blessing to know that there is 
vet one place left which has so far escaped the 
polluting stain of depression. And that one 
place is the thriving little town of Starbuck, 
which nestles in the beautiful valley where 
glides the clear, sparkling stream of Tucanon, 



372 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



as it swiftly flows on its winding conrse 
through the towering cliff of the classic Snake 
river. Here no lamentations or calamity whin- 
ing are heard. * * * Work upon the 
roundhouse is being pushed along more forci- 
bly. About sixty men are now employed upon 
it and as soon as the rock work is raised a few 
inches above the surface it is expected that the 
force will be increased to double the number 
on the brick work. Town property is steadily 
advancing in price and the railroad employees 
are investing in it pretty lively. Several new 
buildings are to be constructed before long." 

In October, 1893, plans and specifications 
for new machine shops and roundhouse were 
received at Starbuck. Consequently the citi- 
zens were happy ; work on the proposed new 
buildings was commenced at once. April 14, 
1894, the new structures were under cover and 
the motive power of the shops placed in posi- 
tion. 

The townsite of Starbuck was platted June 
1, 1894. by Mary Mcintosh. Wooden's addi- 
tion was platted October 21, 1897. In Sep- 
tember, 1895, the town had one general mer- 
chandise store, E. M. Aeils & Company; one' 
grocery store, D. Leach ; one cigar and to- 
bacco store, Callahan & Walters ; one saloon, 
by Russell Brothers ; a butcher shop, by J. S. 
Pearson & Company; a drug store, by Dr. A. 
M. Baker; one restaurant, Peter Bosler; two 
hotels, the Mcintosh and Pearson Houses ; 
one boot and shoe store, by A. Bumgardener ; 
a tailor shop, James Calross ; one blacksmith 
shop, M. Stevens, and a livery stable, by A. 
Douglas. December 28, 1895, a Chronicle 
correspondent said : 

"A week ago last Friday business called 
me to Starbuck, and although 1 am quite a fre- 
quent visitor to that thriving little burg, I am 
always surprised by seeing new buildings under 
construction. Seven years ago there was not 
more than ten houses in the town, and no 
church building, and but a shabby little coun- 
try school building. Now there are at least 



150 dwellings, mostly cottages of modest de- 
sign. The Presbyterians have a nice church 
building. The Methodists are erecting a 
church." 

In March, 1896, the citizens of Starbuck 
were considerably disturbed by rumors that 
the headquarters of the Oregon Railroad & 
Navigation Company would, by the 1st of 
April, be removed — together with the division,, 
to Walla Walla. But April 4 Mr. J. M. Mc- 
intosh, of Starbuck, arrived in Dayton, where 
he released the cheering information that the 
people of Starbuck need not feel alarmed, as it 
was quite certain that the railroad shops would 
remain with them unless — a highly improb- 
able contingency — Walla Walla would put up. 
the sum of $100,000 to secure their removal. 
The shops remained in Starbuck. 

The census of 1900 credited the town of 
Starbuck with a population of 215. Many 
new buildings were being erected in various 
parts of the village, and other improvements- 
made which were quite in contrast to the lack 
of enterprise exhibited the year previous. 

In December, 1903, a petition was pre- 
sented to the county commissioners, signed by 
66 residents of Starbuck, asking for the privi- 
lege of voting on the question of incorpora- 
tion. In this petition the boundary lines were 
indefinitely described, and in consequence the 
matter was postponed by the board. This de- 
fect in the petition, however, was adjusted, 
the commissioners granted the request of the- 
petitioners, and the election was held Febru- 
ary 29, 1904. The incorporation proposition 
was lost by a vote of 50 to 35, despite the- 
fact that 66 legal voters had signed the peti- 
tion. Its defeat was ascribed to the fact that 
some of the most valuable property in town 
was left outside the proposed city limits. This 
property included the Oregon Railroad & Nav- 
igation Company's shops. Dr. Pierzycki's mill 
property, the warehouse, etc. The railroad 
property was left out simply because the citi- 
zens feared that the influence of the company 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



373 



would defeat the movement, yet for this very 
reason many who would otherwise have voted 
for the incorporation, opposed it. 

Two years later, however, Starbuck was 
incorporated as a city of the fourth class as the 
result of a special election held on September 
9, 1905, when 51 votes were cast for incor- 
poration and 33 against. The following were 
•elected officers of the city; W. E. Sprout, 
mayor; J. H. Walters, treasurer; C. A. Black- 
man, John Roddy, Frank Actor, W. F. Gard- 
ner and M. Ray, councilmen. At the time of 
the incorporation the town had a population 
■of about 400. 

COVELLO. 

For several years before the foundation of 
Covello the settlement in the vicinity was 
known as Pioneer. In 1882 Messrs. Wulzen 
and Schroder, two San Francisco gentlemen, 
erected a large store in Pioneer. A petition 
was circulated for a postoffice. At about the 
same period the proprietors of the townsite 
announced that no land would be conveyed to 
persons who wished to sell whisky. In No- 
vember of the same year the name "Covello" 
was finally accepted for the new town. A pe- 
tition for a postoffice, containing fifty names, 
was forwarded to Washington, D. C. But it 
was not until May, 1883, that the office was es- 
tablished with F. G. Wulzen as postmaster. 
Lots 40x120 feet were selling at this period 
for from $1 per front foot to $100 apiece. 
Following is a Daytonite's description of Co- 
vello, published December 10, 1887: 

"At Covello we stopped just long enough 
for the driver to set up the drinks for his horses 
and exchange the mail. In this place there is 
plenty of room for breathing. The high walls 
on either side of Main street, and the spaces 
Detween the postoffice, blacksmith shop, stable, 
school house and one or two dwellings, is 
chiefly built of breathing material. There is 
no doubt that Covello will be a great town 



some day, i. e.. when the world gets hard up 
for a place to build a town. Its natural ad- 
vantages are many, in fact, there is nothing 
but nature in its rawest state there.'' 

May 2, 1884, the townsite of Covello was 
surveyed but not until February 2, 1889, was 
the plat recorded. It was platted by John H. 
Putnam, and consisted of nine blocks. During 
the period including portions of 1889 and 
1890, while G. W. Hunt was building his line 
of railroad in eastern Washington and Oregon, 
the people of Covello made earnest attempts 
to secure an extension of the Dayton branch 
to their town. Several mass meetings were 
held and inducements offered Mr. Hunt to 
comply with their wishes. In the current his- 
tory will be found additional particulars con- 
cerning the long drawn-out effort to get a 
railroad line into Covello, and the disappoint- 
ing failure of the same. 

Steadily year by year the town continued 
to improve. In October, 1891, it had a steam 
planer and chop mill, two blacksmith shops, a 
store, shoemaker, a number of residences, 
some of which are quite pretentious, 
a school house and flattering prospects for 
the erection of a Southern Methodist Epis- 
copal church. During the spring of 1889 Co- 
vello was agitated by a "boom," though of 
limited proportions. The cause was the rather 
uncertain conditions concerning railway pro- 
jects. The intentions of the Oregon Railroad 
& Navigation Company as regarded extension 
of its line were decidedly indefinite. At first 
it was surmised that the road was to be built 
to Delaney, thus making the main line of the 
road pass through the ceiiter of Columbia 
county. Later it appeared to be the intention 
of the company to extend the road from Day- 
ton to Covello, making that town the terminus. 
As a result a number of Dayton business 
houses established branch store at Covello. 
This accounts for the prosperity and "boom" 
of 1889, yet all this time the Oregon Railroad 
& Navigation Company was playing fast and 



374 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



loose with the hopes of Covello's citizens; 
tied up completely by a "community of inter- 
ests" agreement with the Northern Pacific 
Railway Company. Although the O. R. & 
N. road was graded to Covello, it was never 
ironed ; the reason for this is fully told in the 
current history. The town of Turner, north of 
Covello, secured the coveted railroad extension 
from Dayton. But the enterprising town still 
is, and, probably, always will be, an eligible 
trading point for settlers in its vicinity. In 
1900 the population of the town was 107. 

HUNTSVILLE. 

This is a small village just within the 
southern border of Columbia county, three 
miles above Waitshurg. It is situated on the 
Oregon Railroad & Navigation, and the 
"Washington & Columbia River Railroads and 
the Touchet river. Since its foundation this 
town has ever been noted as a lawabiding 
place and largely devoted to educational mat- 
ters. Its growth is somewhat retarded by its 
proximity to places of considerable municipal 
importance. 

During the winter of 1878-9 the sum of 
$10,000 was secured by subscription from 
members of the United Brethren denomina- 
tion. The purpose of this subscription was the 
creation of an endowment fund for the future 
establishment of a university. The manager 
of the enterprise was B. J. Hunt. In connec- 
tion with John Fudge he donated ninety acres 
of land for a townsite. This property was on 
the Touchet river. A millsite was also do- 
nated by G. T. Pollard, the total land dona- 
tion being valued at $5,000. Forty acres of 
this land were platted into blocks and town 
lots, and given the name of Huntsville. In 
the center of the town six acres were reserved 
for the college building. This was erected in 
1879, a two-story edifice to accommodate 
about 150 students, together with a flouring 
mill. Quite a population gathered around 



these enterprises. The seminary building was 
named the Washington Institute, in which 
school was opened November 4, 1879. In 
May, 1880, quite a number of new buildings 
were added to the town; the college roll of 
membership continued to increase in size. 

The townsite of Huntsville was surveyed 
in 1878, but the plat was not recorded until 
January 17, 1882, by W. C. Gallaher, presi- 
dent of Washington Institute. The town now 
consisted of a mill, college, store, market, post- 
office, blacksmith shop and a number of resi- 
dences. The "boom'' period of Huntsville oc- 
curred in 1888. September 15, of that year, a 
correspondent of the Chronicle said : 

"Before three weeks the number of houses 
in Huntsville will be doubled. No such growth 
has ever been known. The improvements be- 
gan with the seminary." 

February, 23, 1889, the Inlander added 
the following : 

"A visitor to Huntsville just now will find 
that aspiring little educational coterie not at 
all affected by the supreme dullness which per- 
vades the larger cities just previous to the 
opening of spring. The dispensing of knowl- 
edge being the principal occupation of the 
hamlet, winter here usually presents more ani- 
mation than does the summer time. The pub- 
lic school, under the efficient superintendency 
of Prof. R. O. Hawks, is rapidly advancing to 
the front, while the visitor to the seminary is 
impressed with an air of originality and inde- 
pendence which overspreads all connected 
with that institution. Prof. W. S. Walker is 
the well-known head of this latter school. 
Then there is the large establishment of the 
Farmers' Mercantile Company, which seems 
to be doing a good business in spite of the quiet 
times of the country about. J. H. Richard- 
son, proprietor of the flouring mill, has spent 
several thousand dollars in improvements 
within the past year, and now boasts that his 
flour cannot be beaten in the northwest. J. W. 
Goodlake, the good-natured town blacksmith, 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



37 "5 



can always be found at his shop with a pleas- 
ant word and ready hand." 

November 20, 1897, another period of in- 
dustrial activity set in. The Chronicle said : 

"Huntsville is on the boom. The liberal 
faction of the United Brethren in Christ, hav- 
ing gained full accession of the property in 
this place, have put their shoulders to the 
wheel and are now giving it a lift and they 
are going to make it go, too. The seminary 
school is in operation with quite a number en- 
rolled. A number of residences have already 
changed hands, new families moving in and 
everything is on the move for prosperity. The 
public school is also on docket with a large 
number of scholars." 

MARENGO. 

A most beautiful and picturesque location 
has this town on a green flat on the right bank 
of the Tucanon. On each side the hills are 
precipitous, and this is, in fact, the only draw- 
back ; it renders the hauling of heavy loads to 
and from town an enterprise of considerable 
difficulty. 

The most interesting portion of the early 
history of the town of Marengo has been re- 
lated in the current history chapters of this 
work relating to Columbia county. When the 
town was formed it was laid out on the land 
which had been settled upon in the early 50' s 
by Louis Raboin, and was named in his honor, 
he being konwn by all the early pioneers by 
the name of Marengo. For the -story of the 
founding of this town and the causes that led 
to it the reader is referred back to the current 
county history, which treats of the countyseat 
contest of 1876. The election which was held 
in November of that year, resulted in the de- 
feat of Marengo for countyseat honors by a 
vote of 418 to 300, and with this election fell 
the hopes of the founders of the new town of 
building a metropolis on the Tucanon. 

But the energetic grangers decided to build 



a mill despite the loss of official honor. The 
Columbia Council, Patrons of Husbandry, was 
formed by seven granges in the county; a joint 
stock company, under the management of three 
representatives from each grange. In the 
spring of 1877 work was begun, a mill, 
with two run of stone and a capacity of fifty 
barrels of flour per clay was completed at a 
cost of $16,000. Around this industrial en- 
terprise a small town sprung up and a postof- 
fice was established in 1878. The Patrons' 
Flouring Mill Company was incorporated in 
1879, R. P. Steen, president; A. L. Sanford, 
secretary, and Thomas Throssell, treasurer. 

May 29, 1876, the Marengo townsite was 
platted by John Silcott, but the platt was not 
recorded until February 23, 1878. It com- 
prised seventeen blocks. The postoffice of 
Burksville in Columbia county, had been tem- 
porarily removed to Marengo. It was broadly 
intimated by the Chronicle that "if the people 
of Burksville. want their office continued they 
must recommend a suitable person for post- 
master before April 1, 1880, or the office will 
be discontinued." 

In May, i88i,> there was in Marengo the 
following business establishments : A flouring 
mill, two hotels, one store, one blacksmith 
shop, one saloon and two livery stables. There 
was maintained a good school with an attend- 
ance of forty scholars. Colonel Frank T. Gil- 
bert, who published a history of the counties 
of southeastern Washington in 1882, described 
Marengo as follows at that time : 

"Marengo has now a flouring mill, a furni- 
ture factory, a store, a blacksmith shop, a 
hotel (formerly two), a saloon, a fine school 
house, a number of dwelling houses and a pop- 
ulation of about seventy souls. The school is 
an excellent one, and is attended by about fifty 
scholars." 

During the earlier days of Marengo's his- 
tory it was an enthusiastic grange settlement ; 
its sole organization at that period. was Pataha 
Grange, Patrons of Husbandry. This was 



3/6 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY 



organized January 25, 1882, with the follow- 
ing officers : John E. Steen, M. ; John Agee, 
O. ; Thomas Throssell, L. ; Willard Bounds, 
S.; J. C. Wells, A. S. ; F. S. Gowen, C. ; 
Homer Bounds, T. ; Thomas Reynolds, sec- 
retary; Willis Hall, G. K. ; Mrs. W. Hall, C. ; 
Mrs. F. S. Gowan, P.; Mrs. John Agee, F. ; 
Mrs. Thomas Trossell, L. A. S. 

In December, 1882, Marengo postoffice 
was discontinued, but an effort was made to 
reverse this and, August 6, 1883, jt was re- 
established with Isaac M. Waldrip as post- 
master. The first destructive fire occurred in 
Marengo December 13, 1880. The livery sta- 
ble and saloon were burned. There was no 
wind, and it was owing to this fact that the 
little town was not wiped out. May 3, 1884, 
the Chronicle said : 

"Marengo, Dayton's almost successful rival 
for countyseat honors a few years ago, is now 
but a 'deserted village." comparatively. The 
flouring mill built by the grange organization, 
lies idle, the monument of many dollars sunk 
by our farmers in the vain attempt to build up 
a business with the details of which they were 
not familiar. A 'wayside inn' feed stable 
and blacksmith shop now comprise all the 
'business houses' in the place. 

May 16, 1891, the Chronicle observed, sa- 
piently: 

"But Marengo has more water power to 
the square inch than any other town of its size 
in the state. The old mill that was established 
years ago, through the grange movement, is 
fast going to decay, but it has answered a pur- 
pose and still stands as a reminder not to put 
too much trust in political shysters and would- 
be reformers. The blacksmiths and saloon 
men have retired from business and left Mr. 
Short in full charge of a monoply of the busi- 
ness of the place. Mr. Short runs a store, has 
the finest residence and is the only man in town 
who affords a bay window." 

The census of 1900 gave Marengo a popu- 
lation of 79 people. 



TURNER. 

This is the most youthful town in Colum- 
bia county, named after Benjamin Turner, 
upon whose ranch the townsite was located. It 
came into existence in 1902, when the Oregon 
Railroad & Navigation Company extended its 
line from Dayton to that point. The townsite 
was surveyed in December, 1901, and the plat 
recorded January 17, 1902, by B. M. Turner. 

In January, 1902, the railroad company 
constructed sidings and a turn table, and it was 
anticipated that warehouses would soon be 
erected and that some enterprising merchant 
would found a store. At that period it had 
been generally conceded that Turner would 
remain the terminus of the branch railway line 
for a few months, and possibly for a series of 
years. It was, also, thought at that time the 
people of Covello, despairing of securing rail- 
road facilities, would flock to Turner, which 
some of them did. 

During the fall and winter of 1903 a little 
village began to bloom on the townsite of 
Turner. One of the handsomest school build- 
ings in Columbia county was erected, and a 
boarding house, store, blacksmith shop, etc., 
became institutions of the new town. And 
that is about the condition of the town today. 

GRANGE CITY. 

The merchants of Dayton and grain 
shippers in that vicinity began to forward and 
receive freight at the mouth of the Tucanon, 
on Snake river, in the spring of 1873. Here 
connection was made with the boats of the 
Oregon Steam Navigation Company. There 
were erected a small warehouse, supplemented 
in 1875 w i tn another more commodious. 
Farmers organized the the Grange Warehouse 
Company in the spring of 1876, building a 
structure 40x80 feet in size ; the one built the 
year previous being 20x40 feet. This place 
the business men named, appropriately, Grange 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



377 



City, and as special arrangements had been 
effected with the' Oregon Steam Navigation 
Company to encourage shipping at this point, 
the town was considered of no little import- 
ance. Forty men attended an old-fashioned 
""raising" on May 25, together with many 
ladies, and the day was devoted to general 
jollification. To facilitate shipping a wharf 
boat was constructed. 

In the current history chapters on Colum- 
bia county it has been told how, at this spot, 
in 1858, at the mouth of the Tucanon, a forti- 
cation had been hastily erected and named 
Fort Taylor. In the grange movement in 1875 
Colonel George Hunter became a force, and 
that year he canvassed among the grangers 
and business men for means wherewith to 
erect a warehouse at the site of old Fort Taylor. 
The colonel was eminently successful ; Grange 
City came into existence. We quote from 
Hunter's book, "Reminescences of an Old 
Timer :" 



At that time the mouth of the Tucanon was the 
handiest and nearest shipping point for Columbia 
county, and the western portion of what is now Gar- 
field county; and the building of warehouses at this 
point Cwhich we christened Grange City the night 
we arrived there to commence work), was regarded 
at the time as an experiment. But it was believed 
it would lead to the navigation of Snake river for at 
least nine months in the year, whereas previously 
boats had been run only during the high water; about 
three months in the year. 

The hopes of those who started the enterprise 
were fully realized, and it was soon demonstrated 
that instead of three months, the river could be navi- 
gated for nine or ten months, and instead of 120-ton 
boats those of 450 tons capacity could be run part 
of the time, and were used until the Oregon Rail- 
road & Navigation Company's railroad was com- 
pleted to Riparia. above the most dangerous of the 
rapids. Then the road, having tapped the grain 
producing section — which had theretofore been tributary 
to Grange City- — and furnished more rapid tran- 
sit to the same points, virtually killed the river trade 
for a distance of over 200 miles. About half a mil- 
lion bushels of grain are annually shipped by this 
railroad, which is raised in the section for which 



Grange City was formerly the only accessible ship- 
ping point. , 

Grange City thrived, as Colonel Hunter 
says, as an important shipping point for sev- 
eral years, but in 1881 its glory faded with 
the completion of a railroad to Dayton and an- 
other to Texas Ferry, a few miles above on the 
Snake river. At this period, when Grange 
City was in its full fruit and flower, the Chron- 
icle published the following September, 25, 
1880: 

"This burg contains six buildings used for 
warehouse purposes, two dwellings, two fam- 
ilies, one livery and feed stable, one blacksmith 
shop, one hotel, one saloon and one of the 
finest water privileges in the Territory. An- 
other hotel and saloon will be in operation as 
soon as the necessary buildings can be com- 
pleted. It is also expected that the steam ferry 
will be running before snow flies. Lots are 
selling for $50 each, and those in choice loca- 
tions are held at $150. Upon the completion 
of the railroad Grange City will enjoy a 
business boom (?) as encouraging as it is un- 
expected. 

Yet the advent of the railroad resulted most 
disastrously to the fondest aspirations of the 
town. The plat of the townsite was recorded 
during the year 1881, and September 8, 1883, 
the Starbuck correspondent of the Columbia 
Chronicle related in cold print the decline and 
fall of Grange City: 

"We very often hear the name of Grange 
City mentioned, and by many who may know 
but little of its surroundings or situation. The 
name and place sprung into existence under 
the impluse of the moment and has as rapidly 
declined; although it was once alive with 
human voices and industry, it is now reduced 
to one house and no inhabitants, and has once 
more become the summer resort of cayuses, 
coyotes and rattlesnakes. So Grange City 
mav be termed nothing more than a nom de 



378 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



plume of a non-existant city which is sunk in 
deepest monotony." 

ALTO. 

This is a railroad station on the summit of 
the divide between Whetstone Hollow and the 
Tucanon. It is located on section 31, town- 
ship n, north range 38, east, and is about 
-leven or twelve miles northwest from Dayton. 
In December, 1882, the place consisted of an 
O. R. & N. woodyard (exclusively for the 
company's use), in which were about 450 
cords. This was in charge of one man. Plans 
were being made, however, for the erection of 
a depot there. In October of that year the 
postoffice was discontinued. April 27, 1903, 
the town suffered from a most disastrous 
blaze, which the Chronicle reported as fol- 
lows : 

"Alto, the high point on the Oregon Rail- 
road & Navigation line, was wiped out by a 
fire which started Monday afternoon April 27, 
about 2 130 o'clock. With the destruction of a 
depot, a section house, an elevator and four 
warehouses, only one warehouse remains as 
the station of Alto. Eight thousand bushels of 
barley in the elevator were destroyed. With 
the exception of the depot and section house 
the other buildings belonged to the Pacific 
Coast Elevator Company. The grain in the 
elevator is said to have been the property of 
the farmers in that vicinty. All the property 
is believed to have been covered by insurance. 
The total damage is estimated at $20,000. The 
fire was supposed to have been set from a 
spark from the engine of train No. 7, which 
passed through Alto at 2 :30 p. m. Monday. 
The section foreman, his family and the crew 
are said to have been the only residents of the 
town." 

At present Alto contains a number of ware- 
houses, and is simply a station on the O. R. 
&N. 



BURKSVTLLE. 

A place by this name once existed in Colum- 
bia county. It was located on the southwest 
quarter of section 27, township 40, east of 
range 11, north, not a great distance from 
Marengo. In 1874 Marshall B. Burk settled 
there and a postoffice was established in the 
spring of 1875, with Mr. Burk as postmaster. 
It accommodated between 60 and 70 settlers 
residing in the vicinity of the Tucanon valley. 
A small store was also opened by Mr. Burk, 
over which he presided a few years. A post- 
office having been established at Marengo in 
1878, the Burksville office was discontinued 
the following year. Mr. Burk sold out his 
property to S. J. Lowe in 1881. 

NEW YORK BAR. 

New York Bar, located on Snake river, some 
distance above Texas Ferry, was quite an im- 
portant shipping" point in the early days, the 
grain raised in a large section of country lying 
north and east of the Tucanon, including the 
towns of Pomeroy and Pataha City, being 
shipped from this point, before the advent of 
railroads into the country. The Oregon Rail- 
road & Navigation Company had a warehouse 
there and a regular agent was employed to 
look after the company's interests. The most 
important item in the history of this place was 
the murder of Eli H. Cummins, which resulted 
in one lynching, one legal execution and the 
death in jail of another of the assassins, a full 
account of which is published in the current 
history of the county. 

OTHER PLACES. 

Perry is a postoffice in the extreme north- 
western corner of the county, opposite the 
mouth of the Palouse river. This office was 
established in August, 1881. when Daniel 
Lyons was postmaster. 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



379 



Gross is a postoffice in the southern part of 
the county in the Blue Mountains. 

Delaney is a station on the Pomeroy 
branch of the O. R. & N. 

Longs is a station midway between Dayton 
and Huntsville. on both the O. R. & N, and W. 



&C. R. Railways. Here are located two or three 
warehouses and a mill, and it ships considerable 
grain. In the early pioneer days it was quite 
an important place, the first flouring mill in 
the county being located there in 1866. It was 
then known as Milton Mills. 



CHAPTER VI 



DESCRIPTIVE. 



The soil of any country is its practical 
foundation. It is. therefore, appropriate that 
in a description of one of the best counties in 
eastern Washington it should be introduced 
with a non-technical description of its soil. 

A rolling plain is the greater portion of the 
area of Columbia county. Perhaps to the newly 
arrived settler the succession of hills and valleys 
which greet his sight may prove disappointing, 
and more especially so should he have recently 
left the monotonous flat surfaces and wide per- 
spectives of the Dakotas and some portions of 
Minnesota. While these undulations form a 
rough, yet attractive picture, when viewed 
from an eminence, suggesting a heavy rolling 
sea, the immigrant looks upon such scenery 
not without a certain degree of depression. 
Yet this very homeseeker is destined to learn, 
to his surprise, that the highest hilltops and 
slopes produce equally with the lands in the 
richest valleys, or "flats," as the larger ones 
are called, and that farm machinery of every 
kind is worked upon them with equal facility, 
and this sentiment of disappointment is grad- 
ually dispelled. Its place is supplied with one 
of wonder at the immense resources with 
which nature has so generously endowed the 
fair country which he has come thousands of 
miles to view. 

The soil, like that of the greater portion 
of eastern Washington, is a volcanic ash. a 



rich, dark loam of great depth, overlying a 
clay subsoil, resting upon basaltic formation. 
Its durability, like that of the soil of the Big 
Bend country, is unlimited ; it never washes ; 
is free from rocks and gravel, and is easily 
broken and pulverized. In this connection 
we desire to quote Mark \Y. Harrington, ex- 
chief of the United States Weather Bureau. 
In speaking of soil identical with that of Co- 
lumbia county, in eastern Washington, he 
says : 

"The soil is very fertile. It seems to be a 
kind which is perpetually fertile. In the whole 
world I only know of one locality which has a 
similar soil. That is the north of China, in the 
two provinces of Shansi and Stensi. west of 
Pekin. This is the original home of the Chi- 
nese, from which they spread out over the rest 
of "China. The soil is wonderfully fertile, for. 
though it has been cultivated for 4.000 years, it 
remains unchanged and to me this soil seems 
to be the same, from which I am led to believe 
it is inexhaustible. Another characteristic of 
the soil is the small fall of water required to 
raise crops." 

As a rule the Columbia county soil is deep 
before hard-pan, gravel or bedrock is reached: 
the black loam, or subsoil being usually found 
to be from eight to ten feet deep. This pro- 
vides unlimited nourishment and moisture for 
growing crops on the surface. Another pe- 



3 8o 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



culiarity that will strike the eastern visitor 
with surprise, is the indubitable fact that the 
hill and rolling lands are the most productive 
so far as tested, although there is no indica- 
tion at present of the valley lands having lost 
any of their original vitality. Says the Colum- 
bia Chronicle of August, 24, 1878: 

"A gentleman who has analyzed the lands, 
gives it as his opinion that a rotation of crops 
of the same kind for generations will not im- 
poverish the majority of the rolling lands of 
Columbia county. His theory is that the depth 
of the soil is so great, and the great strength 
of the strata of alkali usually found on the bed- 
rock will always have a tendency to rise to the 
surface ; affording the natural properties for ce- 
reals of all kinds. In our opinion in time to come 
eastern Washington will be the breadbasket of 
the world. As a wheat producing country it 
now has no superior, and when the fetters of 
transportation are loosened and commercial 
outlets opened to the Sound, then the grand- 
ness of this country will be realized. In con- 
versation with Hon. L. L. Williams, of Rose- 
burg, Oregon, said he : 'Roseburg is one of 
the lively, flourishing towns of Oregon, but im- 
mediately surrounding Dayton is more than 
twenty times the amount of rich agricultural 
land than surrounds Roseburg." It is a fact. 
People wonder why Walla "Walla. Dayton, 
Colfax, Waitsburg, Pomeroy and a score of 
small towns flourish so rapidly. A rich agri- 
cultural country backs them, and not a limited 
area of country, but reaching hundreds of miles 
in all sections. This is destined to be a great 
country." 

The soil of Columbia county is impregnated 
with a sufficient quantity of alkali to form a 
natural fertilizer ; it is, and has been, culti- 
vated year after year without apparent loss of 
any of its productive qualities. With or with- 
out moisture this peculiar soil continues to 
produce large crops, crops of nearly twice the 
average of the most productive of the eastern 
grain states. Occasionally the summer record 



of this county shows an absence of precipita- 
tation from May until after harvest, although 
this is not by any means the rule, yet this cli- 
matic condition does not materially affect the 
yield. And this, too, it should be understood, is 
is a country devoid of artificial irrigation. The 
porus soil absorbs, from the atmosphere suf- 
ficient moisture to insure regular returns for 
the labor of the husbandman. The nature and 
thoroughness of cultivation have much to do 
with the relative productiveness of this soil. 
With ordinary care in plowing and sowing 
the yield per acre will not fall below from 
twenty to thirty-five bushels per acre; with a 
higher, more scientific cultivation the yield may 
be increased to between forty and fifty bush- 
els, and in either case without artificial fertil- 
ization. No signs of deterioration in the pro- 
ductive quality of Columbia county lands have 
been observed, some of which lands have been 
cropped from twenty to thirty years. 

In its virgin condition this land is covered 
with a heavy groxyth of bunch grass. Upon 
this, stock thrives in all seasons. Strange as it 
may appear, in the face of later developments, 
the earlier settlers in southeastern Washington 
really believed that only the valley lands were 
suitable for agricultural purposes. The editor 
of the Washington Statesman, Walla Walla, 
in January, 1862, in glancing at the existing 
opportunity for gathering wealth from the 
products of the soil, observed : "It is lament- 
able that our extent of agricultural land is so 
limited; yet those who may be so fortunate as 
to secure farms within any of the valleys that 
skirt the gold range will be sure of prosperity." 
This was a hastily formed theory which facts 
have long since demolished. 

It is now known, the test having been ap- 
plied for years, that the hill lands are more 
productive so far as grain is concerned, than 
are the lands lying along the streams. It is in 
this peculiarity that the soil of eastern Wash- 
ington so widely differs from that of eastern 
and middle western states. In was in 1864 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



38i 



that the discovery was made that the hill lands 
would produce grain. Fifty acres of it was 
sowed by a farmer whose name is not enrolled 
in the archives of Columbia county, at least 
not in this connection, in 1863, and in the fall 
he cropped 1,650 bushels of wheat, an average 
of thirty-two bushels an acre — heavier far than 
that of any grain producing district in the 
Mississippi or Missouri valleys. 

In 1880 the United States Census Bureau 
returned the following crop record of Colum- 
bia, Garfield and Asotin counties, the bulk of 
which was grown in Columbia county. It in- 
cludes, let it be noted carefully, and due weight 
given to the fact, volunteer crops, spring sowed 
grain and the product from the poorest as well 
as the best land. 

Grain. Acres. Bushels. 

Barley 3,88 1 180,015 

Buckwheat 6 50 

Indian corn 616 13,880 

Oats 3.218 150,232 

Rye 

Wheat T 7> 2 74 4 2 5.§79 

Wheat average per acre, 24.63 bushels. 
December 17, 1896, the Columbia Courier 
said : 

"Columbia county land is especially 
adapted to fruit raising, apples, peaches, pears, 
plums, prunes, apricots, cherries and small 
fruits all seem natural to this climate, and all 
kinds of berries known to the horticulturist ma- 
ture here quickly and yield most bountifully. 
Apple trees bear in three and four years, peach 
trees bear the second and third year, prunes 
and plums also bear early and in great profu- 
sion. The different varieties of prunes in this 
section equal those of Italy and Turkey. Our 
berries, for size and flavor, are unsurpassed. 
The size of the strawberry is phenomenal. 
The crops of this berry have yielded sums 
varying from $200 to $700 per acre. The 
market east of us is large, especially in the 
mining districts of Idaho and Montana. The 
great distributing points of St. Paul, Minneap- 



olis, Duluth and Chicago will afford a mar- 
ket for thousands of carloads of fruits. We 
claim, and results appear to justify our claim,, 
that the cooler winter climate of this valley ma- 
tures the wood of fruit trees and vines better 
than the comparatively frostless winters in 
southern California, thereby producing fruit 
of finer flavor and superior keeping quality. 
Snake river cherries and peaches are pro- 
claimed by Chicago fruit merchants as the best 
received from any section. We claim we can- 
not overstock the market with well selected va- 
rieties well shipped. 

Not more than one-fifth of the land of Co- 
lumbia county is unsuitable for cultivation. 
The one-fifth is broken and mountainous, the 
last being heavily timbered. The water 
courses head in the Blue Mountains, which 
form the southeastern portion of the county, 
and this water supply is ample. The principal 
streams are the Touchet, the Patit — a tribu- 
tary of the Touchet — and the Tucanon. After 
leaping forth from the mountains the general 
trend of the streams is westerly. There are a 
number of lofty, rolling hills, although between 
the streams high pleateaus gradually slope to- 
ward the north and west. 

The Touchet courses through Dayton,. 
Huntsville, Waitsburg, Prescott and other 
places before losing itself in the channel of the 
Walla Walla river. The Touchet has three 
principal forks , respectively known as the 
North Fork, or main Touchet, sometimes re- 
ferred to as the Hompegg Fork, and the South 
Touchet. The Wolfe's Fork joins the main 
Touchet about six miles above Dayton; the 
South Touchet unites with it about two miles 
above the town. It is a pure, sparkling moun- 
tain stream for twenty-five or thirty miles and 
is the home of the trout family. The mullet 
and mud turtle find their habitat in the lower 
part of the stream, which is more sluggish. On 
the upper fringe of the town of Dayton the 
stream flows along the base of a precipitous 
bluff of solid basalt. This elevation rises al- 



3 82 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



most perpendicular to a lofty altitude, and 
then slopes gradually away to a pleateau of 
rich farming land. 

Fourteen miles above Dayton are Hompegg 
Falls, on the. main fork of the stream. Here 
a large spring bursts from the mountain side, 
and on its course flows over a steep, rocky 
slope, forming the falls. As the water, clear 
and cold, rushes across the rocks it is beaten 
into a foam resembling an enormous white 
ostrich plume against a background of dark 
green foliage. This is, indeed, a favored spot 
for campers, and the luxuriant shade, the 
crystal water and numerous other picturesque 
attractions are heartily welcome to those 
seeking the rustic enjoyment of an outing dur- 
ing the heated term of summer. The name 
Touchet was given to the stream by the French 
trappers attached to the Hudson's Bay Com- 
pany. The following "Ode to the Touchet," 
by one "Broncho Jim." was published in the 
Columbia Chronicle : 

"Roll on. thou sweet river, 

Roll on to the sea, 
From the blue mantled mountains 

In wild, splashing glee. 
From there let thy water 

Bespangle thy way, 
Down the green Touchet valley 

With beautiful spray. 

"Where down through the city, 

The pride of the west, 
Thy invincible motion 

The mills there attest. 
With powers so mighty, 

Thy fall is so great, 

Thy bright, copious waters 

Enhances the state. 

"Then roll, crystal river, 

In force to the sea; 
May thy force in your snow caps 

Forever be free. 
For life from thy bosom 

Thou givest to the glade, 
Like a fond, loving mother 

Who nurtures her babe." 

A tributary of the Snake river is the Tu- 
canon, upon whose banks is situated the town 



of Marengo. "Tucanon" is a Nez Perce word 
meaning "abundance of bread root," or "bread 
root creek." This root is called by them 
"Kowsh." It flows northwesterly from the 
Blue Mountains, near the line between Gar- 
field and Columbia counties. Another stream, 
the Patit, joins the Touchet at Dayton. Patit, 
or properly, Pat-tit-ta, is a Nez Perce word 
signifying "Bark creek." 

The story has gained some credence that 
the river Tucanon was so named because of 
an incident which, it has been alleged, took 
place on the banks of that stream when the 
Lewis and Clark party passed through in 
1806. According to the story the Lewis- 
Clark party, being closely pursued by In- 
dians, were obliged to abandon and bury two 
of their cannon on the banks of the Tucanon. 
So far as known no buried cannon were ever 
found in the vicinity, but the principal reason 
for not believing such a "yarn" lies in the fact 
that the heaviest ordnance Lewis and Clark 
carried with them was flint lock muskets and 
single-barreled pistols, and even these were not 
needed, as the Indians in the vicinity were 
friendly and assisted the explorers on many 
occasions. This story was put on its travels 
in 1883 by a gentleman who was touring Ore- 
gon and Washington at that time and who 
wrote of this bit of interesting but wholly un- 
founded history to as eastern paper. He was, 
undoubtedly, the victim of some practical 
joker. 

From the banks of all these streams rise 
steep walls of reddish, basaltic rock. These 
valleys were made either by earthquakes far 
back in the dim perspective of time, or by the 
erosion of unnumbered aeons, the streams 
having cut deep down below the level of the 
ancient plain and left, as the most conspicuous 
natural fractures of the country, the mesas or 
table lands, elevated many hundreds of feet 
above the water courses. 

Like all portions of Eastern Washington 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



383 



the climate of Columbia county is healthful. 
There exist within its limits no marshes or 
other insidious causes of miasmatic diseases. 
The nights, even in midsummer, are delight- 
fully cool ; a pair of blankets usually comfor- 
table. Cleansed and clarified by frequent soft 
breezes, the air is pure. Prevailing winds are 
from the south and west; the summer heat is 
temperate, and has not the fatal effect too well 
known east of the Mississippi river, and sun- 
strokes seldom occur. During six years the 
United States weather bureau maintained a 
signal station at Dayton. The record for that 
period shows the mean annual temperature to 
have been 49 degrees above zero. The annual 
precipitation was 26.30 inches, rather above 
the average of Eastern Washington. There 
are no disagreeable extremes of temperature 
as the warmth of summer is tempered by re- 
freshing breezes ; the cold of winter is not ac- 
centuated by cutting winds or blustering 
storms. Of the climate of Columbia county, 
in general, Rev. J. C. Van Patten said, in Jan- 
uary, 1892 : 

"The natural condition of this county is a 
happy mean between the heat and the wind 
found south and west of Walla Walla, and the 
frosts and the wind of parts east and north. 
Our average temperature is 36 degrees in 
winter and 65 degrees in summer, or the same 
as that of Boston in the summer months and 
of Washington, D. C, in the winter. The 
precipitation for the six years during which 
the signal service was located in Dayton was 
26.30 inches per annum, but for the last four 
years it has been a little less owing, as many 
suppose, to the cutting of so much timber 
from our mountains ; but we have enough for 
all purposes, so that irrigation is unnecessary, 
and is only resorted to to hasten vegetation for 
early and late uses." 

Concerning the geological formation of 
Columbia county the following report of the 
Geological Survey of 1902, by Henry Landes, 
state geologist, will prove of interest : 



"Through all of southeastern Washington 
the prevailing country rock is basalt, and this 
is used to a considerable extent in many places 
for building purposes and especially for rough 
work and foundations. The basalt varies 
much in texture in different places, being in 
some cases quite coarse, while in others it is 
very fine grained and compact. Then again in 
places it is full of cavities, which range in size 
from those that are a millimeter or two in 
diameter to those that are as much as a fourth 
of an inch in diameter, and some times even 
more. Where fresh and undecayed it has a 
dark, almost black color. This changes on 
weathering to a more or less reddish cast on 
account of the iron which it contains. When 
placed in buildings it should resist the action 
of the atmospheric agencies quite well and 
weather rather slowly. 

"The basalt as a general thing is quite 
badly broken to pieces by joints, and it is fre- 
quently very difficult to obtain an}' very large 
blocks. The stone is quite hard, also, and this 
makes it difficult to quarry and work into di- 
mensions after it is quarried. The one thing 
that causes it to be used so much as it is at 
present is its accessibility, as all that is nec- 
essary is to go out almost any place and quarry 
it, and on this account the item of transpor- 
tation does not enter in to increase its final 
cost to so great an extent as it does in the 
case of many building stones. While it is true 
that basalt is not first-class building material 
it will probably always be used more or less 
for the reasons just given, through this part 
of Washington, especially for foundations and 
various kinds of rough masonry." 

Neither varied nor strikingly beautiful is 
the native flora of Columbia county. A short- 
stemmed buttercup makes its appearance about 
the middle of February, and this is followed 
by a rather insignificant grass-flower of a pale 
pinkish hue. A few blue bells may be found 
later scattered widely here and there, and near 
the first of May many of the hill slopes are 



384 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



yellow with a dwarf species of sunflower; it 
shoots its tough, fibrous roots deep into the 
ground, sometimes to the annoyance of the 
husbandman in his first efforts to turn the 
virgin soil. It is, however, easily exterminated, 
and its presence is thought to indicate unusual 
fertility of soil. The wild rose blooms along 
the water courses filling the air with exquisite 
fragrance, and a variety of clematis reveals its 
delicate blossoms, while the mock orange for 
a brief season flaunts its pallid hues. 

More numerous become these humble wild 
flowers back in cool recesses of the mountains, 
and more attractive in form and color to the 
lover of flowers. In growth the cultivated va- 
rieties of flowers are by no means spontaneous, 
and yet to the painstaking gardener they will 
yield rich and appreciated returns. Yet, con- 
sidered as an entirety, the county is not espe- 
cially adapted to floriculture, but as nature's 
kitchen garden, a land of fruits instead of 
flowers, it stands supreme. 

S. P. Putnam, who lectured in Dayton on 
the ioth and nth of August, 1890, wrote the 
following to his paper concerning Columbia 
county : 

"A wonderful country it is about Dayton. 
I never saw anything like it. It gives the im- 
pression of an immense crazy-quilt, shining 
for a hundred miles away in all directions ; the 
hills are rolling and abrupt about Dayton, like 
huge, towering, massive billows. The wheat 
fields extend to the very top of these mighty 
swells ; indeed, the wheat is more abundant 
here than in the bottoms, and therefore, as far 
as the eye can reach is a vast, fluctuating, bril- 
iant landscape. The colors are marvelous and 
striking, and the forms superb and intricate. 
It was like the display of some magnificent 
theatre. Most of the color was made up of the 
golden splendor of innumerable wheat fields, 
but mingled with these were the bright green 
ranks of corn, the black of fallow soil, the pale 
lustre of mown grass, fading off into light and 
dark brown shades to the glowing verge." 



Although one of the smaller counties in 
the state of Washington, Columbia constitutes 
a portion of the earliest settled sections. It is 
an extension of the now far famed and histor- 
ical Walla Walla valley. In 1892 Rev. J. C. 
Van Patten said : 

"The causes for the earlier settlement are 
no doubt these: The similarity of climate and 
soil to those of Walla Walla county, and the 
coursing of two beautiful rivers, with a num- 
ber of goodly sized creeks, through its entire 
length and breadth at once making it the hun- 
ter's paradise and the stockman's ideal range. 

"The same causes rendered it the home of 
the husbandman, as the water courses fur- 
nished easy egress, and at many points the ex- 
tent of bottom land gave early promise of veg-' 
etables and fruits that were at that time uncer- 
tain factors on the hill tops or along the 
slopes." 

On the north Columbia county is bounded 
by the Snake river ; on the east by Garfield 
county; on the south by the Blue Mountains 
and on the west by the county of Walla Walla. 
It has an area of about 830 square miles, or 
531,200 acres. The annual rainfall on the 
Blue Mountains is from 22 to 24 inches. After 
the melting of the last remaining snow on 
their summits in the spring there is a long dry 
season, during which its streams run very low. 
For the greater part of the year, however, they 
possess an abundant water power which for 
many purposes could- be utilized. In 1903 the 
total valuation of real and personal property 
in the county, including railway trackage, was 
$4,155,752. The population, according to the 
census of 1900 was 7,126; the estimated pop- 
ulation in 1903, 7,604. 

The present transportation facilities are as 
follows : The Oregon Railroad & Navigation 
Company's, and the Washington & Columbia 
River, railways, have branches extending to 
Dayton affording ample accommodation's for 
shipping the products of the county. A branch 
of the Oregon Railroad & Navigation Com- 



o 

p 
o 

B 

o 

o 

e 

3 



n 

o 




HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



385 



pany's line extends from Dayton to Turner — 
utilized, however, only in hauling grain dur- 
ing the shipping season. 

The Blue Mountains are in the southern 
portion of the county and contribute an enor- 
mous supply of merchantable timber to the in- 
dustrial resources- of the county. From the re- 
port of the Bureau of Statistics, Agriculture 
and Immigration of the State of Washington, 
for 1903, the following figures show the re- 
sources of the Blue Mountains : Timber stand- 
ing, 183,000,000 feet; square miles of timber, 
164; square miles already cut, 182; square 
miles burned, o. 

But the principal industry of Columbia 
county is farming; the principal crops wheat 
and barley. Other crops, such as oats, corn, 
flax, sorghum and potatoes yield abundantly 
and equally in proportion with the great stand- 
ard cereal, wheat. While wheat growing will, 
doubtless, remain the chief industry of the 
county, farmers are more and more directing 
their attention to stock-raising, and with fa- 
vorable results. During the year 1893 about 
4,635 acres of new land was placed under cul- 
tivation. 

Columbia is not a mining county. However, 
there are mineral deposits along the Tucanon 
river and here some development work has 
been done. Those who are interested are firm- 
ly of the opinion that with suitable transpor- 
tation facilities these present prospects will 
some day be profitably worked. That mineral 
existed in Columbia county was first discov- 
ered in the summer of 1891, along the Tucan- 
on river. For some time excitement ran high. 
Prospectors worked industriously along the 
stream; quartz ledges were uncovered and 
several placer claims located. Again in 1896- 
1897 no little interest was manifested in min- 
eral deposits in the district. The Tucanon 
river ore, when assayed, showed considerable 
copper. 

Saturday, December 26, 1896, a mining 
company was formed consisting of John Mar- 

25 « 



tines, Charles Waterman, B. Curl and R. E. 
Peabody, for the purpose of locating and de- 
veloping ledges in the Tucanon district. The 
following month the company was incorpo- 
rated as the Tucanon Mining Company. Dur- 
ing the winter and spring of 1897 the district 
was invaded by many prospectors and a num- 
ber of locations were made. January 9th the 
Columbia Chronicle noted the discoveries as 
follows : 

"We have talked with a number of pros- 
pectors who have been in the district during 
the week and they are favorably impressed 
with the general appearance of the country 
and the ledges that they come across. All are 
hopeful that something rich will be developed." 

Mr. Owsley, of Pomeroy, made four as- 
says of rock from the Tucanon. One assay 
ran as high as $2.40 in gold and $1.50 in sil- 
ver to the ton. Three tests showed gold and 
silver and every test showed copper. One test 
showed a trace of copper only. Excitement 
concerning quartz discoveries on the Tucanon 
reacted on the section of the country including 
the Blue Mountains ; many prospectors flocked 
into the territory. Nearly every day some one 
brought into Dayton new specimens from lo- 
calities; among them was some quite promis- 
ing rock, shot with mineral. It was reasoned 
that if the prospectors could discover the 
ledges from which these specimens came, there 
would be a stampede to the Blue Mountains, so 
soon as the snow disappeared, of magnificent 
proportions. In June, 1897, a gentleman who 
had visited the Tucanon mining country con- 
tributed the following interview published in 
the Chronicle : 

"Well, what do you think of the Tucanon 
mines now? 

"I have been asked this question repeat- 
edly since I got back; so many times, in fact, 
that I begin to think that there are some peo- 
ple who really feel an interest in my opinion 
on the subject. I will endeavor to give in a 
few words the situation as it appears to me. 



386 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



In the first place the ground has not been pros- 
pected enough to determine what the mountain 
contains. Whether there is a mine there or not 
no man knows yet. The formation is favor- 
able. There are plenty of quartz and other 
rocks that are found associated with the pre- 
cious metals. It seems to be a place where the 
original formations of the country were not 
covered up when the great lava outpour oc- 
curred with formed the Blue Mountains. 
There is reason to believe that the portion of 
the country where we now live was a granite 
and quartz region before the great lava inun- 
dation. The mines of the northwest are out- 
side of this great flow. 

"The only thing to be clone that can deter- 
mine whether or not there is a mine worth 
working at this spot is to penetrate the moun- 
tain so as to tap the ore deep down, either by 
a tunnel or by a shaft. Assays show there is 
metal in the rock — gold, silver and copper. If 
the ore should prove rich enough at the depth 
of ioo feet to pay to work, it would be a "big" 
thing," because there is an immense quantity 
of it. But the men who are interested in the 
Tucanon mines haven't any money to go 
ahead with and here the matter rests." 

There were two assays of ore from the 
Tucanon made in July. 1897. One sample 
assayed $13.64 in gold and 62 cents in silver. 
The other sample showed only a trace of gold 
and trace of silver. This discovery on the Tu- 
canon was a matamorphic rock, carrying min- 
eral, and classified in geology as diorite. It 
carried gold, silver, copper, orthoclase, pyrro- 
tite and marcasite. The district also contains 
serpentine, amphibole, porphyry and lime- 
stone. The formation, so far as it has been 
prospected, is three-quarters of a mile in 
width and several miles in length. No 
less than fifteen assays haA - e been made on 
Tucanon rock by competent assayers, and the 
returns show from a trace of copper to $16 
in gold. There was considerable development 
work done during the winter of 1897 and 



1898. A tunnel was run by the Tucanon Min- 
ing Company fifty feet into the mountain, ob- 
taining assays from $1.50 to $20 per ton. 
Other claims showed similar results. On the 
claim of Jackson Brothers on Cummings 
creek, rock was obtained in March, 1898, as- 
saying $35.17. One of the most promising- 
properties attracting attention in 1898-9, was 
the Columbia ledge, on Cummings creek, for- 
merly known as the "Jackson property." Of 
this prospect the Columbia Chronicle wrote, 
March 31, 1900, as follows: 

At this time it will no doubt be interesting to 
many to read a brief history of theColumbia mine. 
Late in the fall of 1897, G. F. Jackson, W. T. Dick- 
inson, R. A. Jackson, Charley Jackson and J. H. 
Jackson, made a trip up Cummings creek on a pros- 
pecting tour. At that time gold bearing rock had 
been found on the Tucanon, and this fact reminded 
G. F. Jackson that five years previously he had seen 
a mineral bearing rock on Cummings creek, where 
he had pastured his sheep during the summer. It 
was the object of the party of prospectors to discov- 
er the ledge from which the float had come. Mr. 
Jackson remembered the locality in which he had 
found the float and it was but one day's journey to 
reach it. A camp was established and the next day 
search was made for the ledge, and the prospectors 
were successful. 

A cropping of rock heavily mineralized was first en- 
countered. Speciments were selected and further 
search was made to ascertain the direction of the 
lode, and when the lines had been well established 
on two claims a snow storm of more than ordinary 
fury descended on the prospectors and drove them 
out of the mountains. Before departing, however, 
they staked off two claims, naming one the Co- 
lumbia and the other Snow Storm. 

The samples selected were taken from the Co- 
lumbia claim and very much resembled the rock 
from the Rossland district. A 'sample was sent to 
Peter Daley, of the Tacoma smelter, who reported 
$2.80 in gold. Other samples were sent to Mr. Fisk, 
of Portland, J. P. Isaacs, of Walla A¥alla and to a 
Denver assayer. All gave practically the same re- 
turns. These assays, coming from reliable men, so 
encouraged the locaters that work was started im- 
mediately on the Columbia ledge, which continued 
through the winter and far into the summer of 1898. 
W. T. Dickinson, who is now president of the Co- 
lumbia Mining & Milling Company, had personal 
supervision of the work, and as the tunnel was 
driven in it was timbered in a substantial manner. 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY 



387 



At the end of ten feet the ledge began to dip into 
the mountain, necessitating an incline in the tunnel. 
Frequent assays were made and values increased 
right along. At the depth of sixty feet from the 
surface rock assaying $50 per ton in gold was dis- 
covered. The ledge also showed values running 
from $5 to $51, all between walls of granite and 
porphyry. The last shot in the incline shaft brought 
in water in such quantity that work had to be 
abandaned or go to the expense of putting in costly 
machinery. Up to this time about $1,000 had been 
expended in development work, but the showing 
was so gratifying that the owners were not at all 
discouraged. The water coming into the mine was 
of itself a fine indication that the ledge was a true 
fissure vein. 

At this stage of development it was considered 
that the Columbia was worthy of being incorpo- 
rated so that it could take its place among the pro- 
ducers of the northwest and become widley known as 
the great mine of Columbia county. The owners of the 
mine are all conservative, straightforward men who 
did not care to invite outsiders to invest their money 
in the mine until it was demonstrated that there was 
some assurance that whoever invested a cent in the 
Columbia would have the same returned again with 
good interest. After expending considerable money 
in development work, as above stated, they consid- 
ered that it was safe to invite others to invest in the 
property. So the matter of incorporating was talked 
up among the enterprising men of Dayton and 
Pomeroy, and in due time the Columbia Mining & 
Milling Company was organized. Stock was put on 
the market at five cents per share and enough was 
sold to warrant considerable development work be- 
ing undertaken. It was decided to go to the foot of the 
mountain and run a tunnel in to strike the ledge at a 
depth of 200 feet. It was concluded that if the ledge 
could be found at that depth, containing its original 
values, or even half the amount, the Columbia would be 
come one of the greatest mines in the state, for the 
ledge' was six feet wide. It was estimated that a 
tunnel 200 feet in length would tap the ledge, but 
owing to the dip of the vein it has taken 260 feet. 
The work done is all of a substantial character, the 
tunnel being timbered wherever it was thought 
necessary, a track is laid the full length and every- 
thing in readiness to take out ore on this level. 

At the organization of the company W. T. Dick- 
inson was elected president. G. F. Jacksjon, secre- 
tary and general superintendent and R. A. Jackson, 
treasurer. Work on the tunnel was begun the first 
of April, 1899. and has continued almost constantly 
ever since. For a time a night and day shift was 
run but after the tunnel became so long that the 
smoke would not clear out between shifts, it was 
decided to take off the night shift. During the pro- 



gress of the tunnel several stringers of quartz have 
been encountered which point toward the main 
ledge, and which show values of from $20 in gold 
and silver to $124. One stringer was a foot in 
width, and would itself make a considerable mine, 
and which will in time be worked out, as it assays 
very high. 

W. T. Dickinson, besides being president of 
the company is, also, a practical assayer, and was 
formerly a resident of Galva, Illinois. After the 
organization of the company he decided to locate 
in Dayton, and has been a resident since last April. 
During the progress of the work he has tested at 
least 500 pounds of the Columbia rock taken from 
the incline shaft and the tunnel, and is confident of 
the richness of the ore. He has not only tested 
the rock himself, but has had his work verified by 
assayers in Portland, Denver, Tacoma, Spokane and 
Philadelphia. He finds that the Columbia ore is not 
only a good smelting- proposition, but can be con- 
centrated and worked by the cyanide process. 

Mr. Dickinson has made eight different assays 
of the rock brought in from the mine last week. 
The rock was taken from the ledge in the tunnel, 
which at this writing is known to be more than 
four feet in width, the full extent of which is not 
known. Work in the tunnel still continues and it 
is possible that by the time this article is in print 
the ledge will ""be fully cross-cut. 

The assays made show the following values — 
No. 1, $28.94; No. 2, $12.40; No. 3, $10.31; No. 4, 
$33.41; No. 5, $18.60; No. 6, $8.27; No. 7, $22.72; 
No. 8, $20.66, making an average of about $20 across 
the entire ledge. 

This is a most gratifying showing and proves 
beyond a doubt that the Columbia will be a paying 
proposition, providing it. is properly developed. 
****** The Columbia is one of the few 
mining propositions in the state which started its 
stock on the market at the high price of five cents 
per share, and has been able to keep the price up 
to that mark all along. Stock has taken a jump 
since the strike in the tunnel, and is now selling at 
ten cents. The first block of stock put on the mar- 
ket was 100.000 shares at 5 cents per share. At 
that time the board of trustees decided that those 
who bought stock in the beginning should be al- 
lowed to buy all of the block at that price when the 
ledge was tapped, if they so desired. There are now 
only about 13,000 shares of this stock remaining 
unsold. In regard to it the trustees will keep their 
promise, so all those wishing to invest more in this 
stock should call at once. ****** ^he 
Columbia mine is advantageously situated, being 
surrounded by a fine bod}' of timber, is on Cum- 
mings creek, which will furnish ample water power 
for operating stamp mills, concentrators, electric 



3 88 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



light plants, etc. It is only twenty-five miles from 
Dayton, and a good wagon road or railroad can be 
made to the mouth of the tunnel. The ore body 
has been discovered. Now let everybody lend a 
hand in future development work, and Columbia 
county will soon have a mining camp unequaled any- 
where in the state of Washington. 

i 

Another organization was the Big Four 
Company, formed in the spring of 1899, to 
develop mines on the Tucanon river. The in- 
corporators were J. D. Israel, 'William Long, 
George Barclay, G. YV. Warwick and Charles 
Waterman. Of the Big Four mine the Co- 
Iumbia Chronicle of March 31, 1900, said: 

"Early last spring a ledge was discovered 
directly across the mountain from the Colum- 
bia. A company was organized consisting of 
several well-to-do farmers and business men 
for the purpose of developing the mine. The 
company is known as the Big Four Mining & 
Milling Company. Work was started on the 
claim and a tunnel seventy feet in length was 
run, which cross-cut a twelve-foot ledge, 
which showed values from $5 to $16 per ton 
in gold and silver. As the tunnel did not gain 
sufficient depth to fully develop the claim it 
was decided to sink a shaft on the property, 
so the tunnel was abandoned for the shaft, and 
at this time sixty feet of shaft work has been 
accomplished, besides a cross-cut of twenty- 
four feet. The shaft was sunk on one wall of 
•the ledge, and when the cross-cut was made 
water came in so fast that it was decided to 
abandon the work until the wet season is over. 
The superintendent of the Big Four is confi- 
dent that it is only a short distance to the ledge 
from the bottom of the shaft, and as soon as 
possible work will be resumed. The Big Four 
showed better values on the surface than any 
other ledge so far discovered in the district. 
It is situated one mile from the Tucanon 
creek. A fairly good road has been built to 
it and good comfortable quarters for the 
miners have been erected. * * * * The 
officers of the company are : W. E. Ayres, 



president ; J. H. Long, vice-president ; J. D. 
Israel, secretary and manager. The trustees 
are: \V. E. Ayres, C. H. Waterman, J. FL 
Long, G. F. Jackson and J. D. Israel." 

In 1899 a company was organized to pros- 
pect and develop the Alice ledge. Under the 
name of the Bonanza Mining & Milling Com- 
pany the organization was perfected. From 
surface indications it was judged that it was 
a free milling proposition, assays showing that 
it carried values running from $3 to $16 in 
gold. A number of the stockholders were 
farmers, and the original plan was to assess 
each member a certain amount, some paying 
cash, others in work on the claim. Under this 
method of development a sixty-foot tunnel was 
run, but it was estimated that a tunnel 126 
feet in length would be necessary to tap the 
ledge. To Henry Patrick was awarded the 
contract to extend the 60-foot tunnel another 
fifty feet. When 25 feet in he was notified to 
quit work. During the running of this tunnel 
several rich stringers were encountered, all 
pointing toward the main ledge, which showed 
that the mountain contained values worthy of 
the best efforts of the company. During Mr. 
Patrick's work he brought into Dayton a num- 
ber of samples of free gold. 

Between the Big Four and Bonanza mines 
were the Legal Tender and Vanadium claims. 
The Legal Tender was not incorporated and 
belonged to G. S. Watson, of Columbia coun- 
ty, and J. H. Watson,. of Bradford, Pennsyl- 
vania. On this claim G. S. Watson, who was 
a practical miner, did about twenty-five feet of 
development work. 

The surface work of the Vanadium, an in- 
corporated claim, on the same belt as the Big 
Four, Columbia and Bonanza, assayed $12.80 
in gold, and it also contained a mineral called 
vanadium. Assayers declared that the vana- 
dium was worth $320 per ounce. Just how 
much of this exceptionally valuable mineral 
the rock contained has never been ascertained. 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



389 



The officers of this company were R. F. Stur- 
devant, president; W. H. Gilbert, vice-presi- 
dent; R. B. Brown, secretary; Dr. Miller, 
treasurer. Including W. J. Dowling the same 
gentlemen were directors of the company. 

The Ophir mine, in 1900, was owned by 
E. H. Chapman and was situated within 200 
yards of Waterman & Odell's saw mill ; two 
miles from any of the above mentioned claims. 
A shaft sixteen feet deep was sunk and rock 
from the bottom showed values of $27 per ton, 
in gold; surface rock showed $4. In the vi- 
cinity of the Ophir there were the Galena and 
sevdral other prospects in various stages of 
development, all of which showed values of 
considerable worth for surface indications. Of 
the Gold Standard and other claims the Chron- 
icle of March 31, 1900, said: 

1 

The Gold Standard mine is owned by the Tuc- 
anon Mining Company, and is on the Pan Jab, ten 
miles beyond any of the other mines mentioned. 
On this claim a fifty-foot tunnel has been run, a 
good cabin erected and a trail made to it. After 
running the tunnel the company ran out of money 
and work was stopped, although the ledge was 
thought to be within 25 feet of the end of the tun- 
nel. Early in the fall a sum of money was sub- 
scribed toward extending the tunnel, but owing to 



the ill-health of the man entrusted to see after the 
work, it has not been performed. The wall rock 
of this claim carries good values, as does the ledge 
on the surface. There is no reason to believe that 
the ledge will not prove as valuable as any in the 
camp with proper development. The officers of the 
company are C. B. Woodworth, A. Roth, Goldsmith 
Hammer, of Huntsville, W. O. Matzger and C. H. 
Waterman. 

There are several other promising prospects in 
the Pan Tab district, such as the Cracker Jack, the 
Annie May, the Buckhorn and the Black Diamond. 
Here is a list of prospects in the Tucanon district 
that shows more uniform values than any other min- 
ing camp, with the same number of claims, ever 
before discovered in the state of Washington. 
There are no claims either in Rossland, Sumpter, 
Okanogan, Buffalo Hump or Republic Camp that 
can surpass the showing made on the Tucanon in 
the same length of time. Neither can any of these 
camps make the same surface showing at any stage 
of development work. Dayton has a great oppor- 
tunity unfolding to her to become a city of the first 
class. Will she develop the resources of her county, 
build wagon and railroads to the mines, or will she 
allow some other fellow to come in and hog the pot? 
This is the situation of today. 

Some development work has been done on 
these mines since 1900, and one or two of the 
properties are further advanced than indicated 
by the Chronicle. But for several years very 
little development work has been done. 



CHAPTER VII 



POLITICAL 



The Washington Territorial Legislature of 
1875 passed a bill authorizing the creation of 
Columbia county, comprising that portion of 
Walla Walla county territory now embracing 
Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties. By 
the provisions of this measure F. G. Frary, 
Eliel Oliver and George T. Pollard were 
named as county commissioners. The bill 
provided, also, for a special election to be called 
by the commissioners to elect other officers of 



the county. November 29, 1875, the commis- 
sioners met, and again on the following day. 
They named Tuesday, December 21, 1875, as 
the date for holding Columbia county's initial 
election. Here is the official order for this 
election passed by the county commissioners 
at their session, November 30th: 

"Ordered that a special election be held in 

. Columbia county, Washington Territory, on 

Tuesday, December 21, 1875, for the purpose 



39° 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



of electing the following officers, viz : One 
sheriff, one auditor, one treasurer, one asses- 
sor, one probate judge, three county commis- 
sioners, one school superintendent, one county 
surveyor and one coroner. Which election 
will be opened at nine o'clock, and will con- 
tinue until six o'clock in the afternoon of the 
same day." 

For this election Columbia county was di- 
vided into eight precincts. The names of 
these, the voting places and the officers of elec- 
tion were as follows : 

Dayton Precinct — Polling place, Dayton; 
Elisha Ping, inspector, and John K. Rainwater 
and George W. Miller, judges; \V. O. Matz- 
ger and J. \Y. Range, clerks. 

Independent Precinct — Polling place lnass 
school house; Leroy W. Brown, inspector, and 
Thomas Hollowell and Lewis Cox, judges; 
Samuel H. Reed and B. Haskins, clerks. 

Patit Precinct — Polling place the log 
school house near A. Walker's; J. C. Taylor, 
inspector; William Hazen and R. P. Steen, 
judges; A. E. McCall and J. F. Gordon, 
clerks. 

Tucanon Precinct — Polling place at Plat- 
ter school house; O. P. Platter, inspector; Wil- 
liam Sweany and Henry B. Day, judges; C. P. 
Griffith and Lewis Cronley, clerks. 

Pataha Precinct — Polling place at J. M. 
Pomeroy's; James L. Bounds and J. A. Ogle,- 
judges; J. S. Milam and C. A. McCabe, clerks. 

Calloway Precinct — Polling place at Cen- 
tral school house; Jacob Hastings, inspector; 
Robert Story and J. N. Harkleroad, judges; 
George Greer and Demick Zemel, clerks. 

Asotin Precinct — Polling place at "the 
usual voting place;" Daniel Favor, inspector; 
W. L. Freeman and James McGuire, judges; 
G. Walker and J. Greenfield, clerks. 

Touchet Precinct — Polling place, Wash- 
ington school house ; J. B. Shrum, inspector ; 
John Fudge and William H. Starr, judges; B. 
F. Thompson and G. T. Pollard, clerks. 

At this election there were 566 votes cast, 



raking the vote of the probate judge as a stand- 
ard, more votes having been cast for this offi- 
cer than for any other, making on the usual 
basis of four inhabitants to each voter, a pop- 
ulation of 2,264 persons, all told, within the 
iimits of the county. The official vote of this 
election, according to the canvass made by the 
commissioners on December 23d, was : 

For Assessor — J. S. Milam, 267; R. F. 
Ellis, 205; S. L. Gilbreath, 277; J. S. 
Milam, 1. 

For Auditor — A. J. Cain, 369; S. C. Day, 
150; W. O. Matzger, I. 

For Treasurer — D. C. Guernsey, 297 ; 
William Hendershott, 250. 

For Assessor — J. S. Milan, 267; R. F. 
Walker. 298. 

For Probate Judge — William Ayers, 283; 
R. F. Sturdevant, 283. 

For County Commissioners — E. McDon- 
ald. 316; J. Harris, 349; H. B. Bateman, 285; 
E. Oliver, 205 ; John Fudge, 272 ; T. J. Hol- 
lowell, 269; R. F. Walker, 1. 

For School Superintendent — T. S. Leon- 
ard, 357; R. H. Wills, 206. 

For Surveyor — William Ewing, 305 ; J. S. 
Dennison, 257. 

For Coroner — W. W. Day, 344; J. H. 
Kennedy, 209. 

The vote for probate judge being a tie the 
commissioners declared "no election" for that 
office. January 4, 1876, the commissioners 
disregarded the claims of both candidates and 
appointed Robert H. Wills to that office. Wills 
later resigned and R. F. Sturdevant was ap- 
pointed. January 1, 1876, the newly elected 
commissioners, Joseph Harris, E. McDonnell 
and H. B. Bateman, took the oath of office and 
entered upon the discharge of their duties. 
Joseph Harris was chosen chairman. Within 
the next few days the other county officers 
gave bonds and were sworn in. They were 
S. L. Gilbreath, sheriff; D. C. Guernsey, treas- 
urer; R. F. Walker, assessor; T. S. Leonard, 
school superintendent; William Ewing, sur- 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



39i 



veyor; W. W. Day, coroner, and Robert H. 
Wills, probate judge. 

At the general election, November 7, 1876, 
the following county officers were elected : 

Sheriff, R. P. Steen, democrat; treasurer, 
D. C. Guernsey, republican ; auditor, O. C. 
White, republican; probate judge, J. E. Mc- 
Leran; assessor, Alonzo L. Sanford; surveyor, 
L. E. Truax ; coroner, J. H. Kennedy ; school 
superintendent, J. E. Edmiston. Judge Mc- 
Leran resigned August 12, 1878, and Thomas 
H. Crawford was appointed. 

At the November election of 1876 there 
were polled 741 votes, which would swell the 
population of Columbia county to 2,964, an 
increase during the year of 704. In this elec- 
tion J. P. Judson, democratic candidate for 
delegate to congress, received 385 to 342 votes 
for his republican opponent, Orange Jacobs, a 
majority of 43 in Columbia county. 

In November, 1877, the Territorial Legis- 
lature enacted a measure providing for a spe- 
cial election to be held April 9, 1878, to choose 
delegates to a constitutional convention. This 
was to be held in Walla Walla the second 
Tuesday in June of the same year. The vote 
of Columbia county for delegates for the Ter- 
ritory at large was divided as follows : O. F. 
Gerrish, 192; A. J. Cain, 179; Harper, 147; 
W. A. George, 149; S. M. Gilmore, 152; Ed- 
ward Eldridge, 152; E. Ping, 2. 

The vote of the county on judicial offices 
of the district were: First Judicial District: 
Mace, 202; Cain, 1; S. M. Wait, 145. Council 
District: James V. Odell, 195; James Ewart, 
153. For railroad tax, 10; against railroad 
tax, 171. 

Fifteen delegates to the constitutional con- 
vention were chosen from Washington, and 
one from Idaho Territory, the latter to have no 
voice in the deliberations. This election called 
out about one-half the popular vote of the Ter- 
ritory. 

In the meantime the work of framing a 
constitution had been pushed forward. The 



delegates to the convention were as follows : 
W. A. George, of Walla Walla; Edward Eld- 
ridge, of Whatcom; S. M. Gilmore, Klickitat; 
S. M. Wait, Columbia; B. F. Dennison, rep- 
resenting the second judicial district; C. H. 
Larrabee, third judicial district; C. M. Brad- 
shaw, Jefferson ; Henry B. Emery, Kitsap ; L. 
B. Andrews, King; D. B. Hannah, Pierce; 
Frank Henry, Thurston; A. S. Abernethy, 
Cowlitz; G. H. Steward, Clark; O. P. Lacy, 
Walla Walla; J. V. O'Dell, Whitman; Alonzo 
Leland, Nez Perce county, Idaho. 

June 11, 1878, these delegates assembled 
at Science Hall in the city of Walla Walla, and 
were called to order by W. A. George. A 
temporary organization was effected by the 
election of A. S. Abernethy as president of the 
convention. The committee on credentials 
made its report, after which the convention 
was permanently organized with the following 
officers : A. S. Abernethy, president ; W. B. 
Ddniels and William Clark, secretaries, and 
Henry D. Cook, sergeant-at-arms. The con- 
vention continued in session for a period of 
40 clays, and within this time had framed a 
constitution to be submitted to the people for 
ratification or rejection at the next general 
election to be held in November, 1878. It is 
recorded that but very little enthusiasm was 
manifested in this subject, the vote on the 
issue falling 3,000 short of that cast for dele- 
gate to congress. In favor of the consti- 
tution 6,462 votes were cast, and against the 
same, 3,231. Many were apathetic in the 
matter by reason of the fact that they consid- 
ered the adoption of the constitution somewhat 
premature and felt that no genuine results 
could be obtained at this time. The vote of 
Columbia county was 426 for and 513 against. 

The Columbia county republican conven- 
tion to place in the field candidates for county 
and legislative offices, in 1878, convened at 
Dayton, Friday', September 27th. M. W. 
Mitchell was temporary chairman; J. Lynch, 
temporary secretary. A permanent organiza- 



39 2 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



tion was perfected by the selection of J. M. 
Pomeroy, chairman; J. Lynch was continued 
as permanent secretary. The different pre- 
cincts in the county and the delegates who par- 
ticipated in the convention were : 

Coppei, i — Not represented. 

Dayton, 9 — D. C. Guernsey, T. M. May, 
M. W. Mitchell, D. B. Petti John, James S. 
Davis, D. B. Kimball, R. G. Newland, J. A. 
Starner, J. K. Rainwater. 

McKay, 1 — Not represented. 

Highland, 2 — Not represented. 

Pomeroy, 33. — B. B. Day (by proxy W. C. 
Potter), J. M. Pomeroy. W. C. Potter. 

Columbia, 3 — Jay Lynch, T. J. Mewhin- 
ney. S. W. Allen. 

Asotin, 1 — Not represented. 

River. 1 — Not represented. 

Bunday, 3 — William Carter. Benjamin 
Haskins. 

Tucannon, 1 — W. H. Watson. 

Harmony, 3 — W. W. Sherry, A. L San- 
ford, Mat Hunter. 

Marengo, 1 — Not represented. 

Pataha, 3 — Not represented. 

Pleasant, 2 — Not represented. 

Cottonwood, 2 — J. J. Kenoyer, J. D. 
Swaine. 

The following resolutions were adopted : 

"Resolved, That we are in favor of the 
extension of time to the Northern Pacific rail- 
road by congress, but on the express condition 
that the land along the unfinished portion of 
the road shall be sold to actual settlers on the 
same terms that other government lands are 
sold in the same vicinity. 

"Resolved, That we are opposed to any 
dismemberment of our Territory, and that we 
are in favor of an immediate state gov- 
ernment. 

"Resolved, That we are in favor of the 
annexation of Nez Perce, Idaho and Shos- 
hone counties, in the Territory of Idaho, to 
this Territory, whether we become a state or 
remain a territory." 



The following ticket was placed in nomi- 
nation : 

For representatives — T. C. Frary and D. 

C. Guernsey. Auditor: O. C. White. County 
commissioners : A. Blackman, W. M. Sherry, 

D. B. Pettijohn. Treasurer: H. H. Wolfe. 
Sheriff: A. L. Sanford. School superintend- 
ent: F. M. McCully. Probate judge: J. A. 
Starner. Coroner : Dr. W. W. Day. Asses- 
sor : T. J. Mewhinney. Surveyor : E. D. 
Miner. 

Saturday, October 5th was held, at Day- 
ton, the democratic county and legislative con- 
vention. For the various offices there was no 
lack of candidates, and considerable skirmish- 
ing was had before the selection of a complete 
ticket. These were the nominations : 

Representatives — Joseph Harris, Lewis 
Neace. 

Auditor — J. W. Jessee. 

County Commissioners — E. Oliver, H. 
Bateman, A. C. Short. 

Treasurer — L. E. Harris. 

Sheriff— R. P. Steen. 

School Superintendent — William Wills. 

Probate— M. H. Abbott. 

Coroner — Dr. A. Shoue. 

Assessor— W. H. Bogan. 

Surveyor — A. T. Beall. 

At the November election of 1878 there 
were cast 1,211 votes in Columbia county for 
the head of the ticket. With the exception of 
one county commissioner and the sheriff the 
republicans elected every one of their candi- 
dates on the county ticket. The official vote : 

For Delegate to Congress — Thomas H. 
Brents, Rep., 632; N. T. Caton, Dem., 579. 

For Prosecuting Attorney, First District, 
comprising Columbia, Walla Walla, Whitman, 
Stevens and Yakima Counties — R. F. Stufde- 
vant. Rep., 783; W. G. Langford, Dem., 437. 

For .Brigadier General — Captain J. H 
Smith, Rep., 555; George Hunter, Dem., 622. 

For Joint Councilman — C. H. Montgom- 
ery, Rep.. 509; L. M. Ringer, Dem., 693. 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



393 



• For Representatives — T. C. Frary, Rep., 
647; Lewis Neace, Dem., 530. D. C. Guern- 
sey, Rep., 740; Joseph Harris, Dem., 477. 

For County Commissioners — A. Black- 
man, Rep., 562 ; E. Oliver, Dem., 635 ; W. W. 
Sherry, Rep., 625; A. C. Short, Dem., 558; 
D. B. Pettijohn, Rep., 613; H. Bateman, 
Dem., 578. 

For Sheriff — A. L. Sanford, Rep., 452 ; R. 
P. Steen, Dem., 739. 

For Probate Judge — J. A. Starner, Rep., 
629; M. H. Abbott, Dem., 553. 

For Auditor— O. C. White, Rep., 699; J. 
W. Jessee, Dem., 508. 

For Treasurer — H. H. Wolfe, Rep., 635 ; 
L. E. Harris, Dem., 491. 

For Assessor — T. J. Mewhinney, Rep., 
602; W. H. Boggan, Dem., 583. 

For Surveyor — E. D. Miner, Rep., 667; 
A. T. Beall, Dem., 527. 

For School Superintendent — F. M. Mc- 
Cully, Rep., 658; William Wills, Dem., 543. 

For Coroner — W. W. Day, Rep., 637; A. 
Shoue, Dem., 533. 

For adoption of state constitution, 426; 
against, 513. 

The republican county convention of 1880 
was held at Dayton, August 28th. W. C. Pot- 
ter was made chairman and W. A. Belcher 
served as secretary. There were several can- 
didates for nearly all the offices and the con- 
test was, naturally, quite spirited. The follow- 
ing were named as members of the county 
central committee : T. M. May, L. R. Haw- 
ley, T. J. Mewhinney, J. D. Swain, J. M. Gale,. 
William H. Watson and J. M. Pomeroy. 

This was followed, at the same place, Sep- 
tember 4th, by the democratic convention at 
which a full ticket was placed in the field. The 
county central committee selected were D. 
Lamb, Willis Baldwin, J. B. Dick, J. F. Gor- 
don, Dr. J. Clark, H. B. Bateman and Thomas 
Trent. This campaign was hotly contested 
and when the results were known it became 
evident that it was close. The head of the 



ticket was the delegate to congress. Thomas 
H. Brents, republican, received for this office 
757 votes and was elected. His majority over 
his democratic opponent was 50. For coun- 
cilman the democratic candidate was but little 
less fortunate, winning by 15 majority. In 
the face of this the candidate for joint council- 
man was defeated by 25, by his republican op- 
ponent. Two democrats and one republican 
were elected to the lower house of the legis- 
lature by small majorities. The county ticket 
was about equally divided between the two 
parties. The official vote: 

For Congress — Thomas H. Brents, Rep., 
757; Thomas Burke, Dem., 707. 

For Joint Councilman — A. H. Butler, 
Rep., 742; J. Hoover, Dem., 717. 

For CounQilman — R. G. Newland, Rep., 
687 ; George Hunter, Dem., 702 ; John Mus- 
tard, 1. 

For Representatives — W. O. Matzger, 
Rep., 713; D. T. Welch, Rep., 721; William 
Clark, Rep., 728; R. P. Sjeen, Dem., 724; W. 
L. Freeman, Dem., 728; W. J. Boggan, Dem., 
627. 

For Sheriff — John Mustard, Rep., 719; 
George D. Gibson. Dem., 709. 

For Auditor — Jay Lynch, Rep., 647; J. 
W. Jessee, Dem., 781. 

For County Commissioners — W. W. 
Sherry, Rep., 718; Casper Plummer, Rep., 
732; Henry Victor, Rep., 712; J. L. Bounds, 
Dem., 707; George Walker, Dem., 705; Allen 
Embree, Dem., 717; William Freeman, 1; W. 
J. Boggan, 1. 

For Prosecuting Attorney — W. C. Potter, 
Rep., 606; J. K. Rutherford, Dem.. 810. 

For Probate Judge — J. A. Starner, Rep., 
714; Walter F. Jones, Dem., 714. 

For Treasurer— F. C. Miller, Rep., 725; 
D. D. Bunnell, Dem., 714. 

For Assessor — T. J. Mewhinney, Rep., 
722; J. F. Gordon, Dem., 704. 

For School Superintendent — F. M. Mc- 
Cully, Rep., 820; F. W. D. Mays, Dem., 592. 



394 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



For Surveyor — E. D. Miner, Rep., 768; 
A. T. Beall, Dem., 666. 

For Coroner — W. W. Day, Rep., 674; Dr. 
J. Clark, Dem., 755; Dr. Funk, 1. 

For Sheep Commissioner — G. H. Bartges, 
Rep.. 714; Charles McCabe, Dem., 715. 

For fence law, 948 ; against, 260. 

The tie vote between J. A. Starner and 
Walter F. Jones, candidates for probate judge, 
was decided by lot. The auditor placed twelve 
slips of paper in envelopes, with the words, 
"probate judge" on eleven of the slips, the 
twelfth being blank. These envelopes were 
placed in a hat and well shaken. They were 
to draw alternately, but Jones, winning the 
first draw, secured the blank and this at once 
ended the contest. 

At the time Garfield was severed from Co- 
lumbia county, in 1881, there was no little 
speculation concerning the political complex- 
ion of the territory left to the old county. An 
analysis of the vote for adjutant general at 
the election of 1880 showed that within that 
particular territory remaining to Columbia 
county there had been cast 419 republican, and 
450 democratic votes, making the county dem- 
ocratic by the narrow margin of 31 votes. 

D. C. Guernsey was temporary chairman 
of the republican county convention held at 
Dayton, September 16, 1882. Permanent or- 
ganization was effected by the election of S. 
M. Wait, chairman, and D. C. Guernsey, sec- 
retary. The new republican county central 
committee named were O. C. White, R. F. 
Sturdevant and John Brining. There were 
spirited contests on the floor for nearly all the 
offices. Delegates elected to the republican 
Territorial convention were : O. C. White, 
George Eckler, T. M. May. D. C. Guernsey, 
R. F. Sturdevant, J. F. Kirby, A. L. Jinnett, 
Isaac Carson and John Fudge. 

September 30th the democrats convened at 
the same place. It was rather more harmoni- 
ous than had been the proceedings of the re- 
publicans. There was little opposition to the 



candidates placed in nomination. W. S. Kin- 
ney served as chairman, and A. E. McCall as 
secretary. The democratic central committee 
named were D. Lamb, S. L. Gilbreath, L. W. 
Watrous, A. E. McCall, L. D. Drake, T. W. 
Whetstone and A. J. James. Delegates to the 
Territorial constitutional convention placed in 
nomination were : J. W. Jessee, J. E. Edmis- 
ton, L. D. Drake, J. F. Gordon and Dr. G. J. 
Hill. 

There were cast at this election in Colum- 
bia county 1,135 votes, of which Dayton 
polled 776. There was little enthusiasm. Fol- 
lowing is the official vote showing an average 
plurality for the democrats, as but few repub- 
lican candidates were elected: 

For Congressional Delegate — Thomas 
Burke, Dem., 673; Thomas H. Brents, Rep., 
442. 

For Joint Councilman; Walla Walla, 
Whitman, Columbia and Garfield Counties — 
J. E. Edmiston, Dem., 609; T. M. May. Rep., 

503- 

For Joint Councilman ; Columbia and 
Garfield Counties — N. T. Caton, Dem., 568; 
H. H. Spaulding, Rep., 544. 

For Representative — E. Ping, Dem., 568 ; 
R. G. Newland, Rep., 544. 

For Joint Representative — A. E. McCall, 
Dem., 479; John Brining, Rep., 611. 

For Sheriff — J. H. Hosier, Dem., 642; 
John W. Holman, Rep., 459. 

For Auditor — J. W. Jessee, Dem., 571 ; D. 
B. Kimball, Rep., 539. 

For Probate Judge — John Y. Ostrander, 
Dem., 586; W. H. Kuhn, Rep., 508. 

For County Commissioners — E. Bird, 
Dem., 625; E. Crouch, Dem., 562; J. F. 
Kirby, Rep., 601; J. M. McKellips, Dem., 
548 ; W. W. Sherry, Rep., 509 ; W. R. Cahill, 
Rep., 464. The first three were elected. 

For Prosecuting Attorney — J. K. Ruther- 
ford, Dem., 583; W. A. George, Rep., 511. 

For Treasurer — George Crossler, Dem.. 
525; F. C. Miller, Rep., 576. 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



395 



For Assessor — J. F. Gordon, Dem., 547; 
Henry Hunter, Rep., 548. 

For School Superintendent — Miss Julia 
Newkirk, Dem., 619; R. O. Hawks, Rep., 474. 

For Surveyor — E. D. Miner, Rep., 635. 

For Coroner — Dr. J. Clarke, Dem., 583; 
Dr. H. F. McCornack, Rep., 513. 

For Sheep Commissioner — Oscar E. 
Mack, Dem., 498; G. H. Bartges, Rep., 545. 

For Court House, 255 ; against, 447. 

The election of 1882 had clearly shown 
that Columbia county was, politically, debat- 
able ground. Consequently the campaign of 
1884 opened up with no little vim and enthu- 
siasm- Saturday, August 16th, the democrat's 
assembled at Dayton in convention with W. 
E. Ayers as chairman, and Frank Gordon, sec- 
retary. For the different offices candidates 
were numerous. Following was the delega- 
tion to the democratic Territorial convention : 
J. C. Mays, Levi Watrous, E. C. Crouch, J. 
Y. Ostrander, E. Ping, F. Gordon, W. Bald- 
win and A. Price. In the selection of a county 
central committee the following were named : 
E. C. Crouch, D. M. Vaughn, A. Price, John 
Warwick, S. Bramlett and S. H. Prather. A 
full county ticket was placed in the field. 

Fourteen days later the republicans came 
together at Drake's Opera House, Dayton, to 
place a ticket in the field, which they did. O. 
C. White was elected temporary chairman, 
and E. T. Wilson and F. M. McCully, secreta- 
ries. This organization was subsequently 
made permanent. Although there were a 
number of candidates for the different offices, 
on the whole the convention was fairly har- 
monious. The delegates selected to the Ter- 
ritorial convention were : E. T. Wilson, T. 
M. May, O. C. White, D. C. Guernsey, R. G. 
Newland and R. L. Dashiell. The county cen- 
tral committee named were : T. M. May, Mrs. 
K. C. Eckler, John Fudge, J. W. Fields, R. 
R. Vannice, J. S. Pearson, Conrad Knobloch, 
Abel White, J. S. Davis, William King, J. M. 
Skelton, and Bardolph. 



For a variety of reasons the general elec- 
tion of 1884 was one which created a great deal 
of interest throughout Columbia county. As 
had been shown by the election of 1882 the 
county was, politically, nearly equally divided 
and this year each party made strenuous efforts 
to secure control of the county offices, and 
around these the fight waged fast and fu- 
rious. Especially was this true of the posi- 
tions of representative, sheriff, auditor and 
probate judge. At this election woman suff- 
rage went into effect for the first time. Of 
course this added considerably to the uncer- 
tainty of results while increasing the interest. 
The total number of votes cast was 1,980, a 
gain of 855 over two years previous, a part of 
which gain was the ladies' vote. The town of 
Dayton polled 1,264 °f the total vote, 364 of 
which were cast by the ladies. The Repub- 
licans elected the auditor, all the commission- 
ers, prosecuting attorney, treasurer, assessor, 
school superintendent, sheep commissioner and 
gave majorities for joint councilmen and one 
joint representative. . The Democrats carried 
the county for the head of the ticket — delegate 
to congress — gave a large majority for one 
joint councilman, and elected the candidiates 
for representative, sheriff, probate judge, sur- 
veyor and coroner. Following is the official 
vote : 

For Congress — -J. M. Armstrong, Rep., 
959; C. S. Voorhees, Dem., 1,015. 

For Joint Councilman — B. B. Day, Rep., 
1,002; S. L. Gilbraith, Dem., 936. 

For Joint Councilman — Isaac Carson, 
Rep., 869; C. H. Warner, Dem., 1,043. 

For Representative — R. G. Newland, Rep., 
960; A. E. McCall, Dem., 977. 

For Joint Representative — S. A. Wells. 
Rep., 1,002; W. N. Harper, Dem., 948. 

For sheriff — John Mustard, Rep.. 919; J. 
H. Hosier, Dem., 1,013. 

For Auditor — J. A. Kellogg, Rep., 1,069; 
J. T. Burns, Dem.. 868. 

For County Commissioners — J. W. Fields. 



396 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



Rep., 1,055; W. R. Marquiss, Rep., 1,050; 
John Fudge, Rep., 1,022; Alex Bundy, Dem., 
915; O. E. Mack, Dem., 828; D. M. Vaughn, 
Dem., 941. 

For Prosecuting Attorney — R. F. Sturde- 
vent, Rep., 1,020. 

For Probate Judge — L. J. Whitcomb, Rep., 
936; J. Y. Ostrander, Dem., 997. 

For Treasurer — F. C. Miller, Rep., 975; 
George Crossler, Dem., 956. 

For Assessor — Garrett Romaine, Rep.. 
990; William Avers, Dem., 952. 

For School Superintendent — R. O Hawks, 
Rep., 1,106; James Austin, Dem.. 819. 

For Surveyor — E. D. Miner. Rep., 855; 
W. McBride, Dem., 1.056. 

For Coroner — H. F. McCornack, Rep., 
954; E. H. Van Patten, Dem.. 987. 

For Sheep Commissioner — H. B. Day, 
Rep., 1,040; David Wood, Dem., 886. 

For Court House, 986 ; against, 588. 

For Church Tax. 802; against, 701. 

September 18. 1886. the Democratic 
county convention was held at Dayton. E. C. 
Crouch, temporary chairman ; J. B. Redford, 
temporary secretary. Subsequently J. K. 
Rutherford was made temporary chairman. 
This convention, which did not excite an un- 
due amount of interest at the time, was fol- 
lowed by some rather sensational results. There 
were made certain efforts to force some of the 
candidates from the ticket; there were other 
nominees who desired most earnestly to have 
their names removed. The count)' central 
committee named at this gathering were : C. 
A. De Saussure, D. K. Pearce, Mrs. J. C. 
Mays, Allen Embree and Benjamin Turner. 

October 2, with J. C. Dorr as chairman and 
F. W. Agatz secretary, the Republicans came 
together at Dayton in a similar assembly. 
There were spirited contests for the nomina- 
tions of superintendent of schools, assessor, 
treasurer, sheriff and representative. The other 
places on the ticket were filled by acclamation. 
The central committee named were : John 



Brining, Jacob Rainwater, J. F. Kirby, S. J. 
Lowe, John Eccles, W. S. Wooten, A. L. Jin- 
nett, Thomas Throssell, J. M. Skelton, Samuel 
Johnston, C. M. Grupe, I. H. Malone, R. G. 
Newland, Abel White, J. W. Fields and A. 
Rockhill. 

This convention was also followed by at 
least one unexpected result. This was the an- 
nouncement made by R. G. Newland, who had 
been defeated for the nomination for repre- 
sentative, that he would run as an independent 
candidate. October 9 the Prohibition county 
convention was held at Dayton. Stirring res- 
olutions wer passed favoring prohibition, equal 
suffrage and declaring for the repeal of the 
"gross earnings law."' The conventions did not 
place in nomination candidates for county of- 
fices, but indorsed R. G. Newlands, the inde- 
pendent candidate for representative. 

The campaign of 1886 resulted in the elec- 
tion of every Republican candidate in Columbia 
county with the exception of the probate judge. 
For delegate to congress Charles S. Voorhees 
again carried the county, his majority being 
34. William Ayers, Democratic candidate for 
joint councilman for the counties of Columbia, 
Garfield and Asotin, carried Columbia county 
against his Republican opponent, O. C. White, 
by a majority of 198. Mr. White received 
large majorities in Garfield and Asotin coun- 
ties, however, and was elected. While con- 
siderable "scratching" was done there were 
more straight party ballots cast than ever be- 
fore in the county's history. The total strength 
of the county, as shown by the vote for dele- 
gate to congress, was 1,914. The official vote: 

For Delegate to Congress — C. M. Brad- 
shaw, Rep., 940; C. S. Voorhees, Dem., 974. 

For Joint Councilman — O. C. White, Rep., 
855; William Ayers, Dem., 1,053. 

For Representative — George Eckler, Rep., 
725; Joel. Hall, Dem., 577; R. G. Newland, 
Ind., 571. 

For Sheriff — W. R. Marquiss, Rep., 1,094; 
M. A. Cavanaugh, Dem., 811. 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



397 



For Auditor — Jay A. Kellogg, Rep., 1,179; 
J. W. Stearns, Dem., 716. 

For County Commissioners — John Fudge, 
Rep., 990; J. W. Fields, Rep., 1,024; D. W. 
Gritman, Rep., 946; Alex Price, Dem., 946; 
J. M. Shoemaker, Dem., 900; Taylor Hayes, 
Dem., 915. 

For Prosecuting Attorney — C. R. Dorr, 
Rep., 927; J. E. Edmiston, Dem., 863. 

For Probate Judge — F. G. Frary, Rep., 
893; J. H. Gough, Dem., 1,014. 

For Treasurer — F. C. Miller, Rep., 1,054; 
T. Dittemore, Dem., 857. • 

For Assessor — Garrett Romaine, Rep., 
1,038; John B. Redford, Dem., 859. 

For School Superintendent — R. O. 
Hawkes, Rep., 1,002; J. L. Dumas, Dem., 907. 

For Surveyor — John Patrick, Rep., 1,024; 
D. W. McMorris, Dem., 866. 

For Coroner — Dr. E. Bories, Rep., 967; 
Dr. E. H. Van Patten, Dem., 942. 

For Sheep Commissioner — Henry B. Day, 
Rep., 989; W. A. Montgomery, Dem., 918. 

The election was followed by a political 
complication, owing to the fact that D. W. 
Gritman and Alexander Price had each re- 
ceived the same number of votes — 946. The 
Territorial legislative session of 1885-6 had 
passed an act requiring counties to be divided 
into three commissioner districts, and for the 
election of one from each district, although all 
voters in the county voted for all three of the 
candidates for commissioner. Previous to 
this the law had provided that candidates for 
commissioner might be elected without refer- 
ence to their places of residence in the county. 
This condition is fully explained by Prosecut- 
ing Attorney Sturdevant in his reply to the 
board of commissioners, by whom the ques- 
tion had been submitted to him. Mr. Sturde- 
vant said : 

Dayton, W. T., Nov. 13, 1886. 
To the County Commissioners of Columbia County, 
At your request I give the following as my opinion 
of the law in relation to the question as to whether Al- 



exander. Price or D. W. Gritman is elected commis- 
sioner for this county: I am informed that at the late 
election each of said men was a candidate for said of- 
fice, and that each received the same number of votes, 
and that they reside in different commissioner districts 
of the county. Mr. Gritman received a majority over 
his competitor in his district, and Mr. Price did not re- 
ceive a majority in his district over his competitor. The 
statute provides that no two commissioners shall be 
elected from the same district. 

It is, therefore, my opinion that Mr. Gritman is the 
legally elected county commissioner. Yours respect- 
fully, R. F. Sturdevant, 

Prosecuting Attorney. 

The Republican county convention preced- 
ing the campaign of 1888 was held at Dayton, 
September 1. Proceedings throughout were 
harmonious ; George Eckler was chosen chair- " 
man and R. O. Hawks, secretary. The dele- 
gates selected to attend the Territorial conven- 
tion were: J. Fudge, J. F. Kirby, C. C. Gar- 
rett, L. W. Cantrill, George Eckler, F. M. 
Morgan, W. H. H. Fouts, O. C. White, G. 
Romaine and Frank Porter. The county cen- 
tral committee named wer: W. H. H. Fouts, 
chairman; T. M. May, C. Knoblock, R. O. 
Hawks, A. P. Cahill, F. M. Morgan, H. C. 
Griffith, J. C. Lewis, J. S. Lowe, J. F. Logs- 
don, J. W. Fields, W. S. Wooten, J. B. Mc- 
Kinley, Thomas Throssell, William Marlatt 
and J. R. Crawford. 

September 15 ithe Democrats followed 
suit with a convention at Dayton, over which 
W. A. Newman presided; A. B. Thompson, 
secretary. Having named a full ticket the fol- 
lowing county central committee was selected : 
A. B. Thompson, chairman; J. H. Chastain, 
G. E. Barclay, J. B. Wilson, John Boldman, 
J. A. Thronson, John Agee, William Sweeney, 
A. E. McCall, H. B. Bateman, W. E. Ayers. 
and W. A. Maxwell. 

A quieter election day, November 6, 1888, 
was never known in Columbia county, and the 
vote polled was comparatively light. The 
county, polled 1,351 votes, a loss of 563 since 
the election of 1886, clue to a great extent to 
the absence of the women's vote, the woman 



398 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY 



suffrage law having, in the meantime, been 
declared unconstitutional. The vote of Dayton 
was 642, a loss of 342. The result was almost 
a complete reversal from that of 1886. The 
Republicans at this election secured the aud- 
itor, sheriff and one commissioner, the Dem- 
ocrats electing the rest and giving majorities 
for their candidate for delegate to congress, 
for joint councilman, representative and the 
territorial ticket. The Prohibition candidate 
for delegate to congress received 15 votes in 
Columbia county. The official vote : 

For Delegate to Congress — John B. Allen, 
Rep., 664; C. S. Voorhees, Dem., 665. 

For Joint Councilman (Columbia, Gar- 
field and Asotin)— D. T. Welch, Rep., 594; M. 
M. Godman, Dem.. y^^,. 

For Representative — L. W. Cantrill, Rep., 
647; A. B. Weatherford, Dem., 689. 

For Sheriff — \Y. R. Marquiss, Rep., 702; 
Joel A. Thronson, Dem., 634. 

For Auditor — J. A. Kellogg, Rep., 707; 
Wilson McBride, Dem.. 629. 

For County Commissioners — John Fudge, 
Rep., 558: Alex. Price. Dem.. 768; W. H. 
Gleason, Rep., 645; Daniel Lyons, Dem., 707; 
J. C. Lewis, Rep.. 712; J. R. Ware, Dem., 
600. 

For Prosecuting Attorney — C. R. Dorr. 
Rep., 616; E. H. Fox., Dem., 708. 

For Probate Judge — C. C. Garrett, Rep., 
536: J. H. Gough. Dem., 796. 

For Treasurer — W. H. H. Fonts. Rep., 
647; Charles J. Broughton, Dem., 684. 

For Assessor — G. Romaine, Rep., 604; M. 
R. Hanger, Dem., 716. 

For School Superintendent — R. O. Hawks, 
Rep.-, 663; G. S. Livingood, Dem., 673. 

For Coroner — Dr. E. Bories, Rep., 642; 
Dr. E. H. Van Patten, Dem., 668. 

For joint councilman M. M. Godman, 
Democrat, had a majority of 141 in Columbia 
county. His opponent, D. T. Welch, had a 
majority of 21 in Garfield and 53 in Asotin 
counties. 



In the spring of 1889 tne Territory of 
Washington was divided into what might be 
termed constitutional districts. There were 
twenty-five of them, and each district was en- 
titled to elect three delegates. Dis- 
trict No. 9 included all of Colum- 
bia county and the following precincts in 
Walla Walla county: Eureka Flat, Pres- 
cott, Waitsburg and Coppei. It was also pro- 
vided that while each district could elect three 
delegates, not more than two from one political 
party could serve. Consequently each party 
nominated two candidates, as a rule through- 
out the state. May 7 at Dayton the Repub- 
licans held their convention, choosing R. F. 
Sturdevant, of Dayton, and E. C. Ross, of 
Prescott, as their nominees. On the same 
clay and at the same place the Democrats as- 
sembled for a similar purpose, naming M. M. 
Godman, of Dayton, and Lewis Neace of 
Waitsburg. The election was held May 14. 
The result in the Ninth District was as fol- 
lows: E. C. Ross, Rep., 387; R. F. Sturdevant, 
Rep., 528: Lewis Neace, Dem., 703; M. M. 
Godman, Dem., 710. Accordingly Godman, 
Neace and Sturdevant, two Democrats and one 
Republican, represented the district in the con- 
stitutional convention. 

At the election of October 1, 1889, Wash- 
ington voters were called upon to decide many 
important questions, the one of the greatest 
moment being the adoption or rejection of a 
state constitution. According to the new po- 
litical regime Columbia county was entitled to 
one senator and two representatives. The 
judge of the superior court was to be elected 
between Columbia, Garfield and Asotin coun- 
ties. The Republican Columbia county con- 
vention was held at Dayton, August 31, and 
its officers were J. C. Dorr, chairman, and W. 
H. H. Fonts, secretary. The candidates placed 
in nomination were H. H. Wolfe for senator, 
H. B. Day and George Eckler for represent- 
atives, and Benton E'mbree for county clerk. 
George Eckler later withdrew and J. W. Fields 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



399 



was named. This convention instructed its 
delegates to the district judicial convention to 
work for the nomination of R. F. Sturdevant 
for superior judge. Resolutions approving 
the proposed constitution were passed and all 
Republicans were earnestly urged to support 
it at the polls. The following were selected as 
delegates to the Territorial convention : W. H. 
H. Fouts, T. M. May, J. C. Dorr, J. A. Kel- 
logg, W. R. Marquiss, D. B. Kimball, George 
Eckler and A. Nilsson. The county central 
committee named were W. H. H. Fouts, chair- 
man ; F. M. Morgan. T. W. Dodge, C. Knob- 
lock and J. C. Dorr. 

September 4th was the day on which the 
Democratic convention was held at Dayton. It 
was organized with the following temporary 
officers : Alexander Price, chairman ; J. K. 
Rutherford, secretary. The permanent organ- 
ization resulted in the selection of J. E. Ed- 
miston, chairman ; Mr. Rutherford remaining 
as secretary. By acclamation the delegates 
named the following ticket : 

Senator. Dr. E. H. Van Patten ; represent- 
atives, A. H. Weatherford and W. T. Barnes; 
county clerk, U. Z. Ellis. At the Democratic 
judicial convention later M. M. Godman was 
nominated as a candidate for superior judge. 
The following delegates to the Territorial con- 
vention were named : Cyrus Davis. M. M. 
Godman. V. D. Norman, J. E. Edmiston. A. 
B. Thompson. The county central committee 
selected were : J. P. Turner. J. K. Rutherford. 
J. F. Gordon, S. Bramlette, I. N. E. Ray-burn, 
W. Starr, C. S. Newkirk, J. J. Beauregard. 
W. George, James Shoemaker. A. O. Allen. 
J. Stearns, W. J. Scott. C. C. Lamb. W. L. 
Freeman and B. M. Turner. 

The October election, the first one held 
under a state organization, revealed the fact 
that Columbia county was. as it always had 
been, politically close. There were 1.3 14 votes 
cast for governor. For the state ticket the Re- 
publicans secured a small plurality. Other 
candidates on the two tickets were about 



equally divided between the parties. The of- 
ficial vote : 

For Congressmen — John L. Wilson. Rep., 
671 ; Thomas C. Griffiths, Dem., 648. 

For Governor — Elisha P. Ferry, Rep., 666; 
Eugene Semple, Dem., 648. 

For Lieutenant Governor — Charles E. 
Laughton, Rep.. 667; L. H. Platter, Dem., 

647. 

For Secretary of State — Allen Weir. Rep., 
667; W. H. Whittlesey, Dem., 647. 

For State Treasurer — Addison A. Linds- 
ley, Rep., 667; M. Kaufman, Dem.. 648. 

For State Auditor — Thomas M. Reed, 
Rep., 665 ; John Miller Murphy, Dem., 644. 

For Attorney General — William C. Jones, 
Rep., 670; H. J. Snively, Dem.. 647. 

For Superintendent of Public Instruction 
— Robert B. Bryan, Rep., 652 ; J. H. Morgan, 
Dem., 662. 

For Commissioner Public Lands — Wil- 
liam T. Forest, Rep.. 667; M. Z. Goodell, 
Dem. 648. 

For Judges Supreme Court — Ralph O. 
Dunbar. Rep.. 671 ; Theo. L. Stiles. Rep.. 652; 
Elmon Scott. Rep.. 609: John P. Hoyt, Rep.. 
674; Thomas J. Anders, Rep., 685; William 
H. White, Dem.. 646; B. L. Sharpstein, Dem.. 
688; J. B. Reavis, Dem., 649; John P. Judson, 
Dem., 647; Frank Ganahl, Dem., 634. 

For Judge of the Superior Court — Robert 
F. Sturdevant, Rep., 652 ; M. M. Godman. 
Dem., 652. 

For State Senator — PL H. Wolfe, Rep., 
686; E. H. Van Patten. Dem., 605. 

For Representative — H. B. Day. Rep., 
684; J.-W. Fields. Rep.. 642; A. H. Weather- 
ford. Dem., 664: W. T. Barnes, Dem.. 628. 

For County Clerk — Benton Embree, Rep.. 
651 : U. Z. Ellis. Dem.. 664. 

For Location of State Capital — North 
Yakima. 476: Ellensburg, 462; Olympia. 257: 
Dayton. 14: Pasco. 9: Yakima. 9: Walla 
Walla. 4: Tacoma. 3: Huntsville, 2: Grange 
City. 1 : Waitsburg. 1 : Skamokawa. 1. 



400 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



For the State Constitution, 468; against, 

730. 

For woman suffrage, 422; against, 816. 

For prohibition, 484; against, 745. 

September 20, 1890, a republican county 
convention was organized at Dayton, with J. 
A. Kellogg, chairman, and J. W. Dodge, sec- 
retary. Nominees for county officers were 
chosen and the following delegates to the state 
convention elected: R. G. Newland, S. J. 
Low, W. H. H. Fouts, Jay Lynch, Garrett 
Romaine, Frank Morgan, T. M. May and J. 
A. Kellogg. Central county committeemen 
were named as follows : T. M. May, James 
Elder, G. Hewitt, Frank Porter and J. Fudge. 

One week after this the democrats named 
J. E. Edmiston and A. B. Thompson as chair- 
man and secretary respectively of their county 
convention at Dayton. A full ticket was nom- 
inated by acclamation and the county central 
committee named were: W. A. Newman, J. 
P. Turner, W. A. Muncy, C. A. De Saussure 
and P. B. Bateman. 

The election of this campaign was held 
May 4, 1890. - Of the result the Columbia 
Chronicle said : 

"The result of the county election was a 
great surprise to the republican party and its 
candidates. The democrats were, also, no 
doubt equally surprised on account of receiv- 
ing such large majorities. There never was 
a more exciting election day in Columbia coun- 
ty nor a campaign in which both sides felt 
equally sure of success. Considerable money 
was put up by friends of each party, which was 
nearly all taken down by the democrats. 
* " * * * The republicans were successful in 
electing only two candidates — John Woods for 
school superintendent and J. C. Lewis for 
commissioner. The total vote, taking that cast 
for representative, as a basis, was 1,338." 

The official vote for the election of Novem- 
ber 4, 1890, was : 

For Location State Capital — Ellensburg, 
249; North Yakima, 178; Olympia, 475. 



For Congress — Robert Abernathy, Pro., 
89; Thomas Carroll, Dem., 637; John L. Wil- 
son, Rep., 550. 

For Representative — M. M. Godman, 
Dem., 760; R. G. Newland, Rep., 578. 

For County Attorney — A. P. Bond, Rep., 
618; J. E. Edmiston, Dem., 718. 

For County Clerk— U. Z. Ellis, Dem., 
733 ; J. L. Mohundro, Rep., 597. 

For Auditor — J. H. Gough, Dem., 797; 
W. H. Kuhn, Rep., 532. 

For Sheriff — Joel A. Thronson, Dem., 
729; F. L. Wait, Rep., 629. 

For Treasurer — W. E. Ayers, Dem., 726 ; 
H. H. Wolfe, Rep., 617. 

For Commissioner, First District — Daniel 
Calkins, Rep., 590; I. N. E. Rayburn, Dem., 
702. 

For Commissioner, Second District — J. F. 
Gordon, Dem., 587; John C. Lewis, Rep., 688. 

For Commissioner, Third District — Dan- 
iel Lyons, Dem., 695 ; W. D. Wallace, Rep., 
588. 

For School Superintendent — G. S. Livin- 
good, Dem., 664; John Woods, Rep., 666. 

For Assessor — W. J. Honeycutt, Dem., 
840; W. S. Wooten, Rep., 491. 

For Surveyor — Wilson McBride, Dem., 

905- 

For Coroner — W. W. Day, Rep., 582; E. 
H. Van Patten, Dem., 700. 

The "People's Party," or Populists first 
came to the front in Columbia county during 
the campaign of 1892. Wednesday, July 
13th, at Dayton, their convention was called 
to order for the purpose of placing in nomina- 
tion candidates for county offices. This was 
harmoniously accomplished, all of the nomi- 
nees being selected by acclamation. There 
were present 23 delegates. Levi Watrous was 
chairman and W. A. Maxwell, secretary. One 
of the features of the convention was an at- 
tempt at fusion. Representatives of the pro- 
hibition party were present and made to the 
populists a decidedly tempting offer. They 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



401 



stated that the Prohibitionists controlled 300 
votes in Columbia county, and that by com- 
bining forces they could control the political 
situation. They asked that Article I. of the 
prohibition platform be inserted in the people's 
party platform, and that the convention ad- 
journ to some future date, when the prohibi- 
tionists would assist them in naming a county 
ticket. This proposition, however, was re- 
jected by an overwhelming majority follow- 
ing prolonged debate. Rev. \Y. T. Ford, 
spokesman for the prohibitionists, then ad- 
dressed the convention, thanking the delegates 
for their courtesy. His remarks were received 
with applause. 

After the naming of county candidates by 
the people's party the following were elected 
delegates to the state convention which was 
held at Ellensburg: John Crossler, George 
Orchard, J. C. Van Patten and E. Barnes. 
The following were named members of the 
executive committee : J. C. Van Patten, 
George Orchard, J. Crossler and W. A. Max- 
well. At the time of this convention there 
was considerable speculation among the old 
party men as to which party the new one 
would draw votes from. It was said that of 
the 23 delegates participating in the conven- 
tion only three were republicans, and mem- 
bers of the latter party declared that there 
would be only a slight defection from their 
ranks. Subsequent events, however, showed 
that this opinion of the republicans was not 
wholly correct. 

The democratic county convention of 1892 
was held at Dayton, the political center of Co- 
lumbia county, Saturday, July 16th. J. E. 
Edmiston and W. A. Payne were chair- 
man and secretary respectively. Exceptional- 
ly harmonious were the proceedings and all 
candidates were nominated by acclamation. 
To the state convention the following were 
named as delegates : W. A. Payne, J. E. Ed- 
miston, V. D. Norman, A. H. Weatherford, 



L. E. Harris, B. M. Turner, Dr. J. H. Mc- 
Donald, Cyrus Davis and J. W. Thorp. 

It was destined that Columbia county 
should see a quartette of political parties in the 
field this year. The refusal of the people's 
party to coalesce with the prohibitionists had 
fired the latter with most enthusiastic emula- 
tion. For the first time in the history of the 
county the prohibitionists placed a ticket in 
the field. Their convention was held Satur- 
day, July 30th. While the delegates present 
were few in number, 22, their zeal was earnest 
and demonstrative. As chairman J. A. Ayers 
was selected : J. B. Redford, secretary. For 
nearly all of the county offices candidates were 
named, and the following were elected dele- 
gates to the state convention : J. W. Peter, I. 
H. Wilson and J. B. Chamberlain. The coun- 
ty central committee chosen were : J. A. 
Ayers, J. B. Redford, J. Kenworthy, J. Elder 
and L. M. Vannice. 

During twelve years T. M. May had been 
chairman of the republican county central 
committee. At the republican convention held 
at Dayton, July 30th, an attempt was made to 
depose him. The test was made at the elec- 
tion of temporary chairman of the convention, 
Mr. May being pitted against George Eckler. 
Mr. May won out by the slender majority of 
two votes. At the permanent organization 
Mr. Eckler was chosen to preside and C. F. 
Miller elected secretary. For the several coun- 
ty offices there were a number of sharp con- 
tests, but a full ticket was finally selected. 
Delegates to the state convention elected were: 
J. K. Rainwater, T. M. May, G. Romaine, J. 
A. Kellogg, Lars Nilsson. J. W. Mcintosh, 
Benjamin McGill and Cephas Morgan. The 
personnel of the county central committee was 
as follows: C. F. Miller, chairman; E. B. 
Dobbs, secretary; M. J. Duncan, George 
Eckler, G. Hewitt. J. F. Kirby, H. Ridgley, 
D. Calkins, B. Magill, J. B. McKinley, Guy 
Jonas, B. Carpenter. H. W. King, John Bles- 



26 



402 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



singer, George Humphrey, Fred Gritman and 
W. D. Wallace. 

Alignment of the four parties was now 
complete, and the contest on election day, No- 
vember 8, 1892, was a memorable one in the 
history of Columbia county. While in the 
past, with only two parties in the field, con- 
siderable "scratching'' had been done, at this 
election the competing forces, as a general 
thing, cast their ballots "straight." This was 
the first election in which the citizens of Wash- 
ington had been permitted to vote for the 
president of the United States. In Columbia 
county the result showed that the democrats 
nad a plurality of 56 for Grover Cleveland, the 
total vote on the head of the ticket being 1,575 
ballots. The new people's party cast an aver- 
age vote of a trifle less than 200, while the 
prohibitionists' a/erage was a little over 100. 
The republicans elected the county auditor, 
prosecuting attorney and one commissioner; 
the democrats took everything else in sight. 
The official vote : 

For Presidential electors — Harrison, Rep., 
618; Cleveland, Dem., 674; Weaver, P. P., 
188; Bidwell, Pro., 95. 

For Congressmen — William H. Doolittle, 
Rep., 592; John L. Wilson, Rep., 591; 
Thomas Carroll, Dem., 656; James A. Mundy, 
Dem., 635; M. F. Knox, P. P.; 186; J. C. 
Van Patten, P. P., 208; C. E. Newberry, 
Pro., 96; A. C. Dickinson, Pro., 94. 

For Governor — John H. McGraw, Rep., 
571; Henry J. Snively, Dem., 647; C. W. 
Young, P. P., 209; Roger S. Green, Pro., 112. 

The balance of the state ticket was demo- 
cratic by pluralities of from 56 to 78, with the 
exception of state printer, Mr. O. C. White, 
republican, formerly a resident of Columbia 
county, coming within six votes of carrying 
the county. On the state ticket the populists 
polled from 178 to 209 votes, and the prohibi- 
tionists from 100 to 112. 

For Joint Senator — J. A. Kellogg, Rep., 



597; U. Z. Ellis, Dem., 597; Ernest Hopkins, 
P. P., 231. 

For Representative — S. J. Lowe, Rep., 
537; S. W. Hamill, Dem., 622; Levi W. Wat- 
rous, P. P., 206; Byron Morris, Pro., 118. 

For Superior Judge— R. F. Sturdevant, 
Rep., 675; J. E. Edmiston, Dem., 763. 

For Sheriff — J. N. Thompson, Rep., 539; 

A. H. Weatherford, Dem., ; R. A. 

Bundy, P. P., 252; J. A. Ayers, Pro., 136. 

For Auditor— A. P. Cahill, Rep., 652; J. 
W. Thorp, Dem., 580; W. A. Maxwell, P. P., 
197; C. W. Smith, Pro., 88. 

For County Clerk — John Woods, Rep., 
686; Carl Taylor, Dem., 704. 

For Treasurer — I. F. Lockwood, Rep., 
557; W. A. Newman, Dem., y^; J. H. Mc- 
Hargue, P. P., 127; J. B. Redford, Pro., 122. 

For County Commissioners, First District 
— G. Hammer, Rep., 549; I. N. E. Rayburn, 
Dem., 675; Samuel Hearn, P. P., 185; A. H. 
Booth, Pro., 98. 

For County Commissioners, Second Dis- 
trict— L. M. Vannice, Rep., 720; Lawson 
Cyrus, Dem., 671. 

For County Commissioners, Third District 
— W. T. Richardson, Rep., 544; R. H. Mc- 
Hargue, Dem., 632; Daniel McDonnell, P. P., 
195; W. F. Anderson, Pro., 109. 

For Assessor — John Patrick, Rep., 473; 
W. J. Honeycutt, Dem., 801 ; Coleman S. 
Newkirk, P. P., 169; James Elder, Pro., 85. 

For County Attorney — Will H. Fouts, 
Rep., 663; D. S. Elder, Dem., 620; J. W. 
Peter, Pro., 183. 

For School Superintendent — H. Ridgely, 
Rep., 473; Charles Terpening, Dem., 941; 
James Bradford, Pro., 94. 

For Surveyor — E. B. Dobbs, Rep., 610; 
T. B. Hicks, Dem., 682; James Dolan, Pro., 
212. 

For Coroner — Emil Bories, Rep., 579; E. 
H. Van Patten, Dem., 743; D. B. Hillhouse, 
Pro., 124. 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



403 



The republican candidates for joint sena- 
tor and superior judge (the district including 
Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties.) were 
elected. 

The people's party was the first to place a 
ticket in the field for the campaign of 1894. 
The convention was held at Dayton, June 
14th. George P. Wright was selected as 
chairman, and W. A. Maxwell, secretary. The 
party declared itself to be the party of reform 
and demanded retrenchment in county ex- 
penses. Two articles from the platform 
adopted are as follows : 

"Second. We believe in practical reform 
and we demand from each candidate put in 
nomination by the people's party a pledge, if 
elected, to faithfully perform all the duties of 
the office, for the salary set apart by law, ex- 
cept the sheriff and assessor; the sheriff to be 
allowed one deputy, or jailor, at a salary not 
to exceed $50 per month; the assessor to em- 
ploy as many deputies as he needs at a salary 
not to exceed $2.50 per day. 

"Sixth. Resolved, That all candidates re- 
ceiving nominations for county offices by the 
people's party shall be required to sign and 
deliver to the central committee an agreement 
of the following form : 

"I, , the nominee of the 

people's party of Columbia county, Washing- 
ton, for the office of , in accepting 

the nomination tendered me. do voluntarily 
and solemnly pledge myself, if elected, to 
faithfully perform all the duties of the office 
for the salary allowed by law, and for such 
additional sum as is set forth in article two of 
the people's party platform, of Columbia 
county.'" 

A full complement of candidates for coun- 
ty offices was then named, with the exception 
of prosecuting attorney, which was left to be 
filled by the central committee. Delegates to 
the state convention were: J. C. Van Patten, 
C. S. Terpening and W. F. Whitten. The 
new countv central committee were : C. W. 



Dickinson, E. J. Outman, George Orchard, 
John Wills, W. E. Hawks, W. A. Maxwell, 
Robert Ping, Ira Trescott, A. L. Sanford, W. 
A. Bowman, T. B. Hicks, C. L. Hunt and S. 
Phyllis. 

The Columbia county republicans assem- 
bled in convention at Dayton, September 8th, 
C. F. Miller was made temporary chairman 
and W. Hendron temporary secretary. This 
convention was conducted on a plan somewhat 
different from the usual routine. A secret 
caucus was held from 11 o'clock in the fore- 
noon, until 3 o'clock in the afternoon, partici- 
pated in by the delegates. Then the doors 
were thrown open, spectators admitted and the 
convention proceeded to place in nomination, 
unanimously, candidates for the several offices. 
Hon. R. F. Sturdevant was the permanent 
chairman and H. Ridgley permanent secretary, 
the latter assisted by W. W. Hendron. The 
delegates to the state convention were W. D. 
Wallace, C. F. Miller, G. H. McEvoy, O. M. 
Stine, D. C. Guernsey, J. F. Kirby, J. H. At 
wood, Pres Stedman and G. Hewitt. The 
new county central committee comprised C. F. 
Miller, chairman; John Patrick, R. Watrous, 
J. H. Atwood, James Kenworthy, J. Daniel- 
son, G. S. Humphrey, R. A. Jackson, J. W. 
Mcintosh, Robert Vannice, J. D. Smith, S. 
Galloway, W. H. Dixon, Charles Hoffeditz, 
John Jones, J. D. White, W. L. Jackson and 
John D. Page. 

The democrats met in convention Satur- 
day, September 22d. J. E. Edmiston pre- 
sided, assisted by J. N. Samuel as secretary. 
Having named a full ticket the following were 
elected delegates to the state convention : H. 
E. Hamm. L. E. Harris, C. D. Ellis, J. A. 
Fontaine, J. L. Dittemore, F. W. Multner, W. 
C. Goddard, W. J. Honeycutt and J. E. Ed- 
miston. 

The political campaign of 1894 was the 
most spectacular of any that had previously 
taken place in Columbia county. The people's 
party demonstrated that their forces were 



404 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



growing and divided honors with the demo- 
crats in securing second place. The result of 
this gain in the people's party's ranks was the 
election of every republican on the ticket by 
pluralities ranging from 97 to 340, the largest 
pluralities ever given to any set of candidates 
in Columbia county. Perhaps it is not ex- 
actly fair to say that the only cause of the re- 
publican victory was the rise of the people's 
party. The continued hard times which for 
more than a year had laid hold of the country 
under democratic administration doubtless 
caused defection from democratic ranks. The 
campaign was hard fought and was enlivened 
by numerous rallies and public meetings par- 
ticipated in by local orators. Personalities 
were a feature, and at best it was described by 
citizens as a "dirty"' campaign. The official 
Vote : 

For Congressmen — William H. Doolittle, 
Rep., 677; Samuel C. Plyde, Rep., 671; B. F. 
Heuston, Dem., 420; N. T. Caton, Dem., 417; 
W. P. C. Adams, P. P., 426; J. C. Van Pat- 
ten, P. P., 446. 

For Representative — Cornelius Lyman, 
Rep., 668; M. M. Godman, Dem., 510; Levi 
W. Watrous, P. P., 426. 

For Sheriff — Conrad Knobloch, Rep., 
660; A. H. Weatherford, Dem., 515; R. A. 
Bundy, P. P., 463. 

For Auditor— A. P. Cahill, Rep., 708; W. 
J. Honeycutt, Dem., 498; W. A. Maxwell, P. 
P., 406. 

For Treasurer — James H. Fudge, Rep., 
660; A. H. Bishop, Dem., 458; George P. 
Wright, P. P., 491. 

For County Clerk — J. L. Mohundro, 
Rep., 653; E. W. Clark, Dem., 556; A. B. 
Thompson, P. P., 407. 

For Prosecuting Attorney — Will H. 
Fouts, Rep., 881 ; Hardy E. Hamm, Dem., 
536. 

For Assessor — R. F. Matkin, Rep., 734; 
O. W. Pollard, Dem., 430; W. F. McCauley, 
P. P., 431- 



For Superintendent of Schools — H. B. 
Ridgley, Rep., 665; T. A. Rogers, Dem., 414;. 

C. S. Terpening, P. P., 536. 

For Coroner — Dr. G M. Burns, Rep.,. 
710; Dr. E. H. Van Patten, Dem., 495;. 
George Orchard, P. P., 226. 

For Commissioner, Second District — 
Charles M. Grupe, Rep., 199; R. H. Mc- 
Hargue, Dem., 162; C. W. Dickinson, P. P., 
163. 

For Commissioner, Third District — Gran- 
ville Hewitt, Rep., 227; John Wilson, Dem.,. 
174; A. L. Sanford, P. P., 158. 

We now approach the memorable cam- 
paign of 1896 — the one with the liveliest 
"issue" that the country has ever wrestled 
with — involving the free silver question. In 
Columbia county the populists were first in the 
field with a convention, organizing at Dayton 
August 1 st. Here, as in many other places, 
an attempt was made to bring about a fusion 
of the populist and democratic forces, which at 
first was ineffectual, but finally to a certain 
extent, successful. At their convention the 
people's party nominated a straight ticket. 
There were 46 delegates participating in the 
proceedings, and on the floor of the convention 
there were many contests. George Wright, edi- 
tor of the People's Press, was chairman, and 
Richard Harper, secretary. To the state con- 
vention the following delegates at large were 
elected: L. W. Watrous, W. A. Maxwell 
and R. H. Dennis. 

The republican convention was held at 
Dayton August 22c!. A full county ticket was- 
nominated, mainly by acclamation. C. F. 
Miller was chairman and J. A. Kellogg, sec- 
retary. The delegates to the state convention 
were L. F. Jones, J. G. Woodend, J. A. Kel- 
logg, C. F. Miller, J. W. Mcintosh, Jay 
Lynch, W. D. Wallace, W. L. Jackson, and 

D. C. Guernsey. The county central commit- 
tee comprised J. A. Kellogg, chairman ; R. E. 
Peabody, secretary; J. E. Frick, J. H. At- 
wood, J. H. Fudge, C. W. Sanders, O. Moore- 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



405 



house, Daniel Calkins, F. .A. Maxwell, W. A. 
Teegarden, J. F. Porter, H. W. King, H. B. 
Ridgley, Fred Gritman, J. D. White and J. F. 
Logsdon. 

Although fusion had failed at the time the 
populist convention was held, it was later ac- 
complished. The populist ticket was taken 
down, and in its place was a fusion ticket con- 
sisting of populists, democrats and free silver 
republicans. This was accomplished Septem- 
ber 10th, on which date three separate con- 
ventions were held in Dayton simultaneously. 
Conference committees worked strenuously 
all day, and it was not until 3 o'clock the fol- 
lowing morning that a ticket was agreed upon. 
The populists named candidates for represen- 
tative, sheriff, auditor and superintendent of 
schools; the democrats prosecuting attorney, 
clerk of court, assessor, surveyor, the county 
commissioners and coroner ; the silver republi- 
cans were permitted to name the candidate for 
treasurer. The official name of the ticket was 
"The People's Party."' 

Thus, by combining the free silver forces 
in Columbia county the handsome and sweep- 
ing republican majority of two years previous 
was, practically, wiped out, and the county 
came, politically, into the control of the demo- 
crats and populists. However, the republican 
candidates for sheriff and clerk of court were 
elected by pluralities of 69 and 12, respective- 
ly ; otherwise the fusion forces, under the 
name of people's party, were "the people," car- 
rying the county from presidential electors 
down. There were cast 1.623 votes. The 
official vote : 

McKinley electors, 776 ; Bryan electors, 

847- 

For Congressmen — S. C. Hyde. Rep., 
762; W. H. Doolittle, Rep., 759; James Ham- 
ilton Lewis, P. P., 843; William C. Jones, P. 
P., 844. 

For Governor — P. C. Sullivan, Rep., 766; 
John R. Rogers, P. P., 838. 

The rest of the state ticket was carried by 



the fusionists by majorities of from 37 to 94. 

For Senator — E. Baumeister, Rep., 772; 
J. C. Van Patten, P. P., 855. 

For Representative — Cornelius Lyman, 
Rep., 787; George Windust, P. P., 836. 

For Judge Superior Court — Robert F. 
Sturdevant, Rep., 792; M. M. Godman, P. P., 
831. 

For Sheriff — Conrad Knobloch, Rep., 
848; George P. Wright, P. P., 779. 

For Clerk of Court — J. L. Mohundro, 
Rep., 821; W. J. Loundagin, P. P., 809. 

For Auditor- — Loren L Day, Rep., 811; 
Richard Harper, P. P., 819. 

For Treasurer — V. S. Dooley, Rep., 770; 
G. A. Parker, P. P., 855. 

For Prosecuting Attorney — John W. 
Peter, Rep., 759 ; E. W. Clark, P. P., 867. 

For Assessor — R. F. Matkin, Rep., 810; 
George W. Page, P. P., 815. 

For School Superintendent — H. B. Ridge- 
ly, Rep., 753 ; Mrs. Ella Terpening, P. P. 872 

For Surveyor — Edward B. Dobbs, Rep., 
772; Ira Trescott, P. P., 846. 

For Coroner — G. M. Burns, Rep., 775; E. 
H. Van Patten, P. P., 852. 

For Commissioner, First District — L. 
Spackman, Rep., 773; J. H. McCauley, P. P., 

847. 

For Commissioner, Third District — G. 
Hewitt, Rep., 783; J. C. Marckley, P. P., 833. 

The campaign of 1898 was opened in Co- 
lumbia county by the rqxrblican convention, 
held September 16th. F. W. Guernsey was 
elected chairman and L. L. Ellis, secretary. 
The proceedings were harmonious and re- 
sulted in the nomination of a strong ticket. 
Delegates chosen to the state convention were 
Joseph Mohundro, R. F. Sturdevant, Preston 
Steadman, C. S. Jerard, D. C. Guernsey, Will 
H. Fouts, James Kennworthy, John Blessin- 
ger, R. A. Jackson, A. P. Cahill. 

Again the democrats, populists and free 
silver republicans joined forces and met in 
convention at Dayton September 24th. Only 



406 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



three silver republicans took part in the pro- 
ceedings, and the delegates from the other two 
parties placed in nomination a full county and 
legislative ticket. 

The election of November 8, 1898, re- 
sulted in a complete victory for the republi- 
cans and the overthrow of the fusion forces, 
only one fusion candidate being elected — that 
or superintendent of schools. Nearly 1,500 
votes were cast. The official vote: 

For Congressmen — W. L. Jones, Rep., 795 ; 
F. W. Cushman, Rep., 775; James H. Lewis, 
P. P., 699; W. C. Jones. P. P. 679. 

For Supreme Court Judges — T. A. An- 
ders, Rep., 769; Mark A. Fullerton, Rep., 
762; B. F. Heuston. P. P., 674; M. M. God- 
man, P. P., 712. 

For Representative — C. S. Jerard, Rep., 
753; W. C. Godard, P. P., 724. 

For Sheriff — J. D. Smith, Rep., 768; 
George Spallinger, P. P., 721. 

For Clerk of Court— L. L. Ellis, Rep., 
790; M. Riggs, P. P., 689. 

For Auditor — H. E. Gilham, Rep., yyi; 
Richard Harper, P. P., 713. 

For Treasurer — F. W. Guernsey, Rep., 
817; G. A. Parker, P. P., 668. 

For Prosecuting Attorney — Will H. 
Fonts,, Rep., 751 ; E. W. Clark, P. P., j2^. 

For Assessor — F. J. Porter, Rep., 768; W. 
L. Davis, P. P., 709. 

For School Superintendent — W. W. Hen- 
dron, Rep., 716; Ella Terpening, P. P., 769. 

For Surveyor — Ira J. Trescott, P. P., 749. 

For Coroner — G. M. Burns, Rep., 736; E. 
H. Van Patten, P. P., 731. 

For Commissioner, First District — Alex- 
ander Duffy, Rep., 770; J. H. McCauley, P. 
P., 695. 

For Commissioner, Second District — Cor- 
nelius Lyman, Rep., 825; W. A. Maxwell, P. 
P., 642. 

The republican county convention of 1900 
convened at Dayton on the nth of August. 
It resulted in the renomination of nearly all 



the county officers then serving. J. L. Mo- 
hundro was elected chairman and J. G. Miller, 
secretary. The delegates to the state conven- 
tion were C. F. Miller, J. L. Mohundro, C. B. 
Woodworth, U. P. Waldrip, J. W. Agee, C. 
S. Jerard, J. G. Woodend, R. F. Sturdevant, 
H. E. Gilham and J. F. Porter. The county 
central committee comprised J. L. Mohundro, 
Will H. Fouts, Cornelius Lyman, H. W. Rid- 
dle, Thomas Sweeney, W. Manning, D. Cal- 
kins, S. S. Stone, H. W. King, C. Knobloch, 
Fred Gritman, John Page, E. V. Thompson, 
W. Wallace, J. H. McHargue, U. P. Waldrip 
and C. W. Sanders. 

September 15th the fusion forces again 
met in convention and nominated a county 
ticket. The populist party had lost its old time 
power ; the democrats were now in control to 
such an extent that only one member of the 
people's party found a place on the ticket — 
that of Richard Harper, candidate for auditor. 
There were present 99 delegates and the con- 
vention was presided over by H. E. Hamm 
with Perry Lyons as secretary. 

November 6th there were cast 1,611 votes 
for president. The county was carried by the 
republicans, they electing every candidate on 
their ticket. The majorities were the largest 
ever given any party in the county. The offi- 
cial vote: 

For Presidential Electors — McKinley, 
899; Bryan, 712. 

For Congressmen — F. W. Cushman, Rep., 
884; W. L. Jones, Rep., 886; F. C. Robertson, 
P. P., 701 ; J. T. Ronald, P. P., 697. 

For Governor — J. M. Frink, Rep., 835 ; 
John R. Rogers, P. P., 760. 

For State Senator — E. Baumeister, Rep., 
890; H. M. Beach, P. P., 716. 

For Representative — C. S. Jerard, Rep., 
914; W. C. Godard, P. P., 696. 

For Judge Superior Court — C. F. Miller, 
Rep., 877; M. M. Godman, P. P., 737. 

For Sheriff— J. D. Smith, Rep., 916; J. 
F. Yenny, P. P., 700. 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



407 



For Clerk of the Court — L. L. Ellis, Rep., 
942; W. J. Hubbard, P. P., 663. 

For Auditor — H. E. Gilham, Rep., 920; 
Richard Harper, P. P., 693. 

For Treasurer — F. W. Guernsey, Rep., 
933; J. T. Burns, P. P., 687. 

For Prosecuting Attorney — R. B. Brown, 
Rep., 828; E. W. Clark, P. P., 786. 

For Assessor — J. F. Porter, Rep., 912; W. 
J. Loundagin, P. P., 701. 

For Superintendent of Schools — W. W. 
Hendron, Rep., 900; Nancy Gilbreath, P. 
P, 707. 

For Coroner — John W. McLachlan, Rep., 
870; J. M. Miller, P. P., 7i7 . 

For Commissioner, Second District — Cor- 
nelius Lyman, Rep., 892; V. B. Whiting, P. 
P., 717. 

For Commissioner, Third District — R. A. 
Jackson, Rep., 887; Charles Pryor, P. P., 712. 

The republican convention of 1902 con- 
vened at Dayton September 6th; H. E. Gil- 
ham, chairman; J. L. Dittemore, secretary. 
The delegates to the state convention were H. 
E. Gilham, J. D. Smith, Cornelius Lyman, 
Preston Stedman, Dr. M. Pietrzycki, J. W. 
Dodge, M. B. Kenney, J. N. Fall, D. C. Guern- 
sey, Daniel Calkins. The central committee 
chosen were H. E. Gilham, chairman ; J. L. 
Dittemore, W. H. H. Fouts, Wilbur Hopkins, 
W. S. Wooten, Preston Stedman, Conrad 
Knobloch, S. S. Stone, J. W. Dodge, J. H. 
Fudge, C. W. Sanders, L. S. Covey, H. W. 
King, T. E. Gentry, John Jones, H. Van 
Horn, John Eaton. 

September 13th the democrats assembled 
with H. E. Hamra, chairman, and C. B. Leath- 
erman, secretary. After the nomination of a 
ticket, which was by acclammation, the follow- 
ing central committee was chosen : J. D. 
Israel, S. S. Moritz, J. W. Berry, James B. 
Wilson, J. J. Rose, J. P. McClary, P. B. Bate- 
man, F. M. Weatherforcl, J. M. Martin, G. G. 
Bicklehaupt, R. E. Maxwell, T. C. Kinder, H. 
R. Rayburn. 



The election of November 4, 1902, demon- 
strated that the Republicans still had a major- 
ity in Columbia county. The campaign pre- 
ceding the election was comparatively tame; 
not a vast amount of enthusiasm was exhib- 
ited. A trifle less than 1,500 votes were cast. 
The Democrats elected their candidates for 
clerk, treasurer and county attorney by major- 
ities of 143, 199 and in respectively. The 
republicans elected the rest of the ticket and 
carried the county for members of congress. 
The official vote : 

For Members of Congress — W. L. Jones, 
Rep., 808; F. W. Cushman, Rep., 811; Wil- 
liam E. Humphrey, Rep., 804; George F. Cot- 
trill, Dem., 610; O. R. Holcomb, Dem., 609; 
Frank B. Cole, Dem., 610. 

For Judge of Supreme Court — Hiram E. 
Hadley, Rep., 821 ; Jas. B. Reavis, Dem., 614. 

For Representative — Conrad Knobloch, 
Rep., 740; M. M. Godman, Dem., 732. 

For Sheriff— O. M. Stine, Rep., 755; 
Frank W. Bauers, Dem., 728. 

For Auditor — E. V. Thompson, Rep., 779; 
U. Z. Ellis, Dem., 690. 

For Clerk of the Court — R. M. Campbell, 
Rep., 665 ; Clark Israel, Dem., 808. 

For Treasurer — D. C. Guernsey, Rep., 
638; E. W. Alcorn, Dem., 837. 

For County Attorney — R. B. Brown, Rep., 
681 ; E. W. Clark, Dem., 792. 

For Assessor — Wilbur Hopkins, Rep., 
812; W. J. Hubbard, Dem., 655. 

For School Superintendent — W. W. Hen- 
dron, Rep., 748; Ella Terpening, Dem., 724. 

For Surveyor — John Patrick, Rep., 773 ; 
Ira J. Trescott, Dem., 693. 

For Coroner— Dr. C. H. Day, Rep., 817; 
Dr. J. M. Miller, Dem., 654. 

For Commissioner, Third District — R. A. 
Jackson, Rep., 804; J. A. Turner, Dem., 663. 

For Commissioner, First District — C. W. 
Sanders, Rep., 807; J. J. Rose, Dem., 647. 

The official vote of the 1904 election was 
as follows : 



408 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



Presidential Electors — Samuel G. Cos- 
grove, Rep., 1,089; L. B. Nash, Rep., 1.083; 
George W. Bassett, Rep., 1080; Al. J. Mun- 
son, Rep., 1,081; Herman D. Crow, Rep., 
1,081; Fred Thiel, Dem., 482; John J.. Car- 
ney, Dem., 480; John Trumbull, Dem., 479; 
J. S. Darnell, 478; Simon Peter Richardson, 
Dem., 477. 

Representatives to Congress — William' E. 
Humphrey, Rep., 965; Wesley L. Jones, Rep., 
967; Francis W. Cushman, Rep., 973; How- 
ard Hathaway, Dem.. 605 ; James J. An- 
derson, Dem., 601 ; W. T. Beck, Dem., 601. 

Judges of the Supreme Court — Rudkin, 
Rep., 944; Mark A. Fullerton, Rep., 990; Al- 
fred Battle. Dem., 626. 

Governor — Albert E. Mead, Rep., 719; 
George Turner, Dem., 886. 

Secretary of State — Sam H. Nichols, 
Rep., 868; P. Hough, Dem., 703. 

Lieutenant Governor — Charles E. Coon, 
Rep., 824; Stephen Judson, Dem., 752. 

State Treasurer — George G. Mills, Rep., 
882; George Mudgett, Dem., 699. 

State Auditor — Charles W. Clausen, Rep., 
875; R. Lee Purdin, Dem., 699. 

Attorney General — John D. Adkinson, 
Rep., 874; Charles H. Neal, Dem., 700. 

Commissioner of Public Lands — E. W. 
Ross, Rep., 887; Van R. Peirson, Dem., 680. 

Superintendent of Public Instruction — R. 
B. Bryan, Rep., 890; Walter D. Gerard, Dem.. 
680. " 



State Senator, Tenth District — S. S. Rus- 
sell, Rep., 880; Frank Cardwell, Dem., 727. 

State Representative, Eleventh District — 
Will H. Fonts, Rep., 759; F. M. Weatherford, 
Dem., 860. 

Judge of Superior Court — Chester F. 
Miller, Rep., 912; M. M. Godman, Dem., 717, 

County Sheriff' — George B. Dorr, Rep., 
764; Frank W. Bauers, Dem., 868. 

County Clerk — R. A. Watrous, Rep., 735; 
Clark Israel, Dem., 894. 

County Auditor — E. V. Thompson, Rep., 
870; B. A. Whiting, Dem., 760. 

County Treasurer — Andrew Granger, 
Rep., 678; E. W. Alcorn, Dem., 950. 

Prosecuting Attorney — R. F. Sturdevant, 
Rep.. 783; E. W. Clark, Dem., 849. 

County Assessor — Wilber Hopkins, Rep., 
1,092. 

School Superintendent — C. B. Leather- 
man, Rep., 862; James Fitzgerald, Dem., 749. 

County Surveyor — Wilson McBride, Rep., 

837- 

County Coroner — C. H. Day, Rep., 918; 
J. M. Miller, Dem., 687. 

Commissioner, First District — C. W. San- 
ders, Rep., 876; T. M. Fine, Dem., 729. 

Commissioner, Second District — Charles 
E. Shaffer, Rep., 841; George E. Barclay, 
Dem., 765. 

Constitutional Amendment — For amend- 
ment, 164; against amendment, 71. 



CHAPTER VIII 



EDUCATIONAL. 



The history of educational affairs in Co- 
lumbia county begins in the autumn of 1864. 
Before that period there was not a school be- 
tween the town of Walla Walla and the Idaho 



line. The establishment of the first school in 
the territory now comprising Columbia coun- 
ty was due, mainly, to the energies of George 
W. Miller and William Sherry. The two had 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



409 



claims a short distance east of where now is 
the city of Dayton. They determined that by 
some means educational advantages must be 
provided for their children. Accordingly they 
journeyed to Walla Walla and returned with 
some lumber. They got more from the moun- 
tains, where they felled logs and hewed them 
into rude, but serviceable building material. 
The weather was bitterly cold ; the snow many 
feet in depth. With their own hands, and at 
their own expense, aided by a few of their 
neighbors, they erected a building. That was 
the initial school enterprise in Columbia coun- 
ty. Mr. Sherry taught the first term ; Mrs. 
Sherry the second. 

Ten or twelve scholars were enrolled. As 
a mark of appreciation on the part of their 
neighbors it may be said that they patronized 
the primitive school to the best of their ability. 
Among the pupils attending this early educa- 
tional institution was Chester F. Miller, at 
present judge of the superior court of Colum- 
bia, Garfield and Asotin counties. At that 
period he was a student of five years 
of age. His sister. Celeste Miller, later Mrs. 
J. E. Steen, was one year younger. This 
school was continued until the officers of 
Walla Walla county designated this portion of 
their jurisdiction as School District No. 15, 
and a legally authorized county school came 
into existence. The following is from the rec- 
ords of this school district ; the first school in 
the county with the exception of the subscrip- 
tion school mentioned above : 



School District No. 15, of Walla Walla county, 
Washington Territory, was created in 1865, and in- 
cluded in its boundaries all the country east of a 
line running north and south through the Richard- 
son place, and all south of the Whetstone Hollow, 
back to the mountains. The first school tax as- 
sessed in the district shows the following residents 
on the Touchet: Thomas T. Davis, Lambert Hearn, 
John C. Wells, Andrew White, Jesse N. Day, Amasa 
West, Ezekiel Hobbs, Henry Owsley, Robert Love, 
Perry G. Earl, William Abel and John Winnett. 

On the Patit — Elisha Ping, George W. Miller, 



William W. Sherry, William R. Rexford, Alexander 
Montgomery, James Montgomery. Albert Wood- 
ward and Cyrus Armstrong. 

On Johnson Hollow — Jonathan Buzzard, John 

C. Reynolds, John Abel, John Messenger, John A. 
Starner, Ambrose Johnson, George Bosley and 
Alexander Montgomery, Sr. 

On Whetstone Hollow — Mark Baker, Charles 
Abraham, William Benton, Alva Benton, and 
Thomas Whetstone. 

The first school in the district was taught by 
W. H. Elliott, , beginning November 20, 1865, and 
ending March 1, 1866, and was taught in a little log 
school house which stood on the north side of the' 
Lewiston road, about one and one-half miles east 
of Dayton, where the Hines residence now stands. 
This school house was built of logs with a chimney 
in one end; had greased paper for windows, and 
logs hewed on one side, and pegs driven in the bot- 
tom for seats, and pegs driven in the wall, with a 
hewed plank on top for desks. The register kept 
by the teacher shows the following pupils attending: 
Albert Abel, aged 14 ; Aldolphus Abel, 12 ; George 
Abel, 8; Loren Day, 11; Joseph H. Day, 9: Byron L. 
Gates, 8; Joseph Hobbs, 22; Lucien Hensley, 10; 
Calvin Montgomery, 14; Nancy Montgomery, 13; 
Joseph Montgomery, 10; Sarah Montgomery, 11; 
William Montgomery, 8; Jasper Montgomery, 6; 
Chester F. Miller, 5; Celeste I. Miller, 4; Caroline 
Messenger, 16; John Messenger, 14; Anderson Mes- 
senger, 24; Robert Ping, 18; Frank Ping. 9; Julia 
Ping, 7; Jennie May, 5; Sarah White, 8; Christiana 
E. Hobbs, 13. 

The first board of directors were Ambrose John- 
son. Alexander Montgomery and Elisha Ping. The 
clerk was George W. Miller. The teacher's report 
shows the books used were "Elementary Spellers," 
"Sander's Readers" and "Ray's Arithmetic." The 
first warrant drawn was for $135, in gold coin or its 
equivalent in legal tender notes, and bore a two- 
cent war stamp, and was drawn for teacher's salary. 

The early teachers were W. H. Elliott, 1865-6; 
John A. Starner, 1866-7; Miles O. Witt, 1867-8, 
1868-9; Edward H. Orcutt, 1869; A. H. Porter, 1870; 

D. Ralph Kimball, 1870-1; F. D. Winton, 1871; 
Oliver C. White, 1871-2; Thomas S. Leonard and 
Mrs. Ruth Leonard, 1872; Annie M. Alley and Hat- 
tie E. Day, 1872-3; Oliver C. White, 1873 to 1877; 
Frank McCully, 1877-8. 

A new school house was built in 1868 where 
the present warehouses stand. The graded school 
building was erected on the present site in 1880. 

At the time of the creation of Columbia 
countv, in 1875, it contained, as nearly as can 
be learned, 15 or 20 school districts, with prob- 



4io 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



ably 900 or 1 ,000 children of school age. Early 
in January, 1879, J- E. Edmiston, at that 
period county superintendent, published in the 
Columbia Chronicle his report for 1878: 

Editor Chronicle: — At your request I submit 
the following report which, in substance, I made to 
the Territorial Superintendent. 

There are 39 districts in this county, whose 
boundary lines are well defined. There are 2,399 
pupils in the county; of this number five-sevenths 
have attended school during the past year. The 
average amount paid teachers is about $112 per 
quarter. The average amount of school kept in 
each district is a fraction over four months. There 
seems to be little difference in the wages paid to 
male and female teachers. This county has been 
settled so rapidly that I have found it necessary to 
form nine new districts since last January. One- 
half the clerks failed to make a full report. The 
schools of the county are in a very unsettled con- 
dition owing to the heavy immigration. Clerks and 
directors are continually changing; many districts 
are very large and are being divided frequently, 
thus causing many changes in the same district in 
a very short time. The books adopted are giving 
general satisfaction. 

Allow me to add further that there are two 
principal mistakes made by school officers in this 
county, to-wit: 

First — Directors generally employ the cheapest 
teacher they can get, regardless of the grade of his 
certificate. This is almost invariably the case with 
the first school taught in the district. Thus, where 
they most need a first-class teacher, they employ 
the poorest to be found. The first school proving 
a failure they try some other worthless teacher; 
then another and another, until the school is beyond 
redemption. Then, perchance, they employ a good 
teacher who spends the first quarter in undoing what 
has been done, and, consequently, he gives no bet- 
ter satisfaction than the former. Thus if we begin 
wrong we never know when we are right. 

Second — The poorest and most uncomfortable 
house in the district is the school house. Each 
man in the district is able to make his own dwell- 
ing comfortable, but all put together are not able 
to build a pleasant school house. Thus the old 
adage is, verified, "In union there is — ?" 

Permit me here to state that Pomeroy district 
has steered clear of these two fatal mistakes. They 
first erected a large school house, nicely finished, 
well furnished with seats, desks, blackboards, etc., 
as pleasant inside as any dwelling. They then em- 
ploy a first class teacher. It is due to the directors 
and citizens of Pomeroy to say that they have the 



finest and best school house in the county, and that 
their teacher, Mr. C. H. DeBow, stands among the 
first teachers of the county. Go, directors-, and do 
likewise. Make your school house the most pleas- 
ant in the district; then employ none but first-class 
teachers. Remember that if all the poor teachers 
in the county should starve to death you are not 
responsible. 

J. E. Edmiston. 

With the rapid settlement and development 
of the three succeeding years, there was wit- 
nessed a corresponding improvement in edu- 
cational facilities. There was developed a 
lively interest in school matters among the 
people; new school buildings were erected; the 
first of November, 1881, saw 62 bona fide 
school districts in Columbia county, and a 
school fund of $15,274.83. The organization 
of Garfield county left only 34, including 
union districts in what is now Columbia coun- 
ty. Following is the superintendent's report 
published in September, 1881 : 

Number of school districts 61 

Number of school houses 54 

Number of children of school age 3,286 

Number of children attending school 2,005 

Number of teachers employed 49 

At this period there was but one graded 
school and that was at Dayton. We present 
here the superintendent's report for 1882 : 

New districts organized 4 

Number of new buildings erected 9 

Number of districts having no public school 

house 4 

Average length of schools, months 4 

Longest term, months 9 

Shortest term, months 3 

Number of teachers holding first grade certifi- 
cates, 7 

Highest wages paid, males $80.00 

Highest wages paid, females 60.00 

Lowest wages paid, males 3300 

Lowest wages paid, females 25.00 

Number teachers in county, males 22 

Number teachers in county, females 28 

Amount expended for teachers' wages $ 7,800 

Amount expended for buildings, exclusive of 

voluntary contributions $2,500 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY 



411 



Value of school property $19,488 

No. children of school age in county 2,000 

No. children under school age in county.... 525 

Enrolled in public schools 1,223 

Enrolled in private schools 38 

Average daily attendance 824 

Taking into consideration the demoralizing ef- 
fects of the smallpox epidemic that visited the 
county during the year, the above is a very good 
showing. The enrollment and average is not so 
large as might be expected, on account of the con- 
tour of the country, which renders it impossible 
for school houses to be placed conveniently for all 
persons. Each year a county institute is held by the 
teachers, and much has been accomplished thereby 
toward systematic and effective teaching. At the 
last session held in Dayton, May, 1882, the increase 
in attendance" and interest was very encouraging. 
Resolutions were adopted asking the legislature to 
make provisions for county normal institutes, and 
also for public school libraries. 

I think it may be said, without fear of success- 
ful contradiction, that the schools of Columbia 
county will compare favorably with those of any 
territory in the union, and also with those of num- 
erous states, notwithstanding the fact that the 
country is yet in its infancy regarding the more sub- 
stantial improvements. 

In the School Journal of May, 1884, Mrs. 
J. N. Crawford, county superintendent of 
schools, writes : 

There are at the present time 41 school dis- 
tricts in Columbia county! Including the primary 
school building of Dayton there are now 39 school 
houses, many of them very neat and comfortable. 
Four districts have no school houses, but three of 
the four contemplate building this year. The num- 
ber of children between the ages of four and 21 
years, according to clerk's reports for 1883, is 2.101. 
At the present date there are, no doubt, 2,500. The 
January apportionment alone, 1884, was $17,155, of 
which at the rate of $8 per scholar, $16,108 were 
apportioned the district. Last year the average sal- 
ary of teachers was $45. This year the average 
will no doubt be over $50. A majority of the teachers 
receive from $50 to $60. The average length of 
school in 1879 was four and one-quarter months; in 
1883 seven months. No county in Washington Ter- 
ritory except Pierce, has a better average. 

The Dayton school is the only one in the 
county that is graded. During the past year eight 
teachers were employed, seven of whom are teach- 
ing during the spring term. The high department 
in under charge of the principal, F. M. McCully, 



who graded the school in 1880. The other teachers 
are as follows: Grammer, Mrs. Kellogg; inter- 
mediate, Miss Stella Bo wen; primary schools, 
Misses Cora Samms, Helen Ross, Nannie Range and 
Annie Ross. 

Up to this time we have treated only of public 
schools. There were a number of private institutions. 
The Columbia Seminary Association was incorpor- 
ated in December, 1875. The object in view was 
the establishment at Dayton of an educational in- 
stitution under the immediate supervision of the 
Methodist Episcopal Conference. S. G. Ellis was 
president; the trustees were J. K. Rainwater, Robert 
F. Sturdevant, George Eckler, J. H. Kennedy, G. W. 
Miller, S. G. Ellis, J. N. Day, William Matzger and 
J. L. Smith. Without receiving sufficient encourage- 
ment this project was before the people of Dayton 
for more than a year. The trustees did not feel 
warranted in incurring the expense of the erection 
of a building for a purely denominational institu- 
tion, and the project was adandoned. 

Following this the Dayton Academy Associa- 
tion was organized in the spring of 1877. This was 
for the purpose of establishing a non-sectarian 
school. Like the Columbia Seminary Association 
this enterprise was, also, doomed to failure. Al- 
though the sum of $2,600 had been subscribed and 
preparations made for the erection of a suitable 
building, in July the trustees decided not to proceed 
with the work; there were indications that sufficient 
support could not be relied upon. 

In 1879 the Washington Seminary was built. 
It was located three miles northeast of Waitsburg, 
at Huntsville, just within the confines of Columbia 
county. It was a neat, two-story edifice capable 
of accommodating 150 students. It was, in fact, 
the only private educational institute of any im- 
portance that ever existed in the county. It was 
formally opened Monday, November 24th, with Prof. 
W. J. Jones as principal. As stated by the Chroni- 
cle of the 29th : "The professor is a competent 
man for the position, and with proper management 
the school, may be made one of the best east of the 
Cascade mountains." May 22, 1880, the Chronicle 
added : "The school, which is to be the central fig- 
ure of the place (Huntsville), closed Thursday, May 
20, and a brief visit on Wednesday showed conclus- 
ively that the pupils under the management of R. 
O. Hawks and Miss Anna Kenworthy had made 
rapid and thorough advancement. During the past 
term there have been 61 pupils enrolled, with an 
average attendance of about 50. The college build- 
ing is conveniently arranged and when entirely fin- 
ished will be a credit to the county." 

The officers of the board of trustees of the 
Washington Seminary were, in 1880, Rev. William 
Gallaher, president; Rev. T. Branson, agent. At 
that period the faculty consisted of Prof. J. B. 






412 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



Horner, principal, and professor of mathematics; 
R. O. Hawks, professor of bookkeeping, penmanship 
and phonography; Mrs. Belle Horner, preceptress 
of the ladies' department. At this time the institu- 
tion published the Washington Seminar}- Vidette 
edited by Prof. Horner. It was, as we say con- 
ventionally in journalistic parlance, "bright and 
newsy." The seminary was closed in 1890 and re- 
mained so until 1897, when it was reopened under 
the principalship of Prof. U. P. Waldrip. June 17, 
1899 the Chronicle said : 

"* * * * This closed the second year since 
reopening. While the success achieved is below 
what was desired, yet in more particulars than one 
there is room for modest self congratulation on the 
part of the seminary. The average attendance for 
the year just closed, not counting those in the 
music department, was 45, but the quality of work 
done was the most satisfactory feature. U. P. Wal- 
drip is principal." 

Concerning the early schools in the city of Day- 
ton it may be said that E. H. Orcutt was one of the 
first, if not the first, teacher of the first school. O. 
C. White assumed charge in the autumn of 1871, 
and conducted the school at the "crossing" during 
a period of six months. Following a short exper- 
ience in the lumber business he taught the Milton 
Mills, now Long's Station, school, during the win- 
ter of 1872-3. At this time the Dayton school was 
taught by Miss Alley (later Mrs. H. B. Day), as 
principal, and Miss Hattie E. Day (later Mrs. D. 
C. Guernsey), as assistant. O. C. White returned 
to the Dayton school in March, 1873. remaining in 
charge until a short time before Christmas. 1876, 
when he resigned to assume his duties as county 
auditor. 

At a school election held at Dayton Saturday, 
April 27, 1878, the school tax was defeated. The ob- 
ject of this tax was to establish a revenue for a 
graded school. Concerning this the Chronicle in- 
dignantly said: "Every vote cast against levying 
a school tax was a vote indirectly cast against Day- 
ton. It is a burning shame that a town with the 
thrift and population of Dayton should continually 
ignore educational advantages in the shape of a 
good school. The right men will certainly take 
hold of this matter at no distant day. It is to be 
hoped they will." 

For several years prior to 1880, when a new 
school house was erected at Dayton, educational 
matters at the county seat were commented upon 
quite freely as being "disgraceful." The public 
school building was represented by an insignificant 
"shack" incapable of holding half the people who 
desired to attend school. It did not appear to be 
lack of interest in educational affairs that kept the 
school in such poor condition; the people of the dis- 
tricot were refined, educated and cultured. But owing 



to some inscrutable reason it was not until 1880 
that a suitable school building, costing $4,312, was 
erected. This lack of public educational facilities 
led to the establishment of a number of small private 
institutions; at one time, in 1880, there were no less 
than five private schools, employing six teachers. 

In view of the foregoing, the erection of the 
handsome new school house in the summer of 1880 
was an important event in the educational history 
of the county and town. The school opened Oc- 
tober 4th, with an attendance of 203 pupils; 40 in 
the higher grade ; 50 in the grammar department ; 
56 in the intermediate, and 57 in the primary de- 
partment. Within a week this number was increased 
to 223 and in November 265 were enrolled. This 
new school house was secured owing to the ener- 
getic and judicious management of F. G. Frary, J. 
L. Smith and J. K. Rainwater. The following 
teachers were placed in charge: F. M. McCully, 
principal; J. S. Windell, Sina Colson and Stella 
Bowen, assistants. Not only at home, but abroad 
did this school soon gain an enviable reputation. 
Two other buildings were added during the sum- 
mer of 1881, and a high school instituted under 
charge of S. G. Burdick and Misses Lizzie Geary and 
Emma Kinnear were added to the list of teachers. 
Mr. Windell had resigned. 

At the close of the school year, 1882, the resig- 
nations of all the teachers, except Misses Colson 
and Bowen, were tendered the directors. During 
the year 1882-3 the principalship was given to Mr. 
J. H. Morgan. The year previous the enrollment 
in the public school of Dayton reached 350, and the 
average daily attendance was 245. The district ex- 
pended nearly $10,000 for the property it then pos- 
sessed. The census of 1882 showed 481 children be- 
tween the ages of 4 and 21 years in the district. 

January 21, 1892, a special election was held 
in the Dayton school district to vote on the propo- 
sition to issue $30,000 in bonds to erect a new school 
building. The vote was 231 for and 206 against. 
As it required a three-fifth vote to prevail, the propo- 
sition was lost. Now, Dayton was badly in need 
of improved school facilities. It was ascertained 
that the failure of the project was due, largely, to a 
misconception of various points in the proposition, 
and it was, consequently, decided to again resort 
to the polls. The schools at this time labored under 
great disadvantages. There were 640 pupils en- 
rolled in the district. Every effort was made to 
accomodate the pupils applying for admission to 
public schools, but it was impossible to do so under 
the conditions as they then existed. In one school 
room 93 children were crowded; in another 81. 
Applications for admission were listed and the ap- 
plicants were compelled to await their turn. 
Scholars who from sickness, or any other cause, 
were absent from school three days, were dropped 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



4i3 



from the lists and their places quickly snapped up 
by others. No pupils residing out of the district 
were received or listed. 

February 1st a mass meeting was held, and an 
earnest effort was made to harmonize the various 
conflicting interests in the district, and bring about 
a new election. This was secured on February 8th, 
but again the bonds were voted down. The propo- 
sition appeared like an insurmountable bugbear. 
It was not until 1903 that Dayton was supplied with 
adequate school facilities. That year bonds car- 
ried, and an ornate school edifice costing $55,000 
was erected. Perhaps, after all, it was just as well 
that the $30,000 project failed. Twenty-five thous- 
and dollars were added to the handsome structure. 
— The annual report of County School Superin- 



tendent Hendron was made August 1, 1903. It 
showed that there were 49 school districts in Colum- 
bia county. Only one of these, No. 18, on Snake 
river, had no school building. The total number of 
children, of school age in the county was 2,187. 
Of this number 2,085 attended school. This was a 
slight decrease from the showing made for the 
preceding year, when there were 2,347 children 
of school age, and 2,162 enrolled. Only three dis- 
tricts maintained more than one department; Day- 
ton had 12, Huntsville 3 and Starbuck 4. In the 
county 68 teachers were employed, 20 of whom were 
males. The average salary of male teachers was 
$55.60, and for female teachers, $50.18. This was 
an increase over wages paid during the preceding 
year. 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 

COLUMBIA COUNTY 



JOSEPH H. DAY was born in Leaven- 
worth, Kansas, on December 20, 1857, and is 
the son of Jesse and Elizabeth (Forest) Day. 
He is the nephew of Hon. H. B. Day, who 
with his brother, our subject's father, was 
numbered with the first pioneers of this coun- 
try. Dayton is named from these men and 
they are mentioned in other places in this vol- 
ume. Mr. Day has practically resided here all 
his life and studied in the schools of this coun- 
ty and city. His father came to the Pacific 
coast in the early fifties and married in -the 
Willamette valley. With his wife he went 
back to Kansas and there our subject was 
born, and was an infant in arms when they 
came back to the coast a second time. The 
mother was a native of Missouri and had 
come with her parents to the Willamette val- 
ley. The father had made the first trip to the 
west xvith his two brothers, Nicholas and 
Henry T. Day. As early as 1859, our subject's 
father bought from D. Schnebley a quarter 
section where Dayton now stands and al- 
though he had been in this vicinity some years 
before, the town of Dayton was started after 
this purchase. He was occupied in general 
farming and stoekraising. His death occurred 
in Dayton, in 1894, having been the father of 
twelve children. Our subject studied in Walla 
Walla as well as here and when still a boy he 
and his brother purchased the drug store in 
Dayton which their uncle, Dr. J. H. Day of 



Walla Walla has been operating here. Seeing 
the need of a more extended acquaintance with 
the imporant profession of pharmacy, Joseph 
H. Went to San Francisco and there gradu- 
ated from the College of Pharmacy in the class 
of 1878. Returning to Dayton, he purchased 
the interest owned by his brother and since 
then has conducted the business successfully 
until the present time. His store is one of the 
finest in this part of the country and will com- 
pare favorably with any in the state. He car- 
ries a stock of twenty thousand dollars worth 
of goods, well selected, and his place of busi- 
ness is the general centre of the drug trade of 
Dayton. The old pioneers are pleased to make 
this a rendezvous and all new comers are at- 
tracted by the strict business methods and the 
up to date of everything in connection. Mr. 
Day's aggressiveness and the sturdy qualities 
of worth inherited from his father have com- 
bined to make him successful in his chosen 
profession. 

At Portland, Oregon, in 1879, Mr. Day 
married Miss Emily B. Vanderbilt, who came 
to San Francisco with her parents, Marcus and 
Amanda F. (Jordan) Vanderbilt. when she 
was twelve years of age. She was one of 
three children and her father died here in Co- 
lumbia county, in 1882. Her mother had died 
in California. To Mr. and Mrs. Day one child 
has been born, Everett V. In political mat- 
ters Mr. Day is Republican and while a stanch 



416 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



worker for the principles that are for the 
growth and betterment of the country, he 
never aspires to office and is content to labor 
for others to fill positions of public trust. Mr. 
Day has labored for years for the advancement 
of the country and is in love with his city, and 
stands today one of the leading men of the 
community. He is never behind in any move- 
ment calculated to benefit the country and 
every worthy project is sure to find a stanch 
friend and helper in him. Mrs. Day is popu- 
lar and esteemed, and is a favorite in society. 
Other members of the Day family are men- 
tioned in this work and the history of Dayton 
commences with their advent. , 



ELIJAH W. McCALL is one of the lead- 
ing farmers and stockmen of Columbia county 
and resides one mile north from Dayton. He 
was born in DeKalb county, Missouri, on Oc- 
tober 2, 1854, the son of John and Polly A. 
(Maxwell) McCall, natives of Tennessee and 
Illinois, resepctively. They were married in 
Indiana and were pioneers all their lives. The 
mother died in 1902, in Washington. The 
father came to Missouri when it was yet an un- 
settled country and so on thereafter, journey- 
ed to Iowa. In 1869, he came to San Fran- 
cisco, and thence to Lane county, Oregon, and 
purchased a farm in Rattlesnake valley. He 
sold this two years later and came to Waits- 
burg where he rented land. Next he moved 
to Whetstone Hollow, near Dayton and they 
were among the first settlers in that country 
and for a good many years were extensively en- 
gaged in raising cattle and horses. In 1889, 
he passed away, having lived a good life and 
done a good work. He always was ahead of 
the railroad, a typical frontiersman, and took 
great delight in the strenuous exercises and 
hardships of life. Our subject received his 
education in Iowa, Oregon and Washington, 
being eighteen years of age when he came to the 



last named territory. When he had arrived at 
his majority, he took a homestead in Whet- 
stone valley and was associated with his father 
in stock raising until the latter's death. It was 
1 90 1 when Mr. McCall sold his homestead 
and purchased the property where he now re- 
sides just out from Dayton. He owns two hun- 
dred and twenty acres of fine land which is 
well improved and utilized for diversified 
farming. Mr. McCall raises cattle, horses, 
hogs, poultry, sheep and all kinds of crops that 
do well in this latitude. He is an energetic 
and progressive man and has shown himself 
possessed of excellent wisdom in the calling he 
has pursued. He has a beautiful home, while 
thrift and industry are in evidence throughout 
the entire premises. 

In 1890, Mr. McCall married Miss Sarah 
White, who was born in Iowa and crossed the 
plains with his parents in an ox train to the 
Willamette valley in 1862. Her father, An- 
drew W., was a pioneer of Oregon and mar- 
ried Miss Margaret Messinger, a native of In- 
diana. They crossed the plains to Oregon in 
pioneer days. To Mr. and Mrs. McCall four 
children have been born, Elmer B., deceased, 
Burrell, George L., and Bessie. 

Mr. McCall is a member of the F. & A. M. 
and the W. W. 



WILBER HOPKINS, the efficient and 
popular assessor of Columbia county, is 
also one of the pioneers of this section and has 
done a faithful labor for the upbuilding of the- 
country during the time of his residence here. 
When not in official duty, he is occupied in 
farming and has a good estate some miles out 
from Dayton. He was born in Iowa, on Sep- 
tember 10, 1862, the son of Ira E. and L. 
(Barden) Hopkins. The father was born in 
New York, on December 11, 1827, and is liv- 
ing near Dayton. The mother was born in 
New York, on October 4, 1833, and died in 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



417 



Dayton, on May 5, 1904. The father followed 
coopering all his life and has done an extensive 
business. He had a very large establishment 
in Michigan, then moved to Chicago and con- 
tinued in business with his brother. After 
that, they journeyed to Indiana and shortly 
afterwards on west to Iowa and did business 
there until 1872, when he came to the vicinity 
of Dayton, since which time he has divided his 
attention between shop work and the farm. 
Our subject attended the common schools of 
Iowa and Washington and completed his edu- 
cation in Huntsville seminary. In 1881, he 
began teaching and followed the same for 
several years with marked success, then he 
turned his attention to farming and has con- 
tinued in that business since, excepting when 
he has been holding office. He has held vari- 
ous positions and in 1902 was elected county 
assessor on the Republican ticket. In this ca- 
pacity, he has given universal satisfaction and 
is a man of excellent practical judgment, as 
is evidenced by the fact that he was re-elected 
in November, 1904, without an opponent. 

In 1893 Mr. Hopkins married Miss Delia 
Piles who was born in West Virginia in 1872. 
Her parents Jacob and Rachel (McClure) 
Piles, were both born in West Virginia, the 
father on February 3, 1830. The mother is 
now deceased. Mr. Hopkins has the fol- 
lowing named brothers, Ernest, Herbert, Er- 
win, Luther and Miles. Miles is studying medi- 
cine in the medical college in San Francisco 
and is making splendid progress. Mr. Hop- 
kins is a man of excellent standing, reliable 
and capable. In political matters he is an ac- 
tive worker as well as in every movement that 
is for the benefit of the community. 



DURON HAMILTON has the distinc- 
tion of being born in the Willamette valley and 
has spent the years of his life entirely in the 
west, having been a pioneer of various sec- 
tions. He has done the work of the pioneer 

27 



well and deserves credit for it. At the pres- 
ent time, he resides six miles southeast from 
Starbuck where he has a nice estate, well im- 
proved. He is one of the influential and sub- 
stantial men of the country, and labors assidu- 
ously for improvement and progress. His. 
birth occurred at the forks of the Santiam in 
Linn county, on April 29, 1859. The father,. 
Supplina Hamilton, was born in Illinois and 
crossed the plains with an ox team in 185 1. 
He settled on a donation claim in that county 
and in 1861, came to Umatilla county on horse- 
back, arriving in due time at Umatilla landing 
where, in connection with farming, he oper- 
ated a blacksmith shop. For five years he 
continued this enterprise, then moved to an- 
other portion of Umatilla county. Later, he 
returned to Linn county, Oregon, and in 1873, 
came to the Pataha flat and took a pre-emption 
He lived on that for two years and then went 
to Waitsburg and opened a blacksmith shop. 
Shortly after that he took two hundred acres of 
government land near Dixie, where he re- 
mained until 1888. In that year, he traded 
his land for land in Whitman county, near 
Endicott and this he sold in 1902 and then 
bought land near St. John, Washington. His 
death occurred at 7:15 A. M., February 9, 
1905, at St. John, where his body rests. He 
fought in the leading Indian wars and took 
part in the campaign against the Cayuses. 
During this service he spent one winter above 
Walla Walla where the snow was five feet 
deep on the level and they subsisted on horse's 
flesh without even salt. Our subject's mother, 
Jane (Sumpter) Hamilton, was born in Mis- 
souri and crossed the plains in 1849. Her 
father, Alexander Sumpter, died on May 20, 
1894, aged ninety-three. He has thirteen 
children, eighty-six grandchildren — one hun- 
dred and sixty-two great-grandchildren, and 
seventeen great-great grandchildren, making 
a total of two hundred and seventy-eight de- 
scendants, most of whom were born in Ore- 
gon, Washington and Idaho. 



4i8 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



Our subject was educated in the public 
schools of Oregon and Washington and the 
academy at Waitsburg. After he arrived at 
manhood's estate he took a homestead near 
Dixie. In 1878. he went thence to Pataha 
flat and conducted a farm. A year later, he 
returned to the vicinity of Dixie and bought 
railroad land and in 1881. took a timber cul- 
ture five miles north of Waitsburg, where he re- 
mained until 1895. I' 1 T 89/. Mr Hamilton 
came to Columbia county and in 1901, bought 
and rented land where he now lives. He has 
a pleasant and valuable home place and 
handles considerable stock besides doing gen- 
eral farming. He also is an expert well driller 
and handles many contracts throughout the 
country, in company with his son, C. O. 

On December 24, 1876, Mr. Hamilton 
married Miss Laura S. Brunton, a native of 
Missouri who, in 1876, came to this state with 
her parents, Cyrus H. and Christian (Wil- 
coxen) Brunton, natives of Pennsylvania and 
Ohio, respectively. The father was one of the 
pioneers of the coast and .was widely known 
as a good and upright man. To Mr. and Mrs. 
Hamilton nine children have been born, named 
as follows, Mrs. Olive L. Xeeley, Charles O., 
Osta, Pearl C. Christa J., Mary, Delbert, Wil- 
liam J. B., and Ruby. 

Mr. Hamilton is a member of the I. O. O. 
F. He is an energetic and stirring man in 
business affairs, patriotic and loyal as a citizen 
and stanch and true as a friend. 



JAMES MILO McKELLIPS, a retired 
farmer of Dayton, and one of the men who has 
labored assiduously for the improvement and 
betterment of this part of the country, was 
born on January 2, 1828, at Bradford, Ver- 
mont, in the Connecticut river valley. James 
McKellips, his father, was also born in Ver- 
mont, as were the grandfather and great- 
grandfather of our subject. The great-grand- 



father served seven years in the Revolution 
and was crippled from a wound received dur- 
ing that service. James M. remembers him 
well and the tales he used to tell of the hard- 
ships and suffering the patriots encountered. 
The family were all farmers and came from 
Scotch and Irish extraction. The mother of 
our subject, Mary (Martin) McKellips, was 
born in Vermont and came from an old Amer- 
ican family. James M. grew up on the farm in 
Vermont until twenty, when his father gave 
him his time. The family, however, had 
moved to New Hampshire two years previous 
to that. With his brother, Mr. McKellips 
bought a sawmill and operated the same for 
several years, then came west in 1853, to Chi- 
cago. One year was spent in constructing 
railroad bridges and he then journeyed on to 
Quincy, Illinois, and there spent a short time 
on the farm, having met his future wife. He 
worked some time for her father, then 
they were married and went on to Keokuk, 
Iowa. Owing to the failure of the health of 
his wife's father, they returned to the home and 
assisted them for one year. In May, 1856, 
they journeyed to Missouri, where Mr. Mc- 
Kellips did farming and carpentering for six 
years. After that, they went to Wisconsin, 
purchased a farm, and for, nine years made 
that their headquarters. After that time, they 
took a trip to Illinois and New England and 
then in the spring of 1872, came to Oregon. 
Mr. McKellips rented a farm ten miles west of 
Portland and in 1876, came to southeastern 
Washington, where he took eighty acres as a 
homestead. Being prospered in his work, he 
purchased more land until he had an estate of 
five hundred acres. In 1888, he sold the en- 
tire property and later, bought a quarter sec- 
tion, which he now rents. He owns a nice 
dwelling in Dayton and also three other resi- 
dence properties which are rented. Mr. Mc- 
Kellips, owing to his thrift and wisdom, has 
been blessed in financial matters and is one of 
the substantial and prosperous men in the 
state. 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



419 



On June 21, 1855, at Quincy, Illinois, Mr. 
McKellips married Elizabeth L. Thompson, 
who was born on January 19. 1833, at Athens, 
Ohio. Her parents, Andrew and Elizabeth 
(Stuart) Thompson, were natives of Ohio. 
Her mother's father came from Scotland and 
belonged to the royal house of 'the Stuarts. 
Mr. and Mrs. McKellips have had two child- 
ren, Mary, who died when twenty and a son 
who died an infant. Mr. McKellips has three 
half brothers, Horace, David, and Eldredge; 
•and two half-sisters, Charlotte, the wife of 
Warren Harriman, a veteran of the Civil War ; 
and Mary Jane, the widow of O. D. Bradbury. 
Mr. McKellip's mother was married the second 
time, 'to the brother of her first husband. Mrs. 
McKellips has three brothers, Lewis, in Linn- 
wood, Kansas; Homer, in Nevada; Lee, in Il- 
linois; and one sister, Adaline, wife of Lewis 
Bettig. Mr. and Mrs. McKellips are people 
of good standing and are deserving and re- 
spected citizens. 

Since the above was written, death has en- 
tered the pleasant home of Mr. McKellips, and 

on the evening of Mrs. McKellips, 

who had suffered a stroke of paralysis 
some two weeks previous, passed from ithe 
things of time to the realities of eternity. The 
funeral was held from the family residence the 
following Sunday and all that was earthly of 
the good, faithful woman was laid to rest to 
await the morn of resurrection. 



♦ »» 



WILLIAM E. CAHILL is one of Day- 
ton's leading business men. Mr. Cahill 
stands at the head of a large abstracting busi- 
ness which he has built up to its present exten- 
sive proportions, and is managing with marked 
ability and excellent success. As an abstractor 
he stands second to none in the State of Wash- 
ington, and in his records of work, very few 
men can surpass him. His instruments are 
said to be among the very best in the north- 



west. Columbia county is to be congratulated 
upon having such a complete and up-to-date 
abstract office, which insures correctness of 
title and thus avoids much confusion and litiga- 
tion, 

William E. Cahill was born in Greenlake 
county, Wisconsin, on January 18, 1862. His 
parents, William R. and Angeline (Church) 
Cahill, were born in New York, and in Erie 
county, Pennsylvania, in 1830 and 1840, re- 
spectively. The father died in 1888, but the 
mother is still living. The common schools 
of Wisconsin furnished the educational train- 
ing of our subject until he was sixteen years of 
age, when he came to Washington and studied 
two years more in the higher branches. After 
that he took up teaching for several years and 
then engaged as salesman in one of the leading 
mercantile establishments in Dayton. For 
seven years he continued thus and then he open- 
ed an office in his present business. Since that 
time, Mr. Cahill has devoted his attention to 
this business and has perfected and is conduct- 
ing as complete a set of books as can be found 
in this country. His reliability and thorough- 
ness have so commended him to the people that 
he has won their entire confidence and he does 
most of the business in the county. 

In 1888, Mr. Cahill married Miss Anna 
Sharon, a native of Illinois. To this union 
one child has been born and is now deceased. 

Mr. Cahill is a member of the F. & A. M. 
and the K. P. and has passed the chairs of the 
latter order. He stands well in business and 
society circles in the country. 



GEORGE W. BLACKMER, who resides 
about two miles south from Dayton, on a nice 
large estate of fertile land, has passed a life of 
most thrilling adventure and hardship, both as 
a soldier and a hardy pioneer. Like Kit Car- 
son or Buffalo Bill, his experiences are so ex- 
tensive many a volume would have to be writ- 



420 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



ten to detail them. Equal in cunning, bravery 
and marksmanship to these two scouts, he has 
displayed his prowess on many occasions and 
won the plaudits of many people. He was 
born in New York, on October 4, 1840, the son 
of Olomon and Amarilla (Hyde) Blackmer. 
The mother was tern at Burlington, Vermont, 
in 1804. The father was born in Vermont in 
1794, and was a veteran of the War of 1812, in 
which conflict he received a severe wound. He 
was a great hunter and Indian fighter and his 
son received much valuable training from his 
skillful father. Our subject was educated in 
New York, and when twenty-one, in 1861, en- 
listed in the Forty-fourth New York and was 
in the heaviest fighting of the Rebellion. He 
participated in all the battles under McClellan, 
was in the Pennsylvania campaign, fought 
through the campaign under Burnsides and 
participated in the battles at Fredericksburg, 
Antietam, Cold Harbor, Rappahannock, The 
Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Petersburg, Gettys- 
burg, the Second Bull Run and the seven days' 



struggle at Richmond. 



At Gettysburg, he 



had fourteen bullet holes in his clothing. In 
1864, he received his honorable discharge and 
after a short visit at home, returned to the cap- 
itol at Washington, D. C, and was watchman 
in the treasury department for two months. 
Next he was in the quartermaster's department 
and went there to assist in erecting buildings 
for General Sherman and was there until the 
war closed. He was given fifteen men on 
one occasion to take General Sherman's mail 
from Wilmington, North Carolina, to Fay- 
ettesville. The route was up a sluggish river for 
one hundred and sixty miles and was beset by 
enemies the entire distance. They repulsed 
many attacks and on one occasion had a close 
call with three burning barges that the rebels 
sent against them. He succeeded in delivering 
the mail all right, however. After the battle 
of Cold Harbor, Mr. Blackmer was taken pris- 
oner and was detained successively at Belle 
Island, Salisbury and Andersonville. In the 



last place, he was without blankets or coats 
and had nothing to drink but stagnant water 
until the breaking out of the spring within the 
stockade, so well known in history. 

Mr. Blackmer had two brothers, Esau and 
Jacob, who were also veterans of the Civil 
War. In 1865, our subject came to Montana 
and participated in all the mining excitements- 
of the west and northwest. On one occasion, 
he was to haul ten passengers to white Pine 
City for one hundred and fifty dollars each, 
but owing to the hostilities of the savages, they 
refused to go. Mr. Blackmer went alone, 
however, and continued until he reached Salt 
Lake City. During the entire way, he was 
aware that the Indians were on his trail, yet he 
was not injured. At Salt Lake, being" well ac 
quainted with Brigham Young and other Mor- 
mon leaders, he was strongly pressed by them 
to take a colonelcy in the dragoons, but re- 
fused. From Salt Lake City he went to Elko 
and crossed the Great American Desert, ninety 
miles in width, by moonlight without a drop of 
w r ater for either himself or his horse. At 
Honey Lake he recruited and there remained 
until 1868, when he took a trip to New York 
on a visit and three months later, came to 
California. After that, he journeyed to the 
Willamette Valley, whence he crossed the 
mountains and in 1870 took a homestead, pre- 
emption, and timber culture claim. Mr. Black- 
mer has been an extensive traveler and ex- 
plorer in every state in the union except three. 
At the present time, he is living on a nice es- 
tate near Dayton, as stated, and is one of the 
substantial and well known farmers. 

In 1868, in Michigan, Mr. Blackmer mar- 
ried Miss Amanda Warner, who was born in 
Calhoun county, that state, in 1842. To them 
the following named children have been born : 
Mrs. Etta M. Hart, in 1872; Mrs. Bertha 
Derry, in 1876; Francis R., in 1878; Olomon 
H., in 1880; and George W., in 1885. 

Mr. Blackmer's experience with the In- 
dians has been extensive indeed. On many 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY 



421 



occasions he has visited them in the midst of 
their warlike hostilities but at such times he 
was never wounded or injured by them. How- 
ever, he was wounded by them thrice at Yel- 
lowstone river. They respected his generosity 
and bravery, and many times would fight for 
instead of against him. On numerous occa- 
sions he has been in their camp and slept in 
their tepees while they were on the war path. 
He is a brave and fearless man and has done a 
noble work as a pioneer. His life record in 
fighting for his country is second to none and 
he has shown himself an upright man, a true 
and stanch friend and a patriotic citizen. 

Regarding the Andersonville stockade, Mr. 
Blackmer states that the first one was about 
forty acres and through it was a sluggish 
slough or bayou. The water was vile and one 
day, about a foot above the level of this slough, 
a good spring broke out, furnishing a stream 
as big as a broom handle. He secured a 
drink of the refreshing water the first day it 
broke out, and it was a God-send to the poor, 
famishing soldiers. 



CYRUS DAVIS, who lives in Dayton, 
Washington, was born in Richford, Franklin 
county, Vermont, on April 23, 1827. Daniel 
Davis was his father and he owns as his native 
place, the town where our subject was born. 
He w r as a veteran of the War of 181 2 and a 
prominent man in Vermont. In 1853, our 
subject brought his family, including his par- 
ents, to Waukesha, Wisconsin. There the 
father died. The mother died in St. Croix 
county, that state. Our subject always partic- 
ipated actively in the public and political af- 
fairs of the country and held many offices of 
trust at the hands of the people. He married 
Miss Phoebe Mack, who was also born in Rich- 
ford county, Vermont. Her parents were of 
Scotch lineage and came to America in Colon- 
ial days. The first seventeen years of our sub- 



ject's life were spent in Vermont and there he 
received his education. Then he went to 
Keen, New Hampshire, and the next year took 
a position with Richard Miller and learned the 
stone-cutting trade. For fifteen years he fol- 
lowed that industry, coming west gradually un- 
til he landed in Wisconsin. There he did 
many large pieces of work among which may 
be mentioned the state reform school at Wau- 
kesha, the contract for which was over sixty 
thousand dollars. In i860, we find him in 
St. Croix county, Wisconsin, near Hammond, 
where he bought a farm and gave his attention 
largely to the same until 1871, then he de- 
termined to come farther west and accordingly 
selected Washington territory as the objective 
point. Among the many beautiful places here, 
he choose Dayton as his destination, and kept 
the first inn in that town. He started with a 
little log cabin and soon thereafter, went to 
stock-raising and farming, which he has fol- 
lowed chiefly since. He has gained a good 
competence for the golden years of his life and 
has also won in unstinted measure, the esteem 
and admiration of all who have assisted him. 
No man stands better in the country to-day 
than Mr. Davis. 

In 1850 occurred the marriage of Mr. 
Davis and Philena Holey, who was born in 
Saybrook, Ohio, and there reared. Thence 
she removed to Napola, New York, where she 
was married. Her parents were Austin and 
Philena Holey, natives of Connecticut. For 
fifty years, Mr. Davis and his faithful wife 
have journeyed their pilgrim way happily and 
he remarks jocosely that doubtless they are 
able to continue for fifty years more. They 
are both enjoying the best of health and are 
among the beloved and respected people of this 
community. Wherever they have lived, they 
have won hosts of friends by their, kindness 
and by their integrity. 

Mr. Davis is a member of the F. & A. M., 
a well known politician and has held many 
offices of trust at the hands of the people. His 



42; 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



brother, Leonard D., was also a pioneer of this 
country and one of its influential citizens. He 
died in June, 1904, aged eighty-nine. The 
children born to Mr. Davis are named as fol- 
lows : Lorenzo , Phoebe, Philena, Ella and 
Hattie. 

For, thirty-three years, Mr. Davis has la- 
bored in southeastern Washington and it is 
pleasing indeed to see him and his enjoying 
the fruits of their toil, amid loved ones and 
hosts of warm friends. The labor he has per- 
formed for the -upbuilding of the country and 
the development of the same are worthy the 
evident wisdom bestowed. 

Mr. Davis had four brothers in the Civil 
War, two of whom were killed, one at Gettys- 
burg and the other at the battle of the Wilder- 
ness. 



ROBERT F. STURDEVANT, bettei 
known as Judge Sturdevant, is one of the 
leading men in his portion of the state of 
Washington. For thirty years he has been a 
prominent figure in political and public matters 
in Washington and has a wide acquaintance 
throughout the state and a large circle of warm 
friends. At the present time, he is at the head 
of an extensive practice of law in Dayton and 
is known as one of the most brilliant attorneys 
in this part of the state. Without doubt no 
work would be complete which purports to 
mention the leading men of the county, did it 
not give a prominent place to Judge Sturde- 
vant. His labors, his work, and his life are 
to be mentioned in this relation. 

Robert F. Sturdevant was born in Warren 
county, Pennsylvania, on November 18, 1841. 
His parents, James W. and Mary- A. (French) 
Sturdevant, were born in Pennsylvania and 
Vermont respectively. The father's father 
was born in Connecticut. The parents set- 
tled in Lee county, Iowa, in 1843, an d remained 
there eleven years, then journeyed to Wiscon- 
sin, where they lived many years. The mother 



died in 1893. The children of this family are 
named as follows: Robert F., our subject; 
James, Rufus J., Nancy J., Marshall and 
Gildroy. Robert F. studied first in the old log 
cabin schoolhouse and later completed his edu- 
cation in Neilsville, Wisconsin. When twen- 
ty-five years of age, he began the study of law 
in the office of his uncle, B. F. French. On 
March 4, 1868, the date that General Grant 
was inaugurated president of the United 
States, Mr. Sturdevant was admitted to the 
practice of law in Wisconsin. He commenced 
his profession in Neilsville and there continued 
until 1873, when he began the tour of the coun- 
try, landing in Washington territory the same 
year. In 1874 he selected Dayton as the place 
cf his home and since that time Judge Sturde- 
vant has been a prominent figure in politics, in 
public life, and at the bar in this country. He 
lias assisted materially to mold the public senti- 
ment, while in the affairs of progress and wis- 
dom, he has ever been an influential figure in 
the movements devoted to the upbuilding of 
the country. In June, 1876, we find him in 
Spokane for a short time. He has traveled 
to various sections of the state in the west but 
has ever maintained his home in Dayton. Dur- 
ing the years he has resided here, the judge 
has accumulated a nice property. He has a 
four hundred and forty-acre farm, six miles 
southeast from Dayton, and a fine residence in 
the city, besides various other property. In 
political matters, the judge is a leader. It is 
interesting to note that in i860, when the ter- 
rible issue that finally resulted in the Civil 
War was being conducted throughout the 
country, young Sturdevant was a great ad- 
mirer of Abraham Lincoln. Although his 
father was a strong Democrat, our subject be- 
lieved the principles right that Lincoln upheld 
and that he was the man for the chair of the 
chief executive in those stirring times, conse- 
quently, he secured literature that expounded 
these principles and distributed it most thor- 
oughly where he lived. The result was that 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



A2% 



the county, before time strongly Democratic, 
was entirely Republican. On the day of elec- 
tion, the older Sturdevant learned of the mat- 
ter and became greatly enraged. Coming to 
his son, he exclaimed, "I believe I will thrash 
you." The young man said, "What for?" 
"Because you have made this county go Repub- 
lican." That was Judge Sturdevant's first 
political victory and gave him prestige and 
standing in that community. However, he 
did not get the thrashing and his father, when 
anger passed, saw the wisdom of the move. 
From that time, until the present, the Judge 
has been just as greatly interested in politics 
and has never hesitated to put forth becoming 
efforts to bring about the consummation of 
those principles which he believes to be just. 
In 1870, before leaving Wisconsin, Mr. Stur- 
devant was elected prosecuting attorney of 
Clark county twice, then resigned and came 
west, as stated above. In 1876, he was nomi- 
nated by his party for county judge against 
William E. Ayers, the Democratic candidate. 
The result was a tie vote. A new election was 
called and he gained the day. Mr. Sturdevant 
was in Walla Walla attending court at election 
time. In 1878 he was elected prosecuting at- 
torney of the first judicial district of Washing- 
ton, which comprised all of Washington east 
of the Cascades except Klickitat county. He 
served one term and in 1889, was elected a 
member of the constitutional convention, being 
the only Republican in his district. In the fall 
of that year, Judge Sturdevant was called by 
the people to serve as superior judge for Co- 
lumbia, Garfield and Asotin counties and for 
seven years he held that position to the satis- 
faction of all. Then he returned to the prac- 
tice of law, preferring the bar rather than the 
arduous and confining work of the bench. 

On March 18, 1866, Mr, Sturdevant mar- 
ried Miss Mary J. Towsley, the daughter of 
Dr. Matthew M. and Harriett (Hoadley) 
Towsley. natives of Connecticut and Ohio, 
respectively. Mrs. Sturdevant was born in 



Ohio, moved with her parents to Indiana, and 
later to Wisconsin, where she was married. 
Two children have been the fruit of this union, 
Eva M., married to Preston M. Troy, living 
in Olympia; and Edith E. 

Judge Sturdevant is a member of the F. & 
A. M., the Royal Arch Chapter, the I. O. O. F. 
and the G. A. R. Mrs. Sturdevant is a mem- 
ber, of the Eastern Star, the L. R. C. and the 
Congregational church. 



A NEWTON JAMES, one of the repre- 
sentative men of Columbia county, gives his 
attention to farming, having an estate of four 
hundred and eighty acres, five miles north 
from Dayton, which is the family home. He 
was born in Linn county, Oregon, on April 5, 
1862, the son of Andrew J. and Sarah (Beers) 
James, who are mentioned elsewhere in this 
volume. The first seven years of our subject's 
life were spent in Linn county and then the 
family came on to this part of Washington. 
He remained on the farm with his parents until 
twenty-one, having received his education from 
the district and graded schools of the county. 
At the time of his majority, he bought one 
hundred and sixty acres of land and has grad- 
ually purchased more until he has the fine es- 
tate above mentioned. His residence is a 
good, large story and one-half house, which is 
provided with water piped in, telephone and so 
forth, while commodious barns and good out- 
buildings are in evidence, besides other im- 
provements. Mr. James is an up-to-date and 
wise farmer and has gained a splendid property 
holding. 

On October 14. 1885, at the residence of 
the bride's parents, Mr. James married Charity 
Romaine, a native of Wisconsin and the 
daughter of Garrett and Martha (Harbaugh) 
Romaine, who are mentioned elsewhere in this 
volume. Mr. and Mrs. James have three 
children. Lewis H. and Lois and Freda. 



424 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



In politics, our subject is a Democrat and 
gives of his time to assist on the school board, 
but is not especially active in the political 
realm. He is a man of good judgment, one 
of the substantial men of the community and 
is respected and esteemed by all who know 
him. 



JOHN T. RONDEMA. Some of the best 
farmers that have ever turned the soil in the 
United States have found their way hither 
from the little kingdom of Holland. The gen- 
uine Saxon blood in its purity is found there 
and the thrift of these people is well known. 
The gentleman whose name appears above has 
the good fortune to have been born in Holland, 
the date of that event being July 29, 1855. He 
now resides about four miles southeast from 
Dayton and gives his entire attention to gen- 
eral farming and stock raising. His father, 
Andrew Rondema, was also a native of Hol- 
land and gave this son an excellent training in 
the thrifty ways of his people. In 1871, John 
T., after having received a good education in 
his mother country, came to the United States 
and located in Chicago. He was there during 
the great fire and remained until 1871, when he 
went to Atkins, Illinois, which was his home 
until 1883. In that year, Mr. Rondema made 
his way west, finally locating in the vicinity of 
Walla Walla, where he engaged in farming 
and stock raising successfully until October, 
1903. At that time, he sold his Walla Walla 
property and bought the improvements upon 
a right to two hundred and twenty acres of 
school land where he now resides. Although 
not living within the precincts of this county 
so long as some, nevertheless he is a pioneer 
of southeastern Washington and deserves to 
be classed as one of the builders of this section. 
He has fixed up his place until it is one of the 
most beautiful and tasty on the Touchet river, 
and Mr. Rondema is to be greatly commended 
for the thrift and care that he has manifested. 



Too much cannot be said to encourage the resi- 
dents of this great state of Washington to pat- 
tern the example of Mr. Rondema for while it 
is necessary to mention that special attention 
should be given to produce the fruit of the 
field that one may prosper, it is certainly a fact 
that the rushing American has forgotten that 
everything is not embodied in the dollar, and 
that the beauty with which he surrounds him- 
self has a marked effect upon the character 
and should be assiduously cared for. 

On January 28, 1880, Mr. Rondema mar- 
ried Martha M. Porter who was born in Stark 
county, Illinois. To this marriage two chil- 
dren have been born, William, deceased, and 
Andreas. Mrs. Rondema comes from the old 
and well known Porter family, and is de- 
scended from Mayflower ancestry. Her 
grandfather served in the War of 181 2, and 
members of the Porter family have been re- 
nowned in military in all the wars of the 
United States including the Philippine. Lieu- 
tenant Porter was killed by the Indians in the 
Custer massacre. 

Mr. Rondema is a member of the W. W., 
the A. O. U. W., the Royal Arcanum, and the 
Eagles. He is a man of first class standing and 
enjoys the respect and esteem of the com- 
munity. 



GEORGE E. JEWETT has won his way 
to a brilliant success in Columbia county by 
virtue of his industry and careful management 
of the resources which have been placed before 
him. He is a man of energy and has shown 
that he is not afraid of taking hold with his 
hands to bring out the rewards that belong to 
the industrious. He has always possessed a 
knowledge of the worth of a dollar and so has 
been enabled to wisely invest his well earned 
money to the best advantage. When Mr. 
Jewett came to this country he went to work on 
a farm for wages and now he stands one of the 
representative men of the community and has 




Andreas B. Rondema 
John T. Rondema Bloyd C. Rondema Anna Rondema 





George E. Jewett 



Charles J. Thronson 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



425 



amassed property which places him indepen- 
dent of the hard labor he has performed here- 
tofore. 

George E. Jewett was born in Cincinnati, 
Ohio, on January 11, 1853, the son of Edward 
L. and Margaret (Shouse) Jewett, natives of 
Ohio. The family went to Illinois in 1859 and 
in 1878 journeyed to Kansas and there they 
remained until the death of the father. Our 
subject was educated in the common schools 
of Illinois and in the centennial year, we find 
him in Kansas working for wages. He 
wrought in different places for the intervening 
years until 1884, when he came west to view 
the country. Being pleased with the Columbia 
county prospects, he began work on the farm 
for wages, and here he has remained since. 
After a short time in the employ of others he 
felt justified in purchasing land and Mr. 
Jewett soon became one of the prosperous 
farmers of the county. He now owns about 
one section, seven miles north from Dayton, 
which is one of the choice farms of the county. 
It is well improved and produces annual re- 
turns quite gratifying. Mr. Jewett has a fine 
home and is to be commended on his success. 
He has the following" named brothers and sis- 
ters, Harry L., living in Olathe, Kansas; 
William, in Johnson county, the same state; 
Bert, Frank, and Arthur, deceased ; Charlie, in 
Desoto. Kansas ; Mrs. Emma Paris ; Charlie, in 
Missouri ; and Hattie. deceased. 

Mr. Jewett is one of the representative men 
of the county; and it is pleasant to see one who 
assisted to open the country now enjoying here 
in its present properous condition the fruits of 
his labors, while also he is surrounded by 
warm friends and has the respect of all. 



CHARLES J. THRONSON, one of 
Columbia county's heaviest land owners and 
most stirring stockmen and farmers, is now 



residing about ten miles northwest from Day- 
ton, where he conducts a ranch of eight hun- 
dred acres. Formerly he gave his attention to 
sheep raising but has recently sold his stock 
and is now raising grain almost entirely. He 
was born in California in 1867, the son of 
Willis and Anna (Thomson) Thronson, na- 
tives of Norway. The father was born in 1825 
and came to California in 1850, and to Wash- 
ington in 1869, where he died in 1897. Our 
subject was educated in his native land and in 
Washington whither he came in 1873. Settle- 
ment was made on the Keystone ranch which 
he conducted until September, 1903, when he 
removed to the place where he now resides. 
The entire estate is owned by the Thronson 
Land Stock Company, incorporated, and our 
subject is president. His brothers are equal 
stockholders with him. They own and control 
about twenty-five hundred acres of choice land. 
Mr. Thronson is well known throughout the 
country and has labored enthusiastically in its 
upbuilding and improvement since the time of 
his arrival here. For over thirty years he has 
been here and has earned the title of pioneer 
and frontiersman. Mr. Thronson is a man of 
ability and excellent standing and has won 
hosts of friends from all portions of the 
country. 

In Columbia county, in 1892, Mr. Thron- 
son married Miss Agnes Riggs, who was born 
in Ohio and this union has been blessed by the 
advent of three children: Sadie, aged eight; 
Carlos, aged three; Charles, two years of age. 
Mr. Thronson has two brothers, Thron, in 
Howard, Oregon, and Joel A., in Lagrande, 
Oregon. 

In political matters, we find our subject 
holding firm the principles of the Democratic 
party and very active in the campaigns. He is 
a member of the W. W. and takes deep interest 
in everything that tends to improve or build 
up the country or enhance the welfare of its 
inhabitants. 



426 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



MARK B. KENNEY resides about eight 
miles south from Dayton, where he follows 
farming. Formerly, he did a large contract- 
ing and building business in this country. He 
was born in County Galway, Ireland, in April. 
1834. the son of Bernard and Nona (Blake) 
Kenney. The mother was the daughter of Sir 
Thomas Blake, Colonel of the Ninety-eighth 
Connaught Rangers, and was knighted for gal- 
lantry on the field of Waterloo. Our subject 
was brought to the United States in 1838 and 
his people were wealthy merchants. He is 
one of a family of eight children, named as 
follows, John, Joseph, Mary, Mona, Isidore 
B., Mark B., Peter B., and Charles B. They 
are all deceased except our subject. Isidore, 
Peter and Charles all served in the Union 
army. Our subject also served there and was 
known as captain of the "Wild Irishmen" dur- 
ing the Civil War. After the war, our sub- 
ject came to the Pacific coast and drifted to 
various sections until finally in 1876, he set- 
tled in Columbia county and for ten years did 
building and contracting in Dayton. Then 
he bought the farm where he now lives and 
has also taken a homestead. During the early 
days of his residence here in Columbia county, 
Mr. Kenney saw very much hardship and was 
associated with the leading pioneers, as Judge 
Sturdevant, Jesse Day and others. He was 
interested in the townsite of Dayton and was 
one of the prominent citizens then, as now. 
Mr. Kenney took an active part in the Indian 
fights during the -Avars with the savages and 
was known as a brave man in this capacity. 
In 1889, Mr. Kenney was married and his wife 
died soon after. He has one child, Maude, 
the wife of Joseph McLaine. 

Politically, Mr. Kenney has always been a 
'Democrat until 1896, when he voted for Mc- 
Kinley, since which time he has been a Repub- 
lican. In 1902, he was a delegate to the state 
convention and was a stanch worker for the 
triumph of the decade. He is a member of 
the I. O. O. F. and his wife is a member of 



the Rebekahs. Financially, Mr. Kenney has 
made a great success in gathering property 
and is one of the well-to-do men of the county. 
He is to be recognized as one of the stirring 
pioneers and deserves commendation for the 
faithfulness of his labors in opening up and 
building up the country. 



WILLIAM H. SUTTON, familiarly 
known as "Doc" Sutton, has the distinction of 
being one of the early pioneers of the north- 
west. During his career here, he has opened 
several fine farms and has also done much 
other, labor. At the present time, he is giving 
his attention to farming and stock breeding on 
his farm, which is nine miles northwest from 
Dayton, and is known as an upright and pro- 
gressive citizen. He was born in Fayette 
county, Iowa, the son of Lot and Maria (Grin- 
nell) Sutton, natives of Ohio. The father 
came to Iowa, then finally settled in Fayette 
county when it was wild and uninhabited. 
William H. grew up there and received his 
education in the common schools. In 1862, 
he took the most unique of all journeys — a 
trip across the plains with ox teams. They 
landed on Powder river and three years later, 
he came thence to Walla Walla. During this 
time, he had been occupied in freighting and 
continued the same in the various mining 
camps until 1869, when he located in Dayton. 
In 1877, h e removed from this section to the 
vicinity of "Genesee, Idaho, and took a home- 
'stead. There he continued until 1884, in 
which year he returned to Columbia county and 
located a ranch on Willow creek, where we 
find him at the present time. He has made a 
beautiful home and has an excellent estate 
which is skillfully handled. 

In 1876, Mr. Sutton married Miss Ida 
Dunn, a native of Missouri. She died in 1895, 
leaving four children, Harvey, Inez, Lottie and 
Zola. Mr. Sutton has maintained an unsul- 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



427 



lied reputation and has won the friendship of 
all who know him, being a man of excellent 
quality and worth. He is a member of the 
Order of Washington and politically is a 
Democrat. 



JOHN H. HENDRON, a man of intelli- 
gence and erudition, who has been a faithful 
laborer as an instructor for many years in the 
higher branches of learning, is now residing 
about two miles south of Dayton, living a re- 
tired life. He was born in Madison county, 
Kentucky, on October 26, 1839, the son of 
Minrod and Mary (Bicknell) Hendron, both 
natives of Madison county, the former born 
in 1800 and the latter in 1810. The father 
died in 1867. The paternal grandfather of 
our subject was a native of Ireland, came to 
North Carolina and thence to Kentucky. After 
attending the common schools until i860, our 
subject matriculated in the Kentucky Uni- 
versity after which he entered Jefferson Col- 
lege, graduating from that institution with 
honors in 1865. The next twenty-five years 
were spent in zealous and faithful labor as an 
educator in various portions of the country. 
He held the chair of languages and that of 
mathematics in Jefferson College for a long 
time and then was in West Virginia whence 
he journeyed to Washington county, Pennsyl- 
vania, and handled a select school for nine 
sessions. For six years we find him in the 
Vanderbilt school, then in 1887, he came to 
Palouse City, Washington, and taught in the 
Palouse schools. It was 1889 when he came 
to Dayton and decided to settle upon a farm 
in the edge of town. 

Later he bought what was known as the 
Pindler claim which is now called Clover 
Nook, and lies about three miles from town. 
Here Mr. Hendron has lived since and has 
given his attention to general farming and 



dairying, being now mostly occupied in the 
oversight of his business enterprises. 

In 1865, in Jefferson county, Mr. Hen- 
dron married Miss Hadessa Whitsett. the 
daughter of Ralph C. and Rachel (Dunn) 
Whitsett, natives of Pennsylvania. Mrs. 
Hendron was born in Fayette county, Penn- 
sylvania, on February 22, 1839. To our sub- 
ject and his faithful wife, the following child- 
ren have been born : Walter, superintendent of 
schools of Columbia county ; Carroll, an at- 
torney at law in Seattle; Mrs. Rachel Collier, 
whose husband has been in the United States 
mail service for sixteen years ; and Mary, 
the wife of Prof. J. A. Strong, and now de- 
ceased. Her death occurred on January 10, 
1 90 1. She was a graduate of the musical de- 
partment of the Drake University, at Des 
Moines, Iowa, and was a skilled instructress in 
music. Mr. Hendron is a member of the Chris- 
tion church and has been identified with that 
denomination since boyhood's days. He has al- 
ways taken a prominent part in church work 
and has preached. For fourteen years, he has 
held the position of elder of the Dayton 
church and is highly respected and beloved 
here. Mr. Hendron has always manifested 
deep interest in educational matters and has 
been a very enthusiastic worker for advance- 
ment in these lines. He is a Lincoln Republic- 
an and from the time he cast his first vote for 
Lincoln, he has continued a stanch supporter 
of those principles which then .obtained. He 
and his wife are spending the golden years of 
their lives in quiet retirement on their estate, 
Clover Nook, surrounded by hosts of friends 
and- admired and respected by all who know 
them. 



ANDREW J. JAMES, one of the in- 
dustrious and well known farmers of Co- 
lumbia county, was born in Lafayette county, 
Missouri, on March 4, 1834, the son of 



428 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



Berry and Abbitha (Rose) James, natives of 
Tennessee and Kentucky, respectively. The 
father came from Dutch and Welsh ancestry 
and the mother was a member of a prominent 
southern family. Our subject remained on the 
old homestead until six years of age when the 
family came to Jackson county, Missouri, and 
there he lived until seventeen, receiving: his 
education from the country schools. Then the 
family across the plains with ox teams via Ft. 
Hall to the vicinity of Salt Lake and settled in 
Linn county, Oregon, our subject's father tak- 
ing a homestead. Andrew remained with his 
father until twenty-one years of age when he 
married Sarah Curb, and shortly thereafter 
took a homestead which he improved for six 
years. Then he sold out and went to the 
Rogue river valley, taking up the stock busi- 
ness. A short time thereafter, he returned to 
the Willamette valley and engaged in farming. 
In 1869 he journeyed to Washington territory, 
his objective point being Walla Walla. Settl- 
ing in the western part of the valley, he re- 
mained for thirty years when in 1899, he re- 
moved to Dayton in order to secure education- 
al facilities for his children. The brothers and 
sisters of our subject are Thomas B., a native 
of Lafayette county, Missouri, who died in 
1902 ; Miles, born in Jackson county, Missouri, 
now a farmer in the Willamette valley ; Ory, 
a native of Jackson county, Missouri, now a 
farmer near San Francisco, California; Polly 
A., born in Lafayette county, Missouri, now 
the wife of Mr. Tundy in Klamath county, 
Oregon ; Sarah Jane, a native of Jackson 
county, Missouri, who married Mr. Slater and 
died in the Willamette valley; Charity, a na- 
tive of the same county, died in Texas, having 
been married to Mr. Prine. 

In Linn county, Oregon, in November, 
1855, Mr. James married Miss Sarah Curb, 
the daughter of John Curb, a native of Sulli- 
van county, Missouri, who died in Columbia 
County, Washington. She has two sisters, 



Lavina, a native of Sullivan county, Missouri, 
married to Mr. Henderson, now living in San 
Luis Obispo county, California; and Catherine, 
a native of Sullivan county, Missouri, who 
died in June, 1888. She was the wife of Mr. 
Eaton, who was killed in the rebellion. Mrs. 
James was also born in Sullivan county, Mis- 
souri, in 1838. The children of our subject 
and his wife are Marian, born in 1856, now a 
farmer; Livinia, born in 1859, and married 
George Stafford, who died in South Africa in 
the Boer War; Newton, born in 1861, now 
farming; Henry, born in 1862, also farming; 
Clara, born in 1868, and married to Edgar 
Eager, a farmer of Dayton ; Isabel, born in 
1869, married to Fred Elder, living in Co- 
lumbia county, and Rose, born in 1870, now 
the wife of Dan McConnell, living in Nampa, 
Idaho. 

Our subject has always been affiliated with 
the Democratic party and has taken an interest 
in the progress and upbuilding of the country. 
Mrs. James belongs to the Baptist church but 
her husband is not affiliated with any denomi- 
nation. Mr. James owns nine hundred acres 
of fine wheat land in Columbia county, has a 
good residence in Dayton and also other 
houses which he rents. He is one of the pros- 
perous and representative men of the county. 



MRS. MARIANNA LOGSDON is to be 
classed as one of the early pioneers of Co- 
lumbia county and without doubt she has done 
a valuable and faithful work in this capacity. 
She has also reared a large family of children 
and knows well the hardships and trying la- 
bors to be undergone on the frontier. At 
present she resides eight miles north of Waits- 
burg where she has a nice estate and is also 
possesssed of a goodly competence for the 
golden years of her life that are beginning to 
run apace. 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



429 



Mrs. Logsdon was born in Missouri, on 
June 29, 1844. Her father, Seawood Full- 
quartz, was born in Denmark, in 1804. He 
came to America in the early part of t he cen- 
tury and for a time was one of the home 
guards at Washington. D. C. In the early 
forties he took land in Missouri and opened a 
mercantile establishment and in 1849 crossed 
the plains by ox teams to Nevada City, Cali- 
fornia. He was engaged in mining there for 
that year and in 1850, came to Yamhill 
county, Oregon, and took a donation claim 
near the mouth of the Yamhill river. There 
he remained until his death in 1862. He had 
married Adeline Watt, who was a direct de- 
scendant of the noted James Watt, to whom is 
credited the invention of the steam engine. 
She was born in Mount Vernon, Ohio, and ac- 
companied her husband in all his journeys and 
labors. Her death occurred in 1887. Mrs. 
Logsdon was educated in the schools at Salem 
and Portland and was married in Oregon in 
1865. Three years later, she came to Wash- 
ington where they rented land on the Touchet 
river. The next year, they bought a farm near 
where Lacrosse now stands. It was in 1876 
when a move was made to Columbia county 
and the homestead taken where Mrs. Logsdon 
now lives. Here she has remained ever since 
and has displayed excellent wisdom in her la- 
bors and the management of the estate. Mrs. 
Lodsdon is the mother of twelve children 
named as follows, Mary, U. S., Mrs. Dora 
Hall, Mrs. Ida Carpenter, Fred, Charles, 
Arthur, Eugene, Albert, Alvah, Richard and 
Jane. In 1848, Mrs. Logsdon's grandfather, 
John Watt, came to Oregon and there remain- 
ed until his death. 

The subject of this sketch has done much 
in the course of her stirring and active career 
to assist in the opening and building up of the 
country and it is with pleasure that we are 
permitted to grant this brief review of her life 
and labors. She has many friends and is a 
woman of faithfulness and manv virtues. 



HON. HENRY B. DAY, deceased. 
The prosperous town of Dayton, which is one 
of Washington's bright and beautiful cities, is 
bearing its name in honor of the esteemed 
pioneer who is mentioned at the head of this 
article. Being a man of adventurous spirit, 
he made his way to the west in the early days 
and was a leader in many lines of industry 
and ever labored for the advancement and up- 
building of the country where his lot was 
cast. He was a man of prominence in this 
country and was entrusted with the best offices 
the people could give him, in which capacity 
he showed the same faithfulness and ability 
that characterized him in his private walk. 

Henry B. Day was born in Tazewell 
county, Virginia, on November 12, 1830, the 
son of Henry and Rosana (Tartar) Day, na- 
tives of the Old Dominion state. The father 
came from one of the old and prominent fam- 
ilies of Virginia and was a man of influence. 
When our subject was young, his father died 
and so he had limited opportunity for gaining 
an education. However, he made the best of 
it and in 1846, went west to Grant county, 
Wisconsin, where he engaged in the lead mines 
for four years. Then he started on the journey 
across the plains and when the wagon train 
arrived at the Black Hill country, it was de- 
cided that they would pack the animals and the 
rest of the trip was made thus. The wagons 
were cut up to make pack saddles and the bal- 
ance was abandoned. In 185 1, they arrived 
at The Dalles. Thence Mr. Day went to Cali- 
fornia and there mined with success for some 
time. Then he came back north and found his 
way to Douglas county, Oregon, being among 
the first to settle there. Later he took a dona- 
tion claim and began to raise stock. In 1885, 
he assisted his brother, Jesse N. Day, to 
drive cattle to the country now embraced in 
Columbia county, and they stopped where the 
(own of Dayton is now located. Soon after 
this, Mr. Day settled on the Touchet and con- 
tinued in the stock business. When the mines 



43° 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



at Boise opened, he drove his stock thither 
and sold at good figures. Then he engaged in 
freighting and found his way to all parts of 
the northwest in this labor. Finally, he de- 
cided to embark in sheep raising and selected 
southeastern Washington as the fields of his 
labors. He operated all through Garfield and 
Columbia counties and became one of the 
largest sheep owners in the state. In 1890, he 
sold his stock and the same year was called by 
the people to serve as representative to the first 
state legislature from Columbia county. He 
discharged the duties of that position with dis- 
play of wisdom and honor and to the entire 
satisfaction of his constituency. He always 
took an active part in building up Dayton 
and labored untiringly for its welfare and 
general improvement. As a man, he was up- 
right and broadminded, and as a citizen, he 
always displayed patriotism and love of good 
government, and assisted materially to bring 
about the same. 

At Dayton, on March 9, 1873, Mr. Day 
married Miss Anna, the daughter of Daniel 
and Elizabeth (Thompson) Ally. The father 
was born in England and came to the United 
States when an infant. The mother was born 
in Boston and her parents were natives of 
Scotland. To this marriage five children have 
been born. Marguerite, Nellie, Fannie, Henry 
and Harvey. Mr. Day lived to see the allotted 
time to man, three score and ten, and then on 
September 7, 1900, he quietly departed from 
the earthly scenes to the world beyond. He 
had lived well and left many mourners when 
the time came for him to lay down life's 
burdens. Mr. Day has five brothers, John H., 
M. D. ; Jesse N. ; David, a leading physician 
and for nineteen years postmaster in St. Paul, 
Minnesota, prominent politically and an in- 
timate friend of James G. Blaine, now de- 
ceased; James, who died in St. Paul, when 
quite young; and Nicholas, a stockraiser in 
Roseburg, Oregon. Our subject was' the 
3*oungest of the family. Mrs, Day is still re- 



siding in Dayton and is overseeing the prop- 
erty interests her husband left, while her riper 
years of life are being spent in good deeds and 
amid loving friends and relatives. She is a 
woman of refinement and ability and has so 
journeyed in this pilgrim way that she has won 
the warmest approbation and good will from 
all. 



MILTON. JONAS resides near Waits- 
burg and owns a large farm in Columbia 
county. He is one of the pioneers of this 
country and one of its wealthiest men at the 
present time. His estate is given to general 
farming and stock raising and he oversees the 
same from his- residence. It is utterly impossi- 
ble for us to give, in the space allotted to us, 
a detailed review of his career. Like the noted 
Kit Carson, with whom he was personally as- 
sociated a great deal on the frontier, Mr. 
Jonas has earned the reputation as a fron- 
tiersman and Indian fighter that places him 
equal to any of the brave scouts on the plains. 
A man of intrepidity and fearlessness, he was 
possessed of physical power and a spirit that 
fitted him for a typical pathfinder. For many 
years, he has been in the vanguard on the 
frontier and met with everything that the 
pioneer men meet with, yet in it all, he has 
found, through his own personal resourceful- 
ness and skill, a way to overcome the obsta- 
cles and escape the dangers. In financial mat- 
ters, he has made a marked success and stands 
with the most capable men of this part of 
Washington. 

Milton Jonas was born in Knox county, 
Illinois, on January 20, 1839. His father 
George W. Jonas was born in Allegany 
county, Maryland, and moved to Ohio when a 
young man, later to Illinois and then to Iowa, 
being a pioneer of the last two named states. 
While in Iowa, he carried chains in the survey 
of portions of the state. He married Nancy 
Kenin, a native of Ohio. Our subject went 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY 



43 1 



with his parents to Bellevue. Iowa, and there 
received his education in the common schools. 
As early as 1852. his spirit of adventure led 
him to the west, he being then but thirteen 
years of age, and he engaged in driving cattle 
for Ben Kellogg across the plains to California. 
They arrived at their destination in October of 
the same year, having had a perilous and hard 
trip. Mr. Jonas at once went into the exciting 
life of the miner and soon thereafter took up 
freighting. He packed the first load of goods 
into Virginia City, Nevada. From Mexico 
to the Fraser river, he packed and freighted 
into every camp of any importance and was 
well acquainted with all the old pioneers. 
While freighting in California, the govern- 
ment pressed him and his outfit in the service 
to fight the Paiute Indians. He was all 
through that conflict and took part in the ter- 
rible battle of Pyramid Lake and in many 
others. In 1854 William Walker, the gov- 
ernment army officer, asked for recruits to go 
to Sonora, Mexico. Our subject enlisted and 
with twenty-six men started on the trip. They 
encountered, on one occasion, six hundred 
Mexicans at New Grenada and a terrible fight 
followed. The Americans stationed them- 
selves in an old church and the Mexican party, 
more than twenty to one, soon overcame them 
and killed the entire company, save Pat 
O'Rourk and our subject who jumped from 
a window and thus escaped. In 1862, we find 
Mr. Jonas in Walla Walla, whence he went to 
north Idaho and Boise and started to mining. 
He also traveled through Montana packing, 
then into British Columbia and in many of his 
trips was associated with the famous Kit Car- 
son. In 1867, he came to where his estate is 
now located in northwest Columbia county 
and took land. He has increased his holdings 
and it now aggregates twelve hundred and 
twenty acres, well improved and in a good state 
of cultivation. Recently Mr. Jonas deeded 
eight hundred acres of this estate to his sons. 



On April 28, 1864, Mr. Jonas married Miss 
Eliza Gillman, who was born in Jackson 
county, Iowa, and came to California in 1852. 
To this marriage four sons and three daugh- 
ters have been born. 

In early days Mr. Jonas obtained the repu- 
tation of being one of the most cunning and 
fearless Indian fighters on the frontier and he 
carries this reputation because of his mani- 
fested skill in many hard fought actions and 
thrilling adventures. For fifteen successive 
years he never slept in a house. Very few- 
men have ever passed such an experience as 
has Mr. Jonas and he is deserving of great com- 
mendation for his courage, bravery and ardu- 
ous labors that he has shown and performed. 
He is a man of excellent standing and has 
many warm friends. 

The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Jonas 
are named as follows : Frank A., Minnie R. 
Kinder, Guy M., Ella M., deceased; M. Reed, 
Nettie A. Wheeler and. Willis L. Mrs. Jonas 
is the daughter of Almon and Electa (Bee- 
man) Gillman. The father died in Jackson 
county, Iowa, having been a prominent citi- 
zen and farmer there. The date of this event 
was 1849, M rs - Jonas being then an infant 
eleven months of age. The widowed mother 
then married Frederick Dixon, who died later. 
Then she started to the coast with her three 
children. The oldest son died in New York 
state, and the rest came on via the isthmus to 
California, settling in Nevada county in 1856. 
The mother died there in 1862, then Miss Gill- 
man came on to Walla Walla and later mar- 
ried as stated above. 



W. FRANKLIN CURL, who was born 
on the farm where he now lives, four miles 
north from Dayton, is one of the industrious 
farmers of Columbia county. He has re- 
mained in this county most of his life and is 



43 2 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



practically a Columbia county product. His 
labors have been bestowed with wisdom in the 
callings where he has remained and his farm 
is one of the good ones of the county. His 
father, Newton G. Curl, was born in Carroll 
county, Missouri, and crossed the plains with 
ox teams in 1847, being one of the earliest 
settlers in the Willamette valley. He fought 
the Indians, endured the deprivations of the 
frontiersman, and opened up several good 
farms in different localities. He was a man of 
strong personality and fearlessness that fitted 
him splendidly for the life of the pioneer where 
he did noble work. He participated in the lead- 
inff Indian wars of the northwest and was 
never known to flinch from the places of 
greatest danger. His desire to come east of 
the mountains after remaining in the Willa- 
mette valley for thirteen years led him to 
search out a place, which was where Co- 
lumbia county is now located, in i860. His 
first location was on the Touchet and later he 
came where our subject now resides. He was 
successful in his labors and soon had sufficient 
property so that a portion of his time was spent 
in retirement in his residence in Dayton. He 
lived to a good old age and died in 1903, at 
Dayton, surrounded by his loved ones and 
many warm friends. He had married Miss 
Agusta Ham, a native of Indiana, who crossed 
the plains when a child with her parents to the 
Willamette valley. She was a faithful help- 
meet to Mr. Curl in his labors and journeys 
and bravely endured the hardships and dan- 
gers of the frontier life, where she lived all 
her clays. She died in 1877. Our subject has 
one brother, John, who has been with him most 
of his life. They were educated together in 
Columbia county and are now farming here 
where they have spent most of their years. 
They are of good standing and have followed 
in the footsteps of their father who was a man 
of honest industry and substantial qualities. 
They own a quarter section and farm in addi- 
tion two hundred and forty acres. 



HENRY H. JOHNSON is a pioneer of 
the west and for twenty-five years has dwelt 
on the place where we find him today, nine 
miles northeast from Prescott, near the Col- 
ville springs. He is a man of industry and 
has shown good staying qualities in his labors 
here as well as elsewhere. He was one of the 
number who pressed forward to defend the 
stars and stripes from insult, but his command 
was not called into active duty. He was born 
in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania and was 
taken by his parents to Wisconsin when a child 
and there was reared and educated. He en- 
listed in the Fourteenth Wisconsin and was 
honorably discharged at the close of the war. 
At the present time, Mr. Johnson is a mem- 
ber of the G. A. R. and a stanch supporter of 
the government. His father settled in the vi- 
cinity of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and from that 
place our subject came to California in 1876. 
He searched the country for some months and 
then went to Puget Sound in 1877. Later he 
went to Walla Walla country and finally in 
1880, he came here and secured the estate 
where he dwells at the present time. He has 
given attention to farming and stock raising 
here since those days and has shown himself 
one of the substantial men of the county. 

In i860, Mr. Johnson married Miss So- 
phia Fisher, a native of Vermont. To this 
couple the following named children have been 
born : Horton, in Wisconsin, who moved with 
his father to this .country, married in 1902 to' 
Carrie Staples and is now engaged in the stock 
business in Idaho county, Idaho ; Jerome M., a 
native of Sauk Center, Wisconsin, who also 
came with his father to this country, and was 
married in 1901 to Alice Staples; Isaac; 
Frank ; William W. ; Alvin ; Charlie ; and 
Henry. Mr. Johnson has been on the frontier 
almost all his life, as Wisconsin was a new 
country when he was taken thither. 

He and his faithful wife have reared a fine 
family, and have constantly sought to instill 
in them the principles which make first class 
American citizens. They are worthy youngs 






Henry H. Johnson 



Mrs. Henry H. Johnson 



George W. Harkins 




Michael Boelner 





Daniel Delany 



Mrs. Daniel Delany 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



433 



people and possess a sense of honor that is 
gratifying. To Jerome M. and his wife, one 
child has been born, Alary V. 



GEORGE W. HARKINS has a choice 
farm of one section of land eight miles north- 
east from Prescott. He is one of the leading 
men of the community and has displayed an 
energy and stability that commend him to all. 
His farm is well handled and in his labors he 
has met the success that industry and faith- 
fulness deserve. He was born in Lasalle 
county, Illinois, on November 19, 1858 and 
in his native place he was educated and reared. 
His father, Daniel Harkins, was a prosperous 
farmer of Illinois, served in the Civil War, 
and in 1874 came to Oregon, where he re- 
mained until his death. The mother of George 
W. was Betsy (Atkinson) Harkins and she 
died in Illinois. In 1883, our subject came 
to Portland and there wrought for wages for 
three years. Then he came to southeastern 
Washington and soon selected a place in Co- 
lumbia county. He owns this place at this 
time and has in the years between cultivated 
and improved it in good shape. He owns 
about forty head of good horses for the work 
of the estate and also sells some. He has other 
stock sufficient and all the accoutrements and 
machinery needed to properly operate the 
farm. The buildings are substantial and every- 
thing has an air of progress and thrift. Mr. 
Harkins has done well his labors for the last 
twenty years since being in this county and he 
is deserving for much credit in that he has 
made such a first class success, starting with- 
out anything and now possessing a fine estate 
and a good competence. He has certainly a 
right to take pride in this record and in addi- 
tion he has so conducted himself that he is one 
of the respected and esteemed men of the com- 
munity. 

In 1886, Mr. Harkins married Miss Sarah 
Speer, who was born in the Willamette valley, 

28 



Oregon. Her father, James Speer, was a na- 
tive of Pennsylvania and crossed the plains 
to Oregon in very early pioneer days. He 
made settlement in the Willamette valley and 
there remained until his death. He married 
Elizabeth Jerrett, who also was born in the 
Willamette valley. They took a donation claim 
there when the act first passed and were among 
the builders and makers of that country. To 
our subject and his wife, four children have 
been born, G. Eddie, Eva M., Mary A., and 
Charlie R. 



DANIEL DELANY, who resides about 
four miles east from Starbuck, is one of the 
oldest pioneers of Columbia county. In fact, 
he has lived on the frontier all his life and for 
nearly four score years has threaded the pil- 
grim's way, doing a lion's share to open up the 
west, in fighting back the savages and in set- 
ting an example of uprightness and industry. 
He is a man who receives the esteem and re- 
spect of all who know him and he is to be 
classed with the leading people of this part of 
the state. 

Daniel Delany was born in Greene county, 
Tennessee, on April 6, 1826. His father, 
Daniel Delany, was born in the same place and 
crossed the plains to the Willamette valley in 
1843, where he remained until his death. He 
became very well to do and was killed in 1865 
by two white men. The purpose being to se- 
cure his money. The mother of our subject 
was Elizabeth (McGee) Delany. She also 
was born in East Tennessee and there marr 
ried. She crossed the plains to the Willam- 
ette valley in 1845, tw0 years after her hus- 
band, bringing three children with her. She 
died in the Willamette valley in 1866. Our 
subject came to Missouri with his parents in 
1839 an d settled in Greene county, the family 
being pioneers there. In 1843, the father 
started across the plains in one of the first 
trains- that made its way through that country, 



434 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



the beloved Marcus Whitman met them at In- 
dependence, Missouri, there, being a train of 
two hundred and fifty wagons, and intended 
to pilot them to the Pacific coast. He was 
with them personally until they arrived at Fort 
Hall, when he hurried on for some purpose to 
Whitman station in Walla Walla and sent 
back some Indians to conduct them the bal- 
ance of the way. The Indians met them at 
Fort Boise and led them up Burnt river to 
where Baker City now stands, then along the 
Powder river to the Grande Ronde valley. 
When they reached the place where Lagrande 
now stands, there was a difference between 
the white men and the Indians as to the course 
to pursue. The whites wanted to go one way 
and the Indians the other. In the course of 
the controversy, the Indians said in reference 
to the road selected by the whites, "The Gee 

Bucks could go that way, but the G~- 

Dams could not." Upon explanation, it was 
found that the savages had heard the men talk- 
ing to their oxen, saying "Gee Buck" fol- 
lowed by the other expletives, and they sup- 
posed the first term referred to the oxen and 
the latter to the wagons. Finally, they made 
their way safely to the Whitman station and 
thence to Oregon City arriving there on Christ- 
mas, 1843. They had started from Missouri 
- on April 26 of the same year. The captain 
of the train was Jesse Applegate and it is one 
of the most noted trains that ever crossed the 
plains. Our subject's father took a donation 
claim, near where Salem now stands and there 
the family was reared. In 1847. the Cayuse 
Indians broke out and our subject enlisted to 
fight them, being under Captain Pugh. About 
the time of the war, Mr. Delany took a dona- 
tion claim near Salem and lived there until 
1878. Then he sold his farm and moved to 
Whitman station, remaining one year near the 
old Whitman place. In 1879, he came to the 
vicinity where he now resides and took a 
homestead and since that time, that has been 
his home. 

In 1857, Mr. Delany married Miss 



Amanda Walters, who was born in Ohio. She 
came to the Willamette valley with her people 
in 1 85 1. To this marriage three children have 
been born, Mrs. Josephine Lafore, Mrs. Nellie 
McDonald, and Mrs. Luella Brown. Mr. De- 
lany has the following named brothers, Will- 
iam, John, David, now living in Coeur d' 
Alene; George, at Walla Walla; and James. 



MICHAEL BOELNER. Had not it been 
for such men as Mr. Boelner, the broad and 
fertile region now producing millions in crops 
throughout the northwest, would have lain 
idle and been occupied by the wild beasts and 
savages for many decades to come. Some 
one had to possess spirit and energy sufficient 
to lead them out from the pleasures of civili- 
zation to the hardships, clangers and the try- 
ing scenes many miles away from home and 
friends. To the one who slips quietly from 
the states in the east across the plains to the 
Pacific coast in a Pullman car, the journey 
seems uneventful and tame, but for the old 
scouts who faced the setting sun and threaded 
their way across the barren desert, tried by 
thirst, hunger and excessive labor, worried by 
the attacks of savages and savage beasts, it 
was no small undertaking. Indeed it required 
the nerve and stamina of the best men the world 
has ever produced and the western scout and 
Indian fighter is the strongest character the 
country has ever seen. Among these people, 
well towards the head, stands the subject of 
this article. A man of modesty and unosten- 
tation, he has never exploited his deeds or 
trials, but for half a century labored patiently 
to open this country, to pave the way for his 
fellows to follow. At the present time, he is 
residing fourteen miles north from Dayton on 
Tucanon creek, where he has a fine stock ranch 
and from fifty to one hundred head of cattle. 
He is one of the wealthy and prosperous men 
of the country and has hosts of friends. He 
was born in Luxumberg, Germany, on March 
I 7) 1 &39- His father, John Boelner, was also 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



43; 



born in Luxumberg and came to America in 
1854, settling in Adams county, Iowa. It was 
then a wild country. The mother was Mary 
(Weber) Boelner, ' also a native of Luxum- 
berg. Our subject accompanied his parents 
on their western trip and finished his educa- 
tion in the frontier school in Iowa. In i860, 
he went to Fort Benton, where he waited two 
months while the Mullan road was being com- 
pleted, then he journeyed over the same to 
Walla AValla, being in the government em- 
ploy. After finishing his service at this west- 
ern fort, he turned his attention to mining and 
every camp throughout the northwest, of any 
importance, was visited by Mr. Boelner. A 
fearless men, he never was known to hesitate 
en account of danger from Indians or wild 
animals and spent many nights alone in the 
wilds. For thirteen years, he followed this life 
and on one occasion, when mining near the 
Canadian line, seventeen savages well armed 
attacked him and his companions. They had 
very few arms and were thus at great disad- 
vantage. However, they killed five Indians 
and finally beat the others back. One miner 
was killed and our subject received several 
wounds. Many other trying times equal to 
these were encountered by Mr. Boelner and 
finally he decided- to abandon this arduous life 
and accordingly settled on Tucanon creek and 
took up the stock business. He has operated 
in various sections of Washington but is now 
making his Columbia county ranch his head- 
quarters. There are scarcely any of the old 
pioneers throughout the west with whom Mr. 
Boelner is not acquainted and his circle of 
friends is as wide as his acquaintance. He has 
never seen fit to assume the responsibilities of 
married life and is still pursung the journey 
of life a jollv bachelor. 



LORENZO HAMMER, who was born 
in Benton county. Oregon, on May 29. 1859. 
is now residing one mile north from Hunts- 



ville in Columbia county, where he owns one- 
fourth section of land and devotes himself tc 
farming. His parents, Jacoby and Hannah 
(Cox) Hammer, were early pioneers in the 
Willamette valley and our subject was reared 
on the old donation claim there. He received 
his education from the common schools and 
remained with his parents until twenty years 
of age. Then he came east of the mountains 
and wrought for wages in various capa- 
cities for a decade except what time he was 
traveling and visiting in the Willamette valley. 
Then, being about thirty, he took land. Later, 
it was found that this belonged to the railroad 
company and he purchased it. His place 
adjoins the farm of his brother who is men- 
tioned elsewhere. Mr. Hammer is an industri- 
ous and upright man whose labors have been 
wisely spent in this county and in addition to 
the farm mentioned, he owns three hundred 
and sixty acres of timberland. 

In July, 1 88 1, Mr. Hammer married 
Anna C. Kenworthy, who was born in Iowa, 
the daughter of James and Lydia (Williams) 
Kenworthy. To this union, four children have 
been born, Ivan A., Nydia L, Glen A., and 
James D. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hammer are 
members of the United Brethren church and 
stand well in the community. They are peo- 
ple of uprightness and principle and have 
shown forth substantial qualities during their 
life here. In political matters, he is allied 
with the Prohibitionist party, although not 
especially active in that realm. 



+ »» 



JOHN W. MILES, an industrious and 
energetic farmer of Columbia county, re- 
sides about three miles southeast from Dayton. 
He was born in Iowa, in 1838, the son of 
Hiram and Nancy (Pickerell) Miles, born in 
Kentucky in 1805 and Ohio in 1809, respect- 
ively. John Miles spent his early bovhood 
days at work on the farm and attended the 



436 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



common schools of Iowa and then began farm- 
ing for himself. In 1864, he journeyed across 
the plains with ox teams to Walla Walla, con- 
suming four months en route. The first year 
after arriving in the west was spent in Walla 
Walla, then he explored the country west of 
the Cascades where he remained five years 
and engaged in farming. In 1870, he took a 
pre-emption which he sold later and bought 
the farm where he now lives, and here he has 
given his attention to raising fruit, hay and 
dairy products, since. For about thirty-five 
years, he has labored faithfully in this country 
and has been entitled to the distinction of pio- 
neer in every sense of the word. He knows 
well the hardships that attend that life and has 
performed the arduous labors incident thereto 
and is now reaping the reward of his labors in 
a good generous competence. 

At Dayton, in 1889, Mr. Miles married 
Miss Mary R. Mervin, who was born in 
Tennessee, in 1850. Previous to this, in 1862, 
Mr. Miles had married Miss Elizabeth A. 
Shoemaker, who was born in 1840, in Iowa, 
and died in 1877. The following named 
children have been born to Mr. Miles : Elmer 
E., deceased; Charles C, Emma, Alonzo, 
Maria E., Alta, Frank L., and Mary, deceased. 

Politically Mr. Miles is a Republican and 
a strong one. He is a member of the F. & A. 
M. and a man of excellent standing in the 
community. 



JESSE G. MILLER, a well and favorably 
known young attorney of Dayton, Washing- 
ton, is a member of the law firm of Miller & 
Fouts, having an extensive practice in the var- 
ious courts of the state. 

Jesse G. Miller was born in Dayton, Wash- 
ington, on May 7, 1869, the son of George W. 
and Sarah E. (Ping) Miller, who are mentioned 
in another portion of this work. He was 
educated in the schools of Dayton, until fitted 
to enter the State University of Oregon, where 



he was graduated in 1903, with the degree of 
Master of Arts. In the fall following his 
graduation at Eugene, he entered the Law 
School of Harvard, where he studied law for 
two years and then registered in the law office 
of Edmiston & Miller to complete his course 
and acquire the practical touch to his legal edu- 
cation. In January, 1901, he was admitted to 
practice in the supreme court and other courts 
in the state of Washington and his extensive 
preparation in both a literary and legal line of 
extended study betokens for him a future of 
achievement. 

When admitted to the bar he associated 
himself with Will H. Fouts and since they have 
maintained a busy office in Dayton, having an 
extensive practice in the various courts of the 
state. Their business has grown phenomen- 
ally and it is unquestioned that the firm of 
which Mr. Miller is a member is among the 
leading law firms in southeastern Washington, 
having won many important cases in various 
parts of the state. 

Mr. Miller has always maintained an in- 
telligent interest in political matters although 
not a politician by any means, in the sense in 
which the word is generally used. He has 
held the office of city clerk for a number of 
years. 

On October 16, 1902, Mr. Miller was mar- 
ried to Inez Leonard, who was born and rear- 
ed in Dayton. Her father, T. S. Leonard, 
crossed the plains with ox teams in the fifties 
and is a prominent pioneer of the west. 

To this union, two children, George Leon- 
ard and Sarah Eloise, have been born. 

Mr. Miller is an active member of the 
Knights of Pythias, being a past chancellor, 
and also a member of the W. O. W. 

During the Spanish War, Mr. Miller served 
for one year in the Philippines as Lieutenant 
of Company F, First Washington Volunteers, 
and was the only member of the company 
whose name did not appear on the sick list, and 
his service was faithful and displayed sterling- 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



437 



worth as a soldier. He participated in many 
actions and showed true bravery and courage 
in the trying places where he served. 



J. A. VAN SCOYK is an early pioneer of 
the west and in this capacity has done a good 
work. He has met the hardships incident to 
pioneer life with plenty of adventure and 
thrilling experience in the various places and 
times of danger that have been in his path. 
He was born in Clarke county, Illinois, on 
April 3, 1844, the son of Aaron V. and Mary 
(Beauchamp) Van Scoyk. The father was a 
veteran of the Mexican war and died in the 
army. The mother was born in Indiana on 
March 13, 18 13, and is deceased some time 
since. When twelve years of age, the subject 
of this article went from Illinois to Iowa and 
in 1 86 1, he came on to Washington. He had 
secured his education in the common schools of 
Illinois and Iowa, and had given attention to 
farming before coming west. He was but 
seventeen when he landed in Walla Walla, but 
was filled with the spirit of the frontiersman 
and soon was assisting to open the country. 
He was three months and seven days in cross- 
ing the plains and had a journey of the usual 
hardship, but no trouble that resulted in loss of 
life. He purchased land soon and there lived 
until 1886, when he sold and purchased other 
land. This was his home for some years and 
then he sold and rented until he purchased the 
place where he now resides, three miles south- 
east from Dayton. He is one of the indus- 
trious farmers of the county and has labored 
long and faithfully to build up this western 
country. In early days when Walla Walla 
county embraced all the territory in Washing- 
ton south of the Snake river, he was assessor 
of the county. He has seen the political di- 
visions organized that now occupy this terri- 
tory and has assisted materially in this work. 
All the prosperity and growth of the country 



has come largely since he has resided here, and 
he is certainly to be classed as one of the build- 
ers of the country. In early days, Mr Van- 
Scoyk also gave attention to freighting and 
handled goods from Umatilla Landing, and 
Walla Walla to the various mines. 

At Walla Walla, in 1877, Mr. Van Scoyk 
married Miss Anna Sanders, a native of 
Arkansas, who came to this country in 1865. 
Her father, John Sanders, was a native of In- 
diana, and came to Washington in 1865. To 
Mr. and Mrs. Van Scoyk four children have 
been born, Lenna E., Maud B., Harry A., and 
John L. 



LEROY C. BROWN, who resides about 
three miles west from Dayton, is one of the 
men who have spent their entire lives within 
the precincts of Columbia county. Born here 
on February 19, 1869, reared and educated in 
his native place, he is now a man and upright 
citizen in which his county may take pride. 
He has shown himself a son of the west worthy 
of the title and his career has displayed a worth 
and integrity that are pleasant to contemplate 
and which have- won for him a standing with 
the best. His father, Leroy Brown, crossed 
the plains from Tennessee, his native state, in 
1861, to the Willamette valley, six weeks after 
his marriage. Those were trying times when 
conflict reigned supreme in the eastern portion 
of the United States, and when the savages, 
emboldened by that which seemed their oppor- 
tunities to avenge themselves on the whites and 
to secure prey, were ravaging the west, and 
added to which were the hardships of the pio- 
eer's life, which in themselves are trying 
enough to the stoutest hearts. Such were 
some of the things to be endured and over- 
come by the worthy men and women who 
threaded the weary way to the west, each night 
not sure but that the tomahawk would end 
their career and that, too, of their loved ones. 
Lerov Brown, Sr., was made of stern material 



438 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



and he bravely defied the worst and his spirit 
led his to succeed. The next year after arriv- 
ing in the Willamette valley, he turned toward 
the east again and sought out the territory now 
embraced in Columbia county, and here settled 
to open a farm from the raw unbroken country 
and to make a home. Here he labored until 
1903, when he removed to Whitman county 
and settled on a farm near Farmington. On 
February 28, 1861, he married Miss Virginia 
Duncan, a native of West Virginia, who died 
when our subject was less than a week old. 
The father married again, Mrs. Jennie Babbitt 
becoming his wife October 9, 1873. 0*- ir sub- 
ject was educated in the common schools of the 
county and early learned the art of the farmer 
and stockman. \\ 'hen the time came for him 
to lay aside his books, he assumed the responsi- 
bilities of life and engaged in farming and 
raising stock, which occupations he knew well. 
He has acquired a farm of three hundred and 
seventy-two acres, which is well improved and 
in a high state of cultivation. He also owns a 
band of stock and is one of the industrious men 
of the county. 

In 1896, Mr. Brown married Miss Frances 
Richardson, and to them three children have 
been born, Wendell, Cora, and Alpha. Mr. 
Brown has labored with wisdom here and has 
gathered property so that he is classed as one 
of the wealthy men of the county today. He is 
interested in politics and local matters as well 
as educational affairs, and is always found on 
the side of good government. He belongs to 
the Christian church, while Mrs. Brown was 
reared in the Episcopalian faith. 



THOMAS B. GILMOUR is one of Day- 
ton's leading business men and is known by all 
as an industrious, progressive, and upright 
man. He is at the head of a large hardware 
and tinning business and has risen to this prom- 
inent place by virtue of his careful industry and 



wisdom in the management of his affairs. He 
is a man of excellent standing and has hosts of 
friends from all parts. He is practical and 
has gained a knowledge of the ways of life in 
his long experience that is of inestimable value 
and gives him good prestige. 

Thomas B. Gilmour was born in Glasgow, 
Scotland, on September 21, 1850, the son of 
Alexander and Susan (Barr) Gilmour, natives 
of Scotland, also. The father was delivery 
clerk in the railroad office in Scotland and in 
1854, came to St. Charles, Minnesota, where 
our subject was reared and educated. The 
father was a prominent farmer there until 
1886, when he came with his family to Day- 
ton, where he is now retired. Ten children 
were born in the family, named as follows : 
Allan ; Thomas B. ; Elizabeth, wife of George 
Pike ; Christine, the wife of Thomas Norton ; 
Maggie, the wife of George Master; Alexan- 
der, Jr., deceased; Agnes, married to Lee 
Thornton; William, deceased; Susan B., mar- 
ried to Alonzo Thompson; and an infant, de- 
ceased. When nineteen, Thomas B. left 
school, and farmed with his father until he was 
twenty-two. Then he bound himself out to 
learn the tinsmith's trade in St. Charles, Min- 
nesota. This being completed he rode the 
range, then worked in the mines and smelter. 
After that he wrought at his trade in Virginia 
City until he came here in August, 1877. He 
worked at his trade some in Waitsburg after 
that and then opened a hardware and tinshop 
store in partnership with Dave Woods. Later 
he sold this business and took up a preemption 
in the mountains near Dayton, where his home 
was for several years. He also wrought some 
in the shop and finally returned to his trade 
permanently. In 1880, after he proved up, 
Mr. Gilmour's wife died and he was forced to 
go east with the children. He also took her 
remains to Maryland. Then he returned to 
Dayton and took a position with Paine Broth- 
ers until they sold out in 1885. He wrought 
for their successors for a time and in 1886 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



439 



opened a shop for himself. The next year he 
added a small stock of hardware and from that 
time to the present he has steadily increased his 
business until he has as fine a hardware store 
as there is in this part of the country. He is 
respected and has shown himself a capable 
business man. 

At Virginia City, in July, 1877, Mr. Gil- 
niour married Miss Ella Taylor, and to them 
were born two children, Daisy W., teaching in 
Baltimore, and Ella, deceased. Daisy was 
reared by her grandmother, where she now 
lives. In 1890, Mr. Gilmour married Mrs. 
Gertrude Joseph, the daughter of G. A. Parker, 
and to this union four children have been born, 
namely, Glen A., Dale, Ethel M., and Geneva 
M. In political matters, Mr. Gilmour is a 
strong Republican and has always taken a keen 
interest in these matters. He has served his 
city as councilman and in other capacities and 
has shown himself an efficient and faithful 
officer. Mr. Gilmour is a member of the I. O. 
O. F., having joined in 1880, and he and his 
wife belong to the Rebekahs. Mr. Gilmour is 
past grand of his lodge. He has served seven 
years as a fireman, being now exempt from 
further duty in that line. 



JOHN H. ROMAINE is one of the sub- 
stantial and leading farmers of Columbia coun- 
ty. His estate lies some seven miles north 
from Dayton on the Starbuck road and is one 
of the fine places of the county. John H. 
Romaine was born in Wisconsin, on April 15, 
1857. His father, Garrett Romaine, was a 
native of New York city and came from Dutch 
ancestry. He was born on March 7, 1829, 
and when twenty-three years of age went to 
Wisconsin, where he married. There he fol- 
lowed carpentering and milling. His father 
was a carpenter and builder in New York city 
and from him he had learned the trade of car- 
penter. Our subject came with the rest of the 



family when his father came to San Jose, Cali- 
fornia, in 1874. Three months later, they 
moved to Harrisburg, Oregon, and in 1877 
they all came to Columbia county. The father 
took up land and as the children became of age, 
they also took land. The elder Romaine was 
a man of influence and excellent standing and 
always took a leading and prominent part in 
everything that was for the welfare and up- 
building of the country. He served tvvo terms 
as county assessor, the first by appointment and 
the second by election. In politics, he was a 
Republican and a man who was able to give 
good reasons for his political belief. His 
death occurred on October 23, 1900. He had 
married Martha L. Harbaugh. Our subject 
received his education in the schools of the var- 
ious places where the family resided and after 
coming to Columbia county, he worked with 
his father and improved his own claim. From 
time to time, he has added by purchase until he 
has an estate of eight hundred acres, owns fifty 
horses and twenty-one cattle. The farm pro- 
duces mostly wheat and barley and shows the 
skill and wisdom of the proprietor in every de- 
tail. In addition to what has been mentioned, 
Mr. Romaine owns with Mr. George Jewett, a 
combined harvester, that facilitates greatly the 
gathering of their large crops. On. March 2, 
1882, at Dayton, Mr. Romaine married Mary 
McKellips, daughter of James M. McKellips, 
who is mentioned elsewhere in this volume. 
She died on November 6, 1882. On October 
13, 1885, Mr. Romaine contracted a second 
marriage, the wedding occurring at his broth- 
er's residence and Ella I. Davis becoming his 
bride. Cyrus Davis, who is also mentioned 
in this volume, is her father. Mr. Romaine 
has two children living, Garrett and Jean 
Henry, and two deceased, Jean Milo, aged four 
years and eleven days, and an infant unnamed. 
Mr. Romaine is a member of the A. O. U. W. 
and in politics is a Republican. He takes the 
interest that becomes the good citizen in these 
matters, although he is not especially active. 



440 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



Mr. Romaine is a man of integrity and probity 
and he and his wife are among the popular 
neople of the county. 



WILLIS J. HILLMAN. Columbia county 
has many industrious farmers, who have 
gained a good competence since coming here. 
Many have become very wealthy and all who 
have taken hold of the resources here provided, 
have become well to do. Among these may 
be mentioned the gentleman whose name ap- 
pears above, since he has been blessed with a 
success marked and abundant. The reason of 
'this is seen in his industry and wisdom. Mr. 
Hillman has never been afraid to take hold 
with his hands to do the hard labor required to 
open up a farm and bring forth the fruits of 
the field. He is always found at his post and 
is always wisely conducting the enterprises 
with which he is connected. His home is about 
eight miles north from Dayton where he has a 
half section of choice wheat land. The same 
is provided with good improvements and is 
one of the first class farms of the county. 

Willis J. Hillman was born near Lawrence, 
Michigan, on November 6, 1869. His father, 
William H. Hillman, was born in England 
and came to Michigan in the early fifties, 
where he selected a farm and settled down to 
till the soil. There he remained until his death 
which occurred in 1898. The mother of our 
subject, May J. (Elliott) Hillman, was born 
in Ontario and later moved to Michigan where 
she was married. William J. was favored with 
a good opportunity for securing an education 
in his younger days and remained in Michi- 
gan for twenty years. Then he came west and 
after due investigation, selected the place where 
he now resides. He had no capital when com- 
ing and secured his entire property holding 
through his own industry since. 

In 1898, Mr. Hillman married Miss Emma 



Hilton, whose father, Frank Hilton, is named 
in another portion of this work. To this mar- 
riage three children have been born, Nina, 
Ella, deceased, and Don. 



W. H. McELWAIN, descended from the 
sturdy Scotch race, is one of Columbia coun- 
ty's progressive and substantial agriculturists. 
He resides about four miles east from Waits- 
burg, where he has a half section of choice 
land, all of which is in a high state of cultiva- 
tion. Mr. McElwain has made his place one 
of the best in this portion of the county and 
has demonstrated himself one of the skillful 
and up to date farmers of Washington. 

W. H. McElwain was born in Franklin 
county, New York, on July 10, i860, the son 
of Samuel and Rachel (Breakey) McElwain, 
natives of Scotland and New York state, re- 
spectively. In 'the district schools of New 
York, our subject received his education and 
until he had arrived at manhood's estate, he 
remained on his native heath. In 1885, he 
left New York and went to Kansas, where he 
spent one season. Then he journeyed to Walla 
Walla, where he remained three years. After 
that he came to Columbia county and since 
that time he has resided here. He secured a 
half section of land and this has been his home 
place since that time. This is devoted to gen- 
eral crops and is one of the choice places of 
the county and is skillfully tilled by Mr. 
McElwain. 

On March 3, 1897, Mr. McElwain married 
Miss Henrietta Archer, who was born at Ore 
Lake, Canada. Mr. and Mrs. McElwain have 
become the parents of three children, whose 
names are Virginia Irene, Marvin John, and 
Lillian. The principles of the Republican 
party appeal more strongly to Mr. McElwain 
than those of any other and for years he has 
been a stanch worker in that line. He keeps 






Mrs. Willis J. Hillman 



Willis J. Hillman 



W. H. McEk 






/ ■ 



John W. Woods 



James D. ^IVhite 



Mrs. James D. WTiite 






Charles E. Shaff* 



er 



Mrs. Charles E. Shaffer 



James M. Henderson 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY 



441 



himself well posted on the issues of the day 
and takes a great interest in the questions and 
affairs both of local and public import. He is 
a member of the F. & A. M., and the W. W. 
Mc. McEhvain has labored for the good schools 
and progress that abounds in Columbia county 
and deserves credit for this. He believes in 
good roads, secure government, and improve- 
ment and advancement on all lines. 



JOHN W. WOODS, assistant state vet- 
erinary surgeon, has his office in Dayton, 
Washington, where he does a fine and increas- 
ing business in his profession. He was born 
on May 20, 1868, in Contra Costa county, Cal- 
ifornia. His father, Daniel T. Woods, a na- 
tive of Massachusetts, descended from an old 
and prominent English family, followed mer- 
chandising and died when our subject was a 
boy. He had married Sarah Goulding, a na- 
tive of Wales, who came with her parents to 
America when quite small and settled with 
them in Ohio. Our subject was educated in 
the public schools of California and soon after 
completing the high school course in Fresno, 
attended the Carter Institute until he was 
twenty years of age. Then he took a two 
years' course in the Ramey business college at 
Stockton, after which he began his studies for 
a veterinary surgeon. He was with Dr. An- 
drew Brouse of Fresno, taking a three years' 
course under his tuition. Then he practiced 
for himself in Fresno and Stockton with 
marked success. In 1898, Dr. Woods came to 
Pullman, Washington, and completed there a 
course in the veterinary department of the col- 
lege, receiving the degree of Doctor of Veter- 
inary Science. After graduation, he was re- 
tained as house surgeon for the institution and 
in 1903, he resigned to locate at Dayton. He 
immediately began the practice of his profes- 
sion and has built up a fine patronage which 
is growing rapidly and as stated, he is also as- 
sistant state veterinarv. 



In Kendrick, Idaho, on July 12, 1900, Dr. 
Woods married Miss Ida M. Bruce of Dayton, 
Washington. Her father, John B. Bruce, was 
born in Kentucky of Scotch ancestry and fol- 
lowed farming and stock raising. He fought 
in the confederate army. Mrs. Woods' mother 
is Mary D. (Summers) Bruce, a native of 
Tennessee. Her father was of Scotch-Irish 
ancestry and was also in the confederate army. 
Mrs. Woods was born on November 17, 1876, 
in Mercer county, Missouri and has the fol- 
lowing named brothers and sisters : Harlen M., 
born May 1, 1868 in Mercer county, Missouri, 
now a stockman in Garfield county, Washing- 
ton ; Lonzo D., born April 1, 1870, in Putnam 
county, Missouri, now mining at Burke, Idaho ; 
William S.. born August 10, 1877 in Sedg- 
wick county, Kansas, now assisting Dr. 
Woods; Ollie M., born March 12, 1864 in 
Mercer county, Missouri, now the wife of Mr. 
Kerr, a merchant in Spokane; Minnie A., born 
August 10, 1877 in Sedgwick county, Kan- 
sas, the wife of Mr. Ousley, a liveryman in 
Garfield county, Washington; Doctor and 
Mrs. Woods have two children, Vivian Bruce, 
born April 6, 1902, in Dayton, Washington; 
Sylvan Morris, born March 15, 1904, in 
Dayton. 

Dr. Woods is a member of the W. W. and 
the I. O. O. F. He and his wife belong to the 
Christian church and in politics, he is a strong 
Republican. They own a nice home in Day- 
ton and are highly respected people. 



JAMES D. WHITE. It will never be 
written or fully understood by the generations 
who succeed, the thrilling experiences, adven- 
tures and arduous labors that were performed 
and participated in by those noble men and 
women, who turned from the pleasures of civ- 
ilization in the east and made their way across 
the dreary plains with ox teams to the Pacific 
coast. However, it is proper, as much as is 
possible to be done, to make an outline of the 



442 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



most important items in this connection, for 
the benefit and instruction of all those who shall 
yet be born. It would be very gratifying in- 
deed were we given space to relate those 
things. However, Ave must content ourselves 
with what is in the range of possibility at this 
time. 

The gentleman whose name appears at the 
head of this article, has been one of the enter- 
prising and tireless pioneers of the northwest 
and deserves mention in the first ranks of those 
who have opened this grand country for the 
teaming population which now subsists here. 
He was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on 
March 16, 1854, in the very gathering center 
whence came the various emigrants 'from the 
Mississippi valley to form into trains to cross 
the deserts and mountains and amid hardships 
and in the face of hostile savages to redeem 
and reclaim the land that now forms the pop- 
ulous cities of Washington and Oregon. From 
the earliest days that he can remember, the en- 
thusiasm of going west was constantly before 
him and when ten years of age, he was per- 
mitted to take that trip which had been his idol 
from the dreams of infancy. In due time, with 
his widowed mother, they completed the jour- 
ney, one of the most unique in the history of 
the world. Their trip was a counterpart of 
what each pilgrim experienced in the exodus 
from the Missouri river to the Pacific coast. 
His father, John White, died when James was 
a child. His mother, Rachel White, a native 
of Iowa, was left a widow with a family of 
young children to support and knew the bur- 
dens of life well. The little train stopped first 
in the Grande Ronde valley, Oregon, and two 
seasons later took up their journey which ended 
in the Willamette valley. Two years after 
that, they made their way back over the Cas- 
cades and crossed the sage plains of Oregon 
to Umatilla county and made settlement. Our 
subject began work for a firm in Weston, be- 
ing but a lad of fourteen or sixteen and for 
seven years continued in the employ of this 



house without any interruption. Then he set- 
tled on a farm in Columbia county and began 
to acquire property for himself. Being a 
thrifty man, industrious and careful in his 
management, he soon accumulated sufficient 
money to warrant him purchasing more land. 
He was wise in his selection and continued to 
buy until he had six hundred and forty acres 
of extra choice grain producing land. This 
has been carefully farmed and conducted since 
and the proceeds have made Mr. White one 
of the wealthy citizens of southeastern Wash- 
ington. In due time he was warranted in re- 
tiring from the labors of the farm and accord- 
ingly erected a choice residence in Waitsburg 
which is his home at the present time. The 
home farm is- well supplied with everything 
needed on a first class place and under the su- 
pervision of Mr. White produces annually 
most gratifying returns in crops and stock. 
His money has always been invested with 
care and consequently very few losses have 
been his to meet. He is a very enterprising and 
capable business man and has shown his abil- 
ity in every line of endeavor that he has fol- 
lowed. He also owns another farm in Colum- 
bia county, one in Walla Walla county, and 
one in Crook county, Oregon. In addition to 
general farming and stock raising, Mr. White 
has traveled considerably and has visited al- 
most every portion of the west and northwest 
and is intimately acquainted with all the re- 
sources and all the conditions of the country. 
He is a well informed man, possessed of prac- 
tical judgment and is liked and respected by 
all who know him. In the days of the Indian 
wars, he was among the first to venture to re- 
pel the savages and is one of the veterans. 
Mr. White, although constantly overseeing his 
farm and conducting its policy, has neverthe- 
less been engaged in many enterprises and has 
always made money rapidly. The possession 
of wealth has never made him a sordid man 
for he is one of the most liberal citizens of 
this part of the country. He has given 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY 



443 



thousands of dollars and is always ready to 
assist any enterprise for the good of the pub- 
lic. Public minded and liberal, he has been 
enabled to enjoy to the fullest all the good 
things of life since he has taken that high view 
embodied in the statement, that "It is more 
blessed to give than to receive." 

In 1884, Mr. White married Miss America 
E. Ritter, who was born in the Willamette 
valley, Oregon. Her parents were among the 
earliest settlers of the Web Foot State and she 
was a noble and faithful woman. Her many 
virtues and graces made her beloved by all 
who were acquainted with her and at the time 
of her death in 1902, there was most sincere 
and extended mourning. Three children were 
born to this worthy couple, John W., Rachel, 
and Annie P. Just verging into the prime of 
life, the success that Mr. White has gained 
presages excellent things for the future. Mr. 
White is a man who makes and retains friends 
and is without enemies. He is known far and 
near and is as highly respected as he is widely 
known. He has never been a politician in the 
sense in which that word has been used some- 
times, still he has manifested a keen interest 
in these matters. He has always refused 
office or personal preferment, desiring rather 
to assist his friends to this position, than to 
accept for himself, though often importuned 
so to do. He has done a noble work in build- 
ing up the country, in forwarding educational 
matters, and in supporting churches and other 
movements for the good of the people in gen- 
eral, and it is certainly very fitting that his 
name should be classed among the leading men 
and pioneers of southeastern Washington. 

On November 2, 1904, Mr. White married 
Mrs. Mary Wright, who was born in Ger- 
many. She came to the United States with 
her parents, Frank and Catherine Kanabay, 
also natives of Germany, when she was six 
years old. They settled in Missouri and there 
died, when this daughter was eleven years of 



age. By her former marriage, Mrs. Wright 
has four children, Florence, Annie, Frances, 
and Jay. 



CHARLES E. SHAFFER, who resides 
about nine miles north from Waitsburg, is one 
of the successful men of Columbia county and 
has wrought here, as well as other places in 
the west, with display of wisdom and indus- 
try that bring their own reward. He has, 
also, won the esteem and confidence of the 
people and is a man of influence in the country. 
His birth occurred in Franklin county, Penn- 
sylvania, on July 17, 1862, and there he was 
reared and educated. His father, Christopher 
Shaffer, was born in Germany and came to this 
country in the early forties. He was a cooper 
by trade and settled in Mercersburg, Pennsyl- 
vania, where he became wealthy and prom- 
inent. He died in 1862, when our subject 
was yet an infant less than one year of age. 
The mother, Mary (Eckert) Shaffer, is a na- 
tive of Germany and came to America in the 
same ship with her future husband. She was 
married in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, 
where she still lives. In the spring of 1880, 
Mr. Shaffer came west to California and there 
remained until September, when he made his 
way to southeastern Washington. Then, after 
a short stay, he returned to California and 
there did farming for nine years. In 1896, 
he came back and selected his present location 
where he has remained since, engaged in farm- 
ing and stock raising. He has achieved a 
good success and is numbered with the leading 
agriculturists of the county. He owns two 
hundred and twenty acres of choice land and 
Mrs. Shaffer has an equal amount in her own 
right. The returns from these valuable es- 
tates make a handsome income and they are 
well to do people. All improvements needed 
abound and Mr. Shaffer is one of the skillful 
and wise farmers of the section. 



444 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY 



In 1887, occurred the marriage of Miss 
Ada Amanda Scott and Mr. Shaffer. She is 
a native of Baker county, Oregon and was 
brought by her grandfather to Walla Walla 
county when a little girl. Since then she has 
remained in Washington. Her parents, John 
and Amanda (Cantonwine) Scott, were mur- 
dered by the savages in Baker county, Oregon. 
The father came to California in pioneer days, 
making the trip with ox teams in the fifties. 
He was engaged in mining and packing to the 
mines there for a number of years. Then he 
came to Walla Walla, and later settled on the 
ill-fated place on Burnt river, Oregon, where 
he and his wife met their death at the hands of 
the Indians. The mother of Mrs. Shaffer 
crossed the plains with her father from Iowa 
in very ea'rly days and lived in Walla Walla 
county until she went with her husband to the 
Burnt river. To Mr. and Mrs. Shaffer, the 
following named children have been born. 
Ernest M., May A., Charles Porter D., Audrey 
G.. and Clarence M. Mr. Shaffer has an inter- 
esting family and has won for himself as well 
as for them a place and standing enviable, 
indeed. 

In political matters, Mr. Shaffer is an en- 
thusiastic Republican and in California was 
especially active in the conventions and cam- 
paigns. He has always been an interested sup- 
porter of his party, although never an aspirant 
to office. However, his friends insisted that 
he allow his name to be placed on the ticket 
for county commissioner and in the fall of 
1904, he was promptly elected. Mr. Shaffer 
shows the same sagacity and integrity in the 
discharge of public duties that he has always 
manifested in his personal affairs and he is 
filling the office to the satisfaction of the 
people, and with credit to himself. 



J. M. HENDERSON has been a great 
traveller and thus has gained an extended 
knowledge of the world and its ways. Also, 



he has shown his patriotism and stamina on 
the field of battle, and for the Stars and Stripes 
he has fought with the zeal and ardor of the 
true American. His birthplace is Jefferson 
county, Iowa, and the date of the event, Mav 
7, 1858. The father, William R. Henderson, 
was born in Indiana, on March 6, 1837 and 
enlisted in 1861, as a member of the Third 
Iowa Cavalry. He was largely on detached 
service and for six months at a time would be 
away destroying bridges and other property 
necessary to be destroyed in the war. In the 
battle of Ripley, Mississippi, he was killed 
while bravely fighting for his country. The 
date of this sad event was April 17, 1865. 
Only seventeen of his original company were 
spared to return to their homes from the hor- 
rors of war. Our subject was well educated, 
completing his training in the Batavia high 
school and at Parson's college. After this he 
learned the blacksmith trade, then journeyed 
to Nebraska. He travelled all over that state 
on foot then returned to his home in Iowa. 
After this he went to Dakota and in 1879 
started for Washington with an immigrant 
train. The train was over the Union Pacific 
and was nine days in making the trip to San 
Francisco from Council Bluffs. He went then 
to Portland on the steamer, State of Califor- 
nia, and thence via the Cascades, The Dalles, 
and Wallula to Walla Walla. Next we see 
him in the Blue mountains in Oregon after 
which he took a preemption near Dayton. 
After this he was in Sprague, then at Kenne- 
wick, North Yakima and other places in cen- 
tral Washington. In 1886, he was in Seattle 
and remained there and in the vicinity of Ta- 
coma until 1894. Then he came to his pres- 
ent location, six miles east from Dayton, and 
here he has made his home since. In 1898, 
Mr. Henderson enlisted in Company F, Wash- 
ington Volunteers and was despatched via San 
Francisco to Manila, sailing on October 19, 
1898, and arriving on November 22. He was 
in constant duty there until September 5,. 1899, 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



445 



when his regiment was sent home. During 
his stay in the Philippines he was never sick 
a day nor disabled from active duty. 

At Dayton, on May i, 1881, Mr. Hender- 
son married Miss Frederika Richardson, who 
was born in Saint Joseph's Island, Canada, the 
date being, July 29, 1862. Her father, W. T. 
Richardson, was a native of Canada. To Mr. 
and Mrs. Henderson, eight children have been 
born, Otto H., Adela B., Enola F., Ella J., 
Elmer L., Herbert H., Hilda M., and Bonnie 
A. L. 



GEORGE E. WOOD resides ten miles 
northwest from Waitsburg, where he owns a 
fine body of land. He has six hundred and 
forty acres in this place and all improvements 
that could be wished to carry it on successfully. 
He has provided all the latest and best machin- 
ery for his farm and his buildings and other 
improvements are good. The orchard is ex- 
ceptionally fine and has all kinds of fruit that 
are successfully grown in this climate. 

George E. Wood was born in Montcalm 
county, Michigan, on March 26, i860, and was 
educated in the common schools of that place. 
His father, Clayton C. Wood, was a pioneer 
to Michigan from Ohio, his native state, and 
followed civil engineering. In 1861, he en- 
listed in Company C, Second Michigan Cav- 
alry, where he served ten months. His dis- 
charge was then occasioned by reason of dis- 
abilities. He married Miss Catherine Bailey, 
a native of New York. When our subject 
was still a boy, the family removed to Wilkins 
county, Minnesota, being pioneers of the 
Gopher State. In 1883, George E. came on west 
and finally located at Dayton, where he worked 
for wages for some time. In 1888, he en- 
gaged in farming for himself and since that 
time he has been one of the industrious and 
progressive tillers of the soil in Columbia 
county. He purchased his farm in 1897 and 
has improved it in excellent shape since that 



time and_ has shown himself to be one of the 
men of substantiality and stamina. Mr. Wood 
married in August, 1884, Cora Marsh, who 
died January 22, 1898. To them were born 
six children, Joe W., Frank, deceased, Mabel 
P., Charles K., James E. and Vireatus. It is a 
matter that evidences the character of the man, 
when we notice that as late as 1888, Mr. Wood 
was working for wages and that now he is the 
owner of a fine estate and is one of the leading 
farmers of the county. He has certainly won 
a brilliant success and it is easy to see that it is. 
not a matter of luck that has brought it, but 
it has been achieved by reason of the wisdom, 
industry and careful management of the re- 
sources placed in his hands. He has hewed 
out his own fortune and in so doing has made 
himself a better and stronger man besides hav- 
ing the gratification of possessing the reward 
of his labors now. 

In August, 1899, Mr. Wood married Maud 
Thompson, the wedding occurring at Dayton. 
Mrs. Wood was born in Missouri, the daugh- 
ter of John and Martha (Cunningham) 
Thompson. The mother died in 1886, but 
the father is still living in Columbia county, 
and follows farming. To Mr. and Mrs. Wood 
two children have been born, C. Austin and 
Cora E. 



WILLIS KNEFF is adding to the wealth 
of Columbia county by his wisely bestowed 
labors in farming on his estate about three 
miles southeast from Dayton, where he has 
been at work industriously for the past twenty- 
five years. His stability and his substantial 
qualities make him an excellent citizen and a 
first-class farmer. He was born in Indiana on 
July 15, 1 841, the son of Christopher and 
Elizabeth (Lewis) Kneff, natives of Ohio and 
Pennsylvania. When seven, Willis was 
brought by his parents from his native state to 
Illinois, where he remained until grown to 



446 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



manhood. He was educated in the public 
schools and followed farming. In 1875, he 
came on west to Nebraska and there farmed 
for five years. The next move was to the en- 
ticing territory of Washington, where he set- 
tled on land which' is his home to this day. 
He is well aware of the advantages of the 
country and was pleased sufficiently to make 
it his home, and expects to remain here until 
his death. 

In 1862 Mr. Kneff enlisted in the One 
Hundred and Eighteenth Illinois and was un- 
der Sherman and Grant for his time of ser- 
vice. He participated in the river campaign 
and the siege of Vicksburg and although never 
wounded, he was in many trying places and 
dangers that would have resulted in his death, 
had it not been for a favoring Province that 
shielded him. He was in many conflicts and 
ever acquitted himself as a man of bravery and 
patriotism, as he is. His record as a soldier is 
first-class and marks an epoch in his life of 
which he may well be proud. On account of 
sickness, which was extended, he was honor- 
ably discharged in 1864, although he wished to 
remain until the war was over. Fate decreed 
otherwise and he was forced to. languish while 
his comrades went on to the front and the end 
of the war. 

On January 25, 1867, in Illinois, Mr. Kneff 
married Miss Hattie New, the daughter of 
Richard M. and Sarah ( Parker) Holmes, na- 
tives of New York. Mrs. Kneff was also born 
in New York, the date being 1855. To this mar- 
riage the following named children have been 
born, Earl, Delia, Cora, Daisy and Vanchee. 
Mr. Kneff is a member of the G. A. R. and a 
man of excellent standing in the community. 



■♦»» 



WILLIAM D. WALLACE resides about 
eight miles southwest from Starbuck, on the 
old Mullan road. He also has a residence at 
Waitsburg, Washington, where he spends a 



portion of the time. He gives his attention to 
stock raising and general farming and is one 
of the substantial men of Columbia county. 
Mr. Wallace has so conducted himself in life 
that he has made an unsullied reputation and 
stands well in the community. He was born 
in Taylorsville, Indiana, on May 26, 1852, the 
son of John and Minerva E. (Duffy) Wallace. 
The mother was born in Jefferson count}', In- 
diana. Her father was of Irish extraction and 
her mother of French. Our subject's father 
was born in Jefferson county, Indiana, and is a 
direct descendant of Sir William Wallace, of 
fame in Scotch history. He is a millright and 
built several plants throughout the central 
states. He is also an engineer and mechanic. 
In 1892, he came to Moscow, Idaho, and later 
erected a mill at Kendrick, which he finally 
sold. He is now residing with his wife at 
Moscow. During the Civil War, he was in 
government service as an engineer. His 
mother was a native of Amsterdam, Holland. 
Our subject moved to Iowa with his parents 
when a child and completed his education in the 
Oskaloosa college of that state. After that, 
he learned the moulder's trade and became an 
expert machinist and engineer and followed the 
the latter for several years. In 1876, he 
turned from this occupation and took up 
farming in Iowa. Two years later, he 
came to Walla Walla and again went to 
work at his trade in the mill. The next 
year, however, he settled on Whiskey 
creek mountain and in 1880, he transferred 
his residence to Columbia county and here has 
been engaged in farming ever since. He fol- 
lows this occupation and has made an excellent 
success in it. During his stay here, he has 
been deputy assessor for three terms and has 
ever manifested a lively interest in political 
matters and local affairs of the country. He 
is well informed and a man of influence. 

Mr. Wallace is a member of the I. O. O. F., 
while he and his wife belong to the Baptist 
church at Dayton. They have one child. Will- 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



447 



iam H., a student at the Waitsburg academy. 
Mr. Wallace has a quarter section of fine land 
besides property in other places. 



PLEASANT H. EWELL. deceased. It 
is gratifying to any one interested in the history 
of the early pioneers, to be privileged to speak 
of the gentleman mentioned above. From 
Mexico to the Russian possessions he was well 
known and knew the country perhaps better 
than any one man. He was a great explorer 
and traveler, fearless and intrepid, and made 
his way to all these various sections during the 
earlier part of his life. His birth occurred in 
Ray county, Missouri, about 1835, and when 
sixteen, cr in 185 1, he drove an ox team 
across the plains to the Willamette valley. Be- 
ing too young to take a homestead or donation 
claim, he. began traveling about, and, as stated 
above, made his way from Oregon to the torrid 
regions of Mexico and back far up into Alaska. 
Many years were spent in these travels and ex- 
plorations. Mr. Ewell was a man of energy 
and a review of his travels would be both in- 
teresting and profitable. Finally becoming 
tired, he settled down on a homestead near 
where Seattle is now located. His life was 
spent on the coast and in 1901, he passed away 
from earth to the world beyond. The event of 
his death occurred in the Willamette valley. 
He had served in the Indian wars that swept 
the coast and was known as a fearless and 
skillful Indian fighter. 

In 1869, after eighteen years traveling, 
prospecting, and Indian fighting, he settled 
down and married Sarah Walter, who now re- 
sides at the home of Daniel Delany, four miles 
east from Starbuck. Mrs. Ewell has recently 
taken up her abode in Columbia county and ex- 
pects to pass the remainder of her days here. 
Her husband was well known throughout this, 
as the other pioneer regions, and traveled over 
all portions of the state of Washington. It is 



abundantly fitting, therefore, that he should be 
particularly mentioned as one of the pioneers 
of Columbia county, albeit one must say not 
only of Columbia county but of the northwest. 
Mrs. Ewell was born in Marion county, Ore- 
gon, being thus a native of the Occident where 
she has passed all the days of her life. To this 
worthy couple nine children have been born, 
named as follows, Katie, Otis M., Carrie, Mat- 
tie, Mary, James, Homer, Marion and Bennie. 
It is unnecessary to note that Mr. Ewell 
was a man of energy and he accumulated a nice 
property during the latter years of his life as 
well as receiving the good will and admiration 
of all who knew him. Since his death, his wife 
has managed the property in a commendable 
manner and has a goodly competence for the 
golden days of her life that she is now passing. 



HON. FRANCIS M. WEATHERFORD 
is one of the early settlers of the territory now 
embraced in Columbia county. The splendid 
success he has made in life is due to the wis- 
dom, to the industry and to the aggressiveness 
which have been manifested during his career. 
He stand to-day one of the leading men of 
this part of the state whose wealth and position 
have been justly earned. 

Francis M. Weatherford was born in Put- 
nam county, Missouri, on November 12, 1855. 
Alfred Weatherford, his father, was born in 
Virginia, where also our subject's paternal 
grandparents were born. They came from 
English ancestry. In 1855, the same year in 
which our subject was born, his father died in 
Putnam county, Missouri. He had owned 
there a very large farm and raised stock and 
did general farming. For two terms he had 
been sheriff of his county and was a man of in- 
fluence and excellent standing. He married 
Sophia Smith, a natwe of Virginia, where also 
her parents were born, descendants from an 
old colonial family. She died at the old home 



448 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



place in Putnam county in 1861. She and her 
husband were both devout members of the 
Methodist church, South. Our subject being 
thus left an orphan at an early age, remained 
with his brother, William, with whom he lived 
until grown up. It is of interest to note that 
on the old home place in Missouri, now stands 
Unionville, the county seat of Putnam county. 
In 1864, our subject came with his brother to 
Linn county, Oregon, where he later bought 
land. Four years afterward they moved to 
Contra Costa county, California, and two years 
later, came back to Jackson county, Oregon. 
After a year in that locality, they came to 
Umatilla county, it being then the fall of 1872. 
Our subject was sent by his brother to the old 
Bundy school in Walla Walla county, where 
he finished his education. As early as 1873, 
Mr. Weatherford came to settle in Walla Walla 
county, that portion which is now embraced in 
Columbia county. He rented land for a year, 
then bought it, the same being a quarter of a 
section. He was then but eighteen years of 
age and this start in life gives one a key to the 
man. His carefulness, his aggressiveness and 
his unerring judgment are what have won for 
him his success. This land was in the Bundy 
neighborhood and Mr. Weatherford gradually 
added to the original quarter section until at 
one time he owned in that locality eleven hun- 
dred and forty acres. In 1892, he sold most 
of this land, rented the balance and removed to 
the Covello neighborhood, where he owned 
eleven hundred and sixty acres of fine wheat 
soil. In 1904, Mr. Weatherford sold out the 
last of his Wilson Hollow land, receiving fifty 
dollars per acre for it, and his last deed con- 
veyed over five hundred and thirty acres. It 
was considered one of the best places in Walla 
Walla county. 

On October 10, 1878, at the residence of 
the bride's parents in Wilson Hollow, Mr. 
Weatherford married Harriett A. Turner, the 
daughter of John and Mary A. (Power) Turn- 
er. The father was born in Virginia of an old 



colonial family and died April 20, 1899, at 
Covello. The mother was born in Indiana. 
Her marriage occurred in Missouri and she 
came with her husband to the coast in 1865. 
Mrs. Weatherford has five brothers, Benjamin, 
John, Joseph, James, and Charles, and one 
half-brother, William Anderson, and two sis- 
ters, Mrs. Samantha Price and Mrs. Irene 
Freeman, and one half-sister, Mrs. Clara 
Price. Mr. Weatherford has three brothers 
living, William W., James K., and Alfred H., 
and Thomas, Aaron and John deceased. The 
children born to Mr. and Mrs. Weatherford 
are, William and James C, both graduates of 
the business college in Portland; Arthur M., 
Mary S., and Clara B., at home. 

Mr. Weatherford is a member of the I. O. 
O. F. and he and his wife belong to the Meth- 
odist church, South. Politically, our subject is 
a strong Democrat and at the last election was 
chosen representative to the state legislature 
for Columbia county. He takes an active in- 
terest in everything for the building up of the 
country and in his present capacity as repre- 
sentative in the legislature, he has shown that 
same wisdom and care that have characterized 
him during his successful career. He is a 
popular man and has won the position by dis- 
play of fairness, genialty and good judgment 
and stands to-day one of the leading men of 
this part of the state. 



HON. CHESTER F. MILLER, Judge 
of the superior court for Columbia, Garfield 
and Asotin counties, is one of the best known 
men in southeastern Washington. He resides 
at Dayton, and is one of the oldest residents of 
Columbia county, having lived in the same vot- 
ing precinct for forty-five years. He has the 
reputation of being a fair and impartial Judge, 
is respected by the people and his integrity 
has never been questioned. 

Chester Franklin Miller was born in Linn 




CHESTER E MILLER. 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



449 



county, Oregon, on January 6, i860, the son 
of George W. and Sarah E. (Ping) Miller, 
who are especially mentioned elsewhere in this 
volume. They were honorable and highly re- 
spected people and reared their son in the 
paths of morality and uprightness, and to this 
day Judge Miller is aware that he owes an un- 
told debt to the choice training which it was 
his rare fortune to receive. His grandfather, 
Hon. Elisha Ping, was prominent in the po- 
litical history of the territory. 

When a child, six months of age, he came 
with his parents to where Dayton now stands, 
and received his early education in the old dis- 
trict school house on the hill, where he at- 
tended school until he was sixteen years old. 
He attributes much of his future success in his 
studies to the foundation laid by his teacher, 
the Hon. Oliver C. White, then a country 
school teacher. Judge A. S. Bennett, one of 
the leading lawyers of the northwest, was his 
fellow student at this old country school house. 
He then attended a private school, in Dayton, 
for two years, where he was prepared for col- 
lege by the Hon. J. E. Edmiston, who was at 
that time teaching the school. Mr. Edmiston 
and Judge Miller were afterwards law part- 
ners for nine years. In 1878, he entered the 
Willamette University, which he attended for 
one year, and then entered the Oregon State 
University from which he graduated with 
honors in 1882, receiving the degree of Bach- 
elor of Arts. Three years later he received the 
degree of Master of Arts from his Alma 
Mater. 

He then returned to Dayton, and while 
acting as deputy clerk of the district court, 
read law with Col. Wyatit A. George, the 
Nester of the bar of the old First Judicial Dis- 
trict, and who was called "Old Equity" by his 
fellow practitioners. He was admitted to the 
bar in 1886 by Judge Langford, on the recom- 
mendation of T. J. Anders, D. J. Crowley 
and R. F. Sturdevant, his examining commit- 
tee, and soon afterwards entered the office of 

29 



M. A. Baker and commenced the practice of 
the law. In 1889, he formed a law partner- 
ship with the Hon. J. E. Edmiston, which 
continued until the end of the year 1890, when 
Mr. Edmiston became prosecuting attorney. 
Judge Miller and his brother-in-law, Charles 
R. Dorr, then became law partners, until Mr. 
Dorr's death in 1892, at which time he and 
Mr. Edmiston formed another partnership 
which continued until the latter's death in 
1900. In 1893, h e was elected mayor of Day- 
ton, and in 1895 director of the same school 
district where he first attended school. 

He was at different times city attorney and 
clerk of the city of Dayton, and in 1900 was 
elected superior judge, to which office he was 
re-elected by a highly increased majority in 
1904. 

Judge Miller was Captain of Company 
"F," First Washington Volunteers, and was 
mustered in with his company on May 11, 
1898. 

He sailed with his regiment for the Phil- 
ippines in October of that year, where he ac- 
quitted himself with credit, until he became 
disabled from sickness, and he was then re- 
turned to his home and discharged on May 12, 
1899. Captain Miller was universally loved 
and respected by the members of his company. 

In lodge circles Judge Miller might be 
called a "joiner." He is a P. C. of Dayton 
Lodge, No. 3, K. of P.; Past Master of Day- 
ton Lodge, No. 53, F. & A. M. ; Past H. P. of 
Dayton Chapter, No. 5, R. A. M. ; P. G. of 
Patit Lodge, No. 10, I. O. O. F. ; P. C. P. of 
Franklin Encampment, No. 13, I. O. O. F. ; 
and deputy grand master of the grand lodge 
of Odd Fellows of the state of Washington, 
and will undoubtedly this year be elected their 
highest officer. He is also a member of the 
Woodmen, Workmen, Eastern Star, Re- 
bekah's and Rathbone Sisters. 

On May 24, 1888, Judge Miller was mar- 
ried to Miss Nettie Dorr, the daughter of Dr. 
J. C. and Mrs. Ellen R. Dorr. Dr. Dorr and 



45o 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



his wife were among the earliest settlers of 
California, and came to Columbia county in 
1879. He was a member of the California 
Legislature of 1864, and a man of prominence 
and a leading citizen of Washington. 

Judge Miller and his estimable wife are 
the parents of six girls, Haidee, Sarah, Hilda, 
Conchita, Luneta, and Alice, and expects them 
all to marry Democrats and then persuade their 
husbands to become good Republicans. 



CHRISTOPHER MARLL, although 
not a native American, has, nevertheless, 
shown that patriotism, which sometimes is 
deeper in the foreign born subject than in the 
son of the Stars and Stripes, owing to the 
deeper appreciation of our free institutions re- 
sulting from the contrast so forcibly set forth 
by the knowledge of other countries. The 
sunny land of France is his birthplace and 
March 5, 1837, the date. His parents both 
died when he was an infant and he was reared 
by an aunt. When young he was brought to 
America by her and New Jersey was their 
home. Until fourteen years of age . he re- 
mained with her and then came west to Illi- 
nois, where he did farming. Thence he 
journeyed to Colorado in 1873, and there re- 
mained for four years. After that he was in 
Arizona and then spent three years in Sacra- 
mento, California. His next move was to Ore- 
gon and one year later he came thence to his 
present place, seven miles southeast from Day- 
ton, where he has resided since. He has a good 
home and does farming and stock raising. 
For a quarter of a century he has remained here 
and has done a good work in improving and 
upbuilding, while also he has augumented his 
own wealth by his industry. Mr. Marll has a 
goodly holding of property and is able to 
spend the balance of his days in more retire- 
ment from the activities of life. Mr. Marll 
has always taken an active interest in politics 



and local affairs and stands strong for good 
government and betterment on all lines. 

In Clinton, Illinois, on April 14, 1871, Mr. 
Marll married Miss Tillie Barmlager, who 
was born in Franklin county, Missouri, on No- 
vember 1, 1852. Her father, Harman Bram- 
lager, was born in Holland, in February, 1823, 
and married Miss Elizabeth Tuchlaugh, who 
was born in Germany, in July, 1829. Mr. and 
Mrs. Marll have two children, Ruby Allen, 
born August 5, 1881, and Charles R., born 
October 16, 1882. 



WILLIAM ADDISON SNIDER, de- 
ceased. For sixty years the esteemed gentle- 
man whose name is mentioned above traveled 
this pilgrim way, operating largely as a 
pioneer and a pathfinder for others in the 
progress of civilization toward the west. He 
was a man of strong character and adventur- 
ous spirit and never fell back because of ob- 
stacles or danger in his path. He was well and 
favorably known all through these regions be- 
sides many other portions of the west and 
northwest, which was familiar to him and 
where he labored extensively. 

William A. Snider was born in Pennsyl- 
vania, on November 9, 1830, the son of Wil- 
liam Snyder, who married a lady from France. 
When our subject was two years of age, he was 
taken to Missouri by his parents and there he 
grew up on a farm and received his education 
in the public schools. When nineteen years of 
age, he went to California and there worked in 
the gold fields for a time, being on the crest of 
the first "forty-nine" wave. Three years were 
spent thus and then he went to Nevada, set- 
tling in Carson City. Two years later he went 
to Oregon and in 1862, he came to Walla 
Walla. For ten years he labored in the 
vicinity of Walla Walla, which was a ham- 
let of one hotel and two stores at the time of 
his coming. He sawed the lumber that built 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



451 



Waitsburg and a large portion of that used 
in Walla Walla, in those days. Next we see 
him in Oregon engaged in the lumber busi- 
ness and there he wrought for twelve years. 
After this he was in Idaho, then went to 
Nevada, thence to Healdsburg, California, and 
from there to Jackson county, Oregon. After 
this he came to Umatilla county, Oregon, and 
there made his home until 1890, when he was 
called from the labors and trials of this life to 
the world beyond. Two years later his widow 
with her family came to Dayton and here they 
reside at this time. 

The marriage of Mr. Snider occurred in 
California, in i860, when Mrs. Elizabeth Mil- 
ler became his bride. She was born in Tennes- 
see, in 1842, and her father, William Aloway, 
was born in Kentucky. To Mr. and Mrs. 
Snider, the following named children have 
been born: William, Emma, Mary, George, 
Fred, Ellen, Frank, Albert, Roy, Nettie and 
Rufus. Mr. Snider was highly respected and 
well acquainted with all the old pioneers. His 
widow is a woman of many virtues and was a 
faithful helpmeet to her husband during the 
years of his travels and labors. She is of ex- 
cellent standing in Dayton and has shown fort- 
itude and bravery in meeting the responsibili- 
ties of life since her husband's death. 



BERNARD BERNZEN, better known as 
"Ben," is one of the leading stockmen of Co- 
lumbia county and a pioneer here. He has 
displayed wisdom in his career, which together 
with his industry, has given him a fine prop- 
erty holding at this time. He resides about 
eight miles southeast from Dayton and handles 
cattle and horses. He was born in Hanover, 
Germany, on January 7, 1858. His father, 
Bernard Bernzen, brought the family to Clin- 
ton county, Illinois, when our subject was four 



years of age and there died when this son was 
ten years of age. The mother died one year 
later, thus leaving Ben an orphan when a 
mere child. He was adopted by Mr. Etter, 
with whom he stayed until nineteen years of 
age when he came west, selecting Portland as 
the objective point. For two years he drove a 
dairy wagon and worked on a dairy farm near 
Portland. Then, in the winter of 1880, he 
started for Walla Walla with two companions, 
Schultz and Buckner. They took a steam- 
boat to the lower Cascade Falls, then went by 
rail to the upper Cascades and thence by boat 
to The Dalles. Then they attempted to walk 
to Walla Walla as the steamers had stopped 
running on the upper river. The snow was 
deep and this made traveling exceedingly hard. 
The first night they came to a ranch where 
they secured supper but were refused permis- 
sion to sleep in the house and were told that 
they might occupy the shed. As they had no 
blankets and the winter was severe, they were 
unable to remain there and so walked all that 
night towards Umatilla. They carried no 
food and could find no house as the country 
was then unsettled. All the next day they 
traveled and finally found a jack rabbit which 
they chased in the rocks and captured. They 
were enabled to paritially cook this, which 
made a meager meal. They traveled all that 
day, and during the next night Buckner gave 
out; however after he has been assisted some 
by our subject, he rallied again and they 
pushed on. The next day, Mr. Bernzen be- 
came thoroughly exhausted and persuaded his 
companions to go on and leave him and secure 
assistance. After they had gone some distance 
he rallied a little and climbed a hill. He 
imagined that he could see a house but as he 
moved toward it, it vanished and in its place 
appeared a city and the poor half dying man 
could hear the rumble of the cars as they 
passed to and fro, so deceptive was the de- 
lirium brought on by exhaustion and hunger 



452 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



and the mirage of the winter's day. He then 
lay down and fell asleep but a troubled dream 
of falling awakened him and he perceived that 
he was nearly dead. His body was numb and 
it was with great difficulty that he could move 
at all. However, he finally succeeded in get- 
ting to his feet and staggered back down his 
tracks to where the men had left him. He 
tried to follow their tracks and was making 
some headway when just at dark, he met two 
Chinamen whom Shultz had sent back to him. 
They brought him to a dugout where he was 
well cared for and when he awoke the next 
morning, Shultz told him that he and Buckner 
had separated soon after leaving Bernzen, and 
so they started back to 'find Buckner. It had 
drifted so in the night that they were unable 
to find his tracks and they looked and searched 
in vain. It seemed though that he had tried 
to walk along the thin ice on the river and had 
been drowned. To this day no trace of him 
has ever been found. Mr. Bernzen completed 
his journey and then selected the place where 
he now lives and took a homestead. He in- 
vested quite heavily in cattle and since that 
time has given his entire attention to stock 
raising. He has been prosperous in the work 
and has a fine band of cattle at this time. 

On October 18, 1893, Mr. Bernzen mar- 
ried Miss Frances Corcoran, who was born in 
St. Louis, on December 5, 1855. Her parents 
were William T. and Catherine (Muller) Cor- 
coran, the former born in St. Louis on January 
7, 1832, and the latter in Switzerland, in 1836. 
Mr. and Mrs. Bernzen have two children. 
Francis, aged ten, and Katie, aged eight. 

Mr. Bernzen takes an active part in po- 
litical matters and has been school director 
many times and also delegate to the county 
conventions. In the winter of 1880, after his 
perilous journey, he worked on the construc- 
tion of the O. R. & N. railroad and thus be- 
came acquainted with this country, which led 
him to make settlement. 



OTTO M. STINE is well known in Co- 
lumbia county and is a man of good reputa- 
tion being at the present time sheriff of the 
county. He has held the position of deputy in 
this important office for four years and 
in 1902 he was chosen on the Republican 
ticket to execute the laws as sheriff. He has 
shown marked faithfulness in this capacity 
and has the record of being one of the best who- 
ever filled the position. Mr. Stine has many 
friends, being a good and genial man and his 
activity in all measures for the progress and 
improvement of the country stamp him as one 
of the prominent men. He was born in Nod- 
away county, Missouri, on January 27, i860, 
the son of J. H. and Abigal (Cole) Stine, na- 
tives, respectively, of Pennsylvania and Indi- 
ana. Later they settled in Illinois and after 
that lived for twenty years in Missouri. Next 
they spent seven years in Kansas, and then 
came to Columbia county where they now re- 
side. They have been the parents of twelve 
children. Our subject was educated in the 
various places where the family lived until he 
grew to manhood, when he began to assume 
the responsibilities of life for himself. He first 
farmed in Kansas and then came to Washing- 
ton, and took up carpentering in Dayton, which 
trade he had acquired before coming to this 
country. For ten years he was engaged in 
this and contracting, and then entered the 
sheriff's office as deputy. Four years were 
spent in that capacity and then he was chosen 
to the office as stated above. F. M. Bowers 
was the nominee on the Democratic ticket, but 
Mr. Stine gained the clay by a handsome ma- 
jority. 

In 1882, Mr. Stine married Miss Sarah E. 
Boyer. Her parents, Abraham and Mary 
(Ault) Boyer, were natives of Ohio, but 
moved to southwestern Kansas where the 
father died. The mother still lives there. They 
were the parents of eleven children. Mr. 
Stine is a member of the F. & A. M., the I. O. 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



453 



O. F., the K. P., and the W. W. He has 
passed the chairs in all these orders and is very 
popular. Mrs. Stine is a member of the Re- 
bekahs and the Women of Woodcraft. Mr. 
Stine has been delegate to the grand lodges of 
the first two orders mentioned. Since the ex- 
piration of his term of service Mr. Stine is 
again giving his attention to contracting and 
building. 



GRANT LOW resides about one mile 
east from Covello where he has a splendid 
estate of nearly six hundred acres. He was 
born in North Carolina, on December 25, 1870, 
the son of Samuel and Martha (Proctor) Low, 
both descended from old American families. 
The parents died when our subject was about 
eleven years old, both deaths occurring within 
four weeks. Then our subject and his brother 
were put under a guardian and the entire 
estate and personal effects were sold, even the 
family Bible, in which was the record of the 
family, was disposed of and Mr. Low has never 
been able to get track of it since. It turned 
out, as is often the case, that the boys did not 
receive the best of treatment from their guar- 
dians. Our subject worked for his guardian for 
his board and clothes with the understanding 
that he was to be privileged to attend school 
but this was largely denied him and his educa- 
tion had to be gathered at odd times as best he 
could. When sixteen, he determined to break 
this yoke and after spending some time with a 
neighboring farmer, went on to Missouri. He 
worked out three years; then his brother 
came on and they came to Washington to- 
gether. After working about a month or more 
here, about 1890, Mr. Low bought a quarter 
section. He sold it in 1902, and has now the 
estate above mentioned. It is one of the best 
farms in the county and is handled in splendid 
shape. Mr. Low has eighty head of cattle, 
sixty mules and one hundred horses. He also 



raises a good many hogs and is one of the 
prosperous and wealthy men of the country. 

In December, 1901, Mr. Low married Ora 
Monett, a native of Columbia county, and the 
daughter of Wallace and Mary (Woodward) 
Monet, natives of Ohio and Wisconsin, re- 
spectively. The father died when Mrs. Low 
was four years of age. The mother came to 
this country with her parents in 1869 and they 
were married near Dayton in this county. Our 
subject had four half brothers, John, Abner, 
Thomas and Wiley, three of whom he never 
saw. To Mr. and Mrs. Low four children have 
been born, Nellie, Jessie, Alberta and Harry, 
deceased. M~. Lov ^as achieved a splendid 
success in his labors and is come to be one of 
the wealthy and substantial men of the coun- 
try. He and his wife enjoy the best of stand- 
ing, have hosts of friends and are highly re- 
spected people. 



WILLIAM S. WOOTEN is one of Co- 
lumbia county's substantial and well-to-do men. 
He is occupied in general stock breeding and 
fruit raising. Also, he handles an apiary. 
Having thus diversified interests, it calls for 
adaptibility to handle them successfully, which 
is found in Mr.. Wooten. He displays a mark- 
ed energy and thrift in conducting his business 
and is to be commended upon the success he 
has achieved. He is well informed on the 
questions of the day and also keeps abreast 
with the advancement in all lines pertaining to 
his business. 

William S. Wooten was born in Bradley 
county, Tennessee, on May 8, 1844. His 
father, George W. Wooten, was a native of 
Virginia and came to Tennessee when a young 
man. He acquired wealth and prominence in 
his chosen home and in i860, moved to Law- 
rence county, Missouri, where he purchased a 
farm and remained until his death, which oc- 
curred in 1870. He volunteered to serve for 



454 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



the Union in the Civil War, but was refused 
on account of his age. He married Miss Eliza 
Bryan, a native of Tennessee. Her father 
was an emigrant from Virginia and two of her 
brothers served in the Confederate army. She 
died in Missouri, in 1873. The first seven- 
teen years of our subject's life were spent in 
Tennessee and Missouri, in laboring on the 
farm and acquiring an education. At the age 
of seventeen, or in 1861, he enlisted in Com- 
pany C, Fifteenth Missouri Cavalry, to fight 
for the flag of his country. His service was 
all west of the Mississippi river and some of 
the hardest of the war, owing to the prevailing 
method of guerrilla warfare, so much used in 
that section. He participated in the battles of 
Independence, Big Blue, Mine Creek, and 
Newtonia, besides many others. He was un- 
der Rosecrans, then under General Brown. 
The skirmishing and smaller, engagements 
were numbered by the score and in these, Mr. 
Wooten showed himself a brave and patriotic 
soldier. His brother, Thomas C, was in his 
regiment and his other brother, Robert A., was 
captain of Company A, First Tennessee Cav- 
alry in the Union Army. Following the war, 
he was honorably discharged and returned to 
his home in Missouri, where he remained for 
two years. Then he went to Tennessee and 
did brick laying for three years. In 1872, he 
journeyed west to Polk county, Oregon, and 
there purchased a farm where he made his 
home until 1878. In that year, he sold out 
and came to Dayton, Washington, and took up 
the butcher business for four years. It was 
1882, that Mr. Wooten came to his present 
place, which is about one mile west from Star- 
buck. He purchased three hundred 'and forty 
acres of land and took a homestead of one hun- 
dred and sixty acres. Some of this he sold in 
smaller tracts for fruit farms. Two hundred 
acres are under irrigating ditch. This makes 
his place especially valuable and it produces 
abundance of general crops and fruit. He has 
all kinds of fruit adapted to this country and is 



one of the wealthy producers of the Snake 
river valley. He has a large apiary and mar- 
kets about a ton of honey some seasons. 

In 1872, Mr. Wooten married Miss Sarah 
J. Gibson, who was born in Missouri and came 
west with her husband. Her father, Andrew 
P. Gibson, was a native of Tennessee. He 
went to Missouri when a small child and there 
became a very prominent and wealthy citizen. 
For two terms he was sheriff of Lawrence 
county, Missouri, and when our subject came 
west to Oregon, Mr. Gibson accompanied him. 
Mrs. Wooten's mother was Rhoda (Patton) 
Gibson, a native of Tennessee who also came to 
Missouri when a child. She is now living 
near Dayton. To Mr. and Mrs. Wooten, the 
following children have been born, Mrs. Min- 
nie M. Sproat, Mrs. Ida E. Way, William T., 
Mrs. Pearl Davis, Ella, Elmer S., Thomas and 
Delia M. 

Mr. Wooten is a member of the G. A. R. 
and the F. & A. M. He has achieved a success 
in his labors here that place him as one of the 
leading men of the country and wherein he is 
justified in taking great pride. Mr. Wooten 
has the satisfaction of enjoying the fruits of 
his labors as well as knowing that he has stim- 
ulated much worthy effort in the Snake river 
valley in the production of fruit and general 
farming and to-day this section of the country 
is known as one of the best in Washington for 
fruit growing. He is a pioneer of the country 
and one of its most substantial and capable 
men. 



A. J. HARRIS, a pioneer of the northwest 
and an Indian fighter of renown, is now living 
nine miles southeast from Dayton. He owns 
and operates a good farm and has been one of 
the real builders of Columbia county. His 
birth occurred on January 12, 1850, and his 
parents, George W. and Cinthy J. (Richards) 
Harris, were born in Pennsylvania and Ken- 
tucky, respectively. Our subject's youth was 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



455 



spent in Indiana, where he received his educa- 
tion. When still young, he went to Illinois 
with his parents and from there to Missouri, in 
Avhich latter place he remained until 1869. In 
that year he joined a train that was coming 
west, which consisted of thirty wagons, and 
drove horses across the plains to Boise City, 
Idaho. There he remained until 1871, then 
came to his present location. He secured 
his land through government right and has 
given his time to farming almost ex- 
clusively for nearly thirty-five years. Being 
an industrious man, he has accumulated 
considerable, property and is respected and 
esteemed by all. During the time of the Nez 
Perce War, he enlisted in the Dayton volun- 
teers and went to the Salmon river. After 
his term of enlistment had expired, he reenlist- 
ed and continued in the struggle until the In- 
dians were entirely subdued. From the Sal- 
mon river they went to the Salmon mountains 
and there received word that the Indians were 
on the Camas Prairie. They immediately 
went after them and for two clays and two 
nights, ninety men held eight hundred Indians 
at bay, then they were joined by General Ho- 
ward and continued with him for several 
months, with the result of entirely dispersing 
the savages. After the war, Mr. Harris re- 
turned to his farm, but has frequently since 
then, spent considerable time in the mountains. 

In Lewiston, on October 28, 1885, Mr. 
Harris married Miss Martha A. Funk, who 
was born in Washington, on September 17, 
1868, the daughter of William and Ellie (Car- 
ter) Funk, born in Ohio on February 25, 1810, 
and in Kentucky, on March 1, 1832, respect- 
ively. To our subject and his wife, one child 
has been born, Godfrey J., on September 16, 
1886. 

Mr. and Mrs. Harris are members of the 
Methodist church and are widely known 
through the country where they have hosts of 
friends. 



MANUEL NASCIMENTO is one of Co- 
lumbia county's representative farmers and 
leading citizens. His home is about seven 
miles southwest from Starbuck, where he 
handles an estate of sixteen hundred acres of 
choice wheat land. He has the place in a high 
state of cultivation and has shown his skill and 
ability as a manager of large enterprises. His 
farm produces abundant crops and he has ac- 
cumulated in the years of his stay here a nice 
fortune. 

In Covo Island, Portugal, on December 
2 5> I 873, Manuel Nascimento was born, the 
son of Calano S. and Polcena (Rita) Nasci- 
mento, both natives of the same place. In 1852 
the father came to San Francisco and oper- 
ated in the mines. In i860, he was in Walla 
Walla, and gave his attention to freighting 
and packing. He was acquainted with all the 
leading camps here in the northwest and was 
well known. He remained in these lines of 
business and in prospecting until 1870, when 
he returned to his native country. The mother 
was never in this country. 

Our subject was educated in his native land 
and there remained in farming until 1890, 
when he came to Waitsburg with his uncle. He 
wrought for wages for four years and then 
took up farming. He had learned the lan- 
guage well and had been apt in understanding 
the methods of skillfully handling the wheat 
lands of this section and he at once made a 
success of farming when he took it up. From 
1894 until the present he has continued in this 
labor steadily and faithfully and the result is 
that he has become one of the wealthy men of 
the county. He has won the respect of all in 
the meantime and has shown himself a man of 
good ability and excellent habits. Mr. Nasci- 
mento has two brothers in this country ; Enos, 
a farmer, who came here in 1894; and Antone, 
now in San Francisco. When Mr. Nascimen- 
to came to this country he had no capital and 
so all that he has gained is the result of his 



456 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



careful management and his industry. He is 
certainly an example of a man worthy of 
success and blessed with it on account of his 
ability. Mr. Nascimento has never yet taken 
to himself a wife and is still enjoying the 
quietness of the bachelor's domain. 



EDWIN H. Van PATTEN, M. D. In 
tracing the family tree of the Van Patten 
family, we begin with Charles Frederick Van 
Patten, who was born in Holland, in 164.1, 
came to New Amsterdam, in America, in 1664, 
was married in 1675, and died in 1728. The 
two children born to him, whose names are 
preserved, are, Arent and Nicholas. The latter 
was born in 1690, married in 171 1, to Rebecca 
Groot. the daughter of Lyman Groot, who 
settled in America in 1645. To Nicholas 
were born Frederick, Nicholas, Eva, Catrien. 
Maria, Elizabeth, and John. The Nicholas of 
these seven married and his children are Nich- 
olas, Peter, Fredrick, Simon, Arent and John. 
Arent was born in 1764, married Helen Le- 
Grange of Newark, New Jersey, the daughter 
of Myndert LeGrange, and became the father 
of the following named children, Helen, Fred- 
erick, Nicholas, Myndert, Peter and James. 
Myndert married in due time and his children 
are Mary Ann, Sarah, Caroline, Aaron, Eliza- 
beth, Nicholas, John, John Coop, James, and 
Hester. John Coop married Rachel McCoy 
and they became the parents of Edwin H., 
Francis W., Ezra L., an infant that died before 
being named, Jennie, and William McCoy. The 
immediate subject of this article is the oldest 
child of John C. and was born in the vicinity 
of Springfield, Illinois, on March 8, 1855. His 
father, John C, was born in New Jersey, in 
1832, came to Illinois when twelve, located 
near Springfield, there married, and studied for 
the ministry. He preached for years, then ac- 
cepted the position of general agent for Lin- 
coln University and did a noble work for many 



years in lifting up that institution. When 
through with his labors in the east, he came 
west and assumed the pastorship of a Dayton 
church. Then the people called him to serve 
as state senator and when Governor Rogers 
was elected, he canvassed the state, showing 
himself as a most capable speaker at that time. 
He is retired now in Dayton, a highly esteemed 
citizen. The mother of our subject was born' 
in 1834 and her father was the owner and erec- 
tor of the first grist and sawmill near Spring- 
field, Illinois. Her brothers were prominent 
stockmen in Illinois. She died at Dayton, 
February 24, 1901. Our subject received a 
collegiate education, taking his degree of Bach- 
elor of Philosophy, from Lincoln University, 
now the John Milikin University. In 1880, 
he came to Oregon and took a preemption and 
timber culture claim in Sherman county. In 
1 88 1, he went to Rush Medical College in Chi- 
cago, and graduated thence in 1883, the vale- 
dictorian of his class, which numbered two 
hundred. Just prior to this graduation, his 
Alma Mater conferred on him the degree of 
Master of Philosophy. He immediately re- 
turned to Dayton and took up the practice of 
his profession and here he has remained since. 
He is at the head of a large practice and is 
without doubt one of Washington's best phy- 
sicians at this day. He has a thoroughly 
equipped office, having the best library and ap- 
pliances of all kinds that are known to the 
science of medicine. In 1888, Dr. Van Patten 
went to New York and completed an extended 
post graduate course taking up special work in 
surgery and studies on the eye and ear. His 
careful and constant reading in all branches of 
medicine, keeps the doctor fully abreast of the 
science of medicine and he is considered by his 
colleagues one of the best practitioners of the 
state. In political matters, the doctor is active 
and well informed. In 1889, ne ran f° r tne 
state senate on the Democratic ticket, but with 
the rest of the ticket went under the avalanche. 
For thirteen year? he has been county coroner 




Edwin H. VanPatten 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



457 



and is a prominent figure in this part of the 
state. The doctor's residence is one of the 
finest in the county and Mrs. Van Patten is a 
charming hostess. The brothers and sisters 
of our subject are all prominent people, those 
who are living, and have made good records for 
themselves. 

In 1884, Dr. Van Patten married Miss 
Julia Howard Satterwhite, the wedding oc- 
curring in Danville, Illinois. Mrs. Van Pat- 
ten was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on July 
27, 1857. Her father, Parker Satterwhite, 
was born in Virginia in 181 8, and her mother 
in Kentucky. He was one of the early pio- 
neers of Illinois and became a wealthy stock- 
man. He was a strong and prominent man 
and was known far and near as a man of un- 
swerving integrity and sound principles. Mrs. 
Van Patten graduated from Lincoln Univer- 
sity in 1 88 1 and then taught school previous to 
her marriage. She came west in 1884, and 
has been fraternal correspondent for the East- 
ern Star, except two years when her husband 
performed those duties on account of his 
wife's ill health. In this capacity, Mrs. Van 
Patten has exerted an influence that has been 
felt all over the United States and which has 
been most useful in many lines in advance- 
ment and general progress of the order. Dr. 
Van Patten is grand master of the grand lodge 
F. & A. M., in the state of Washington, and 
was grand orator for the grand lodge in 1892- 
3. In 1 901, he was grand correspondent for 
the grand lodge. He -is also a member of the 
commandery at Walla Walla and of the con- 
sistory of the Scottish rite in Spokane. The 
doctor has been prominently connected with 
the K. P. order also and is past grand patron 
of the Eastern Star order. 



LORENZO D. DAVIS resides three miles 
east of Dayton and is one of the progressive 
farmers of Columbia countv. He was born in 



Yamhill county, Oregon, on June 18, 1864. 
His father, Daniel D., was born in Iowa, and 
came in 1849 across the plains with ox teams, 
to Oregon, being one of the earliest pioneers. 
The schools of Oregon furnished the educa- 
tion of our subject and in 1875, he 
came to Columbia county. He soon se- 
lected the place where he now lives and 
for twenty-nine years has been steadily 
employed in cultivating and improving the 
farm. He has made many friends and has al- 
ways showed himself a patriotic citizen, a good 
man and a skillful farmer. Mr. Davis also 
raises considerable stock and some fruit. He 
has helped to bring the county to its present 
prosperous condition and has always shown 
himself deeply interested in educational mat- 
ters. Mr. Davis always exerts his influence 
for better roads and improvements generally 
and is well known all over the county. 

In February, 1893, occurred the marriage 
of Mr. Davis and Miss Rhoda Bingham. To 
this union five children have been born, Clar- 
ence, Gladys, Mina, Velma and Verney. 

In fraternal matters Mr. Davis is con- 
nected with the W. W. In religious persua- 
sion he is identified with no denomination, but 
is a supporter of them all. 



MARION F. BEESON resides about five 
miles northeast from Prescott, where he owns 
a quarter section of fine land. He farms in ad- 
dition a section and a quarter of land and is one 
of the substantial and representative citizens 
of his community. He was born in Bourbon 
county, Kansas, on January 10, 1869, and has 
travelled all over the country west of that place 
to the Pacific coast. His father, Allen Beeson, 
was born in Indiana and followed stock rais- 
ing. He was a veterinary surgeon in the em- 
ploy of the government for many years. His 
death occurred when our subject was a small 
boy. The mother, Mary Jane (Jones) Bee- 



458 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



son, was born in Alton, Illinois, and died when 
Marion F. was only two years of age. Our 
subject then lived with his brother until four- 
een years of age and was educated during 
those years in the common schools. Then he 
stepped forth to assume the responsibilities 
of life for himself and soon journeyed to west- 
ern Kansas. He worked there and in other 
places for five years on the farms. Then he 
started out on a tour of exploration and later 
landed in Walla Walla, where he wrought for 
wages on the farm. In 1889, he came to 
Waitsburg and bought a farm. This was his 
home and the scene of his labors until 1898, 
when he took a homestead in Willow Gulch. 
This property was sold in 1902, then Mr. Bee- 
son purchased the quarter section where he 
now lives and has made it his home since. He 
has it well improved and has all the machinery 
needed to handle this as well as the eight hun- 
dred acres that he farms in addition. The 
home farm is well watered with a spring and 
has some fine timber on it. A nice orchard, 
plenty of shade trees and other improvements 
add comfort and value to the place. Mr. Bee- 
son raises diversified crops and also hogs, 
horses and cattle. 

In 1 89 1, Mr. Beeson married Miss Katie 
Emma Grove, who is a native of Illinois. Her 
parents are Andrew J. and Elizabeth J. (Og- 
den) Grove. The children of Mr. and Mrs. 
Beeson are, Mary E., Minnie J., Luella B., Ula 
P., Jessie M., and Eugene A. Mr. Beeson 
has had a life filled with hard labor and many 
vicissitudes. When a boy he was early forced 
to take up the responsibilities of life and with- 
out capital of any kind, he has met ond over- 
come and is now one of the well to do men of 
this part of the county. He is well known and 
respected by all. His life has always been al- 
lied on the side of good government, and pro- 
gress in all lines. In political matters, he is 
active and interested and also labors for the 
betterment of educational facilities and the 
general upbuilding of the country. 



JUDGE JOHN W. HOLMAN is one of 
the earliest pioneers of Columbia county who 
now dwell here, and has displayed great inter- 
est in the welfare of the town, while his life 
has always been a marked example of indus- 
try and probity. 

John W. Holman was born in Monroe 
county, Indiana, on May 22, 1844, the son of 
Thomas and Laura A. (Parker) Holman, na- 
tives of Kentucky and New York, respec- 
tively. The father served in the war of 1812, 
and followed cabinet making during his life. 
He pioneered to Illinois and there lived until 
1869. He and his wife were the parents of 
twelve children, William W., Franklin, Jo- 
seph, Gideon P., Mary, Emma, Lizzie, John 
W., Amanda, Rachel, Annie, and Samuel. The 
father died in Missouri, aged ninety-six. The 
mother died in Illinois. John W. received a 
good common schooling and when eighteen 
laid aside his books to enlist in Company H, 
Seventy-seventh Volunteer Infantry, the date 
of his enrollment being August 6, 1862. He 
was under General Sherman in the battle of 
Ball Bluff and later under, Grant. He fought 
at Port Gibson, was present and took part in 
the siege of Vicksburg and its capture. From 
May 18 until July 4, he had held the trying 
position of sharpshooter. Then he joined 
Sherman's command at Jackson and two weeks 
were spent in the capture of that city. After 
this he was detailed to the guard of the rebel 
prisoners then took part in the Red river ex- 
pedition and participated in the battles of 
Mansfield, Pleasant Hill, and Grandcorner. 
Next he was detailed to capture Fort Gaines 
under General Gordon Granger and they also 
took Fort Morgan. On May 22, 1865, Mr. 
Holman received his honorable discharge and 
retired to private life. He farmed at home un- 
til 1868, then went to Nebraska and bought a 
farm, and there lived until 1876, in which 
year he came on west to Washington, and 
from the choice portions of the territory, he 
chose Dayton, and since that time he has faith- 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



459 



fully labored here in all lines of honest industry 
that have come to his hand. He took a home- 
stead near where Dayton now stands and there 
resides to this day. Judge Holman has always 
taken a great interest in politics and in 1888 
was deputy sheriff for VV. R. Marcus. After 
two years of service in this capacity, he was 
elected justice of the peace and since that time 
he has been continued in that office, having 
added also that of police judge. In all these 
long years, he has shown marked impartiality 
in dispensing the affairs of justice and has the 
confidence of all. He has also been council- 
man of the city. 

On October 3, 1869, Mr. Holman married 
Miss Louisa E., me daughter of William and 
Mary (Fuller.) Linn, natives of Ohio. They 
removed to Illinois from their native state and 
then to Nebraska, where the marriage of Mrs. 
Holman occurred. She was one of five chil- 
dren. To Mr. and Mrs. Holman, fifteen chil- 
dren have been born, of whom the following 
named ones are living: Laura A., wife of H. 
D. Burrows, in Dayton; Ernest A., who mar- 
ried Miss Myrtle McHargue, and is now dwell- 
ing on the old homestead; Jessie P., wife of 
Fred F. Chattan, in Dayton ; Olive F. ; Lola 
C; Nellie L. ; John W. Jr.; Dorothy E. ; 
Charles D. ; and Donald L. Mr. Holman is a 
Republican and always active in those matters 
which are for the welfare of the community. 
Fraternally, he is affiliated with the I. O. O. 
F. and the G. A. R. His wife belongs to the 
W. R. C. and the Christian church. 



JOHN A. THOMPSON, who resides 
some four miles northeast from Prescott, is 
one of the industrious farmers of Columbia 
county and stands well in the community. He 
has wrought here for years and has now a 
good estate of one-quarter section of land. He 
has all the equipment that is needed to handle 
a first class Washington farm and is a pros- 
perous man. 



John A. Thompson was born in Carroll 
county, Missouri, on August 11, 1851, and 
was there reared and educated. His father, 
George W. Thompson, was born in West Vir- 
ginia and came to Missouri with his parents 
when a child. They were among the first set- 
tlers of 'that territory and were highly re- 
spected people. He grew to manhood there 
and followed farming until his death on Oc- 
tober 15, 1864. He served in the union army 
during the Civil war and died before the war- 
was over. He had married Miss Mary M. 
Ball, a native of Missouri. She came to Star- 
buck in 1890, and is living there at this time. 
After our, subject reached manhood, he began 
farming for himself in Missouri and continued 
it until 1884, in which year he came on west 
to Kansas, where he tilled the soil for three 
years. It was 1887 that he made his way to 
Oregon and selected a place in Yamhill 
county. One year later he came thence to 
Starbuck and there remained until 1901, 
working for the railroad. Then he came to his 
present place where he purchased a farm of 
one-quarter section. His is a good place and 
he has improved it well. 

In 1879, Mr. Thompson married Mrs. 
Martha J. Etter-Cunningham, a native of 
Indiana. She came thence to Missouri where 
her wedding occurred. To this couple the fol- 
lowing named children have been born : Mrs. 
Annie M. Wood, Charles A. and James A., 
twins, and Mary J. In political matters, Mr. 
Thompson is interested and the issues of the 
day are familiar to him. He favors the best 
of government and is a man of progressive 
ideas. 



WILLIAM H. GLEASON, a man well 
known and highly esteemed in Columbia 
county, is now living a retired life in Starbuck, 
where he has a comfortable residence. He also 
owns a farm some distance out and some other 
property. He was born in New York city on 



460 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



November 26, 1837, the son of Thomas and 
Mary (Long) Gleason, natives of Ireland. 
The father came to the United States when a 
young man and followed merchandising in 
New York for many years. Then he moved 
to Saint Clair county, Illinois and died three 
months later, our subject being three years of 
age at that time. The mother died in Clinton 
county, Illinois when William H. was twelve 
years of age. For four years following this 
sad event, our subject worked on various 
farms in Illinois and then clerked in a store in 
Trenton until 1862. In that year, he enlisted 
in Company E, One Hundred and Seventeenth 
Illinois Infantry and served until the end of 
the war. He was in a number of battles and 
skirmishes, saw all the hardships and clangers 
of an active soldier's life and served until the 
war was ended. Being honorably discharged 
he returned to Illinois, purchased a team and 
freighted flour for one winter. Then he went 
into the grain business in Clinton and Marion 
counties and later removed to Pocahontas, 
where he also added lumber to his list of mer- 
chandise. He continued there until 1879, after 
which year he came to Walla Walla county. 
Two years later, he came to Columbia county 
and took up land eight miles south from Star- 
buck. Shortly afterwards, he purchased a 
quarter section of railroad land and now owns 
a half section. In October, 1903, Mr. Gleason 
rented his farm and moved to Starbuck where 
he purchased a comfortable residence. 

On November 19, 1872, at Pocahontas, Il- 
linois, Mr. Gleason married Mrs. Mary C. 
Cole, who was born in Bond county, Illinois, 
on May 26, 1838. Her father, John M. Gil- 
more, was born in North Carolina and died in 
Pocahontas, Illinois, in 1881. He married 
Elizabeth Watson, a native of Kentucky. Mr. 
and Mrs. Gleason have no children, but by her 
first marriage to James A. Dugger, Mrs. Glea- 
son has three, John E., Alfred M. and Mary 
M. Mr. and Mrs. Gleason are members of the 
Methodist church and are people of excellent 



standing. During their long residence here, 
they have won many friends and are consid- 
ered among the most substantial and upright 
people in this part of the country. In political 
matters, Mr. Gleason is a Republican al- 
though he is not especially active. His life has 
been spent in honest toil, striving to better the 
communities where he has lived and to set an 
example that would be worthy of emulation. 



WILLIAM GUSTAVUS WARWICK 
has one of the most beautiful places in Colum- 
bia county. It is situated about three miles 
from Dayton on the south fork of the Touchet 
river. Mr. Warwick is a man of most ex- 
cellent tastes with knowledge sufficient to 
carry out his ideas in a becoming manner. He 
takes a great pride in keeping his farm and 
residence in the best of condition and is known 
as one of the most thrifty and industrious ag- 
riculturists in this part of the county. He was 
born in Anderson county, Tennessee, on June 
20, 1853. His father, Calaway Warwick, 
was born in 1820, on the same farm where his 
son first saw the light. In 1874, he sold that 
property and moved to western Oregon and 
died in July of that same year. His father, 
William Warwick, the grandfather of our sub- 
ject, came to Tennessee from Richmond, Vir- 
ginia when it was a very new and wild coun- 
try. Calaway Warwick was an only child and 
married Miss Mary Petree, who was born in 
Knox county, Tennessee, in 1825. Our sub- 
ject is a direct descendant of the Earl of War- 
wick and his ancestors all came from War- 
wickshire, England. 

When William G first became a student, 
he sat on a slab seat with a pine board, which 
was supported by two pegs in the wall, for a 
desk. However, that did not in any way dim 
the brightness of his mind or his future and he 
studied hard and later entered the Anderson- 
ville academv and was trained under Professor 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



461 



Hamsted. In 1874 he came west with his pa- 
rents and then attended the Mt. Lebanon col- 
lege at Lebanon, Oregon. In 1881, he came 
to Walla Walla and the next year found him 
in Dayton. He purchased the relinquishment 
of a quarter section, six miles northwest of 
Dayton, on which he proved up, then sold out 
in 1885. After this, Mr. Warwick went into 
the boot and shoe business, continuing in the 
same for two years. Next we see him in Lin- 
coln county, Washington, where he remained 
for ten years, but owing to the health of his 
mother removed thence to his present location. 
He first bought one hundred and twenty-five 
acres on which there is erected a beautiful 
house and barn besides being provided with all 
other improvements that could be useful on a 
first-class farm and his home is a model. 

In Dayton, on May 1, 1901, Mr. Warwick 
married Miss Matttie Fuller, who was born in 
Iowa, on March 30, 1876. One child is the 
fruit of this union, Ralph, aged two. Mrs. 
Warwick is a member of the Methodist church. 



ARCHIE STRUTHERS, who now re- 
sides about ten miles north from Waitsburg 
and gives attention to farming, was born in 
Lanarkshire, Scotland, on August 18, 1848. 
His parents, William and Flora (Mclntire) 
Struthers, were natives of Scotland and fol- 
lowed farming. The first eighteen years of 
our subject's life were spent amid Scotia's 
rugged hills where he gained his education and 
became well skilled as a tiller of the soil. Then 
he crossed the ocean to Ontario and there re- 
mained a short time. After that, he journeyed 
to Michigan and in 1877, he can "> e thence to 
the Willamette valley, Oregon and there did 
farming for one year. Then he removed to 
the vicinity of Moscow, Idaho and bought a 
farm which was his home for eleven years. He 
was not so successful in that venture however 
and accordingly sold out and came to Colum- 



bia county. He selected the place where he 
now resides and purchased it and since that 
time has been well prospered in his labors. He 
is now one of the leading farmers in this part 
of the county and has gained a nice competence 
in his labors. His place has all the improve- 
ments necessary for a good farm, and his skill- 
ful and careful management have shown him 
to be a first-class farmer. In 1877, Mr. Struth- 
ers married Miss Addie A. Williams, who was 
born and reared in Michigan. They have be- 
come the parents of five children, Willis, Mrs. 
Frankie Actor, Addie M., Stanley and Flor- 
ence. They are all bright and attractive chil- 
dren and Mr. and Mrs. Struthers deserve great 
credit for the excellent labor they have done 
in raising their family. When he came to this 
country, he was practically without means and 
to start in a new country with a large family 
to support was no small undertaking, still Mr. 
Struthers was equal to the occasion and the 
wealth that he has gained demonstrates that he 
is a man of ho ordinary ability. He and his 
family stand exceptionally well in the com- 
munity and are leading people. In political 
matters, educational affairs and general pro- 
gress of the community, Mr. Struthers shows 
a keen interest and always gives of his time 
and attention to forward those measures which 
are for the good of all. 



G. W. BOWERS, a prosperous farmer re- 
siding about four miles northeast from Day- 
ton, was born in Maryland, on June 8, 1842, 
and has passed a stirring career, especially dur- 
ing the years of dark fratricidal strife which 
rent this nation. He was among the first to 
enlist for the defense of the flag and fought 
with the zeal and bravery born of true patriot- 
ism, until the last enemy was forced to aban- 
don the struggle. Since then, in the battles of 
life, he has fought with no less distinction, in- 
asmuch as he has assisted materially to build 



462 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



up the country and advance the interests of 
this county. His father, George Bowers, was 
born in Lorraine, France, in 1809 and was one 
of the home guards during the French revolu- 
tion. He married Miss Catherine Jacques, 
who was also born in Lorraine, France, in 
1810. When our subject was two years of 
age, he went with his parents to Pennsylvania 
and there was reared and educated. Cumber- 
land county was the place of his residence, and 
at the first call, he promptly stepped forward 
and enlisted in the Eighth Pennsylvania In- 
fantry. When his three months were served, 
he re-enlisted in the Ninth Pennsylvania Cav- 
alry under Kilpatrick. They captured a piece 
of artillery which his regiment carried all 
through the war and which fired the last shot 
upon Johnston's surrender. Mr. Bowers was 
in constant action and some of the trying times 
from which he escaped were so severe that it 
seemed almost miraculous that his life was 
spared. At Prairieville, his regiment for two 
hours held a whole division at bay. His di- 
vision was occupied in some dangerous work 
and then went on to Chickamauga where they 
were in the fiercest of the fight. They made 
three charges to draw the attention from 
Thomas. In the second charge, our subject 
was wounded in the thigh. At Strawberry 
plains, all around Atlanta, and at Jones- 
boro, they had difficult times and acquitted 
themselves with distinction. Mr. Bowers also 
participated in the famous march to the sea and 
was in many other actions not mentioned here. 
On January 1, 1865, he was honorably dis- 
charged and returned to Pennsylvania. One 
year later he went to Baltimore which was his 
home until 1876, when he journeyed to Illi- 
nois. Next we see him in Iowa and thence he 
went to Topeka, Kansas, and there formed a 
colony which traveled with teams across the 
plains in 1880, to Walla Walla. Mr. Bowers 
took a pre-emption and homestead north from 
Walla Walla and there made his home 
until 1896. Then he came to his present 



location and since that time has devoted 
himself to farming here. He owns two 

hundred and forty acres of good land and has 
it well improved and in a high state of cultiva- 
tion. He is considered one of the leading men 
of this part of the county, and has certainly 
done much commendable work. 

At Baltimore, in May, 1866, Mr. Bowers 
married Miss Catherine M. Braun, who was 
born in that city, on May 2, 1846. Her father, 
Jacob Braun, was born in Germany and came 
to the United States when nineteen. Mr. and 
Mrs. Bowers have four children, C. J., May 
A., Charles E., and Gertrude V. Mr. Bowers 
is a member of the G. A. R. and he, with his 
wife, belongs to the United Brethren church. 



THOMAS P. PETTYJOHN was born 
in Highland county, Illinois, on January 1, 
1829. He fought for his country in the Civil 
War and acquitted himself as a true soldier. 
In 1869, he came to Washington, bringing his 
family and being one of the early pioneers in 
Columbia county. His death occurred on July 
29, 1902. He was widely known and highly 
respected. He married Mary Jane Macaully, 
who was born in Warren county, Ohio. After 
marriage they removed to Missouri and in 
1 87 1, came across the plains and made settle- 
ment on the farm in Columbia county. 



JOHN C. JONES. Many are the well to 
do citizens of Columbia county who came here 
without means and by hard labor and careful 
attention to business have gained a fine hold- 
ing of this world's goods. The result is, that 
Columbia county has today a large number of 
substantial and first class citizens among the 
farming population. Perhaps a larger percent 
of the people here are well to do than in almost 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



463 



any other country one could find. Among this 
number is the gentleman mentioned above, 
who dwells about nine miles north from Waits- 
burg and was born in Butler county, Ohio, on 
November 27, 1856. His father, Thomas F. 
Jones, was a native of Wales and came to Ohio 
with his parents when three years of age. 
There he was reared and educated and gave his 
attention to farming until 1880 when he moved 
to Franklin county, Kansas. Before getting 
started in that new country, however, he died, 
the date being 1 881. He had married Miss 
Margaret Lutes, a native of Hamilton county, 
Ohio, who is now living in Waitsburg", Wash- 
ington. 

John C. was raised in Ohio and there re- 
ceived a good education from the public 
schools and farmed until 1880, when he ac- 
companied his father on a western trip to 
Kansas. He was a member of Kansas' thrifty 
agriculturists until 1888, when he determined 
to try the western country. He made his way 
to Washington, searching out the most favor- 
able section, and after due investigation, set- 
tled in Columbia county. He at once began 
farming and is now handling a section and 
one half of choice wheat land, rented from J. 
W. Bruce. He owns twenty head of horses 
for working on the farm, besides other stock 
and all machinery and improvements neces- 
sary for the successful operating of a first 
class Washington wheat farm. Mr. Jones has 
not only made a good success in his labors, 
financially, but he has won the esteem and re- 
spect of all who know him and stands excep- 
tionally well in this community. It is always 
said of Mr. Jones, that his dealings have been 
upright, while his integrity and sound princi- 
ples commend him to all lovers of good. While 
he is a careful business man and is thrifty and 
skillful in farming, he has not been so sordidly 
occupied with gathering the earthly goods, 
that he has not given proper attention to the 
matters of public improvement in the county. 



In 1903, Mr. Jones married Miss Annie 
Wear. She was born in the same place as her 
husband and the wedding occurred in Kansas. 
They had been acquainted during their young- 
er life. Mrs. Jones' father was William Wear, 
now deceased, a prominent farmer in Ohio. 
Mr. Jones has three brothers, Charles A., at 
Waitsburg, Oliver, in Walla Walla and Henry 
F.. in Kansas. 



DAVID FITZGERALD is a well known 
business man of Dayton. He is owner and op- 
erator of a fine large general blacksmith and 
machine shop, together with a foundry and 
does all kinds of iron work. He is a master in 
the business in every detail and has built for 
himself a reputation second to no mechanic in 
the country. 

David Fitzgerald was born in Port Huron, 
Michigan, on February 7, 1863, the son of 
David and Mary (Burns) Fitzgerald, natives 
of County Cary, Ireland. The father came to 
Canada in 1858, and later moved to Michigan, 
where they now reside. They were the par- 
ents of nine children, Louise, Anna, Mary, 
John, Patrick, Bridget, Nora. Johanna and 
David. David studied in the common schools 
of Michigan and when nine began working for 
two and one half dollars per month, continuing 
in the same for four years. Then he ap- 
prenticed himself to learn the blacksmith 
trade and then was occupied in this for over 
three years, commencing with Patrick Brenna 
and completing with John O'Dougal. Next we 
see him in Port Huron, then in Eau Claire, 
Wisconsin, later still in Minnesota, after 
which he went to Canada to participate in the 
Reil Rebellion. For a time he was also shoe- 
ing horses for the government. After that, he 
did railroad work, then came to Montana in 
1886. Next we see him in Lyon City, Mon- 
tana, then in Milton, Oregon, after which he re- 
turned to Stillwater, Minnesota, and finally in 



464 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



1892, he settled in Dayton. There he opened 
a shop in partnership with R. D. Atherton, 
and later spent two years in Lewiston. Re- 
turning then to Dayton, he opened his present 
shop and in 1901 added the machine shop and 
foundry. He does first class work and has a 
fine patronage. 

In 1895, Mr: Fitzgerald married Miss Cora 
Coeman, whose parents live at Clarkston, 
Washington. Mrs. Fitzgerald was born in 
Texas and is one of five children named as 
follows, Robert, Grover, Cora, Mabel and 
Oney. To our subject and his wife one child 
has been born, May M. In political matters 
Mr. Fitzgerald is a strong Republican and 
evinces a lively interest in all the campaigns. 
In 1901, he was a member of the city council 
and served for two years. 

Mr. Fitzgerald is a member of the F. & A. 
M., the I. O. O. F., the Rebekahs, the W. W., 
and the Women of Woodcraft. Mrs. Fitz- 
gerald belongs to the Rebekahs and the Wom- 
en of Woodcraft and also to the Christian 
church. Mr. Fitzgerald has an excellent stand- 
ing in the community and is known as one of its 
substantial men. 



MARCEL PIETRZYCKI, M. D., is one 
of the best known men in southeastern Wash- 
ington, and was born in Galicia, a Polish prov- 
ince of Austria, on April 25, 1843, tne son °f 
Ignatius and Julia (Olesnicka) Pietrzycki, na- 
tives of the same province. The father was an 
owner of a village (Globikowa) and was dis- 
trict judge. He was killed in the insurrection 
of the peasants, in 1846, at which time his 
property was largely destroyed. The mother 
died in the native country in 1870. Our sub- 
ject was educated, and followed the profession 
of an apothecary. In 1866, just before the 
Austro-Prussian war, he came to the United 
States, and soon got a position as prescription 
clerk, and assistant to Dr. Arnold, of Hazel- 



ton, Pennsylvania, where he remained for over 
a year. The next year was spent as drug clerk 
in St. Louis, Missouri, whence he came to San 
Francisco, California, and soon obtained a po- 
sition as apothecary in the German Hospital. 
In that institution he was permitted to employ 
as assistant to enable him to attend the Pacific 
(now Cooper) Medical College, from which 
college he graduated in 1872, and was ap- 
pointed resident physician of the German Hos- 
pital. A year, later, he removed to, and com- 
menced practice of medicine in Rio Vista, 
Solano County, California, and continued with 
eminent success for five years. We copy 
from History of Solano County (1879) as 
follows : "Dr. Pietrzycki has always taken an 
active part in enterprises pertaining to the wel- 
fare of the town, was twice elected school trus- 
tee, also clerk of the board ; took a very active . 
part, and in fact was one of the prime movers, 
in establishing the Montezuma Telegraph line 
from Suisun to Rio Vista. He married, June 
29, 1876, Miss Mary Warren, of San Mateo, 
daughter of Rev. J. H. Warren, superinten- 
dent of the home missionary society of the 
Congregational church." 

In 1879, accompanied by his wife and 
daughter Dr. Pietrzycki went to Portland, Ore- 
gon, in which city another child, a son was 
born to them. After a few months' residence, 
not being fully satisfied, they concluded to re- 
turn to California. Mrs. Pietrzycki Avith the 
children went ahead, their goods and chattels 
were packed and stored, and the doctor de- 
cided, before his return, to make a touring ex- 
pedition through the northern part of Oregon, 
and southern part of the then Territory of 
Washington, with his buggy and horse, which 
he brought with him from California, no rail- 
roads being then in existence in this part of the 
country, excepting the spur from Wallula to 
Walla Walla. In this expedition, after visiting 
many towns, he came to Dayton, and certain 
circumstances induced him to tarry at that 
place, and soon he was so well impressed with 




Marcel Pietrzycki 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



465 



the beautiful situation of the place, the fertil- 
ity of the Touchet Valley, and, as he then 
thought, the bright prospects of the town in the 
future, that he located temporarily, but soon 
decided to send for, his family and make Day- 
ton his home. We take from the History of 
Pacific Northwest, Vol. 2, 1889: "Dr. M. 
Pietrzycki came to Dayton, Columbia County, 
Washington Territory in April, 1880, where 
he now resides, and where he has a very exten- 
sive practice ,both medical and surgical. He 
was health officer for the city and county dur- 
ing the fearful smallpox epidemic in 1881, 
which he succeeded in quickly subduing. He 
has been president of Eastern Washington 
Medical Society, and is at present, and has 
been for several years past president of the 
Dayton Library Association. He is actively 
engaged in developing the resources of the 
country, and owns a couple thousand acres of 
land, devoted to agriculture and stock raising. 
The commencement of the doctor's farming 
experiences was accidental. In 1882, chancing 
by an auction block one day, and requested by 
the auctioneer to give him a start, he bid 
$800.00 for a quarter section of land, situated 
about fourteen miles in a northerly direction 
from Dayton. The doctor was influenced to 
start the sale by his having a claim against the 
estate. To his surprise he was informed by 
the auctioneer a couple hours later, that no 
higher bid having been made, the quarter was 
knocked off to him. He was in a quandary 
what to do with it. This and surrounding 
lands were simply un fenced free pasture, no 
crops of grain having ever been raised in the 
locality. There being no water on the quarter, 
it was imperative in order to have it used for 
pasture, to add adjoining lands with water 
privileges. Gradually he added his holdings 
by purchases of adjoining lands, made roads, 
fenced, erected buildings, and stocked with 
cattle, and commenced putting the lands in 
cultivation, finding by experiments, their value 



for that purpose. He is now the owner of an 
estate, (Lubla Farm) containing 5,500 acres, 
properly subdivided, abundantly watered, and 
most of it in cultivation. He is also president, 
manager, and principal share holder, of the 
Lubla Cattle Company, which company owns 
about 3,500 acres of land, over 2,000 acres of 
which adjoin the lands of Lubla Farm. The 
doctor is also the owner of Lubla Mills, and 
warehouse at Starbuck, Washington, to which 
point the grain from his farm is hauled. The 
mill has abundant water power from the Tu- 
cannon, a portion only being utilized at pres- 
ent, and has been built by the doctor, including 
the warehouses at a cost of over $20,000. The 
doctor is liberal in his views. In national pol- 
itics, he is a stanch Republican and a great ad- 
mirer of the pronounced policy of our Presi- 
dent "Square deal to All." However, he is not 
strictly partizan, being a strong advocate of 
the principle of separating the municipal from 
state and national politics. He is interested in 
educational matters, and a warm advocate of 
manual training in connection with our public 
schools. He is a student of political and so- 
cial economy, is a member of the American 
Association for the Advancement of Science, 
and belongs to the Section of "Social and 
Economic Science," of the said association. 
He assisted in organizing the State Medical 
Society, of which he was vice president, is a 
member of the American Medical Association, 
was mayor of the city of Dayton, and is pres- 
ident of the Dayton Club. The doctor, a few 
years ago, retired from active practice of medi- 
cine, but makes his home in Dayton in a com- 
modious residence with fine grounds, and at- 
tends to his various interests. The Doctor 
and his wife are now childless, having suffered 
the loss of both their children in the early 8o's ; 
but two unmarried sisters of Mrs. Pietrzycki, 
Misses Anna and Eleanor Warren, have their 
home with them, making the family life more 
pleasant. 



30 



4 66 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



FRANK MILLER, who resides about 
four miles out from Starbuck, toward Dayton, 
is one of the wealthy men of this section and 
owns an estate of fourteen hundred and fifty 
acres of land, which is divided between grain 
raising and stock breeding. He has gained his 
property by virtue of his industry and care in 
the management of his resources and while so 
doing has so conducted himself as to win the 
approval and esteem of all. He is a man of 
rare ability in many lines and has shown an 
adaptability that makes him equal to any task 
that confronts him. In younger years he had 
the reputation of being the best binder, the best 
corn busker, and the best all round man in his 
community in Illinois. This was by virtue of 
his especial skill and he has carried off the palm 
in many a hotly contested trial. In later years 
Mr, Miller learned the brewing business and 
was a successful man in it. He has also per- 
fected himself in the machinist trade and has 
clone some fine work in that line. He is a 
good carpenter and constructed his farm build- 
ings as well as a residence in Starbuck, which 
rents for twelve dollars per month. 

Frank Miller was born in Germany, on 
June 24, 1859. His father, John Miller, was 
born in France of German parents and was a 
prominent and wealthy man. He was highly 
educated and spoke both French and German 
fluently, besides reading Latin at sight. He 
followed wholesale merchandising, and mar- 
ried Miss Louisa Lutzen, a native of Germany. 
Our subject was educated partly in Germany 
and partly in Wisconsin, whither he came 
with his parents when a child. They had set- 
tled near Milwaukee and there the mother 
died soon after. The father was unable at that 
time to work, and Frank, then a mere boy, was 
left almost as the head of the family. Re- 
verses had overtaken them and soon our sub- 
ject was forced to go out to work to support 
the balance of the family. He did well and 
for years wrought on the farms of Wisconsin 
and Illinois, going: to the latter state in 1872. 



He remained there until 1882, then came to 
Walla Walla and here he again went to work 
for wages. Every dollar of his earnings in the 
east was given for the support of the family 
and so when Mr. Miller landed in the west he 
had his bare hands for capital. He did as oc- 
casion demanded and began a systematic sav- 
ing which resulted in his soon having money 
enough to purchase an estate. He rented land 
in Columbia county in 1893 anc ^ a ^ so to °k a 
homestead about 1895. He sold this property 
later and finally in 1900, he came where he is 
now located and bought his present holding. 
He has made a fine home out of the property 
and has the satisfaction of reaping the success 
that his long labors demanded. He owns 
property in other places, including thirteen 
lots and three houses in Starbuck, and is 
classed as one of the foremost men of this 
section. 

In 1882, Mr. Miller married Miss Nettie 
Sack, who was born in Peru, Lasalle county, 
Illinois. Her father, Simon Sack, was a well 
to do farmer of Illinois. To this marriage have 
been born the following named children : 
Louisa, Simon, Eveline, George, Fred, Jesse, 
Ida M., and Frank. Mr. Miller has an inter- 
esting family and has shown the same care and 
wisdom in rearing them that characterize the 
man and they are all biding fair to make most 
excellent citizens. 



CHARLES H. DAY, M. D. There are 
few professions in the civilized world that are 
so exacting in their demands as that of the 
physician and surgeon. Since, however, the 
devotees of that calling have such important 
parts to play in the matter of life and death, it 
is quite right that they should be men of talent, 
broad minded and above reproach. Doctor 
Day, in every respect, has met the requirements 
demanded by an exacting public and stands to- 
day, after years of constant practice, with a 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



467 



reputation untarnished and a clientage reach- 
ing- so far as he is able to travel. The doctor 
has his office in Dayton where he has been 
found faithfully working for years. Before 
he practiced here, his father had practiced 
medicine from Walla Walla to Montana and 
was well known all over the northwest. 

C. H. Day was born in Tioga county, Penn- 
sylvania, on December 11, 1855. His father, 
Doctor William W. Day. more familiarly 
known as W. W., was born in New York 
state on July 9. 181 7, and came to Washing- 
ton in 1871. In the following spring, he lo- 
cated in Dayton and began practice. He was 
the only physician at that time between Mon- 
tana and Walla Walla and had an extensive 
practice all through the country. He con- 
tinued in active practice until the time of his 
death in 1893. He married Lucy C. Pringle, 
who was born in New York state on August 
22, 1826, and died at Dayton, Washington, in 
March, 1903. Our subject obtained his educa- 
tion in the graded schools of Eau Claire, Wis- 
consin. Then he journeyed west with his 
father. After laying aside his books, he 
clerked for one year and then opened a small 
mercantile business for himself which he con- 
ducted until 1883. In that year, he sold his 
property and went to Chicago and there com- 
pleted a course in the Hahnemann Medical 
College, graduating with honors in 1886. He 
practiced at Dayton with his father for one 
year, then went to Union, Oregon, and fol- 
lowed his profession four years. Then he 
went to Portland and practiced until his 
father's death in 1893. He then returned to 
Dayton and took up his father's practice. 
Since that time he has been closely identified 
with the interests of Dayton, and by close at- 
tention has acquired an extensive practice. A 
man of studious habits he endeavors to keep 
thoroughly up to date in his profession. 

At Dayton, Washington, in 1878. Dr.. Day 
married Miss Lora Rees. who was born in 
Marion county, Oregon, in 1853. She is the 



daughter of W. H. Rees, who was born in Ohio 
and pioneered to the Willamette valley in 
1844. He died in 1902. To the doctor and 
his worthy wife the following named children 
have been born, Mrs. Lucy O. Jones, Rees C, 
Hattie A., William W., Beryl, T. McDonnough 
and Merry C. 

In political matters, we find Dr. Day a 
stanch Republican. He has been a member of 
the city council and takes the interest in public 
affairs that becomes all good citizens. Fra- 
ternally, he is affiliated with the F. & A. M., 
the K. P., the W. W., and the A. O. U. W. 
and is past C. C. of the K. P. 



JAMES G. WOODEND has displayed 
qualities in his career here for the last twenty- 
five years which demonstrated beyond a doubt 
that he is a man of wisdom and judgment. He 
also is happily possessed of a determination 
and stability that have enabled him to continue 
in his labors until the success he was aiming at 
crowned his efforts. He is a native of Ulver- 
ston, England, and was born on December 14, 
1853. His parents were also natives of the 
same country as he. They were industrious 
and respected people, but the father was called 
from his home and family by death when 
James was a child. ' Therefore he saw much 
of the hard side of life in his younger years, but 
managed to secure a fair education and re- 
mained in his own country until 1880. Then 
he set his face to the west and soon we see him 
in Dakota. But a short time was spent there, 
and he journeyed on to Portland. He soon 
entered the employ of the O. R. & N. and was 
located at Starbuck. He operated the section 
and was foreman in that capacity for many 
years. While he was laboring, he was also a 
man of economy and saved a portion of each 
year's earnings. In 1883, he had enough to 
purchase a quarter section, which is the land on 
which Starbuck now stands. He sold that, but 



468 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



still owns an addition to that town, known as 
Woodend's addition. Each year he added to 
his purchases, wisely selecting that which 
would be of value more and more as the years 
went by. Twenty years were spent in the em- 
ploy of the railroad company and by the end of 
that time he had secured a large estate of 
twelve hundred acres of land adjoining the 
town of Starbuck. He has it partly improved 
and utilizes it largely for pasture for horses 
and cattle. Ten acres are planted to orchard 
and the productions of this each year alone 
make a handsome income. Mr. Woodend 
gives his entire attention to the management of 
his estate and is successful, since the same wis- 
dom that secured it is put forth in its manage- 
ment. 

In 1887, Mr. Woodend married Miss Mar- 
guerite Bellingham, who was born in England. 
She came to Starbuck in 1887. Her parents, 
Robert and Isabella Bellingham, were both 
born in England and there reside now. To this 
happy union the following children have been 
born, Isabella, Annie M., Robert G., Thomas 
S., Marguerite V., and Mildred A. Mr. Wood- 
end has won the esteem of all who know him 
and his career has been so wisely directed that 
he has the satisfaction of knowing the past 
has many victories and 'triumphs while he is 
now in the quiet enjoyment of his portion, the 
competence his labors provided. 



JOHN ELMER McGEE resides about 
two miles east from Covello, where he follows 
farming and stock raising. He was born in 
Appanoose county, Iowa, in 1866, the son of 
L. McGee, a native of Iowa, also. 

The district schools of his native place fur- 
nished the educational training of our subject 
and in 1882, he crossed the plains with an emi- 
grant train to Waitsburg. The train was 
fourteen days on the road. At that 'time, Mr. 
McGee remembers distinctly the many wild 



animals, such as the prairie dogs, wolves, ante- 
lope, buffalo, deer and so forth, that they saw 
en route. Upon arriving in Waitsburg, he- 
rented a farm for one year and then located at 
the head of Eureka Flat, where his father, took 
a homestead on which the family lived for 
four years. Then they moved to where oun 
subject is residing and since that time, this has 
been their home place. The country was very 
new in those clays and the places that are pros- 
perous towns now, were but mere hamlets with 
a shanty or two. More than twenty years Mr. 
McGee has labored here for the improvement 
of the country and for the enhancing of his- 
own exchequer. He owns a fine farm of four 
hundred and twenty acres which is all fertile 
land and in a high state of cultivation. He is 
well known as one of the leading and substan- 
tial farmers of this portion of Columbia county. 

In 1890, Mr. McGee married Miss Callie 
Harvey, who was born in Arkansas, on Febru- 
ary 3, 1870. Her father, Benjamin Harvey, 
was a pioneer of Oregon. To our subject and 
his wife, two children have been born, Josie,. 
aged ten, and Earl, four years of age. 

Mr. McGee is an energetic and progressive 
man, well posted in the questions and issues of 
the day and always active in the realm of po- 
litics, educational affairs and general improve- 
ments. 



JAMES ABRAHAM. Columbia county 
is blessed in that her broad and fertile acres 
are owned and tilled by men of knowledge and 
enegry who have brought this part of the state 
to its present high prosperity. Among its 
residents we mention James Abraham, who is 
a product of Columbia county, and thus in a 
double sense is allied with this portion of the 
state. He resides at present about two miles 
north from Turner where he rents one half 
section of land which is devoted largely to 
grain raising. In addition to this, he handles 
about fifty head of cattle and a band of horses. 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



469 



As stated above, he was born in this county, 
the date being January 18, 1865. His father, 
Charles Abraham, was born in England and 
•came to Washington in 1861, and is still living 
here. Columbia county schools gave young 
Abraham an opportunity to gain an education 
which he improved to the fullest extent and the 
time between the sessions was spent in work 
upon his father's farm. In 1886 he began 
farming and stock raising for himself and has 
continued it uninterruptedly until the present 
time. 

In 1886, occurred the marriage of Mr. 
Abraham and Miss Breece McCall. Mrs. 
Abraham was born in Iowa, on April 7, 1865, 
the daughter of John McCalla, a native of Illi- 
nois. She has five brothers, three living and 
two dead, and five sisters, one of them being 
dead. Mr. Abraham has three brothers, 
Thomas, Grant and Ray D.. and one sister;, 
Mrs. George Getty. The home of Mr. i\bra- 
ham has been blessed by the advent of four 
children. Myrtle, aged sixteen ; Fred, aged 
fourteen; Eva, eight years old; and Neta, the 
baby, now six years of age. Mr. Abraham is 
a member of the W. W. 



WILLIAM WALSFI is a pioneer of Co- 
lumbia county and well known all through 
southeastern Washington. For thirty years 
he has labored in this country and has accom- 
plished much for its building up. He was born 
in Monroe county, New York, on January 17, 
1844, being the son of Patrick and Anna (Gil- 
more) Walsh, natives of Ireland. They were 
married in their native country and came to 
America in 1824 and settled in Canada. Some 
years later they removed to the United States 
and made their home in Monroe county, New 
York, where they remained until their death. 
They were the parents of seven children whose 
names are mentioned below, Thomas. John, 



James, William, Mary A., Ellen, and Antasia. 
Our subject spent the first sixteen years of his 
life in Cornwall, Canada, then came with his 
parents to New York and remained in Monroe 
county until twenty years of age. He spent 
the winters of each year in study and upon ar- 
riving at his majority, he went to Green Bay, 
Wisconsin, and engaged in the lumber woods. 
This occupied him during the winters and the 
summers were spent in the shingle mills. He 
thus labored for six years and then came by 
team to southwestern Minnesota, where he 
took a homestead and remained five years. 
After that he returned to Wisconsin, and later 
came back to Minnesota whence in 1875, ne 
journeyed west to southeastern Washington. 
For six months he was employed in the moun- 
tains, then bought a man's right to the timber 
culture where he lived for twenty-five years. 
He purchased other, land and now has a choice 
farm about six miles northwest from Dayton. 
In 1 90 1, Mr. Walsh retired from active busi- 
ness and removed to Walla Walla where he has 
a lovely residence and some real estate. He 
spends a portion of his time in that city and a 
portion on his farm in Columbia county. 

In 1872, Mr. Walsh married Mrs. Avilla 
Eastwood, a native of Watertown, Wisconsin, 
where her parents remained until their death. 
To this union six children have been born 
xA.nna O., the wife of C. H. Minion in Adams 
county, Washington, Aggie, the wife of J. A. 
Waddell in Walla Walla county, Washington ; 
Daisy, the wife of W. S. Strong in Whitman 
county, Washington; Herbert, in Walla Walla; 
Daphne and Ora at home. 

In political matters, Mr. Walsh is a Re- 
publican and is a hard worker in his party. He 
has held various offices and has given liberally 
of his time and attention to the advancement 
of school matters. He and his wife are mem- 
bers of the Catholic church and have reared 
their family in that faith. Mr. Walsh is de- 
serving of the commendation of his fellows, 



470 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



owing to the labors he has performed and it is 
with pleasure that we add his name to the list 
of the builders of the prosperous Columbia 
county. 



JOHN B. EATON was born in Missouri, 
in 1850. He now resides eight miles east from 
Dayton where he has a fine estate and is one of 
the industrious and energetic farmers of Co- 
lumbia county. In addition to general farm- 
ing, Mr. Eaton handles stock and has been 
very sucecessful in his labors. His father, 
Levi Eaton, was born in Missouri and served 
in the Civil War. He was shot at the battle of 
Franklin, and died in Nashville soon after from 
the effects of the wound. He had married 
Miss Kitsey A. Curl, a native of Missouri. 
Our subject was a small child when his father 
died and was forced to meet the adversities and 
hardships of life while still very young. He re- 
mained in Missouri until 1879, and then 
traveled west, arriving in Dayton on March 
27. He was possessed of very little means 
and accordingly went to work for wages. The 
country w r as without railroads and very new 
and wild at that time. He continued to work 
for others until 1884, when he went to the Pa- 
louse country and purchased land. He has got- 
ten a nice start and was doing well when the 
panic came but like many others, had some 
debts and the result was that he lost everything. 
After that, Mr. Eaton went to work for wages, 
this time herding sheep in the Palouse country 
and for four years he continued that occupa- 
tion. After that he drove the sheep into Mon- 
tana and continued the business there for 
two years. Then he came to his present loca- 
tion and bought a farm. Since that time his la- 
bors have been bestowed here and he has now^ 
one of the good places of the country. Mr. 
Eaton is a skillful and industrious farmer and 
is prosperous in his work. 

In November, 1902, Mr. Eaton married 
Miss Mary Mishaud, who was born in Switzer- 



land in June, 1867. Her parents, Joseph P. 
and Maria (Pellissier) Mishaud were born in 
Switzerland in 1837 and in 1841 and there died 
in 1879 and 1889 respectively. To Mr. and 
Mrs. Eaton the following named children have 
been born, Louise, Aline, Walter, Alta, Al- 
phonse and Rosie. 

In political matters, educational affairs, and 
general progress of the community, Mr. Eaton 
is interested and active and by his industry and 
geniality he has won the confidence and esteem 
of all. 



J. A. ANDERSON lives about four miles 
northwest from Covello and has labored in Co- 
lumbia county for over thirty years, as a stock 
raiser and a farmer, and in all this long time 
he has manifested industry, thrift and integrity, 
which have brought him their reward of a fine 
competence and a host of warm friends. He 
was born in Pennsylvania, on May 22, 1839. 
His father, Joseph Anderson, was born in Ire- 
land and came to America when a child. Here 
he married Elizabeth Johnson, a native of 
Pennsylvania 

When thirteen years of age, our subject 
left his Pennsylvania home, where he had 
been reared and educated, and came to Iowa. 
He remained on the farm there until 1859 
when he went to Colorado at the first Pike's 
Peak excitement. He followed mining until 
1 86 1 when his spirit of patriotism and enthusi- 
asm led him back to Iowa to enlist to fight for 
the stars and stripes. He was enrolled in the 
Twentieth Iowa Infantry and remained in 



constant service until i< 



From the begin- 



ning of the insult to the flag until the last 
enemy threw down his musket and surrend- 
ered, Mr. Anderson continued in the conflict 
and proved an intrepid soldier. He was in 
-many battles, among which may be mentioned 
Prairie Grove, Vicksburg, Forts Morgan and 
Blake and various other battles and skirmishes 
by the score. In constant clanger most of the 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



47i 



time, from the time of his enlistment to the day 
of his discharge, however, he was never 
wounded and never hestitated to be a leader on 
every occasion where bravery was needed. On 
July 10, 1865, he was mustered out, carrying to 
his home the consciousness that he had as- 
sisted materially to save this grand union and 
retrieve the insult to its flag. In 1866, he re- 
turned across the plains to Boise and there re- 
mained until 1 87 1. In that year, he came to 
Walla Walla county and in 1872, located the 
place where he now lives, as a timber culture. 
He has added land since by purchase until he 
has a magnificent estate of over eight hundred 
acres of choice land, all in a hig"h state of culti- 
vation. He has two fine houses, plenty of out 
buildings, barns and other improvements with 
all the machinery and accoutrements needed 
for handling this large amount of land. He 
also owns large bands of horses and cattle. 

In Iowa, Mr. Anderson married Miss Mc- 
Vey, a native of that state. Her father was 
John McVey. To Mr. and Mrs. Anderson six 
children have been born, namely, Myrtle, Bert, 
Fara, Clifton, Birl and Vancie. , 

Mr, Anderson is a member of the G. A. R. 
and a liberal supporter of all good work. He 
is active in politics althought not a politician in 
the usual sense of the word by any means. He 
manifests marked interest in the advancement 
of educational facilities and is a warm sup- 
porter of good government and progress. 



THOMAS F. WILSON, a prominent 
stockman and farmer of Columbia county, re- 
sides three miles southeast of Covello and was 
born in Sanilac county, Michigan, on April 7, 
1865. His father, William Wilson, was born 
in England. Until 1888 our subject remained 
in Michigan gaining his education and a double 
training from his stepfather in stock raising 
and farming. In the year last mentioned, 
he came to North Dakota and remained 



seven months, then journeyed on to Wallo- 
wa county, Oregon. There he remained until 
1897 when he came to his present location. He 
has traveled quite extensively throughout the 
west, especially in Washington and Oregon, 
and is convinced that Columbia county is one 
of the best portions for stock and farming. 
He has nearly one section of fertile grain land, 
which is well improved and in a high state of 
cultivation. He devotes considerable attention 
to raising both cattle and horses and is one of 
the prosperous men of the country, being an ex- 
ceptionally successful horse man. 
, In 1890, Mr. Wilson married Miss Nora 
Corkrum, a native of Walla Walla. To them 
two children have been born, Frank, aged 
twelve, and June, aged nine. Mr. Wilson has 
two sisters, Mrs. Dave Hutchinson and Mrs. 
Stephens, both residing in Michigan. , 

In politicial matters, we find Mr. Wilson 
active and well informed. He is a constant 
reader and keeps himself well posted, especial- 
ly in the lines he is pursuing. His standing in 
the community is of the best and the success 
he has achieved marks him as a man of 
ability. 



FRANK FINKEL. Any man who has 
endured the hardships and performed the ardu- 
ous labors incident to pioneer life and now has 
gained a competence sufficient to retire from 
business is certainly to be commended. It is no 
small thing to enter a wild country and open a 
farm, and it requires no mean judgment to be 
able to handle the property successfully and 
pass through the panics that have swept the 
country, maintaining a successful issue 
throughout it all. The subject of this article 
has so clone and is to be classed with the sub- 
stantial and leading men of the country. At 
present, Mr. Finkel is residing in Dayton and 
from his home place gives attention to the 
oversight of his property throughout the coun- 
ty. He has a fine estate of four, hundred and 



472 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



eighty acres of choice farm land, which has 
been improved with everything needed. The 
income from this property is a handsome an- 
nual dividend and Mr. Finkel gives attention 
also to handling some stock which brings in a 
revenue. He comes from stanch German an- 
cestry, being the son of Peter and Lena (Win- 
del) Finkel and was born in Washington 
county, Ohio, on January 29, 1854. The par- 
ents were natives of Germany and came to 
America when young. They settled first in 
Ohio and there remained, substantial and well 
to do farmers, until their death. They raised 
a family of seven children, named as follows, 
Henry, Peter, Frank, Charles. Adam, Joseph 
and Teresa. The parents maintained a repu- 
tation for uprightness and integrity which is a 
fine legacy for their descendants. The first 
fifteen years of our subject's life were spent in 
Washington county and there he gained his ed- 
ucational training from the country schools. At 
that time he departed from the parental roof, 
journeying to Wisconsin and Iowa where he 
worked for five years, then took a trip by rail 
to the Golden Gate and after looking over the 
prospects in California came on up through 
Oregon to Washington and spent his first year 
here in Columbia county, landing here in 1879. 
For a time he was occupied in smelter work 
for Evans Gay. Next, he took a trip to Spo- 
kane and through the Big Bend country and 
was more convinced than ever that the proper 
place to settle was near Dayton. Consequent- 
ly, he secured four hundred and eighty acres of 
land and from that time on until the day of his 
retirement, he was known as one of the indus- 
trious and successful agriculturists of the 
county. Each year found him improving a 
little over the one passed and owing to his 
economy and wisdom, he laid by a comfortable 
fortune. 

In 1886, Mr. Finkel married Miss Lila, the 
daughter of Jake and Lucinda (Williams) 
Rainwater, natives of Tennessee and Missouri, 
respectively. They crossed the plains in early 



days to Oregon, where Mrs. Finkel was born. 
The family returned to Missouri and spent a 
short time in the same state, then crossed the 
plains again with wagons to Columbia county, 
where the father now lives. The mother died 
some years ago and Mr. Rainwater is now liv- 
ing with a second wife. To Mr. and Mrs. 
Finkel three children have been born, Bennie, 
Elmer and Teresa. 

In political matters we find Mr. Finkel pul- 
ling in the Republican harness. He is well in- 
formed on the questions of the day and always 
shows himself an enthusiastic supporter of the 
principles embodied in that party. He has 
taken a keen interest in the advancement of 
educational facilities, the building of good 
roads and the maintaining of good govern- 
ment. 

Mr. Finkel is a member of the A. O. U. W. 
and with his wife enjoys the respect and con- 
fidence of all the good people in the community. 



ROBERT DeCAMP SAYRES, the lead- 
ing member of the firm of R. D. Sayres & Co., 
is a business man of first-class ability as is 
evidenced by the magnificent success he has 
achieved in the commercial line in Dayton, 
where he started as an errand boy in the store 
which he now owns and manages. He was 
born in Iowa, in 1870, the son of J. W. and 
Alice (Kennedy) Sayres, natives of Indiana. 
The father was born in 1844, enlisted in the 
Thirty-fourth Indiana Infantry and served 
the last three years of the war. He was 
wounded at the battle of Bentonville, but would 
never receive a pension until the law was 
passed giving every soldier a pension. After 
the war, he took up milling and followed it 
until his property was washed away. Then he 
went to Nebraska and there farmed three 
years and after being eaten out by the grass- 
hoppers, three years in succession, came to 
Washington with his family and now resides 







Robt. D. Sayres 






HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



473 



in Dayton. Our subject's paternal grand- 
father was a physician in Indiana for fifty 
years. R. D. Sayres' mother was born in 1850 
and her father was assessor of Whiteside 
county, Illinois, for a number of years. On 
her mother's side she was related to General 
Lew Wallace, the famous author of Ben Hur. 
Our subject was with his father in the various 
journeys until coming to Washington, where 
he completed his education in the Dayton high 
school, and later served as director of the same 
school. For two and one-half years he was 
deputy postmaster and in September, 1890, he 
entered the store, where he stands at the head 
today. Schwabacher & Broughton were the 
firm then, and the duties of young Sayres were 
to sweep the floor on the grocery side, to keep 
the shelves filled with fresh goods, and to run 
errands for the other clerks. Two years later, 
he was transferred to the clothing department 
later to the dry goods department, and since 
then his rise has been rapid and complete. The 
store stands today at the head of the commer- 
cial business in Columbia county and carries 
everything that is used to eat and wear. It is 
an extensive establishment and the practical 
wisdom of Mr. Sayres is manifested in the 
success that has been achieved. He is a man of 
keen foresight, energy, and excellent ability 
to handle men, while his qualifications as a 
first class buyer and salesmen are of the high- 
est order. The firm employs about seventeen 
clerks and in 1904, enlarged their floor ca- 
pacity fifty per cent and the result is a largely 
increased business. They have two floor 
spaces, each as follows : forty by one hundred 
and twenty, and additional balconies, one twen- 
ty-six by forty and one fourteen by forty. 

Mr. Sayres has the following named broth- 
ers : Frank E., born in Iowa in 1873, served 
as salesman in the store for several years and is 
now turnkey in the state penitentiary at Walla 
Walla; W. E., born in Nebraska, in 1875 and 
now deputy postmaster at Dayton ; Ed L., born 
in Dayton, in July, 1883 and now in the dry 



goods department of R. D. Sayres & Com- 
pany's store. 

At Dayton, in 1894, Mr. Sayres married 
Miss Emma Smythe, who was born in On- 
tario and was a prominent teacher in south- 
eastern Washington some years before her 
marriage. Her parents, Robert and Anna 
Smythe, were born in Edinburg, Scotland, and 
Canada, respectively. To Mr. and Mrs. 
Sayres one child has been born, Stanley S., 
aged eight years. Mr. Sayres is a warm Re- 
publican and is able to give a reason for the 
political belief that he holds. He is active in 
this realm as in all public matters and labors 
much for the progress and upbuilding of the 
country and town. He has been city council- 
man for several years and the same energy and 
care are exercised in his public service as are 
evident in his private business. Mr. Sayres 
is a great lover of music, literature, outdoor 
sports and all clean fun. He is a member of 
the F. & A. M. and has held office several 
years in the grand lodge of this jurisdiction. 
He has twice been worshipful master of Co- 
lumbia Lodge No. 26, of Dayton. 

Mr. Sayres is one of the best known 
young men in southeastern Washington and 
his friends would hail with delight a more 
extended account of his successful career, but 
space forbids. In another portion of this work 
will be found an engraving of Mr. Sayres, and 
he jocularly remarks, "It will speak for itself." 



WALTER WATROUS, who resides 
about six miles east from Dayton, is one of 
Columbia county's industrious farmers and 
stockmen, and was born in Iowa, on Septem- 
ber 3, 1865. His parents, Levi and Almira 
(Fish) Watrous, were natives of Canada and 
Ohio, respectively. The father was born on 
June 13. 1823, and the mother in January, 
1825, and they are now living on the farm 
near Dayton, Washington. The father came 



474 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



from Canada to the United States when young 
and participated in the Civil War. During this 
service he was wounded and has never recov- 
ered from the effects, having been crippled 
throughout life. The early years of our sub- 
ject were spent in Iowa and as the family were 
not pleased with that country, the older brother 
same west and sought out a place on the coast. 
He earned sufficient money here to send back 
and assist the balance of the family to come on, 
which they did when Walter was eleven years 
of age. A portion of the journey was made on 
the train and the rest by team. Arriving in 
Washington, they all went to work with a will 
and although possessed of no capital at that 
time, have since became well to do people. 
They all own property and are among the 
highly esteemed citizens of Columbia county. 
On October 10, 1896, Mr. Watrous married 
Miss Mary Terry, who was born in Indian ter- 
ritory, on August 20, 1879. Her father, Aaron 
Terry, was a native of Kentucky. 

Mr. Watrous has always displayed an up- 
rightness and industry that commend him to 
the entire community. He is a progressive 
man, well informed upon the questions of the 
day and ever working for the advancement of 
educational interest, the upbuilding of the 
country and progress in general. 



JOHN W. AGEE. In speaking of the 
Agee family, the historian mentions Second 
Samuel, 23:11, as the first place in the chroni- 
cles he has found the name ; — "And after him 
was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite." 
All the missing links have not been established, 
but that the family is a very old one is evident. 
Matthew Agee, a protestant, came from France 
to Virginia in 1690, to escape the persecutions 
against the Huguenots. He married and rais- 
ed four children, Isaac, James, Anthony, and 
a daughter who married Austin. James mar- 
ried a Miss Ford and lived near Maysville, 



Virginia. He and his wife lived together 
seventy-four years and both died in 1821, aged 
ninety-six and ninety-two, respectively. His 
house was a preaching place for seventy 
years with regular services, and Bishop Aus- 
bury officiated there at dierent times. Twelve 
children were born in this family, Noah, 
James, Jacob, John Hercules, Joseph, Rhoda 
Ruth, Celia, Mary, Chloe and Nancy. An- 
thony, the brother of James, was the 
father of twelve children, also. Joseph 
Agee was born on August 12, 1770, in 
Buckingham county, Virginia, married Janu- 
ary 1, 1793, to Grace Mask, who died January 
5, 1806. To this union seven children were 
born, Hercules ; Mary, wife of Thomas Bondu- 
rant; Drucilla, who married Samuel Newton, 
then Mr. Clarke; Matthew; Nancy, the wife of 
Mr. Jenkins ; Pleasant and Joseph. On Oc- 
tober 16, 1806, Joseph Agee married a second 
time, Nancy Lipscomb, the daughter of Col. 
Lipscomb and Susanna (Mosby) Lipscomb, 
becoming his wife. She was born February 
20, 1785, in Louisa county, Virginia, and died 
June 17, 1836, in Kanawha county, the same 
state. To this second marriage the following 
named children were born, Susanna, who mar- 
ried Frederick Agee; Hezekiah, married to 
Catharine Price; William R., married to Lucy 
A. Anderson; Martha, married to P. Wo- 
mack, then to Judge Davis; Sarah M., married 
to Jos. Fuqua ; Robert L., married to Virlinda 
Brown; Amanda F., married to Daniel T. 
Wainwright, a preacher ; Philip Clay, married 
to Catharine Mattingly, then to Lizzie E. Leas ; 
Catharine F., married to A. J. Henderson, and 
then to Dr. P. Dimmitt; and Elizabeth J., mar- 
ried to J. M. Ennis. Philip Clay Agee was 
born in Buckingham county, Virginia, July 
15, 1823, and in Lewis county, Missouri, Oc- 
tober 20, 1842, married Miss Catharine Mat- 
tingly, the daughter of John Mattingly. She 
was born in Lewis county, Missouri, July 13, 
1826, and died in the same county, April 9, 
1849. October 2, 1855, Philip C. Agee mar- 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



475 



ried his second wife Elizabeth E. Leas and to 
this union the following named children have 
been born; Mary M., wife of Geo. Plant; 
Nancy M., wife of Silas Caldwell; Lizzie C, 
wife of J. B. Howard; Adelaide V. Steele; 
Frank L. ; Philip Clay; Vic Plant; Joseph M. : 
Robert L. ; Charles R. ; and Edith. The sec- 
ond Mrs. Agee was born October 8, 1839, at 
Eaton, Ohio, the daughter of Frank and Mary 
M. (Imboten) Leas. By his first marriage 
Philip C. Agee had two children, John W., 
the immediate subject of this article, and Mary 
Elizabeth, born April 6, 1849 and died three 
days later. Philip C. Agee was a true pioneer 
and was a worthy man. At the first excite- 
ment of 1849, ne made his way to California 
and spent over two years in digging gold. 
Then he returned to Missouri and died August 
I, 1879. Catharine Mattingly's father was a 
wealthy farmer of Missouri and a prominent 
man. Our subject was reared and educated in 
Lewis county, Missouri, where he was born 
October 29, 1845. When nineteen he came to 
Diamond City, Montana, and mined. Then he 
journeyed to Walla AYalla, freighted to all the 
prominent camps of the northwest and later 
prospected. After this he did various work 
then went into the stock business, but the 
winter of 1874-5 swept away his stock. In 
1875, ne t0 °k l an( l vvhere he now lives, two 
miles east from Marengo, and now has one 
section of choice land here. It is one of the 
finest farms in the county and reflects the skill, 
taste, and wisdom of the owner. His residence 
is modern and commodious and provided with 
all conveniences including electric lights. A 
valuable irrigating ditch covers a large portion 
of the estate. He also raises sheep, having now 
over two thousand. 

August 2, 1898, Mr. Agee married Miss 
Elvira J. Holt who was born in Oregon, Oc- 
tober 26, 1 861, the daughter of James and 
Mary (Adams) Holt. The father was born 
in Kentucky, in 1835 and the mother in 1845. 
and both are still living-. 



The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Agee are 
named as follows ;" Erastus William, on July 
6, 1879; Lucy Ellen, on January 13, 1881 ; 
Addie Estelle, on January 11, 1882; James 
Holt, on August 10, 1884; Philip Clay, on 
September 14, 1886; and Robert Monroe, on 

July 3> !< 



ANDREW J. CARLSON is one of the 
industrious and successful agriculturists of 
Columbia county. His residence is nine miles 
east from Dayton where he has a nice estate, 
well improved and kept in a high state of culti- 
vation. He was born in Sweden on June 18, 
1850, the son of Carl and Choletta (Irvason) 
Anderson, both natives of Sweden. The father 
was born on June 16, 18 19, and died in Michi- 
gan, in September, 1881. The mother was 
born in 1820. On June 1, 1881, our subject left 
Sweden. He had received a good education 
in his native country and was well skilled in 
farming. He came direct to Muskegon, Michi- 
gan and there worked as a railroad carpenter 
for three months, when he came to Grand Rap- 
ids. He worked in this place two years as a 
carpenter, mostly and in 1883, arrived in Walla 
Walla. He worked at his trade, carpentering 
and cabinet making, this he learned in the old 
country, until the hard times began when he 
went to Umatilla county, Oregon. There he 
took a pre-emption on which he lived until 
1895, an d that year he sold out the same and 
came to Dayton and bought a farm on Patit 
creek. For three years he remained there and 
in 1898 came to his present location, which is 
about nine miles east from Dayton. He owns 
a quarter section and also one hundred and 
forty acres with his son, which is fine soil and 
he is a prosperous and thrifty farmer. 

In 1880, while still in Sweden, Mr. Carl- 
son married Miss Matilda J. Anderson and to 
them the following children have been born. 
Walter E., Annie M., Elmer J., Clara C. Ethel 
E., May L. and Mildred. 



476 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



WILLIAM FRANKLIN EDWARDS, 
who resides three miles southeast from Covello, 
was born in Umatilla county, Oregon, on July 
5, 1866. His father, Charles Edwards, was 
born in Indiana, on January 8, 1829. He 
crossed the plains in 1849, and became one of 
the earliest pioneers to Oregon. He secured 
a donation claim and later came east of the 
mountains. In 1876, he took the land where 
our subject is now living as a homestead, and 
there remained until his death in 1898, being 
then aged sixty-nine years and three months. 

William F. was but six years of age when 
he came to Washington, and he well remem- 
bers that the only neighbors were .three white 
men, who had married Indian wives. He here 
grew up and was educated. The first place 
the family lived after arriving in Washington 
was in Tucannon, and it was the centennial 
year that the elder Edwards settled on the 
homestead mentioned. Our subject later se- 
cured the old farm and has dwelt here since. 
He is giving his attention to farming and has 
reaped good reward for his labors in bount- 
eous crops. 

In 1889. Mr. Edwards married Miss Maud 
Hartsock, who was born in Kansas, on Aug- 
ust 21, 1875. This alliance was annulled by 
divorce. 

On November 17, 1897, Mr. Edwards mar- 
ried Miss Emma Tryon. To these two mar- 
riages the following named children have been 
born, Charles, Marion, Orval, Hazel, Laura 
and Ina. 



♦ < » 



JOHN R. FITZHUGH resides about 
seven miles southeast from Dayton on a fine 
estate of over five hundred acres which is val- 
uable and fertile land. He is one of the lead- 
ing farmers of this part of the country arid has 
gained his holdings by industry and thrift. 
He was born in Missouri, on September . 15, 
1864 and his father, Robert A. Fitzhugh, was 
born in Kentucky, on July 25, 1810. He was 



a veteran of the Mexican War and was also 
with Kit Carson for twelve years. He mar- 
ried Joahanna Groom who was born in Ken- 
tucky. Her oldest sister was married to young 
Daniel Boone, a nephew of old Daniel Boone. 
Captain Fitzhugh of Revolutionary fame was a 
great uncle and he traces his ancestors back 
to the Normans at the time of their invasion 
of England. 

Until fourteen years of age, John R. stud- 
ied in the common schools of Missouri then 
his mother died and he was thrown on his own 
resources. He worked for wages until nine- 
teen years of age, when he went to Arnita col- 
lege, Iowa, and there studied for some time. 
After that, he went to Nebraska and settled 
on a homestead. For two and one half years 
he was engaged there, then sold his property 
and went to Denver, Colorado, and took up 
merchandising. Two years were spent in this 
line and we see him next in Portland, Oregon, 
where he engaged in teaming in the timber one 
winter. Then, on July 2, 1891, he came to 
his present location, and has remained here 
since. He has a good place, in a high state of 
cultivation, plenty of horses and other stock 
and good improvements. When Mr. Fitz- 
hugh landed here, he had a little span of 
ponies and seventy-five cents in cash. One 
can readily see with what skill and thrift he 
has labored since to gain a fine property hold- 
ing that he has at the present time. On Sep- 
tember 26, 1902, Mr.. Fitzhugh married Mrs. 
Minnie Hanger, who was born in Iowa, on 
February 26, 1873, the daughter of Levi and 
Ruth (Watts) Carter, the former born in 
Virginia, in 1830 and the latter in Montgom- 
ery county, Indiana, in 1848. To Mr. and 
Mrs. Fitzhugh, one child, Vera, has been born, 
the date being July 13, 1903. Mr. Fitzhugh 
has two brothers, Frank, deceased and J. W. 
in Oklahoma ; and seven sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth 
'Childers, Melvina Parman, Martha Childers, 
Mary E. Huston, Rachel Hewitt, Missouri C. 
Baumgardner, and Eliza McClellan. 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



47J 



Mr. Fitzhugh is a member of the K. P. and 
the Methodist church. In this denomination 
he has been a local preacher since 1893 and 
has been instrumental in doing much good. 
He is an enthusiastic worker in the gospel and 
takes a great delight in evangelistic labors. 
He is highly respected through the country 
and is known as a man of ability and worth. 

Since the above was written, Mr. Fitz- 
hugh has sold his farm and has purchased a 
home in Dayton, where the family now re- 
sides. He also owns a farm of fifty-five acres 
four miles out from Albany, which is a very 
valuable property. 



HENRY McCUBBINS is a native of the 
west, his birth place being in the vicinity of 
Salem, Oregon, and the date February 28, 
1866. He now resides nine miles east _ from 
Dayton, where he owns a quarter section of 
valuable farm land. His father, Samuel Mc- 
Cubbins, was born in Kentucky, on July 19, 
1838, and was a pioneer of the west. The dis- 
trict school near Salem furnished the educa- 
tion of our subject until he was ten years of 
age and then in 1875, he came to his present 
location with his parents. He completed his 
training in the schools in Columbia county and 
worked on the farm. Later, he cleared a 
quarter section where he now resides and since 
obtaining a title to that, he has given his en- 
tire attention to the improvement and cutiva- 
tion of the same. He has shown himself to be 
a man of industry of excellent judgment, 
and a good substantial citiztn. 

On. April 28, 1889, Mr. McCubbins mar- 
ried Miss Rosa May Gosney, who was born in 
Kansas, on January 10, 1873. Her father, 
William Gosney, was a veteran of the Civil 
War and took part in Sherman's march to the 
sea. He married Miss Matilda Albertson. To 
Mr. and Mrs. McCubbins, three children have 
been born, Floyd H., Zada F. and Don H. Mr. 



McCubbins takes an interest in political affairs 
and educational matters and is always allied 
on the side of good government. He has 
shown himself to be a man of uprightness 
and sound principles and has earned the es- 
teem and respect of those who know him, 
which is generously accorded. 

Mr. McCubbins remarks that though he 
and his wife have traveled over much country, 
they have never found a place they liked so 
well as Columbia county. They have sold 
their property here several times, only to pur- 
chase again near the old home place. Mrs. 
McCubbins is firmly of the opinion of her hus- 
band and would not trade Columbia county 
for the entire state of Kansas, and be com- 
pelled to live there. 



AARON V. TERRY is one of Columbia 
county's well known citizens. He resides ten 
miles from Dayton and devotes his entire at- 
tention to farming. In Grayson county, Ken- 
tucky, in 1844, occurred the birth of our sub- 
ject. His parents, John Sprague and Sarah 
(Acres) Terry, were born in Virginia in 181 2, 
and in Kentucky, respectively. During the 
Civil War, the father was an officer in the 
army. 

The common schools of his native state, 
furnished the educational training of our sub- 
ject and he grew to manhood in the vicinity 
where he was born. There he married and 
settled down to general farming until 1878, 
when he went to Texas and farmed for three 
years. After that, he removed to Arkansas 
where he still followed farming and one year 
later, went to Indian Territory and settled in 
the town of Savannah. For six years there 
he devoted himself to general teaming and 
draying. In 1889 he came to Columbia county 
and selected the place where he now resides, 
owning a quarter section of good land. 

The marriage of Mr. Terry occurred in 



478 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



1868, when Miss Margaret E. Richardson he- 
came his bride. She was born in Green county 
Kentucky, in 1847. To this worthy couple 
eleven children have been born, named as fol- 
lows, Addie B.. Sarah A., John, Enoch, Wil- 
liam, Mary, Maggie, Samuel, Alonzo, Eoline 
D., and Grace. 

Mr. Terry is a member of the United 
Brethren church and holds the position of class 
leader in the connection where he affiliates. 
For many years he has been a devout and zeal- 
ous worker in this denomination and always 
does everything in his power to advance its 
interests. He is a very zealous worker in pro- 
moting educational matters, has served as 

school director, and is a man of marked in- 

■ 

tegrity and probity. 



WILLIAM R. GRAGG. who resides about 
six miles north from Waitsburg, was born in 
Watauga county. North Carolina, on Decem- 
ber 18, 1868. He is one of the industrious 
men of Columbia county and rents about one 
thousand acres of land where he lives. Al- 
though he does not own his own estate, still 
he has large property interests and consider- 
able stock. He has shown a spirit of progress 
and industry and stands well in the com-' 
munity. He is a man of practical judgment 
and evinces a lively interest in local affairs 
and politics as he does also in educational mat- 
ters. 

William R. Gragg is the son of Edmund 
W. and Bettie (Norris) Gragg, who were both 
born in the same place as our subject and there 
reared and educated. In 1877, the father 
brought his family to Jacksonville, Oregon 
and there remained three years. Thence they 
came to Whitman county, AVashington, and 
located on a farm near Garfield. They are 
now retired and dwelling in Pullman. Wil- 
liam R. was educated in the various places 
where he lived in his youthful days, complet- 



ing" his studies in Whitman county. After ar- 
riving at his majority he continued with his 
father for one year, and then began farming 
for himself. In this labor with stock breeding, 
he has continued since and is considered one 
of the substantial citizens of the county of 
Columbia at this day. He came to his present 
location in 1899, and has continued here since. 
The farm is a good one and Mr. Gragg is get- 
ting the best results from it, as he is a skillful 
farmer. 

In 1892, Mr. Gragg married Miss Nellie 
Hague, who was born in Nebraska, on Novem- 
ber 17, 1876. She came to Whitman county 
with her parents when a little girl and has 
dwelt in Washington since. Her father, 
Joseph Hague was born in England and mar- 
ried Miss Ellen Holroid, who is a native of 
England. They now reside in this county. 
To Mr. and Mrs. Gragg the following named 
children have been born; Bennie, on June 7, 
1893; E. May, on February 6, 1897; William 
D., on July 31, 1900; and Chester, on June 20, 
1903. Mr. Gragg is a member of the A. O. 
U. W. and has made a reputation which is 
unsullied and clean. He has a very bright and 
interesting family, and is rearing them in the 
paths of right and rectitude and to such homes 
as Mr. Gragg has does this great nation look 
for its men and women of stamina and worth, 
to carry on the great and diversified labors 
dependent upon the rising generations. 



JOHN G. WOLFE. Columbia county has 
a fine population of industrious farmers and 
among the number we are constrained to men- 
tion the gentleman whose name is at the head 
of this article. He dwells about five miles 
south from Dayton and follows farming and 
stockraising. He was born in Beaver county, 
Pennsylvania, on November 22, 1857, the son 
of William G. and Sarah J. (Williams) 
Wolfe. The father was born in the same 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



479 



county, June 27, 1818. His father, John 
Wolfe, the grandfather of our subject, came 
from the eastern part of Pennsylvania and 
settled near Beaver, in the vicinity of Brady's 
run, the Indian wars having just ceased. The 
mother, was born in Beaver county, also, the 
date being November 16, 1830. Her father, 
Isaac Williams, was one of the early settlers 
of that county. When eight years of age, our 
subject went to Missouri with the family and 
there was educated. When seventeen, his 
father died and he, being the eldest, was des- 
tined to assume the responsibility of caring for 
the family. This continued until the spring of 
1880, when he came west to Idaho and worked 
on a ranch. Later he drove beef cattle to 
Laramie City, nearly a thousand miles, and 
brought back horses to Texas ferry, Washing- 
ton. In the fall of 1881, he took pre-emption 
and timber culture claims northeast from Pres- 
cott, where he lived for eleven years. Then 
he went to a place four miles north from 
Waitsburg and spent two years. It was 1894, 
that he came to his present location, and four 
years later purchased three hundred acres of 
valuable land. He has given his attention to 
farming since that time and has been pros- 
perous in his labors. He has shown good spirit 
and wisdom in the management of his enter- 
prises, and is one of the substantial men of the 
community. 

At Waitsburg, on September 6. 1881, Mr. 
Wolfe married Miss Viola Rice, who was born 
in the Willamette valley in 1862. The fruit 
of this union is four children, named as fol- 
lows, Howard Guy, aged twenty-two; Rus- 
sell Verne, aged sixteen ; Annie, deceased ; and 
Mabel Gertrude, aged ten. Mr. Wolfe is a 
member of the F. & A. M., the I. O. O. F., 
the K. P., and the W. O. W. Politically, he 
is a Democrat and is an enthusiastic worker 
in the campaigns as well as in all lines for bet- 
terment and improvement. 



ORIN W. CARPENTER was born in the 
vicinity of Burlington, Vermont, on Decem- 
ber 17, 1 83 1. His father, Heman Carpenter, 
was a native of Vermont, and Benjamin 
Carpenter, our subject's grandfather, was one 
of the first pioneers of Vermont. The grand- 
father's brother, who was a frontiersman, was 
a member of the first legislature of Vermont. 
Heman Carpenter married Harriet Field, a 
native of Vermont. Her ancestors partici- 
pated in the Revolution and were the early 
settlers of New York, that is, on the territory 
now occupied by that great city. Our subject 
was well educated, completing this important 
part of his career in the Bakersfield academy, 
in Vermont. In 1853, his spirit of adventure 
led him via the isthmus of Panama to Cali- 
fornia, then the Mecca of the miner and pio- 
neer. Notwithstanding the dangers and hard- 
ships of that life, still it had such an attraction 
to young Carpenter that he turned aside from 
everything else and buried himself in the labors 
and activities of the great west. Prospecting 
was the enticing power that led him forth, and 
on one occasion he discovered a nice deposit 
that netted him ten thousand dollars in three 
months. It is not to be wondered at that he 
should he infatuated with this life. He oper- 
ated in Eldorado county and later in Shasta 
county and then went to every prominent min- 
ing region on that portion of the coast. He 
determined to master the science of mining 1 to 
the utmost and so went to the books of geol- 
ogy, mineralogy and assaying, and applied 
himself with a will. He then took a contract 
of sorting and handling rock and made a great 
quantity of money. He perfected himself in 
mining, both practical and as a science, and 
later came to Montana. There he operated 
for many years and was closely identified, at 
one time or another, with every prominent 
property in the territory at that time. He 
knows all the old camps and could recite in- 
cidents of thrilling interest that would fill a 



480 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



volume. Those days were good days, days 
of adventure and great realizations of day 
dreams, when men became wealthy in a week, 
and from the life of toil and hardship, too ardu- 
ous to be portrayed on paper, they sprang into 
affluence and commanding positions. In 1877, 
Mr. Carpenter, having made plenty, deter- 
mined to retire from this strenuous life and 
accordingly came to Columbia county and 
selected an estate where he now resides, ten 
miles northeast from Prescott. He owns four 
hundred and eighty acres of choice land and 
has made a fine success of stock raising, and 
farming as he did of mining in the years gone 
by. He is possessed of considerable property 
and a sufficient to supply the comforts and 
luxuries of life in the golden days that are 
running apace. Mr. Carpenter has been on the 
frontier all his life and has traveled to all por- 
tions of this western country. The method of 
travel then was entirely on horseback, and in 
this manner has wended his way to all sections 
and has traveled many thousands of miles. 
He is expert in all lines connected with front- 
ier life, and has seen and overcome the hard- 
ships and selfdenials connected therewith. He 
has hosts of friends in these parts and stands 
well in the community. Mr. Carpenter has 
labored hard in the callings wherein he has 
wrought and deserves to be classed with' the 
sturdy pioneers who opened this vast country 
for the ingress of civilization and its attendant 
blessings. He who went through the track- 
less forests and braved the dangers and storms 
of a thousand mountains, to make the path, 
really deserves the encomiums of a people who 
now enjoys the blessings of this rich and fertile 
country. 



HON. JAMES EWEN EDMISTON, de- 
ceased, was one of the highly esteemed and 
wealthy citizens of Dayton, whose death on 
May 8, 1900, was universally mourned. He 
was born on March 29, 1849, in Washington 



county, Arkansas, at his grandmother's farm 
near Prairie Grove. His father, Alexander 
E., was born in Virginia and settled in Arkan- 
sas early in the nineteenth century. He fought 
in the Mexican war, being lieutenant under 
Colonel Yall and his death occurred in 1858. 
He was a thrifty man of forceful character 
and unquestioned integrity. He left a fine es- 
tate to his wife and four children, our subject 
being the eldest. A few years previous to his 
death, he had liberated his slaves, being con- 
vinced that human slavery was wrong. During 
the terrible Civil War, the vicinity of their 
home was the scene of great atrocities by vil- 
lainous men from both parties. Near the close 
of the war, our subject being then fourteen 
years of age, enlisted under the Confederate 
flag, where he had five uncles fighting for the 
cause. When the war closed, he returned 
home, remaining long enough to help put the 
farm in shape, then he went to Bentonville, Ar- 
kansas, where he attended the Bentonville col- 
lege two years. He taught school while going 
through the college and in 1870, went to 
Omaha, whence he came to the Pacific coast. 
He taught school sometime in Oregon and 
then took a course at the Corvallis college, re- 
ceiving his degree in 1873. On March 13, 
1873. Mr. Edmiston married Miss Helen E. 
Lacey who was born in Clackamas county, 
Oregon. The Laceys descended from French 
Huguenots who fled to the New World be- 
cause of persecution in the seventeenth cen- 
tury. Mrs. Edmiston's father, Lewis A. 
Lacey came to Oregon in 1852, accompanied 
by his wife, Leonora (Herring) Lacey, a na- 
tive of Swansea, Wales, the marriage cere- 
mony having been completed fifteen minutes 
before they started from Mt. Morris, New 
York. Their trip across the plains with ox 
teams was attended with great trouble and 
danger, attacks from the Indians, the dread 
disease, cholera, and other things combining 
to this end. Mr. Lacey's brother, his brother's 
wife and child all died from mountain fever, 
and many other members of the little band 







James E. Edmiston 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



481 



were left in graves by the old emigrant trail. 
Upon reaching the Willamette valley, he took 
a donation claim and gave his attention to 
general farming and stock raising. Mr. 
Lacey's father, the grandfather of Mrs. Ed- 
miston, was an officer under Washington and 
Lafayette in the Revolution and lost two fin- 
gers in the battle of Bunker Hill. Mr. Lacey 
died on the old farm at Springwater, Clack- 
amas county, in 1899, aged ninety- four. His 
widow following him on March 1, 1900, aged 
seventy-one. 

Shortly after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. 
Edmiston moved to Colfax, where he taught 
school three years. In 1876, they located in 
Dayton and some years were spent in teach- 
ing there. Then he took up merchandising, 
and later, conducted a large sawmill and was 
engaged in various other business enterprises. 
Mr. Edmiston was a devoted Presbyterian 
and although his college training was taken 
with the expectation of entering the minis- 
try, he never did, but turned to law, studying 
under the tuition of John Y. Ostrander. In 
1885, he was admitted to the bar and com- 
menced the practice of law, which he contin- 
ued uninterruptedly until a short time prev- 
ious to his death. For several years he suf- 
fered from nervous trouble brought on by 
over work and early hardships but he was en- 
abled to overcome this until the amputation of 
his leg was necessary from local trouble. Al- 
though he rallied from this, he finally suc- 
cumbed and fell asleep on May 8, 1900. The 
college at Pullman was closed on the day of 
his burial out of respect as he was president 
of the board of regents. Every business house 
and the schools in Dayton were closed and it 
was a day of the most sincere mourning ever 
known in this part of the country. He was 
buried with masonic honors, befitting one who 
had held the highest position Avithin the gift 
of the craft and the grand lodge of the state 
took charge and Honorable Levi Ankeny, past 
grand master of the state of Washington, pre- 



sided. The bar of Dayton passed appropriate 
resolutions and every mark of respect and 
honor that could be shown both in a public 
and a private manner was evidenced. Prob- 
ably no death ever occurred in Dayton, caus- 
ing such wide-spread and general sorrow. life 
his law practice, Mr. Edmiston was associated: 
with Judge Miller and like Jonathan and 1 
David, they were knit together. Politically, 
Mr. Edmiston was a stanch Democrat and ac- 
tive in that realm. He was a member of the 
territorial council in 1883, was prosecuting- 
attorney of Columbia county in 1886 and in 
1890 was elected grand master of the F. & A. 
M. for Washington. He was a thirty-second 
degree Scottish rite niason and also past grand 
patron of the O. E. S. 

Mr. Edmiston was of Scotch extraction, 
although his father and grandfather were na- 
tives of Virginia and Tennessee. His great- 
grandfather with two brothers settled in Vir- 
ginia shortly after the Jamestown colony was 
located. They came from a noted Highland 
family of warriors and were men of strong 
character. Mr. Edmiston was a jurist of ex- 
ceptionally rare ability and was a power and 
able leader both in that realm and in his po- 
litical party. He first came prominently into 
notice when elected to the council of the upper 
house of the legislature of Washington terri- 
tory. For many years, he was a member of the 
state central committee and in 1894, was of- 
fered the nominee for governor of the state but 
refused. It is said of Mr. Edmiston that he 
never lost an appealed case to the supreme 
court. He was courited the highest authority 
on Masonic jurisprudence in the state and was 
chairman of that committee for many years in 
the grand lodge. For many years, Mr. Ed- 
miston was collecting data for the history of 
southeastern Washington but died before he 
had the work completed. However, the major 
portion of his work will be found in this vol- 
ume. Much more might be said in eulogy of 
this man who was loved by all who knew him 



482 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



and whose influence was always for the better- 
ment of mankind. He had a clear and high 
sense of honor, was loyal and kind, forceful 
and keen at the bar and with all a true gentle- 
man. Five years have now passed since his 
demise and his widow still lives in the old 
home in Dayton and as a partial recompense 
for so much sorrow, time has dealt gently with 
her. Six times has she stood at the open grave 
of her loved ones, having lost all her children 
previous to her husband's death. She has 
passed through the ordeal with that same de- 
gree of fortitude so characteristic of the wife 
of our martyred president, William McKinley. 
She is beloved, honored and respected by all 
who know her. Mrs. Edmiston is a member 
of the O. E. S. and past grand matron of the 
state of Washington. Like her husband did, 
she takes great pleasure and pride in doing 
everything possible for the upbuilding and the 
welfare of Dayton and the surrounding 
country. 



MRS. E. J. GROVE, who resides about 
seven miles north from Waitsburg, is one of 
the noble women of the country and has done 
a work here that commends her to all good 
people. She is the mother of six children, and 
was left a widow with this large family to 
support, but notwithstanding that, she has so 
labored and cared for them all that today her 
family are all highly respected members of 
society, and she has the satisfaction of knowing 
that she has not labored in vain. She has the 
esteem of all and is one of the leading people 
of this community. 

Mrs. Grove was born in Madison county, 
Ohio, the daughter of Abraham and Anna M. 
(Gardner) Ogden, natives of New York. 
The father moved to Ohio when a young man 
and there labored at his trade of carriage 
making for a number of years. After that he 
took his family to Illinois, and thence to Chero- 



kee county, Kansas. In Illinois he farmed in 
connection with his trade and in Kansas he 
gave his whole attention to farming. He re- 
mained in the latter state until his death and 
was one of the prominent men of the county. 
The mother was reared and celebrated her 
marriage in New York. With her husband 
she joined in all the journeys mentioned and 
was a faithful and noble women. Her death 
occurred in Kansas, in 1887. Mrs. Grove was 
educated in Ohio and Illinois and in McLane 
county of the latter state, she was married to 
A. J. Grove. From Illinois, she went with her 
husband to Missouri, and three years later went 
back to Illinois. Soon after her return to Illi- 
nois, she was called to mourn the death of her 
husband and then came the responsibility of 
life in full. Shortly after that, Mrs. Grove 
went to Kansas, and there remained until her 
mother's death, in 1887. Then she fitted out 
teams and with her six children made her way 
across the plains to Dayton. Here she rented 
land and with the assistance of her sons has 
continued in this line of labor since. The boys 
are some of them grown to manhood, and are 
respected young men. They handle about one 
thousand acres of land and have considerable 
property. Mrs. Grove's children are named 
as follows, Eugene L., Otis L., Oliver M., 
P. Ogden, Samuel H., and Mrs. Kate Beeson. 
When Mrs. Grove started west, she had barely 
enough money to pay the expenses to the end 
of the trip and when they arrived in Dayton, 
she was obliged to start in a new country with- 
out means. She has done exceedingly well 
and they are well to do people at this time. 
Her children are all doing first rate and stand 
well in the community. They have shown the 
same spirit of industry and integrity that have 
characterized the mother, and the principles 
of uprightness instilled by her faithful teach- 
ing have borne fruit. 

In January, 1890, Mrs. Grove married 
Alonzo Thomas, the wedding occurring near 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



483 



Dayton. He died in the spring of 1895. The 
widow is better known as Mrs. Grove as the 
children bear that name. 



VERNON B. WHITING, who resides 
about eight miles southwest from Starbuck, is 
one of the highly respected agriculturists of 
Columbia county, and has shown by his labors 
here in the last fifteen years that he is pos- 
sessed of substantial qualities and guided by 
a wisdom and unswerving integrity that are 
praiseworthy and enviable. He is a patriotic 
citizen, a kind and accommodating neighbor, 
and a man of principle and unrightness which 
have won the esteem and respect of all who 
known him. 

Vernon B. Whiting was born in New York 
state, on April 29, 1853, the son of D. W. 
Whiting, a native of Vermont. He was reared 
and educated in the Green Mountain State, 
and engaged during his life in the marble busi- 
ness. When grown to manhood he married 
Miss Christina Vunk, also a native of New 
York state. Our subject was well educated 
in the district schools of his native state and 
then learned the marble cutter's trade from his 
father and followed it for many years. In 
1890 he determined to put into execution a 
purpose long cherished in his mind, that of 
coming west, and so in that year he sold his 
eastern property and prepared to try the ways 
of the world in the land of the setting sun. 
In due time he arrived in Washington, having 
chosen that as the most promising point, and 
soon began to look over the country. He 
chose Columbia county, and then settled to 
farming upon a quarter section of choice land. 
He sold this in December, 1903, and the fol- 
lowing April bought his present place, eight 
miles southwest from Starbuck. He has 
shown industry and skill in this enterprise and 
has won good success. His place is a good 



homelike location, and Mr. Whiting has made 
it comfortable and attractive. 

In 1875, January 10, Mr. Whiting mar- 
ried Miss Florence Allen, who was born in 
Oneida county, New York, where she was 
reared and educated. Her parents, A. C. and 
Zelia D. (Brown) Allen, were born in Penn- 
sylvania and -Vernon, New York, respectively. 
The father migrated to New York, when 
twenty-one. Three children have been born to 
Mr. and Mrs. Whiting, Bernard A., Cora J., 
and Alma L. 



S. J. EDWARDS is certainly one of the 
pioneers of Columbia county, and has shown 
himself worthy of the place of builder of this 
portion of the great commonwealth of Wash- 
ington. He has shown zeal and industry in 
his walk, and is a man of character and stabil- 
ity. Others of his family are mentioned else- 
where in this work, and they are well known 
throughout this country. 

Charles Edwards was born in Darke 
county, Ohio, in January, 1829, and removed 
to Indiana in 1832. In that state he remained 
until 1853, tnen journeyed to Yreka, Cali- 
fornia, and in 1859 came to Wasco county, 
Oregon, and in 1871 to the Tucanon country, 
in Columbia county. Here he remained until 
his death which occurred March 15, 1898. 
He had married in 1858, at Yreka, California, 
Catherine Wolford, who was born in Han- 
cock county, Ohio, in 1842. She went with 
her parents to Eugene, Oregon, in 1852, and 
thence, iri 1857, to Yreka, California, where 
she was married the next year. As stated be- 
fore, the family came to Tucanon country in 
1 87 1, and our subject, who was born in Ore- 
gon, on June 30, 1862, had been attending the 
common schools of his native heath previous 
to this journey, and when he came here he had 
but little opportunity to win the muse of learn- 
ing but made the best of the chances offered. 



484 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



He grew up with the country and is well 
acquainted with all the old timers and the new 
comers as well. He now dwells about ten 
miles southwest from Pomeroy, and has a farm 
of one quarter section of fertile land. He de- 
votes himself to the cultivation of this and 
to other enterprises, as stock raising in some 
degree, and so forth. 

In 1887, Mr. Edwards married Miss Lydia 
Goodrich, a native of Oregon, and the daugh- 
ter of Carini Goodrich. Four children are the 
fruit of this marriage, Cora, Mable, Arley, and 
Milda. Mr Edwards is a Jeffersonian Demo- 
crat, and takes a lively interest in political mat- 
ters, as he does also in the affair of the county 
in general. His brothers and sisters are named 
as follows, Albert, on the Nez Perces reser- 
vation ; W. F., who resides on the old home 
place; Sarah, deceased; Josie Beckett; Jamie 
Mare; Mrs. Erne Tyon, of Franklin county; 
and Emma, at home. Our subject's uncle, 
Sam Edwards, was one of the first settlers in 
the country now embraced in Columbia county. 
When the father of S. J. came to this country 
there were no wagon roads on the upper T.u- 
canon, and he was obliged to blaze a trail and 
later cut his way to his selected place. 



JOSEPH WESLEY BROYLES, a prom- 
inent farmer and stockman residing nine miles 
southwest from Pomeroy, was born in Noda- 
way county, Missouri, in 1855. His father, 
John Broyles, was born in Tennessee, in 1833. 
He enlisted to serve in the Civil War, for the 
government and fought through until the 
close. A good portion of the time he was en- 
gaged in the western division and assisted in 
the distribution of arms. He was in the 
Fourth Missouri Cavalry. Following the war 
he returned to Missouri and there remained 
until 1868, when he went west to Cherokee 
county, Kansas. That was his home until 
1888, then came a journey to California. A 



short time was spent in the Golden State and 
Mr. Broyles came to Whatcom county, Wash- 
ington, where he resides at this time. He 
married Miss A. J. Kelley, who was born in 
Kentucky, in 1834, and died in 1887. Our 
subject's great-grandfather, John Broyles, and 
brother, came to the colonies from Germany 
and one settled in Tennessee and the other in 
Alabama. One of them became the father of 
eleven boys and two girls, and the other of 
eleven girls and two boys. They have spread 
to all portions of the United States and are 
a strong family. The common schools of Mis- 
souri furnished the education of our subject 
and then he went to Kansas with his parents. 
That state was his home until 1882, when he 
migrated to southern Idaho and there farmed 
and raised stock for a decade. It was 1892, 
that Mr. Broyles came to his present location, 
nine miles southwest from Pomeroy, and set- 
tled. He secured four hundred and ten acres 
of land and has devoted himself to farming 
and raising stock with abundant success since 
that time. He is one of the leading men of 
the county today and has a large property. 
His stock consists of horses and cattle and he 
has well bred animals. His residence is a 
beautiful structure and all the outbuildings 
are in keeping with it. A general air of thrift 
and good taste pervade the premises and he- 
has shown himself a man who is not only able 
to handle the general matters of a large busi- 
ness well, but also to keep all the details well 
in charge, which insures his success. 

On August 5, 1877, Mr - Broyles married 
Miss Lucy A. Mitchell, who was born in Mis- 
souri, on January 8, 1857. Her parents were 
Charles and Jerusha (Pickerel) Mitchell, na- 
tives of Missouri, also. Mrs. Broyles has two 
brothers, James and Richard. Mr. Broyles has-, 
one brother, James W., residing in Whatcom. 
To Mr. and Mrs. Broyles one child has been 
born, John, on July 30, 1882, in Cassia county, 
Idaho. In political matters, Mr. Broyles is a 
Democrat and he is intelligent in the questions- 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



485 



and issues of the day. He is a promoter of 
better educational facilities and always labors 
for the betterment and advancement of the 
interests of the community. 



FRANTZ S. ROMAINE, a prominent 
farmer and stockman two miles north from 
Dayton, Washington, was born in Fond du Lac 
•county, Wisconsin, on September 1, 1862. 
His father was Garrett Romaine, a native of 
New York. The father moved to Wisconsin 
with his parents when a boy and there grew up 
and received his education and became a 
wealthy man, owning fine farm property, a 
grist mill, and a saw mill. In 1874, he desired 
to see the west and accordingly sold his prop- 
erty in the east and brought his family to 
Santa Clara county, California. He remained 
there a short time then removed to Linn county, 
Oregon, where he farmed until 1877. Then 
the family came to southwestern Washington 
and the father selected a farm in the vicinity 
of Dayton, where he remained until his death, 
on October 22, 1900. He was a very promi- 
nent and wealthy citizen and held various pub- 
lic offices among which was assessor of Colum- 
bia county for a number of years. His widow, 
Martha L. (Harbaugh) Romaine, was born 
in Ohio and accompanied her husband on his 
various journeys and is now living in Colum- 
bia county. Our subject was educated in Wis- 
consin, California, Oregon, and Washington 
and continued in school portions of each year 
until he was grown to manhood. The rest of 
the time, he was with his father on the farm 
and remained with him until he bought land 
for himself. This however, he sold later and 
purchased the place where he is now living, 
just north from Dayton as mentioned above. 
He has a nice farm and rents enough in addi- 
tion so that he raises about six hundred and 
forty acres of wheat each year. Mr. Romaine 



is a successful and thrifty farmer and one of 
the well to do men of the country. 

In 1887, occurred the marriage of Frantz 
S. Romaine and Lizzie Knight. Mrs. Ro- 
maine was born while her parents were cross- 
ing the plains with ox teams and thus her 
infant days were spent in that weary and try- 
ing journey and she has never visited her birth 
place. Her parents were William and Damie 
( Ward) Knight, natives of Missouri and early 
pioneers to Washington. The father followed 
stock raising. To Mr. and Mrs. Romaine, 
four children have been born, Amy E., L. 
Earl, deceased, Cecil L., and William C. 

Mr. Romaine has the satisfaction of know- 
ing that he has achieved a fine success in his 
labors, while his standing in the community 
is of the best. He has an interesting family, 
a fine property and is known as an upright 
man of integrity and principle. 



JOHN N. THOMPSON. President 
Roosevelt says : "The best heritage the pio 
neer can leave to future generations is the 
simple, yet powerful story of his life ; of hard- 
ships endured, of dangers faced, and his final 
triumph over wilderness and desert plain." 
Like the usual sayings of this man who "does 
things," this quotation rings with fact and 
truth and no more pleasant task could be as- 
signed than to be privileged to write in some 
detail the actual experiences of one whose life 
shows worthy deeds and shines with the light 
of the true pioneer. 

Just' south from Dayton, and adjoining the 
city limits, lies the home estate of John N. 
Thompson, one of the stanch pioneers and 
builders of the great state of Washington. The 
little house he first erected in Dayton still 
stands and is a mark of those days when men 
first began to take up the burdens of trans- 
forming these plains and wilds to beautiful 
homes and a prosperous county. In all his 



486 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



work, Mr. Thompson has had a goodly part 
and has so wrought that snccess in all lines 
has crowned his efforts. 

On December 20, 1836, in faraway Smith- 
field, Madison county, New York, there was 
born to Elisha D. and Abigail (Howard) 
Thompson, a son, who was in due time christ- 
ened John Newton, and who is now the vener- 
able pioneer and honored citizen of Columbia 
county, and whose career it is our desire to 
chronicle for the edification and benefit of those 
who will come after. The parents, born in 
New York and Massachusetts, respectively, 
both died in Wisconsin, whither they 
journeyed in 1845. They were the parents 
of ten children, our subject being the seventh, 
and they well knew the hardships and ardu- 
ous labors of the pioneer life, as in Wisconsin 
they went directly into the wilds and carved out 
a home and reared their children. John N. 
was but nine years of age when the journey to 
Wisconsin occurred, and he well remembers 
the trip, the wild country of the Badger state, 
then a territory, and as they plunged into the 
wilderness there was little chance after that 
to secure much education. However, he 
was permitted to attend the log cabin school 
for a few months during the winter. It is 
interesting to note that the school house was 
tiled on the roof with hollow logs properly 
cut. With this scanty provision for the world's 
battles, young Thompson had to be contented, 
although he has ever been a constant reader 
and has kept himself well posted on the ques- 
tions and progress of the day. His early life 
was spent in assisting his parents clear a farm 
for the maintenance of the little flock of chil- 
dren, and they all labored hard and long to 
accomplish this end, for Dame Nature was not 
so easy to influence to give up her treasures 
of food in that frosty state with wooded hills 
as she is in the State of Washington with its 
broad and fertile prairies. Until 1859, Mr. 
Thompson stayed on the farm with his father 
and then he determined to start in life for him- 



self, and accordingly, he headed toward the 
west, as a great many of the young men of 
those days did. He journeyed on to Loop 
Fork, Nebraska and after passing Omaha met 
a train of two hundred and fifty-four wagons 
coming back and he turned aside with them and 
abandoned his trip to Pikes Peak. Then he 
stayed in Iowa for a time and later made a 
trip to Colorado and New Mexico and spent 
one season in the California gulch, where 
Leadville now stands. It was in i860, May, 
that he finally decided to try the Avest once 
more and this time Salmon river, Idaho, was 
the objective point. At Fort Hall the train 
divided and he stayed with the ones who came 
the northern route. Just above the mouth of 
the Boise river they ferried the Snake river, 
using their wagon beds, which were well calked 
and to make more safe were buoyed up at each 
end by empty water kegs. The Snake river 
was at that time at the highest water mark. 
In May, they had started from Denver, July 
4th they spent in Salt Lake City, and in Aug- 
ust they arrived in Auburn. At that early 
date a stage was regularly run from Umatilla 
to Auburn. Shortly after arriving, Mr. 
Thompson continued his journey to the Grande 
Ronde valley, and there took land about two 
miles from Hot Lake. Four years were spent 
there and then he went to Marion county, 
Oregon, where he remained until 1871, and in 
that year with his young bride, went to Walla 
Walla, Washington, and in 1872 to Dayton. 
After erecting the little house in Dayton, men- 
tioned above, he began teaming. Two years 
after landing he opened a feed yard and while 
he was operating that, he took a piece of land 
which became the nucleus of his present estate. 
In time the farming work demanded his at- 
tention and he removed the family there and 
on the farm they have dwelt since that time. 
Mr. Thompson has acquired land from time 
to time since taking his first government claim 
until he now has nearly four sections, about 
seven thousand acres in wheat land, the balance 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



487 



pasture, on which he ranges between four 
hundred and five hundred head of cattle and 
horses. His home is a comfortable, tasty and 
modern structure surrounded with all the 
buildings and improvements needed for the 
comfort and for the uses of the estate. It 
woud not give a true light on the picture should 
we speak of the success without some of the 
hardships. For instance, suppose the farmer 
of Columbia county was now called on to trans- 
port all his wheat to Wallula by wagon, with 
roads not nearly so good as they now are. 
This had to be done by Mr. Thompson and 
it was a very hard undertaking. Also he 
hauled later to Walla Walla. But the hardy 
frame of our subject was equal to all the hard- 
ships that were placed upon him and, in fact, 
the three score years and ten that now rest 
upon him, have left so little trace in their, pass- 
ing that he is hale, hearty and seldom taken 
to be more than sixty. 

In 1866, Mr. Thompson married Miss Jen- 
nie Kennedy, a native of Oregon, in which 
state the wedding occurred. Within a year 
Mr. Thompson was called to mourn the death 
of his young wife. On November 8, 1871, he 
married a second time, Miss Viola Eastham, 
a native Oregonian, then becoming his bride, 
and together they have traveled the pil- 
grim way since. Mrs. Thompson's parents, 
William French and Delila A. (Cleaver) East- 
ham, were born in Marion county, Virginia, 
on November 25, 1823, and in Jersey county, 
Illinois, on February 15, 1830, respectively. 
They came to the territory of Oregon in 1848 
and settled near Oregon City. In 1849 tne y 
removed to a donation claim on Butte creek, 
Marion county, some twenty miles south from 
Oregon City. They reared a large family in 
this pioneer home, several of whom attained 
prominence. Hon. Edward L. Eastham, state 
senator in Oregon, was widely and favorably 
known both for his ability and his integrity. 
J. E. Eastham and Mrs. Van Scoy are both 
leading educators in Oregon. O. W. Eastham 



is a leading attorney of Oregon City, Oregon, 
and A. B. Eastham, a prominent politician of 
Clark county, Washington, was elected dele- 
gate to the national Republican convention of 
1904. These are children of Mr. and Mrs. 
W. F. Eastham, and Mrs. Thompson has rea 
son to take pride in the place her family holds 
in the professional world of the west. 

To Mr. and Mrs. Thompson the children 
born are named below : Myrtle Agnes, on 
August 19, 1874; Roy Eastham, born on June 
12, 1878; the two first named deceased; Leo 
John, on March 5, 1883; and Helen Vio!a, on 
October 19, 1884. 

Fraternally, Mr. Thompson is affiliated 
with the A. O. U. W., and in politics he is a 
strong Republican, although not a politician, 
yet a real wheel horse in the principles of the 
party. Like most of the strong and wise men 
of the day, Mr. Thompson is a hearty sup- 
porter of the present administration. His life 
has been spent in worthy and vigorous labor, 
guided by the desire both to provide for his 
own and to build up the country and make 
it the abode of civilization, and it is certainly 
a very pleasant and beautiful picture to now 
behold the pioneer, the pathfinder, crowned 
with success in every measure, the golden years 
blessed with health and competence, and dwell- 
ing with his loved ones in happiness, sur- 
rounded with many warm and stanch friends 
who learned to know his worth by associations 
in the hardships and labors of those grand old 
pioneer days. 



CHARLES T. JOBE, who resides at Alto, 
Columbia county, is one of the wealthy farmers 
and stock men of southeastern Washington. 
A pioneer of the early days, and a loyal citi- 
zen during the early years of his residence in 
his adopted country, a man of energy and 
ability, it is to be expected that we would find 
in Mr. Jobe one of the influential and respected 
men of this county. 



488 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



Charles T. Jobe was born in Colchester 
county, Nova Scotia, on May 28, 1852. His 
parents, Robert and Elizabeth (Barker) Jobe, 
were born on the same place as was our sub- 
ject, where also the mother died. In 1900 the 
father came to Washington and is now resid- 
ing with his son. Charles T. studied in the 
public schools of his native county until he 
grew to manhood and then began farming. 
In 1874. he came to the western portion of the 
United States and visited the leading mines 
of the northwest. For a time he was employed 
in Silver City, Idaho and in 1876 he went 
back to his native country. In the following 
year, he came to California and engaged in 
general work and as early as 1879. we find 
him in southeastern Washington. Being 
pleased with the country, he determined to 
locate and selected land which he bought. 
From that time until the present Mr. Jobe has 
given his attention to farming and stock rais- 
ing. His estate has been increased by purchase 
from time to time until he owns now one 
thousand five hundred and sixty acres of choice 
land. His returns from this in stock and crops 
amounts to handsome dividends annually and 
Mr. Jobe is one of the wealthy men of this 
portion of the state. Marked taste and wis- 
dom are manifested in laying out and improv- 
ing his estate and it may be truthfully stated 
that his buildings are second to none in the 
country. Everything about the place indicates 
thrift and care. In addition to securing- his 
own success, Mr. Jobe has done very much to 
inspire the same spirit in others which has won 
for him his large property holding. Every 
building is in its proper place and everything 
upon the estate is as fastidious as one could 
wish and the result is that the rural abode is 
a place of thrift and joy and one of the most 
productive to be found in the state. 

In 1 88 1, Mr. Jobe married Miss Narcissa 
Squichfield. Mrs. Jobe is a native of Iowa and 
came to southwestern Washington with her 
parents in the early pioneer days. To this 



worthy couple the following children have been 
born; Arthur, a farmer in this vicinity; Susie 
D. and Bessie B., twins; Louis; Mary E. ; 
Daisy; and Leona. 

Mr. Jobe is a progressive man, public 
spirited and broad minded and takes the same 
keen interest in the affairs of the state and the 
community as in his own business enterprises. 
He is a strong campaign worker, energetic and 
well posted upon the issues of the day and a 
great reader. His friends are numbered by 
the score from all sections and he is worthy 
of the respect and esteem which is so gener- 
ously bestowed upon him. 



HEUSTON D. GHOLSON. A resi- 
dence of nearly one-half century in the terri- 
tory of southeastern Washington and the ad- 
jacent country certainly entitles our subject to 
be classed with the pioneers of the west, and 
when we take into consideration the fact that 
during all those years, he has shown an activ- 
ity in all those enterprises and movements that 
have built up the country to its present pros- 
perous condition, that he has been heart and 
soul in the good work of developing, building 
up and benefitting the country, we are equally 
able to state, that Mr. Gholson is one of the 
builders and makers of this portion of the west. 
He has been associated with many of the old- 
est and leading pioneers of the states of Wash- 
ington and Oregon and shoulder to shoulder, 
has he wrought with them in the work that 
only the broad minded and faithful pioneer 
can do. The best portion of Mr. Gholson's 
life has been spent in this chosen section of the 
west and here where he has accomplished so 
much, he stands today, aged about three score 
years and ten, a man respected and highly es- 
teemed, with many friends from every quar- 
ter. While the golden days of the years of his 
pilgrimage are his now to enjoy, still his years 
sit lightly and he is hearty and vigorous and a 




HEUSTOM D. GHOLSON. 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



489 



man who takes a lively interest in the issues 
and questions of the day. 

Heuston D. Gholson is the son of Granville 
Gholson, who was born in Tennessee, on Feb- 
ruary 7, 1 8 14. In early days G. Gholson 
moved to Illinois, being a pioneer in the 
Prairie State. He married Miss Judia J. Gal- 
lagher, the daughter of James Gallagher, who 
also was born in Tennessee, the date being Oc- 
tober 20, 1 814. Her father was born in Ire- 
land. Our subject is the second of a family of 
ten children, whose names and dates of birth 
appear as follows : Celia C. Davis, deceased, 
born July 28, 1834; Heuston D., November 
27, 1836; Mary E., April 2, 1838; William S. 
November 10, 1840; Sarah A., April 26, 1843; 
Margaret C, March 1, 1845; J onn F -> A P ril 
18, 1847; Elizabeth A., April 18, 1847, died 
October 2, 1849; Harriet A., May 24, 1849; 
Charles Henry, June 4, 1853. In 1836, the 
father with his wife and child started west to 
Iowa and when they arrived at Burlington, our 
subject was born while the family were yet 
on the steamboat. This occurrence occasioned 
some delay in the journey, but in good time 
they started on and soon they reached the 
ground now occupied by the prosperous town 
of Mount Pleasant. Here the father located 
and with the assistance of Saunders Brothers, 
he started the town and it soon began to as- 
sume thriving proportions. For some years 
the family remained in this locality, Henry 
county, and then removed to Bloomfield, in 
Iowa. For some time that was the family 
home and there Mr. Gholson received his first 
schooling. Later they all removed to Han- 
cock county, Illinois and in that place re- 
mained eight years, during which time our 
subject finished his education in the public 
schools. Then came a move to St. John, Put- 
nam county, Missouri where Mr. Gholson, the 
immediate subject of this article, embarked in 
the grocery business, s'till being a young man. 
The father later decided to make another 
move and this time they journeyed back to the 



first home place in Iowa, Mount Pleasant, and 
there they dwelt until April 6, i860, when, 
having prepared the outfits necessary for the 
extended journey across the plains, they set 
out with 'the Winnett train and slowly made 
their way westward. Days lengthened into 
weeks, and they in turn gave place to months 
while the steady procedure of the train was 
towards the setting sun. In due time, and in 
reality in quick time, it being but four months 
and fifteen days from start to finish, they 
reached Athena, Oregon. They had intended 
to locate in Olympia, Washington, but fate de- 
creed otherwise, and they stopped in the coun- 
try now known as the prosperous Inland Em- 
pire. They settled later in Walla Walla and 
our subject embarked in the hotel business, 
leasing the best hotel property in the city. It 
was situated on Main street between Second 
and Third. In those days there was but one 
brick building in Walla Walla. The father 
secured land near Hudson Bay, Umatilla 
county, Oregon and set himself to make a 
home in the west. Heuston D. also took land 
in the same locality but gave personal atten- 
tion to his business in Walla Walla until the 
spring of 1862, when he sold out 'this business 
and removed to his farm. For ten years he 
profitably conducted this and then sold the 
entire property and came back to Walla Walla 
where he established the Farmers Hotel on 
Main street. For a year he conducted the same 
and then being bereaved by the death of his 
wife, he decided to dispose of this business and 
since that time he has been engaged in various 
lines of enterprise, almost invariably with 
good success, having received the prosperity 
that wise actions and thrift demand. 

On February 16, 1863, Mr. Gholson mar- 
ried Miss Isabel, the daughter of Joseph B. 
Goodman, a highly respected pioneer of i860, 
dwelling in the Hudson Bay country in Ore- 
gon. Mrs. Gholson was born in Illinois and 
crossed the plains with her parents when a 
young girl. She was sixteen years of age when 
she was married. To this union the follow- 



496 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



ing named children were born : Leonora E., 
who is married and has one child, a bright 
lad; Addie May, married first to John Rattl- 
miller, by whom she had two children, Carrie 
and Clara, and upon the death of her first hus- 
band she married George Kennison of Long's 
Station, and they are the parents of one child, 
Charles; Estella, the wife of Wallace Dunlap, 
a prosperous farmer residing about four miles 
south from Dayton. This couple have three 
children, Ina G., Laura and an infant son, 
born Friday, January 26, 1906. Mr. Gholson 
makes his home at the present with Mr. and 
Mrs. Dunlap. 

In the political world Mr. Gholson has al- 
ways deemed it incumbent on the good citizen 
to take the part in politics that loyalty and love 
of country would lead to, and while he has 
never sought office, he has always sought to 
place those in office whom he considered re- 
sponsible and men of broad calibre and sagac- 
ity. He is a genuine Jeffersonian Democrat, 
but in no wise partisan, for he does not hesi- 
tate to leave the lines of party when he deems 
it best for 'the interests of the community or 
the country. He has always been a careful 
student of the principles and issues of the 
parties, has sought to secure the solution that 
the interests of the people demanded, and 
when satisfied of a policy, he has always shown 
himself a man of courage to put forth his con- 
victions. 

There are very few of the very early pio- 
neers that are not known personally to Mr. 
Gholson, and scores of them who have gone 
on before, he has labored with in the estab- 
lishment of his commonwealth and in the 
building of it to the present enviable position 
the great Evergreen State holds in the union. 



THOMAS S. LEONARD. In the course 
of the compilation of the History of Southeast- 
ern Washington, it becomes our pleasant duty 
to give in succinct form, a resume of the ca- 



reer of the well known and esteemed gentle- 
man whose name forms the caption of this 
article. In fact, the history of this part of our 
great state could not well be written and leave 
out this name and the work of this gentleman 
has performed. Coming here when the town 
of Dayton was in embryonic estate, and having 
resided here constantly since that time, and 
having been actively engaged not only in prose- 
cuting his own private business, but in the ad- 
vancement of the interests of the county and 
town, it certainly follows that Thomas S. Leon- 
ard is to be given a conspicuous position in the 
recital of the events of history of this region. 

Thomas S. Leonard was born in New York 
state, on April 25, 1840, descending from a 
strong New England family, which hailed 
from Connecticut, of English ancestry. Farm 
life was his lot till he reached his majority, and 
part of each year was spent in study in the 
common schools until the time came when he 
should finish his education in a higher institu- 
tion of learning. Being well fortified in this 
line for the work of life, young Leonard soon 
became possessed of a stirring desire to see the 
west and in i860 we find him in Illinois, and 
in that state and in Iowa he taught school 
until 1863. In the year last named he enlisted 
in the government service and became part of 
an organization that had for its purpose the as- 
sistance of the emigrants in their arduous and 
dangerous trips across the plains to the west. 
This government service was to help ward off 
dangers, to furnish care to the sick, to furnish 
all kinds of supplies needed for, the mainte- 
nance of life and the continuance of the jour- 
ney, to supply medical aid, to select proper and 
appropriate camping grounds, regulalting each 
day's drive to the pace of the oxen that were 
so much used then, and, in fact, to do all that 
could be done to assist in keeping in order and 
within reasonable bounds all this great mass of 
moving humanity that was pouring west, and 
to make the journey as feasible and the way as 
plain as possible. They continued until reach- 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



49 1 



ing the Boise river and there, as it was then 
deemed that the emigrant was in territory of 
reasonable safety, they disbanded and young 
Leonard continued his journey westward. 
They had left Omaha, then a town of about one 
thousand, on June 4, 1863, and he arrived in 
Portland late in November, 1863, having stop- 
ped four weeks in the Grand Ronde valley. 
Portland at that time was a town of about 
three thousand people, and after spending some 
time there, Mr. Leonard drifted to different 
points and finally took up school work again 
near Salem and was principally engaged thus 
until he came, in the fall of 187 1, to Walla 
Walla. He was in company with J. N. 
Thompson, whose biography appears in an- 
other portion of this volume, and the first win- 
ter, that of 1 87 1 -2, they lived together in the 
same house in Walla Walla. In the spring of 
1872 they all came on together to Dayton and 
since that time they have all dwelt here 
and have had a life-long fellowship as friends 
and together they have watched the pro- 
gress and growth of the country and in 
no mean measure have assisted in it all. 
When Mr. Leonard arrived in Dayton it 
consisted of the Red Store, and postoffice, 
conducted by D. C. Guernsey and owned 
by J. N. Day and Mr. Kimball of Walla Walla, 
two blacksmith shops and a few simple resi- 
dences. The population, all told, was doubtless 
not over one hundred souls. Our subject took 
a contract to haul the rock for the foundation 
of the new mill going in, owned by Wait & 
Metzger, and which is now the Portland Flour 
Mill. This was the first large amount of rock 
taken from the quarry known as the Rockhill. 
He also hauled the sand for the first brick 
building which was erected by the well known 
pioneer, S. M 
named. 

In the fall of 1872 Mr. Leonard and wife 
took charge of the school of Dayton and in the 
following spring moved on to a government 
land claim. In 1876 he assisted to organize the 



Wait, for whom Waitsburg was 



county of Columbia and was elected the first 
school superintendent and in this capacity he 
had the numbering of the districts, which was 
done in the order of their creation. At the close 
of his term of office he returned to his land 
claim and devoted himself to farming. Until 
1887 he tilled the place he had taken, and then 
sold it and purchased the place he now owns. 
This was his home until his retirement from 
business in 1898. 

In 1868 occurred the marriage of Mr. 
Leonard and Miss Sarildie R. Herren, a na- 
tive Oregonian, and the daughter of John and 
Docia (Robbins) Herren. Mr. and Mrs Her- 
ren crossed the plains in 1845 from Kentucky 
and settled near Salem. Mrs. Leonard on her 
mother's side came from the prominent Ken- 
tucky family of Robbins and her grandfather, 
William Robbins, enlisted in Captain Joseph 
Clark's company in October, 1777, to fight 
in the Revolution, and served one month. 
He enlisted again September 22, 1778, same 
company, and served one year, and in August, 
1 78 1, he enlisted the third time, same com- 
pany, and served five months. His colonels 
were Dugan and Antony Sharp. His enlist- 
ments occurred from Randolph county, North 
Carolina. He was born October 21, 1761, in 
Randolph county, North Carolina, and died 
September 11, 1834, in Decatur county, Indi- 
ana. He married Bethiah Vickery, on Feb- 
ruary 2.y, 1779, in Guilford county. North 
Carolina. After the war he removed to Frank- 
lin county, Virginia, and resided there twenty- 
five years. Then he went to Henry county, 
Kentucky, and after residing there many 
years he went to Decatur county, Indiana.' 

To our subject and his wife the following 
named children have been born : Caroline 
Eloise, wife of E. S. Isaacs, of Walla Walla ; 
Edgar H., manager of the Portland Flouring 
mills at Dayton and Prescott; Inez, wife of J. 
G. Miller, an attorney of Dayton ; and Eugene 
K., a student in the high school in Dayton. 

Mr. Leonard is a good strong Republican 



492 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



and has always stood for good government 
and the spread of those principles of political 
economy that obtain in the best regulated com- 
munities, while his life has been one which 
stamps him as one of the substantial and capa- 
ble men of the county. 



ANDREW NILSSON. In securing sub- 
scribers for the biographical department of this 
history, it has been the aim of the publishers 
to gather together only such men who have by 
their individuality left their impress upon the 
community and whose lives do not only re- 
flect credit upon themselves but are also a 
guide and lesson for future generations. We 
are, therefore, pleased to be able to incorporate 
herein a brief resume of the life of the gentle- 
man whose name heads this memoir. 

Andrew Nilsson was born in south Swe- 
den, in the province of Skoane, September 4, 
1844. His parents. Nils and Kjerstie Larson, 
never came to the United States but spent their 
lives in their native country. Andrew's early 
life was passed like that of most other boys in 
his vicinity. His father was a farmer and 
gave his children the benefits of the educa- 
tional advantages that were there afforded. At 
the proper age the lad was apprenticed to learn 
the blacksmith trade, which he mastered in all 
its branches and became a skilled and pro- 
ficient mechanic. 

Feeling that the new world afforded better 
advantages for his craft, he embarked in 1870 
for America and first located in Nebraska, but 
later went to Deer Lodge, Montana, and in 
1874 settled in Walla Walla where he re- 
mained following his ' trade for about three 
years. Next he came to Dayton and in part- 
nership with John Hutcheon started a black- 
smith shop. After two years he sold his in- 
terest to his partner and returned on a visit 
to Sweden for six months. Then he returned 



to Dayton and opened the shop which for 
more than a quarter of a century has enjoyed 
the reputation of being one of the most sub- 
stantial concerns in Columbia county and is 
today the largest house of its kind in Dayton. 
Our subject continued to operate the business 
alone until 1892 at which time he admitted 
his brother, Lars Nilsson into the business, the 
firm then becoming known as Nilsson Broth- 
ers. Lars Nilsson spent eleven years in his, 
brother's employ before he was taken into the 
firm and during all those years the lives of 
the brothers have been inseparable. And even 
now, though the senior member of the firm 
has retired from business and has somewhat 
put aside the cares of a busy life, he still takes 
an active interest in the success of the estab- 
lishment he organized so many years ago and 
which for so long he conducted successfully. 

Mr. Nilsson has always been a public spir- 
ited man and has taken a lively interest in the 
affairs of his city and county. Politically he is 
a Republican and has served in the city coun- 
cil and has held other offices of trust. He was 
director and vice president of the Citizens 
National Bank of Dayton at the time it con- 
solidated with the Columbia National Bank 
and is now serving on the board of directors 
of the latter institution. His honesty and in- 
tegrity have always maintained an unsullied 
reputation and his ability as a financier has been 
a valuable acquisition to the financial interests 
of Dayton. 

Fraternally, Mr. Nilsson is conspicuously 
identified with the Masonic order. He is Past 
W. M. of Dayton Lodge, No. 53, has filled 
the chair of high priest of Dayton chapter, No. 
5, and has been called to the exalted office of 
grand high priest of the state of Washington, 
R. A. M. 

Mr. Nilsson was united in marriage in 
1883 to Miss Ella Pierson, a native of Swe- 
den. They reside at Dayton and enjoy the so- 
ciety and respect of the community. 





Andrew Nilsson 



Lars Nilsson 




Goldsmith Hammer 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



493 



LARS NILSSON, of the firm of Nilsson 
Brothers, blacksmiths and wagonmakers of 
Dayton, was born in Sweden. He received 
his education in his native country and spent 
the first nineteen years of his life on his father's 
and the adjoining farms. After that he spent 
two years in learning the wagonmakers trade 
and arrived in Dayton on May 22, 1880, with 
his brother, Andrew, who is mentioned else- 
where in this volume. The brother had 
formerly been to the United States and re- 
turned to the Fatherland for a visit. On this 
trip to the New World our subject and his 
brother were accompanied by their sister, 
Sophia, who is now the wife of John R. Rup- 
ley, a prominent farmer and business man of 
Pullman, Washington and now serving as 
commissioner of Whitman county. The three 
came direct to Dayton and the first year our 
subject was engaged on a farm. The eleven 
succeeding years were spent in laboring for 
his brother in the wagon shop in Dayton. 
Then, in 1892, a partnership was formed be- 
tween the brothers and since they have oper- 
ated the business together until November 1, 
1905. On that day, Andrew Nilsson had been 
in the business twenty-five years and he retired 
and our subject became sole owner. 

In 1890 Mr. Nilsson went to Sweden 
where he spent six months visiting his boy- 
hood home. Here he met Johanna Stohlberg 
and they decided to become husband and wife, 
but owing to the laws of Sweden, as Mr. Nils- 
son was an American citizen, the marriage 
could not be consummated there. But cupid 
was not to be turned aside and they both took 
passage on the same ship and when in their 
journey they came to Chicago, they were 
married. They came on to Dayton, and to 
this union two children were born, Esther J. 
and Arthur N. On March 2, 1894, Mrs. Nils- 
son died. On December 25, 1896, Mr. Nils- 
son married Lydia E. Stohlberg, a sister of 
his former wife. She came to America in 
May, 1895. To this marriage one child has 



been born, Andrew L. Mrs. Nilsson's father, 
Andrew Stohlberg, was a native of Sweden 
and for years was inspector of the national ar- 
senals of his country. He is now retired on a 
pension, being aged eighty. 

Mr. Nilsson is a member of the A. F. & 
A. M., and the R. A. M., being past master 
and past high priest and he has also been dele- 
gate to the grand lodge and the chapter. He 
belongs to the K. P., is past C. C, and has 
been delegate to the grand lodge of this order. 
He is, also, a member of the A. O. U. W. 
and is past W. M. and has been delegate to 
the grand lodge of that order. Mr. Nilsson 
is a member of the city council and was dele- 
gate to the Republican convention at Olympia 
in 1902, and is an active, progressive, and up- 
to-date business man. He owns a nice home 
on Third and Washington and has a choice 
library. 



GOLDSMITH HAMMER has the dis- 
tinction of being one of the earliest settlers in 
the now great state of Oregon, his father 
Jacob Hammer, crossed the plains in 1844, 
bringing our subject to the place of the former 
and made settlement in the Willamette valley. 
He was among the very first white men to 
select land and open a farm there and deserves 
great commendation for his faithful labors as 
a pioneer. He was born in Ohio and when a 
young man, went to Indiana and later to Mis- 
souri spending in that state the winter of 
1843-44. In the spring of that year, he pre- 
pared ox team conveyances and turned to the 
west to make the trip where Whitman had 
blazed the way the year previous. As an un- 
known wilderness, the great plains and moun- 
tains stretched westward and the little train 
threaded their way with care under their 
leader until finally they landed in the beautiful 
Willamette valley. After some time there, 
Mr. Hammer went to Benton county, Oregon 
and selected a donation claim which is still 



494 



HISTORV OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



owned by his son Ellis. He became one of the 
leading men of that country and was known 
far and near. He remained in Benton county 
until his death, living to reach the ripe old age 
of 76 years. He had married Miss Hannah 
Cox, a native of Indiana and together they 
did all those labors and made the journeys 
mentioned. 

Our subject was born in Missouri, on Feb- 
ruary 9, 1844. He now resides one mile north 
from Huntsville, Washington, where he has 
a fine farm. Mr. Hammer was only a few 
months old when his parents started across the 
plains with him and his education has been re- 
ceived in the pioneer countries of the west. He 
has seen Oregon transformed from an un- 
broken wilderness to its present prosperous 
condition and has also witnessed a great 
change in the state of Washington. In 1861, 
Mr. Hammer came east of the mountains and 
was soon engaged in farming and packing to 
the mines. Working for his brother-in-law one 
year, then he returned to Oregon and there 
married. In 1870. he came to southeastern 
Washington and took a homestead in the Blue 
mountains. Later, in 1873, he bought land 
where he now lives and since that time, for 
over thirty years, has remained on this one 
place. His attention has been given to farm- 
ing and stock raising continuously and owing 
to the industry and wisdom manifested he has 
secured a fine success. He owns a half section 
of land and a nice home. All buildings and 
other improvements needed for the business 
are supplied. Mr. Hammer has laid by a fair 
competence for the golden years of his life 
and he is to be congratulated upon being 
able to enjoy the fruits of his labors in the 
country that he assisted to reclaim from the 
wilds of nature. 

In 1870, Mr. Hammer married Miss Lu- 
rissa A. Hill, who was born in Iowa in the 
early fifties and came to Oregon with her pa- 
rents, Ebin and Nancy (Haight) Hill. To 
Mr. and Mrs. Hammer, the following children 



have been born," named as follows : Lester, 
Eudocia, Alvin, Carrie, Loren, Veva and 
Jesse and Anna deceased. For more than 
twenty years Mr. Hammer operated a thresh- 
ing outfit here. He has been school director 
for eleven years, and is now interested in a 
coffee plantation in Mexico. 



JOHN D. ROSE, one of the well to do 
and influential agriculturists of Columbia 
county has a fine estate where he makes his 
home some three miles south of Dayton. The 
place is a model western farm, with all the 
conveniences known to the day and supplied 
with all modern machinery both to conduct it 
successfully and also, in addition, a large steam 
threshing outfit with which Mr. Rose does 
much work in the adjacent country, he being 
a man of skill and experience in handling this 
line of work. The estate consists of four 
hundred and eighty acres of fertile land well 
tilled and in a high state of cultivation, where 
Mr. Rose's taste and sound practical ideas have 
been exemplified. He has a modern nine room 
residence, beautifully located and surrounded 
with every thing to make life happy and enjoy- 
able. Mr. Rose is a man of practical ideas and 
his is a success not obtained in a lucky vision- 
ary manner, but he has squarely met the ques- 
tions of life, has taken hold of things as they 
exist and with consummate skill and perse- 
verance has carved a success and a fortune 
out of the west to justify fully Horace Gree- 
ley's advice, "go west." 

Scioto county in the far away Buckeye 
State is the place where our subject first saw 
the light, and his father before him, as nature 
destined this son to be also, was a pioneer and 
wrung from the wilderness of nature's unsub- 
dued domain the subsistence that enabled him 
to rear a fine large family and which entitled 
him to be placed in the worthy list of path 
finders and pioneers whose noble works have 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



495 



given to this generation the heritage of the 
grandest country the sun shines on at this day. 
Eli Rose, the father of our subject, was born 
on Ohio soil in 1837, and died in Washington 
on May 9, 1896. In the early part of 1862, 
he prepared an ox team outfit and headed his 
little train across the plains and traveled 
toward the setting sun for nearly nine weary 
months when one October morn, he halted his 
travel worn and tired animals in the little town 
of Walla Walla, then but a hamlet and little 
promising the grand future that is now resting 
its bounty on town and country alike. Our 
subject was then but two years of age, having 
been born on December 18, 1859. The trip 
had not been without its sadness, for the father 
and mother had started with a little flock of 
three children, but while they journeyed on 
through Indiana, one, the next older than our 
subject, sickened and died, and they left a 
little mound in a country graveyard while they 
moved on toward the unseen west. Our sub- 
ject's mother was a woman of noble sentiment 
and was a true helpmate to the father, and 
spent her life in making a home and rearing 
her children in this new country. Her maiden 
name was Katherine Boldman, and she was 
born on September 23, 1835, in Ohio. She 
died on May 9, 1898, in this state. The father 
selected a home on the Walla Walla river, 
eight miles southwest from the town, and there 
set about making a cabin and improving the 
place. For three years he labored in that place 
and then removed to Oregon, whence shortly 
afterward he returned to the old Hudson Bay 
place near Walla Walla, where four years 
were spent. Next he settled at Summit near 
Dixie and later lived at the place where 
Long's station now is. 

In those days the little handful of settlers 
that happened to be close enough clubbed to- 
gether and hired a school teacher who would 
train, for a few months each year, the children, 
using some little log cabin for a school house. 



Thus our subject secured his education, gaining 
a fair proficiency in the three R's, which was all 
that could be clone at that time. At the early 
age of twelve he left even this scanty means of 
education and began work on the farms, and 
at freighting and until he was of age continued 
thus, assisting his father in the support of the 
large family of children. The names of the 
children in the order of their births follows : 
Mary J. Hewett, in Yamhill county, Oregon ; 
Lewis, the one who died en route west; John 
D., the immediate subject of this article; 
Cynthia A. Jumwalt, of Grangeville, Idaho; 
Vine M., at Waitsburg; Joseph J., in Dayton; 
Amanda George, at Kendrick, Idaho; William 
at Washtucna ; Martha Royse, and Frank, both 
in Dayton. 

On May 9, 1881, Mr. Rose took to himself 
a wife, the maiden name of the lady of his 
choice being Miss Annie Puckett, a native of 
Tennessee. Her father, Sebe Puckett, came 
across the plains in 1880, this daughter ac- 
companying him, the mother having died in 
the east. Mr. Puckett died in Whitman coun- 
ty in 1896. Immediately after marriage Mr. 
Rose began making a home for himself, and 
soon took a pre-emption near Grangeville, 
Idaho. After proving up, in 1882, he came to 
a place twelve miles east of Dayton and there 
farmed rented land for three years. Next we 
see him in Lincoln county in the stock business, 
which occupied him seven years. Selling his 
interest in this last place, he came to the farm 
where he now resides and for several years 
rented it and then bought it. Like all the 
other settlers in this country he had a hard ex- 
perience in 1893, not realizing a dollar on his 
entire crop. Mr. Rose is a man of persever- 
ance, however, and his best judgment told him 
that this was a fine country and he stayed with 
it and managed in various ways to hold onto 
his property. He invested every dollar he 
could gain in land and his wise move is now 
very apparent in the nice holdings he enjoys, 
which provide a generous competence for the 



496 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



later years of his life. One thing Mr. Rose can 
take especial pride in is the fact that he does not 
owe a dollar on his property and everything 
that he possesses is free from any incumbrance. 

The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Rose 
are named as follows : Bertha Hoy, of Wash- 
tucna ; Dennis, in Dayton ; Richard, in Taco- 
ma ; Fannie Love, in Dayton ; Nellie, Minnie, 
Winnie, Lena and Don, all at home, and two, 
John and Alfred, deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Rose 
have labored hard in making a financial sus- 
cess during their lives and in rearing a large 
family who are all good members of society. 

In political matters the principles of the 
Democratic party appeal most strongly to Mr. 
Rose, but he is not bound by party lines, re- 
serving for his own judgment the choice of the 
best man. 



GEORGE F. JACKSON. To be privi- 
leged to recount the accomplishments of the 
life of the chief executive of the progressive 
city of Dayton is certainly a pleasure, for in his 
career we find exemplified so many of those 
qualities of sterling worth characteristic of the 
true man and the American, that chronicling 
them on the printed page for the perusal of 
those who will come after is to be esteemed a 
rendition of assistance to younger men who 
will toil up the same way of life where he has 
made so plain a path and so acceptable a record. 
To refuse a fallen brother a helping hand and 
to "pass by on the other side" is counted 
by the world as selfishness, and rightly so, too. 
But how akin to that is it for a successful man 
to keep tight sealed in his breast the accounts 
of those spots in life where he has had the 
fiercest battles and overcome, for how inesti- 
mably beneficial Avould a recounting of those 
trials be to the younger ones traveling the same 
road and meeting the same obstacles. 

First in the life of Mr. Jackson, we wish to 
mention that he was reared on the frontier and 
so had limited opportunity for educational in- 



struction, and even as limited as were his privi- 
leges, they were entirely cut off when he was 
twelve. But bear in mind that the primitive log 
cabin school houses on the western frontier 
with their three months' term in the year could 
have placed but little instruction before a child 
of twelve. With that scanty fitting the lad 
started in life, for all the time after that he 
never was a pupil in school. However, learn- 
ing and wisdom are to be had other places than 
in the conventional school room and when the 
soul thirsts for information, ways will be 
opened up that to the sluggish never appear. 
Mr. Jackson can scarcely tell where and how, 
but every stray book that came his way was 
levied upon for its quota, and general reading 
furnished him with a fund of information that 
has remained with him all through his busi- 
ness life. He is decidedly a practical man and 
this talent of seeking the practical and the use- 
ful and not losing his time with the theoretic 
and visionary things of life has been one secret 
of his success in life. 

George F. Jackson was born in Stark 
county, Illinois, June 15, 1848. His father, 
George W. Jackson, was born in New York 
state, came to Illinois in 1830, and followed 
cabinet making until 1852, in which year 
he journeyed to the Willamette valley, 
Oregon. Finally, in 1892, he came on to 
Washington and died in Columbia county in 
the fall of 1894, aged eighty-four. He had 
married Elizabeth Farr, also a native of New 
York. She was born six years previous to her 
husband's birth and died the winter following 
his demise. Our subject is the sixth of a fam- 
ily of nine children. Two of his brothers re- 
side in Washington, Richard A., in Columbia 
county, and John H. in Garfield county. One 
brother, Scott, died at Paducah, Kentucky,, 
while in the union army during the Civil War. 
George F. was reared on the frontier of Illi- 
nois and Iowa, and was most of the time on a 
farm. He labored as the boys of those days 
did, in farm work, and when twenty-one, se- 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



497 



cured a piece of land for himself. To farming 
this he devoted himself until 1879, when he 
came west to Washington, chosing Dayton as 
the objective point. This journey occupied the 
time from March 25, until April 16, and was 
by rail, to San Francisco, thence by steamer to 
Portland and thence by boat and wagon to 
Dayton. Dr. Baker's railroad was the only 
one in the southeastern part of the territory 
then. After a year's stay in Dayton, Mr. Jack- 
son took up land fourteen miles north of the 
town, the same being now in Garfield county. 
He went into stock business in a small way and 
also did carpentering, a trade he had perfected 
himself in years before that. One hundred 
dollars represented the entire amount of Mr. 
Jackson's assets when he settled here, but so 
wisely and well has he manipulated his affairs 
that he now has six thousand acres of good 
land and is rated as one of the leading men of 
the county. He also has other property. In 1894 
Mr. Jackson determined to retire somewhat 
from the arduousness of farm life and so re- 
moved to Dayton permanently and thence man- 
ages his affairs. 

Politically Mr. Jackson has always shown 
himself intelligent and actively interested for 
the welfare of the country. He has always 
been associated with the Republican party and 
is a stanch supporter of the principles they 
stand for. While not a politician, still Mr. 
Jackson takes keen interest in political questions 
and in 1904 the people of Dayton called him to 
the chair of chief executive of the city and so 
well pleasing to them were his acts in this capa- 
city that in 1905, he was promptly re-elected. 

In November, 1870, Mr. Jackson married 
Miss Cynthia Barrows, who died in 1885. In 
1886 he married Annie Oliphant, a native of 
Ohio, who came to Washington with her 
brother about 1881. Mr. Jackson has four 
sons, all of whom reside in Columbia county. 
Charles C. served in the Philippine War, 
Frederick A. and John L. are associated with 
their father, and George W. is assistant cash- 
ier in the Columbia National Bank. 

32 



Fraternally, Mr. Jackson is affiliated with 
the I. O. O. F.- and is thoroughly alive to the 
interests of his chosen city and county, while 
his long residence here entitles him to be rank- 
ed with the builders of this political division. 



CHARLES REYNOLDS DORR was 

born in Trinity county, California, on June 22, 
1 86 1. His father, James Clarkson Dorr, was 
born in Dover, Maine, November 2, 1831, and 
after graduating at Dartmouth College came 
to California, where he practiced his profession 
of physician and surgeon. He was elected to 
the California legislature and voted for the 
amendment abolishing slavery at the session of 
1865 and 1866. Our subject's mother was 
Ellen Reynolds Dorr, who was born in Otsego 
county, New York. She came to California as 
a teacher in 1859, and the same year was mar- 
ried to Dr. Dorr. They located in Trinity 
county, where they lived for six years, and then 
removed to Rohnerville, Humboldt county, 
where they resided until 1879, when they came 
to Dayton, Washington. Dr. Dorr was en- 
gaged in contracting for some time, and filled 
the office of justice of the peace in Dayton for 
four years, and later engaged in the drug busi- 
ness, which he continued until his death in 
1892. Mrs. Dorr died on the ocean returning 
home from the Philippine Islands on November 
2, 1903, and was buried at sea. Their son, 
Charles, the subject of this sketch, received his 
education in the public schools of Rohnerville, 
California, and came to Dayton in 1878, where 
he was employed in the postoffice under Wil- 
liam Matzger, then postmaster, and soon after 
entered the office of E. R. Burk, clerk of the 
district court, where he remained until 1883, 
being appointed deputy clerk, as soon as he 
arrived of age. In 1883 he became cashier of 
the First National Bank of Dayton, where he 
remained until 1885, reading law of evenings 
under Judge M. M. Godman. He was ad- 
mitted to the bar in 1886, and the same year 
was elected prosecuting attorney, which posi- 



498 



HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. 



tion he filled for two years. In 1891 he formed 
a partnership in the law business with C. F. 
Miller, which continued until his death, Au- 
gust 6, 1892. 

Mr. Charles R. Dorr was married October 
22, 1886, to Miss Lizzie Rainwater, of Dayton, 
and had two children, Harry and Anita, who 
are still living. His wife died January 4, 1889. 
Mr. Dorr was always prominent in military, 
social and lodge circles, and had a winning 
way which brought him to the front in every- 
thing. He was first lieutenant of Company F, 
of the First Regiment of the Washington Na- 
tional Guard from 1887 until his death. He 
was grand vice chancellor of the grand lodge 
of Knights of Pythias at the time of his death. 
During the six years of his law practice he 
became a fine speaker and was one of the best 
trial lawyers in southeastern Washington, and 
had he lived would undoubtedly have become 
one of the great men of the state. During the 
campaign of 1890 he stumped the southeastern 
part of Washington for the Republican ticket, 
and made a good reputation as a public speaker. 
In fact it was a common saying among all who 
knew him, that where others were good, 
Charley Dorr was brilliant. 



HON. ELISHA PING was born in Ken- 
tucky on March 13, 1819. Before arriving at 
age he moved to Indiana, settling near Terre 
Haute, where he was married to Lucretia Kuy- 
kendall in 1840. In 185 1 they crossed the 
plains and settled in Douglas county, Oregon. 
In 1859 he came to Columbia county, Wash- 
ington, and located his homestead, which is 
now partially included in the city limits of Day- 
ton. He then returned to the Willamette val- 
ley and the next summer brought his family to 
Columbia county, arriving August 19, i860. 
His wife died in 1863, and in 1865 he married 
Mrs. Melinda Auxier, who died in 1873. In 
1882 he married Mrs. Sarah E. Tarbox, who 



survived him. He died August 16, 1890, leav- 
ing five children, all by his first wife. They 
were Sarah E. Miller, Jemima Critchfield, 
Robert Ping, Frank E. Ping and Julia Cart- 
right, all then living in Columbia and Garfield 
counties. 

Elisha Ping was a quiet, unassuming man, 
of fair education and excellent judgment. He 
was engaged in farming and stockraising until 
1866, when he became interested in the Milton 
mills at what is now Long's Station, in Colum- 
bia county, and lived at that place for a few 
years. Afterwards he returned to his old home- 
stead, where he lived until 1875, when he sold 
out and moved into Dayton, and remained 
there looking after his large business interests 
until 1889, when he purchased a large tract of 
land near Covello, and moved on the farm, 
where he was living at the time of his death. 
He was financially successful from the time he 
came to the territory of Washington and be- 
came quite wealthy. 

Mr. Ping always took a great interest in 
public affairs, and represented Walla Walla 
county in the legislature four times, when that 
county included all of the country south of 
Snake river. He introduced and secured the 
passage of a bill dividing Walla Walla county 
and creating Ping county, which was named 
after him, but owing to some technical defects 
the bill was vetoed by the governor and a new 
bill introduced at the same session creating Co- 
lumbia county. He was elected to the legisla- 
ture from Columbia county twice, after its cre- 
ation. He was always a stanch Democrat, and 
his political history is a part of the history of 
southeastern Washington. 

Mr. Ping was one of those rugged pioneers 
who helped to blaze the trail of civilization, as 
it moved westward. He helped to build up the 
early settlement of four different states, and 
was always on the frontier. His reputation as 
a pioneer, a legislator, an honest man and a 
good citizen was well earned. 



PART IV 

HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY 



CHAPTER I 



CURRENT EVENTS— 1860 TO 1891. 



A portion of the earlier history of that di- 
vision of Washington which is now known as 
Garfield county has been related in previous 
chapters of this work. In 1806 the country 
was visited by the Lewis and Clark expedition 
on its return trip from the Pacific coast. They 
traversed what is now the southeastern por- 
tion of Washington, following the ancient Nez 
Perce trails described in the opening chapter 
of the History of Columbia County. These 
trails crossed Garfield county, the general trend 
being easterly and westerly. 

There is no record, authentic, or otherwise, 
of any white man having attempted to make 
settlement within the limits of the present Gar- 
field county prior to i860. Missionary Spald- 
ing, the friend and co-laborer of the martyred 
Dr. Marcus Whitman, came to the northwest 
in 1836, and temporarily located at the mouth 
of the Alpowa, just outside of the present 
boundaries of Garfield county. Here he ex- 
ercised a beneficent influence over the Indians 
in the whole of this country ; to this influence 
and energy are due the first signs of civiliza- 
tion in this immediate neighborhood. In 1894 
the State Historical Society received from H. 
H. Spalding, of Almota, Washington, the 



first millstone ever used in the Territory. It 
was ground out of a piece of granite sometime 
in the 40's, and utilized by Indians near Al- 
powa to grind their grain. This .cereal they 
had been taught to grow by Missionary 
Spalding during his residence among them. 
Alpowa, where the stone was used, on the 
Snake river, below Lewiston, Idaho, is now 
within the limits of the county of which this 
history treats. This millstone is three feet in 
diameter, one foot in thickness and has a round 
hole in the center seven or eight inches in di- 
ameter. 

One of the earliest actual settlers in the 
present Garfield territory was Parson Quinn. 
In i860 he located on Pataha creek, eleven 
miles west of the present city of Pom- 
eroy, where he resided until his death, at 
the age of eighty years, June 26, 1900. Par- 
son Quinn was born on Long Island, New 
York, March 17, 1820. At the age of twelve 
he went to New York City, where he lived six 
years with a Mr. Murphy. Following a short 
subsequent residence in Iowa he migrated to 
California in 1852, where he engaged in min- 
ing. He came to Olympia in 1854, and was 
employed in logging until the Indian war of 



5°° 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



1856-7, in Washington, through which fierce 
struggle he passed heroically and with honors. 
At the time he settled on Pataha creek there 
was only one other house in his vicinity. 
Throughout his life Parson Quinn was noted 
for his ostentatious hospitality, and it is 
said that he never turned any one away from his 
cabin hungry when he had within anything to 
eat. February 11, 1893, the Pomeroy East 
IVashingtonian said editorially: 

"Parson Quinn came into Pomeroy on the 
train Monday night to attend superior court. 
Parson is the oldest settler on Pataha creek, 
having located here in i860. He has never 
been east of the state since then except when 
he visited Lewiston to purchase supplies a few 
years ago. Parson's ride Monday was the 
first he had taken on a train since he first set- 
tled on the Pataha, and the first railway train 
he saw after leaving the east in 1852 was the 
construction train on the Pataha road." 

The first dwelling house constructed in the 
present Garfield county was on Pataha creek. 
It was built by Thomas Riley, who soon after- 
ward disposed of it to James Rafferty. Among 
the other pioneers along Pataha creek, aside 
from Parson Quinn, were James Bowers, 
1 861 ; J. M. Pomeroy, 1864, an d James and 
Walter Rigsby, 1865. Bowers located on the 
present site of Pataha City. Pomeroy's claim 
was the present townsite of the city of Pom- 
eroy and county seat of Garfield county. 

It was during the unusually severe winter 
of 1861-2 when practically ' all the stock of 
eastern Washington perished, that two men 
lost their lives in Garfield county, near the 
head of what, from that dismal date, has been 
known as "Deadman Hollow." The unfortu- 
nate men were supposed to have been on 
their way from Florence, or the Oro Fino 
mines, to Walla Walla, and lost their way in 
the drifting snow, perishing from cold, hunger 
and exhaustion. The remains were discovered 
the following spring and buried. A monu- 
mental pile of rough, basaltic rock was erected 



on the spot one mile from the Dayton and 
Lewiston road. 

In the spring of 1862 sparse settlements 
were made along the route of the stage road 
from Walla Walla to Lewiston, on the Pataha 
and Alpowa, so soon as the line was estab- 
lished. The land in the vicinity at that period 
was considered fit only for cattle grazing. 
July 2, 1904, the East IVashingtonian said: 

"Speaking of old-timers who have had 
continuous residence within that region now 
included by the boundary lines of Garfield 
county, perhaps Mrs. Peter McClung would 
be a prominent figure in that class. On July 4,. 
next, she will have been here thirty-nine years, 
seven months and one day, or all of her life,, 
except three months. The next on the list, we 
believe, is Andy Lee, of Alpowa, who has re- 
sided here continuously since 1865. Charlie 
Ward will come next, having held continuous 
residence since 1866. We believe Allie Ows- 
ley is the oldest native son. He was born on 
the Pataha creek, near 'Rafferty's,' in Septem- 
ber, 1869, while the Owsley family were on 
their way to settle on the place which they still 
occupy, five miles below Pomeroy. The oldest 
married couple are Mr. and Mrs. Solomon 
Ashby, whose wedded life covers a period of 
more than fifty-nine years. C. A. McCabe is an- 
other one of the prominent old-timers. He came 
to this country in 1865 and was camped on the 
Tucanon, at the point where Marengo is now 
situated, on the night of President Lincoln's 
assassination, April 14, 1865." 

Frank McBrearty located a farm on Pa- 
taha creek about 1864, and made his home 
there practically all the time until his death, in 
November, 1899. 

Joseph M. Pomeroy, from whom the cap- 
ital of Garfield county was named, was one of 
the very earliest pioneers in that portion of 
Walla Walla, which is now Garfield county. 
He came to Washington Territory in the 
spring of 1863, taking charge of a ranch and 
stage station where is now the present site of 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



501 



Dayton, Columbia county. In December, 
1864, he purchased the land on which the city 
of Pomeroy now stands. Here he conducted 
a farm and raised stock until 1877, when he 
laid out the town site of Pomeroy. Says the 
East Washingtonian : 

"J. M. Pomeroy was born in Ashtabula 
■county, Ohio, March 20, 1830. In 1850 he 
moved to Illinois and crossed the plains to 
Oregon in 1852. He spent part of the time 
that year in mining at Sailor Diggings, in 
southern Oregon, returning to Salem, Oregon, 
that winter on foot. The following year he 
took up a claim in Oregon. Having learned 
the wagon maker's trade in the east, he estab- 
lished a wagon shop in Salem, and carried it on 
for five years. 

"In 1863 he came east of the Cascade 
Mountains and had charge of the stage station 
and ranch where Dayton now. stands. That 
fall he went back to Salem, sold his ranch and 
wagon shop and came out to this country, but 
sickness detained him until the spring of 1864. 
On the 8th of December, 1864, he purchased 
the ranch on which the city of Pomeroy now 
stands from a man named Walter Sunder- 
land." 

Taking a retrospective glance at the earlier 
history of Garfield county the Walla Walla 
Union -of April, 1894, says: 

"A quarter of a century or more ago there 
were two famous eating houses on the stage road 
between Walla Walla and Lewiston, houses 
which were the occasion of many heated ar- 
guments between those who had been over the 
road as to which was the better, houses at 
either of which the traveler, tired and sore from 
the lurching of the stage, was sure of a sub- 
stantial meal, the memory of which as it flitted 
through the brain, lingered and made the 
mouth water. These were the houses which the 
familiar, all-pervading, time-serving drummer 
contracted into Turn's' and 'Freeman's.' The 
former was located near what is now the cen- 
ter of the thriving city of Pomeroy; the lat- 



ter was on the Alpowa, about half way between 
Turn's' and Lewiston. Coming passengers 
dined at Pomeroy's ; going they took break- 
fast at Freeman's. Possibly stage passengers 
have eaten better cooked meals and sat down 
to more attractive tables than those found at 
Freeman's and Pomeroy's, but they never said 
so while at either place, or elsewhere. Delicious 
bread, fresh from the oven, that which was 
properly seasoned by age, sweet butter, thick 
cream in genuine coffee, meats done to a turn, 
chicken fried or .stewed, vegetables in their 
season, fruits, pastry, each and all 'fit to set 
before a king," were provided in profusion in 
both places. In winter huge fires in equally 
huge fire-places thawed out the frozen trav- 
eler. In summer cold buttermilk cooled his 
heated blood and washed the alkali dust out of 
his throat." 

In 1 86 1 Mr. Freeman and A. E. Lee came 
from Oregon and settled on the Tucanon 
river, three miles below Marengo, in the pres- 
ent Columbia county. They remained there 
until 1865, and then purchased of Mr. Turner 
the place on the Pataha lying east of Raff- 
erty's." They went to the Alpowa in 1870, 
making their home at a place, one mile be- 
low the Lee residence,, afterward purchasing 
the latter location from Dan Favor. 

Newton Estes was the original settler in 
Deadman Hollow, going there in 1870, where 
he was extensively engaged in raising horses 
and cattle. Subsequently Samuel T. Jones, 
Frank Ping, John Linn and Archie McBrearty 
located along the stream. 

The dawn of agriculture in Garfield county 
appeared in 1870. That season a few persons 
on Alpowa ridge and Pataha prairie raised 
crops of grain that soon attracted the attention 
of others, and induced them to locate farms in 
that fertile tract. Among the earlier settlers on 
Pataha prairie were Rev. Mr. Calaway, 1870; 
Isaac Coatney, '1871 ; William Chester, 1871 ; 
B. F. Morris, 1871 ; Derrick Zemmel, 1871 ; 
Robert Storey, spring of 1872. In the fall of 



502 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



1872 the prairie received quite a settlement. 
Settlement in other portions of what was later 
to become Garfield county was tardy, owing 
to the fact that lands nearer the Columbia 
riyer were not all taken, and it was then the 
popular impression that the best and most 
profitable land lay along the big and little 
streams of Washington Territory. 

The Alpowa "Toll Road" was among the 
earliest constructed highways in the county. 
For a term of twenty-five years the Alpowa 
Toll Road Company was operated, it having 
been incorporated by B. B. Hayward and M. 
Fettis, November 9, 1872. This road was 
built and March 20. 1873, it was sold to N. A. 
\\ neeler. From that date until May, 1892, Mr. 
Wheeler lived at the toll house and personally 
superintended the operation of his road. On 
the latter date, for the consideration of $1, he 
deeded this thoroughfare to Garfield county. 

About 1872 Mr. and Mrs. McBrearty came 
to the Pataha creek country and settled on 
what is still known as the McBrearty farm, 
twelve miles below Pomeroy, where they lived 
continuously, with the exception of four years, 
until their deaths in 1900 and 1902 respectively. 

At the time Columbia county was formed 
in 1875, there was probably less than 200 set- 
tlements in the region which was later set off 
as Garfield county, including the present Gar- 
field and Asotin counties. These 200 settle- 
ments would mean, doubtless, a population of 
500 people. No town existed and no effort 
had been made to establish one other than the 
founding of a postoffice on the Pataha for the 
accommodation of those living along that 
stream. But the few years following 1875 
witnessed a great change in this respect. The 
Pataha prairie and Alpowa ridge filled up with 
settlers ; the rich lands along Deadman Hollow 
were taken, and immigrants poured into and 
located upon a large proportion of the rich 
agricultural soil of the county. In 1876 Co- 
lumbia Center, the first town, was founded, 
and two years later Pomeroy, Pataha City and 



Asotin City came into being. ' A number of 
points for the shipment of grain along Snake 
river were also established in the late 70's. 
September 23, 1893, the Columbia Chronicle 
said : 

"About fifteen years ago (1878) we were 
up on the Alpowa creek at the house of an old- 
time stock raiser, whose name was Ray Al- 
phrey. He was feeling badly because the 
bunch grass hills were being taken up by peo- 
ple who wanted to 'farm.' 'Never mind,' says 
the old man, 'them fellows up on the hills will 
starve out some day, and we will get the range 
back. They will freeze out some time in the 
month of August.' " 

The first celebration of Independence Day 
within the Garfield county limits was on July 
4, 1878. The exercises were held up in the 
Blue Mountains beyond the Pataha flats. It 
is recorded in the files of the Columbia Chron- 
icle by Editor H. H. Gale, that "the celebra- 
tion was a grand success in all respects so far 
as the people were concerned. A neat arbor 
for the orator, reader and musicians had been 
arranged in a lovely pine grove ; plenty of seats 
for the large crowd ; a substantial table which 
was loaded with eatables. The oration was well 
delivered; Judge J. C. Potter read the Declar- 
ation well ; the choir and string band furnished 
good music, but the day was cold and showery, 
the celebration was too far up the mountain 
for a comfortable temperature; however, it 
was a pleasant and memorable day in all other 
respects. In the evening a grand ball was 
given on Pataha prairie." 

Extending from Dayton to Lewiston, 
through Garfield county, the first telegraph 
line was established in 1879. I* passed 
through Pomeroy, affording that new town 
its first telegraphic connection with the outside 
world. The following year another line was 
built from Pomeroy to Colfax and Coeur 
d'Alene, and at the former place was estab- 
lished a United States signal service station. 

In the history of Columbia county will be 



HISTORY OF- GARFIELD COUNTY. 



505 



found a general description of the disastrous 
wind storm of January 9, 1880. We have 
here only to record its local features as it af- 
fected Garfield county and the vicinity of Pom- 
eroy. At the latter place the new Catholic 
church, the frame of which only was standing, 
was blown to the ground and a number of 
other buildings seriously damaged. In the 
mountains considerable timber was blown 
down and piled in windfalls many feet in 
height. The Pomeroy meat market was blown 
from its foundation, leaving one corner in the 
cellar, and the! Avhole building tipped to an 
angle of forty degrees. From Frary & Wil- 
liamson's drug store the tin roof was blown 
away ; the front was blown in from Mr. 
Stevens' buildings; Mr. Kimball's barn was 
razed to the ground. 

At Pataha City this proved the most se- 
vere storm ever experienced in that locality. 
It demolished a number of barns and sheds; 
rocked and unroofed several houses, causing 
the terrified inmates to fly to their cellars and 
the "brush." Although no one was injured the 
damage to property was considerable. 

A May View correspondent, describing the 
effects of the storm, stated that while there 
was no loss of life, property was damaged to 
a great extent. The house of D. McAllister 
was destroyed, leaving the family destitute of 
shelter. There were no electrical or cyclonic 
features accompanying this storm. It did not 
burst upon the inhabitants during the hot 
weather, supercharged with electricity from 
an overheated and oppressive atmosphere, like 
those sudden cataclysms of deadly significance 
known and feared on the plains of the Dako- 
tas, Minnesota, Nebraska and Kansas. It was 
a straight, heavy wind ; a midwinter gale, 
powerful and destructive, but accompanied by 
none of the more terrific effects of cyclonic 
disturbance. 

Within the territory that now comprises 
Garfield county railroad agitation first began 
in 1880. Discussion arose among the settlers 



concerning the matter of inducing some rail- 
way company to build a line through the 
country. And while the road promised in the 
following letter was not constructed until 
nearly six years later, the communication 
plainly indicates that the Oregon Railroad & 
Navigation Company was at that early day 
contemplating the building of such a road : 

Portland, March 4, 1880. 
Hon. T. C. Frary, 

Pomeroy, Wash. 

Dear Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the 
receipt of your letter of the 21st ult, relative to the 
desirability of the early construction of a railroad 
from your city to connect with the O. R. & N. Co., 
at Grange City, and in reply would say that a rail- 
road has already been located by the company, be- 
tween the points indicated, and will probably be 
constructed at as early a day as practicable with 
the work now in progress. 

We shall, at all times, be very glad of your co- 
operation and that of the people of Columbia county, 
and the securing of the right of way would have a 
tendency to hasten the commencement of the work. 
******* Accept my thanks for your 
expressions relative to the disposition of the citi- 
zens of your vicinity and your own interest in the 
matter. Very truly yours, 

S. G. Reed, 
Vice President O. R. & N. Co. 

The severe winter of 1881-2, an account of 
which is given in the current history of Co- 
lumbia county, was felt equally in Garfield 
county territory. Almost daily reports were 
brought in from outlying districts of large 
numbers of stock dying in various localities, 
and the loss was heavy, as was the case 
throughout the whole of the settled portion of 
the territory. 

The enabling act creating Garfield county 
located the county seat at Pataha City, but in 
addition declared that it should be permanently 
located at a special election to be held January 
9, 1882. Immediately following the passage 
of the bill the gentlemen named as commis- 
sioners met at Pataha City, and Garfield county 
became an established fact. Unfortunately 
the first journal of the commissioners has been 



5°4 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



destroyed. It is known, however, and the 
proof is voluminous, some of which we shall 
quote, that the creation of Garfield county was 
followed by the most bitter county seat contest 
ever waged in the territory or state of Wash- 
ington. 

The movement to create a new county 
from the eastern part of Columbia commenced 
in 1880. .Settlement of the Pataha and Asotin 
valleys, and in short, nearly all of the numer- 
ous valleys in what are now Garfield and Aso- 
tin counties, during the years 1878, 1879 and 
1880, had been extensive and it was consid- 
ered by many that the time had arrived for the 
formation of a separate county government. 
At the time, however, the sentiment in favor 
of this new departure was not sufficiently 
strong to make any great headway along the 
lines of the creation of a new county. Oc- 
tober 9, 1880, the Columbia Chronicle anent 
this subject, said : 

"A talk with many of the leading men from 
various parts of the county reveals the fact 
that the people are in no great hurry for a di- 
vision. It is generally conceded that the 
county is too large when the immense canyons 
and peculiar lay of the country are taken into 
consideration, but it is also conceded that the 
eastern portion of the county is not at the pres- 
ent time prepared to support a county organi- 
zation. A talk of a division is, therefore, at 
this time, premature. The people of the west- 
ern portion of the county are in favor of form- 
ing a new county when the eastern portion de- 
mand it." 

But nothing came of the agitation in 1880. 
The following year, however, more settlers 
came into the upper country, and then they de- 
cided — not to form a new count}- — but to se- 
cure the county seat. 

And, indeed, it was surprising to note the 
number of new competitors that sprang into the 
field to contest for county seat honors. Hereto- 
fore these little hamlets had remained quies- 



cent; content to pursue the quiet, agriculture 
tenor of their ways, but suddenly they each and 
all became aggressive, flamboyant, and vocif- 
erous. One townsite was laid out at the mouth 
of Alpowa ; one at the foot of the grade on 
"Rafferty's" place. This was at first christ- 
ened Belfast ; afterward Mentor, the name of 
President Garfield's home in Ohio. Mentor 
came into existence in 1881 for the sole pur- 
pose of becoming a candidate for the county- 
seat. It was laid out as a town site, on the 
Pataha, about six miles from Pomeroy. It was 
better known as "Rafferty's ranch." A num- 
ber of people, believing that there was a 
chance to secure the county seat at this point, 
took hold of the project and worked at it indus- 
triously. December 17, 188 1, a Mentor cor- 
respondent of the Chronicle, wrote as fol- 
lows : 

"The town of Mentor desires to have a fair 
chance in the contest. We stand on our 
own merits. We have a good townsite on the 
Pataha creek ; good roads running to the place. 
The greatest wheat growing country in the 
Territory is tributary to it. The Pataha and 
Lewiston survey runs to this place ; the road 
will, no doubt, be built in time to take away 
next year's crop. We are very sorry we did 
not ask for the capital of the Territory instead 
of the countyseat, but will try that next time. 
This place is well known, and is as near the 
center of the county as it is possible to locate 
a town. Lumber is being hauled for buildings, 
and the proprietor, Mr. Rafferty, is very lib- 
eral in his donation of land for county pur- 
poses. Mentor is the place for the people. You 
will hear this place called Dublin, Limerick 
and Ireland." 

Melancholy was the fate of Mentor. A 
sarcastic correspondent in the Chronicle writes, 
under date of February 11, 1882: 

"The lumber pile, which constituted the 
town of Mentor, has been purchased by Mr. 
Scott and will be brought to Pomeroy. Like 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY 



505 



Mahomet and the mountain : If the countyseat 
would not go to Mentor, Mentor will go to the 
countyseat." 

Aside from the two towns mentioned as 
contestants, there were Asotin, Asotin City, 
Columbia Center, Pataha City and Pomeroy, 
all in line for the capital of Garfield county. 

But the formation of a new county from 
the eastern portion of Columbia was really 
brought about by the people of Pomeroy. They 
were decidedly anxious to wrest the countyseat 
from Dayton, of course a perfectly proper 
emulative spirit. It seemed only a question of 
time when such a decision must be made, yet 
it was now considered certain that it would not 
have eventuated for several years had Pom- 
eroy not taken steps in 1881 to contest with 
Dayton for possession of the court house, jail 
and county records. At that period Dayton 
was in the extreme western portion of Colum- 
bia county, including, of course, the present 
Garfield and Asotin counties. It could scarcely 
hope to retain the countyseat whenever the 
eastern portion of the county should become 
thickly populated. So when the agitation for 
countyseat removal was begun by Pomeroy, 
Dayton saw disaster ahead — loss of the county 
capital — and when the voting test came she 
turned, in self-defense, to the county division 
plan. In his history Mr. Gilbert says : 

"As the population thus increased and the 
valuation of taxable property became greater 
the people felt more and more the injustice of 
having the countyseat located at the extreme 
west end of Columbia county, which compelled 
them to travel many miles to transact official 
business, or attend court terms at Dayton. 
Added to this general sentiment there was a lo- 
local feeling of rivalry between Pataha 
and Pomeroy that led them to desire 
the countyseat for the commercial advan- 
tage and consequent ascendancy over its 
rival that the possession of that prize would 
bring to the town fortunate enough to 
secure it. The removal of the county- 



seat from Dayton to some point on the 
Pataha was extensively discussed in 1880, the 
project impressing favorably those whose in- 
terests would be benefited thereby, while those 
whom such a move would injure were adverse 
to its consummation. The citizens of Dayton 
were deeply interested in keeping the seat of 
justice in their thriving town; those along the 
Tucanon desired its location at Marengo or 
some other point on that stream ; while the set- 
tlers still further east wanted it placed on the 
Pataha or some convenient locality in their 
end of the county. The people of Dayton be- 
gan to realize that possibly a majority of vot- 
ers were in favor of a removal, though as yet 
divided in their opinions as to the proper place 
to locate it and they felt that at any time a 
combination might deprive them of that which 
had been an important factor in building up 
their town. 

"This matter apparently slumbered until 
a short time before the legislature met in the 
fall of 1 88 1, when the people of Pataha pre- 
pared a petition requesting the legislature to 
provide for the countyseat removal, or to call 
an election to permanently locate it. The news 
of this move came to the people of Dayton at 
the time they were shut out from the world 
by the scourge of smallpox that had fastened 
upon the town, and they at once realized the 
danger menacing them. To do nothing was 
to lose the countyseat. Some of the wiser ones 
saw clearly that, even if the movement was 
temporarily defeated, it was certain to be suc- 
cessful in the end, and at once advocated the 
creation of a new county, which idea the Pataha 
people endorsed, and thereafter worked to ac- 
complish that object." 

The following graphically explains the at- 
titude of the Dayton people as voiced by the 
Columbia Chronicle October 8, 1881 : 

"An earnest effort is being made by the 
citizens of Pomeroy and vicinity to move the 
countyseat to that town. We object. The 
county is large enough for two good counties, 



506 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



and the valley or canyon of the Tucanon 
throughout its greater portion affords a na- 
tural boundary. The people of this section are 
willing to allow the eastern portion a county 
organization whenever they wish it, as the di- 
vision must come sooner or later. It is re- 
ported that two of our representatives in the 
legislature are pledged to the removal and also 
to give several more townships to Walla Walla 
county to buy its influence. They do not pro- 
pose to give the people an opportunity to vote 
on the question, as they fear the result, but 
aim to have the change made by the legislature 
without consulting the wishes of the voters of 
the whole county. We agree with our Pom- 
eroy correspondent that it is unjust to compel 
people east of Tucanon to come here to trans- 
act business, but it would be equally as unjust 
to compel people on this side to go to Pomeroy. 
The only just and equitable way out of the dif- 
ficulty is to divide the county on the line indi- 
cated and allow the citizens of the new county 
to locate their countyseat. But with the 
countyseat of Columbia county beyond the 
Tucanon nineteen-twentieths of the people 
of this vicinity would petition to be attached 
to Walla Walla county, as with the present fa- 
cilities for travel it would be most convenient, 
to say nothing of the great advantage of join- 
ing a wealthy county with public buildings 
erected and paid for and a brilliant future be- 
fore it. This, however, only as a last resort. 
We trust the legislature will take no hasty ac- 
tion in this matter, but will give all parts of the 
county ample opportunity to be heard." 

The Pomeroy correspondent of the Chron- 
icle thus set forth his side of the question, on 
the same date, as follows : 

"The countyseat business is receiving some 
attention in this end of the county. Whether 
it will result in anything more than a grand 
stir-up we cannot tell. We do not wish to in- 
jure Dayton, but think in justice they should 
divide up a little, and as they have the term- 



inus, let us have the countyseat. We are in 
the center of population as well as in the geo- 
graphical center of the county, and it is simply 
justice to the people at large that the change 
should be made." 

More than 1,000 names of voters were 
signed to the petition for the removal of the 
countyseat to Pomeroy. In the town of Thron 
nearly every citizen in the place signed it. 
Again harking back to county division the 
Chronicle of October 15, 1881, said: 

"From letters in our possession we are sat- 
isfied that the present legislature will not take 
the responsibility of changing the countyseat of 
the county without submitting the question to 
a vote of the people of the county. There is 
but one member of our entire delegation in 
favor of such change. We suggest to our 
Pomeroy friends that in order to avoid any 
further trouble on this question and to keep 
down sectional strife, they consign their peti- 
tion to the flames and get up a petition for a 
division on a fair line. Such a petition would 
be signed by nine-tenths of the voters of this 
portion of the county and would meet with no 
strong opposition anywhere." 

Again the Pomeroy correspondent comes 
to the front : 

"The people demand a change, and if the 
legislature will not move the countyseat they 
are" requested to give us a chance to vote on it. 
We do not want a division ; neither do we want 
to join Idaho; though Dayton wants to join 
Walla Walla. Your idea is that if you can't 
be the big toad you don't want to stay in the 
puddle. The same spirit actuated South Caro- 
lina in 1861." 

But the bill authorizing the people of Co- 
lumbia county to again vote upon the ques- 
tion of countyseat removal was killed in the 
Territorial qouncal. Wej say "again" advis- 
edly, for in 1876, as explained in the History 
of Columbia County, there had been a county- 
seat contest between Dayton and Marengo, both 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



5°7 



now in Columbia county. Concerning the re- 
sult of this last measure in the council the 
Chronicle drew the following conclusions : 

"It is not likely another effort will be made 
in this direction this session. It is to be re- 
gretted that any move looking to any county- 
seat change was made, as it has engend- 
ered bitter sectional feelings which will mani- 
fest themselves in various ways at unexpected 
times, and always to the detriment of the best 
interests of the whole county. The Chronicle 
sees no way out of the difficulty but in division, 
which all admit to be certain, sooner or later. 
Had no effort been made to change the county- 
seat the question of division would not have 
been raised, as this end of the county, being 
satisfied with the present arrangement, favors 
division only when demanded by a respectable 
portion of the eastern end of the county. The 
remonstrances which Dayton first sent out con- 
tained a clause which, though intended simply 
to express this feeling, conveyed a wrong im- 
pression and was recalled, and simple remon- 
strances, without any reference to division, cir- 
culated instead. Let our position be not mis- 
understood. We prefer division to a change 
of countyseat. We believe, in view of the ex- 
isting bitterness, division would be the best and 
only remedy. But any movement in that di- 
rection must come from the east of the Tuc- 
anon, when it will be promptly endorsed by a 
large majority of the people of this section. 
Taxes need not be increased, as the rate for 
county purposes is now at the extreme limit of 
the law, eight mills. Send along your petition 
for division and stop this 'Will Remember at 
the Next Election.' " 

After the Territorial legislature had re- 
fused to remove the countyseat from Dayton 
to Pomeroy or to permit the people to vote on 
the proposition, nothing but county division 
remained in sight. The session was fast draw- 
ing to a close. Quick work was demanded by 
the people of eastern Columbia county. Im- 
mediately a bill was introduced in the legis- 



lature. In regard to the debate on this meas- 
ure the Olympia correspondent of the Portland 
Oregonian, writing under date of November 
25, 1881, said : 

It seems that every movement that brings us 
nearer to the close of the legislative session is 
fraught with some startling event. On Wednesday- 
morning C. B. 123 was taken up and the matter of 
the new county of Garfield was brought under con- 
sideration of the lower house. With some difficulty 
it was ascertained that the new baby about to be 
born is the offspring of Columbia county, and the 
advent is as anxiously expected as was that of the 
daughter of the Queen of Spain; although its future 
life may not have such an effect on the nations at 
large as the latter. The bill had been referred to a 
select committee consisting of Messrs. Freeman, 
Clark and Steen, and as was anticipated a majority 
report signed by Messrs. Freeman and Clark, and 
a minority report signed by Mr. Steen, were pre- 
sented and accepted by the house; 'the majority 
recommending that the bill do not pass; the minor- 
ity being of a contrary opinion. Mr. Freeman moved 
that the majority report be adopted, which is, I 
believe, contrary to the usual rules of etiquette in 
such assemblies, as such a motion is generally made 
by some one not of the committee; however, in this 
case is was different, and the speaker thereupon put 
the question. 

Mr. Steen then took the floor and informed the 
house that he was well acquainted with the county 
if Columbia, and that it was only since the bill was 
introduced in the house to change the county seat 
from Dayton to Pomeroy that the matter of division 
was seriously sprung. The question referred to a 
petition now before the house containing 560 names 
of influential citizens, who have asked for a division, 
and he believed the only way in which this petty 
jealousy could possible be settled would be to grant 
the prayer of the petition and divide the county. 
He fully believed that the upper end of the county, 
now to be called Garfield, in honor of our late presi- 
dent, would be able to support her new honors and 
dignity. If left to him individually he would not 
like to see a division, but he did not believe in ignor- 
ing the petition of 500 good citizens, who fully 
understood their own wants and knew what they 
were asking for. 

Mr. Freeman proceeded to reply to the various 
propositions submitted by the last speaker, especi- 
ally in reference to the number and quality of the 
names on the petition, some of which, he stated, 
hailed from Idaho; others were school children and 
one was an Indian. The gentleman had also re- 
ferred to a discrepancy regarding the number of 
actual voters on the petition, at the same time accusing 



5 o8 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



the father of the bill of taking away the right of 
the people by making no provision for them in his 
bill, except giving them the school tax. He, also, 
believed that the matter on which the people pe- 
titioned had not been properly represented to them. 

Mr. Clark gave the following reasons for sup- 
porting the majority report: 

i. Because the line as set forth in the bill is 
not where a single one of the petitioners requested, 
or where the advocates of the measure acknowledge 
it should be. 

2. The people have not demanded it. 

3. Because the actual and boni fide petitioners 
of the age of 21 years and upwards do not exceed 
250 or 300 at most, out of a population of 7,000. 

4. Because it is presumed that all the names 
were obtained during the smallpox scare, so that a 
free interchange of opinion was thereby prevented 
on the issue now placed before the legislature. 

5. That the petitioners have been misled by 
an unfounded, representation of the facts in the case 
by parties who have sought self aggrandizement 
rather than the public good. 

6. Because it is detrimental to the interests of 
the county, inasmuch as it will increase taxation. 

7. That it ignores a right held near and dear 
to every American citizen — the right of representa- 
tion in our legislative halls. 

8. The issue was not raised during the canvass 
one year ago. 

9. County seat question was the only incentive 
to what action has been taken to build up a place 
as desolate as the site where once stood the proud 
city of Babylon — a place, if I may except a flouring 
mill, near by, populated by bullfrogs, snakes and 
buzzards. The question now submitted to your con- 
sideration is, "Do as you would be done by." 

It having been suggested that Colonel George 
Hunter might throw some light on the subject, con- 
siderable discussion took place as to whether it 
would not, also, be well to invite Messrs. Ostrander, 
Stiles and Burk within the bar. However, the only 
motion carried was that of inviting Colonel Hunter; 
but the latter gentleman, after thanking the house 
for their courtesy, respectfully declined saying any- 
thing on the subject. 

Mr. Kuhn presented the matter fairly before 
the house and gave the members quite an insight 
into the status of the bill. 

Mr. Judson favored the majority report on the 
ground that the matter had only been sprung within 
the past twenty days, and he believed in allowing 
the majority of voters to be represented. 

Mr. Potter believed the pith of the matter lay 
in the fact of the question of changing the county 
seat, and he therefore asked the house to give the 
people a chance to decide on the question them- 
selves. 



The vote, having been taken on accepting the 
majority report, resulted as follows: 

Ayes — Messrs. Alexander, Catlin, Clark, Corn- 
wall, Freeman, Holcomb, Judson, Preston, Smith 
(of King), Smith (of Klickitat), Taylor and Mr. 
Speaker — 12. 

Nays — Messrs. Allen, Dillon, Karr, Kinkade, 
Kuhn, O'Neil, Raymond, Rees, Smith (of Whit- 
man), Steen, Van Eaton and Warman — 12. 

So the motion to adopt the majority report 
failed. At the afternoon session of the same day 
the bill was tabled subject to the order of the house, 
and what may occur yet regarding it a prophet 
could hardly tell. 

The further history of this legislation may 
be condensed in a very few words. H. B. 201, 
a substitute for C. B. 123, for the organiza- 
tion of Garfield county, provided that Colum- 
bia county should pay Garfield county $1,000, 
and temporarily located the countyseat at Pa- 
taha City, and this measure passed April 17, 
with only five votes against it. The measure 
was ratified by the council subsequently and it 
was approved by the governor November 29. 

In Columbia county the issue was not at- 
tended witl\many pyrotechnic displays — cer- 
tainly without much oratory. The only real 
controversy between the sections involved dur- 
ing the pendency of the division bill was con- 
cerning the dividing line. By the citizens of 
Pataha it was desired that the Tucanon form 
the boundary line between the two counties ; 
Dayton wanted the line to follow the surveyed 
sectional lines to the east of that stream. In 
perfect accord with Dayton were the settlers 
along the Tucanon, and for the reason that a 
majority of their farms lay on both sides of 
that stream; with the Tucanon made the line 
they would find themselves in both counties. 
There was still another reason ; Dayton now 
had a railroad; it was their shipping point; 
unless the countyseat could be located at Mer- 
ango — which was impossible — the Tucanon 
people per f erred to retain it at Dayton. The 
line finally adopted left the Tucanon and its 
settlers in Columbia county. 

Following is the enabling act passed by the 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



509 



Territorial legislature, creating the new 
county of Garfield. It included then what are 
now Garfield and Asotin counties, under the 
name of the former : 

"An Act to organize the County of Gar- 
field: 

"Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislative 
Assembly of the Territory of Washington; 
That all that portion of Columbia county sit- 
uated within Washington Territory and in- 
cluded within the following limits, be, and the 
same shall be known as the county of Garfield, 
in honor of James A. Garfield, late President 
of the United States, viz. : Commencing at a 
point in- the midchannel of Snake river on 
township line between ranges 39 and 40 ; 
thence on said line south to the southwest cor- 
ner of township twelve (12), range forty 
(40) ; thence east on township line six (6) 
miles ; thence south to the southwest corner of 
section seven (7), township eleven (n), 
north of range forty-one (41) east; thence 
east one (1) mile; thence south three (3) miles; 
thence east one ( 1 ) mile ; thence south one ( 1 ) 
mile ; thence ' east one ( 1 ) mile ; thence south 
three (3) miles; thence east three (3) miles; 
thence south on township line to the Oregon 
line ; thence due east on said line to the divi- 
sion line between the Territories of Washing- 
ton and Idaho ; thence north on said dividing 
line to a point where it intersects the midchan- 
nel of the Snake river; thence down the mid- 
channel of Snake river to the point of begin- 
ning. 

"Section 2. That E. Oliver, Joseph Har- 
ris and N. C. Williams are hereby appointed 
a board of commissioners to call a special elec- 
tion of county officers for said Garfield county, 
and to appoint the necessary judges and in- 
spectors thereof; notice of which election shall 
be given and the said election conducted and 
returns made as is now provided by law : 
Provided, That the returns shall be made to 
the commissioners aforesaid, who shall can- 



vass the returns and declare the result, and 
issue certificates to the persons elected. 

"Section 3. That the justices of the peace 
and constables who are now elected as such in 
the precincts of the county of Garfield, be, and 
the 'Same are hereby declared justices of the 
peace and constables of said county of Garfield. 

"Section 4. That the countyseat of the 
said county of Garfield is hereby located at 
Pataha City until the next election, which is to 
be held On the second Monday of January, A. 
D., 1882, at which time the highest number of 
the legal votes of said county, given for any 
one place, may permanently locate the same. 

"Section 5. The county of Garfield is 
hereby united to the county of Columbia for 
judicial purposes. 

"Section 6. That all laws applicable to the 
county of Columbia shall be applicable to the 
county of Garfield. 

"Section 7. That all taxes levied and as- 
sessed by the board of county commis- 
sioners of the county of Columbia for 
the year A. D., 1881, upon persons or prop- 
erty within the boundaries of the said 
county of Garfield, shall be collected and 
paid into the treasury of said Columbia 
county for the use of said county of Co- 
lumbia : Provided, however, That the said 
county of Columbia shall pay all the just in- 
debtedness of said Columbia county, and that 
when such indebtedness shall be wholly paid 
and discharged all moneys remaining in the 
treasury of said Columbia county, and all cred- 
its due and to become due said county of Co- 
lumbia on the assessment roll of said year 
shall be divided between said counties of Co- 
lumbia and Garfield according to the assessed 
valuation of said property of the same year. 
Provided further, That nothing in this act be 
so construed as to deprive the county of Gar- 
field of its proportion of the tax levied for 
common school purposes for the above-named 
vear. 



5io 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



"Section 8. The county of Columbia shall 
pay to the county of Garfield the sum of one 
thousand dollars ($1,000), over and above the 
amount provided for in this act, for its inter- 
est in the public property and improvements. 

"Section 9. The county of Garfield shall 
be entitled to two members of the house of 
representatives and one joint member of the 
council, with Walla Walla and Whitman 
counties. 

"Section 10. The county of Columbia 
shall be entitled to one member of the council 
and one representative in the legislative as- 
sembly of the Territory of Washington. 

"Section 1 1. All acts and parts of acts in 
conflict with any of the provisions of this act 
be, and the same are hereby repealed. 

"Section 12. This act to take effect and 
be in force from and after its passage and ap- 
proval. 

"Approved November 29, 1881." 

Thus Garfield county was created. The 
question was now sprung to whom belonged 
the honor of suggesting its name. F. W. D. 
Mays, of the Washington Independent, of 
Pomeroy, claimed the credit. The Columbia 
Chronicle, however, said : 

George W. Miller, our Snake river corre- 
spondent, is fairly entitled to that honor, for 
in the Chronicle of October 22, he says: 'This 
would leave the two wings of the coming Gar- 
field county about the same size.' At that time 
'Rube' was howling for Pomeroy for the 
countyseat of Columbia county and opposing 
division." 

At the time of this division the new county 
of Garfield contained six townsites ; Asotin, 
Asotin City, Mentor, Columbia Center, Pa- 
taha City and Pomeroy. And each one of 
them yearned to become the capital of the 
county. Perhaps the strongest rivalry ex- 
isted between Pataha City and Pomeroy, as 
the other four aspirants were soon out of the 
running. The two leading contestants were 
only three miles apart on Pataha creek, and 



because of this fact Asotin City made strenu- 
ous efforts to secure the prize for the future, 
hoping that the divided vote along the Pataha 
would give them the coveted opportunity. By 
act of the Territorial legislature Pataha City 
had been named the temporary judicial cen- 
ter, but the same act had appointed January 9, 
1882, as the date for a special election to lo- 
cate a permanent countyseat. Hence the fierce 
rivalry during the intervening period. Combi- 
nations were rapidly formed, and rumors of 
other coalitions more or less tangible filled the 
air. While the bulk of the voting strength of 
the new county was in the western part, for a 
certain period it seemed as if the new town of 
Asotin, in the extreme eastern portion, might 
prove a winner. This anomaly was owing to 
the fact that there were three candidates in 
the eastern field. Bitter rivals had been Pa- 
taha City and Pomeroy since their respective 
townsites had been surveyed. The claims of 
Mentor added to the complication. Thus, it 
was reasoned by many, the west side vote 
would split and Asotin secure the honor. Pom- 
eroy people asserted that rather than see Pom- 
eroy the countyseat Pataha City would throw 
its vote to Asotin; Pataha City said the same 
thing about Pomeroy. 

Results showed that both were wrong; a 
bare handful of votes were secured for Asotin 
from the west side. Just before the election it 
was announced that a compromise had been 
effected between Pataha City and Mentor 
whereby all the electors in the latter town were 
to cast their votes for Pataha City. A canvass 
was made and a petition circulated, the sign- 
ers of which agreed to go with the majority. 
This canvass showed Pataha' s strength to be 
210; Mentor's 108. At the close of a heated 
campaign of six weeks the vote on January 9 
resulted in a victory for Pomeroy ; Pomeroy, 
411 votes; Asotin City, 287; Pataha City, 259; 
Mentor, 82. Pomery's plurality was 124 over 
her nearest competitor — Pataha City. The 
county commissioners, sitting as a board of 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



5ii 



canvassers, declared Pomeroy the capital of 
Garfield county. Still the end was not yet, for 
other complications arose and the countyseat 
contestants seemed only to have drawn off for 
a brief period to secure their second wind. 

February 6, 1882, the board of commis- 
sioners — E. O. Oliver, John A. Weissenfels 
and J. J. Kanawyer — met at the residence of 
William Davis, in Pomeroy. Mr. Oliver was 
elected permanent chairman of the board ; the 
bonds of several of the newly-elected county of- 
ficers were approved. At the office of E. 
Stephens, on the following day, a second meet- 
ing was held, but immediately adjourned and 
there were no more sessions until the 21st of 
the month. 

As we have stated the contest for location 
was by no means ended with the election of Jan- 
uary 9. Suit was brought by the citizens of 
Pataha City against the county commissioners 
to restrain them from meeting at Pomeroy, 
and to show cause why Pataha City should 
cease to be the countyseat after the 9th of Jan- 
ary. "Rice vs. County Commissioners of 
Garfield County'' was the title of this cau- 
sus celebre. In chambers it was argued be- 
fore Judge S. C. Wingard. Sometime in Feb- 
ruary he handed down a bombshell — Sin the 
shape of a decision — that the law was defec- 
tive; the election void. Judge Wingard based 
his ruling on the fact that the enabling act 
failed to give anyone power to canvass the 
votes for countyseat; though it had appointed 
commissioners to supervise the election and 
canvass the votes for county officers in one 
section; the other section, providing for the 
countyseat election, being silent on the subject 
of counting and declaring the vote. This im- 
portant point was covered by no general law ; 
no one was authorized to give an authentic re- 
sult of the election; therefore, there had been 
no election. The order of injunction was 
made perpetual in the following particulars : 



1. That all that part of the act pleaded in com- 
plaint respecting the submission of the location of 
the county seat of said Garfield county to the de- 
termination o.f the legal voters, that is to say, all 
that portion of section 4 of said act beginning with 
the words "at which time" to the termination of said 
section be, and the same is hereby declared by 
the court, inoperative, unconstitutional and void. 

2. That the said pretended election in said 
complaint mentioned is by the court held a nullity 
and set aside. 

3. That said defendants are forbidden from 
making Pomeroy the seat of government of Gar- 
field county. 

4. That said defendants and each of them are 
enjoined from requiring any or all of the county 
officers of said Garfield county to remove their re- 
spective offices to said Pomeroy or there discharge 
the duties of their said respective offices. 

5. That defendants and each of them are en- 
joined from incurring any indebtedness against said 
county or expending any of its funds in or about 
removing county officers to said Pomeroy, or in 
any manner attempting to make Pomeroy the seat of 
government of said Garfield county. 

That the following parts of the prayer of said 
complaint are refused by the court, to-wit: The 
court refuses to enjoin defendants from locating 
their offices at said Pomeroy, or from transacting 
there the county business of said Garfield county, 
or from their furnishing offices for all or any of the 
county officers of said county. 

The costs of this case are taxed to Garfield 
count}'. 

February 18, 1882, the Chronicle said: 
"Judge Wingard, in his remarks on the 
Garfield county case, said in substance that it 
was too bad that the will of the people should 
be overthrown through the asinine stupidity 
of the legislature. He called it a moral crime. 
His remarks in this direction were favorably 
received."' 

The decision of Judge Wingard left the 
capital of Garfield county, metaphorically, in 
the air. The organic act had distinctly de- 
clared Pataha City the countyseat "until the 
next election, which is to be held on the second 
Monday of January, A. D., 1882." Accord- 
ing to the decision Pataha City ceased to be a 
countvseat after that election. Practicallv the 



512 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



decision held that there was no legal county- 
seat; and that the commissioners could meet 
where they chose. The board decided to hold 
their sessions in Pomeroy, March 4, 1882, the 
Pomeroy correspondent wrote in the Colum- 
bia Chronicle : 

"Pomeroy is solid for the sheriff's, audi- 
tor's, probate judge's and treasurer's offices. 
The treasurer's office can be found at the store 
of Brady & Rush, with Mr. Rush as deputy 
treasurer." 

To compel the commissioners to meet at 
Pataha City a new suit was commenced, but 
it was decided adversely in June. In view of 
the foregoing it will be seen that Garfield 
county was wandering in the official wilder- 
ness, without a seat of government. But regular 
county business could not be checked by court 
decisions affecting only one material point. In 
the light of a digression it may be stated that 
the first assessment of Garfield county, 1882, 
showed the value of real estate to be $250,345 ; 
improvements, $111,834; personal property, 
$662,891 ; making a total valuation of all prop- 
erty assessed of $1,025,983. The taxes on 
this amount was $26,351.74. 

Following Judge Wingard's sensational de- 
cision it was evident that recourse must be 
had to the next Territorial legislature, con- 
vening in the fall of 1883. Pomeroy, while 
not legally the countyseat, was, nevertheless, 
the place where the commissioners elected to 
transact their official business. No one could 
anticipate the action of the legislature. Num- 
erous plans, good and' absurd, were suggested 
for quieting the countyseat title. The atti- 
tude assumed by the citizens of Pomeroy was 
this : "We have won the contest at the polls, 
but through a defect in the enabling act lost 
the fruits of victory. We insist that th<j Wash- 
ington legislature declare Pomeroy the county- 
seat." 

There were also other towns which, once 
having acquired the habit of voting on county- 
seat questions, seemed desirous of keeping it 



up. They wished to again leave the matter to 
the arbitration of the franchise. Meanwhile 
two new towns had come into existence for 
the purpose of entering the contest should the 
question again be voted upon. One was Al- 
powa City, at the mouth of Alpowa creek. The 
townsite was laid put by W. D. Newland in 
the spring of 1882. The other was Berlin, 
midway between Pomeroy and Pataha City. 
It was platted January 9, 1883, by Charles 
Ward and Sarah E. Ward, his wife. The 
platting of the latter place was considered by 
some as the one available plan to settle this 
interminable contest, which, "like a wounded 
snake, dragged its slow length along." It will 
be observed, however, that the legislature took 
the view that Pomeroy, Waving wonl at the 
polls, was justly entitled to the countyseat and 
proceeded to right the wrong inflicted by the 
imperfect organic act. The following letter is 
self-explanatory : 

"OLYMPIA, W. T., Oct. 5, 1883. 
"Editor Chronicle : 

"A bill locating the countyseat of Garfield 
county at Pomeroy passed the lower house by 
nearly a unanimous vote, there being no oppo- 
sition whatever. Mr. Clark, of Garfield 
county, made a statement before the house, 
'that if the people of Garfield county asked it, 
he would sustain a bill submitting the perma- 
nent location of the countyseat to the 'people 
of that county at the next general election.' 
With the above understanding I voted for the 
bill. I am satisfied from the drift of the tide 
that the question will be left to the people of 
Garfield county to be settled "as above stated at 
the next general election. 

"JOHN BRINING." 

t 

The following is from the house proceed- 
ings at Olympia of October 6, 1883 : 

"Mr. Shaw moved to reconsider the vote 
by which house bill No. 2, in relation to the 
countyseat of Garfield county, had passed, the 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



513 



object being to allow certain important amend- 
ments to be made to the bill. The house re- 
fused to reconsider the matter, Messrs. Brining, 
Lloyd, Mills, Ping, Shaw and Warner (6), vot- 
ing in the affirmative, and Messrs. Brooks, 
Clark, Copely, Foster, Goodell, Hungate, Kin- 
caid, Kuhn, Martin, Shoudy, Stitzel and Tur- 
pin (12) in the negative. 

In the council October nth, a petiton was 
introduced signed by over 400 citizens of Gar- 
field county, praying to have the county seat 
located at Pomeroy. On the 16th Mr. Edmis- 
ton presented a petition from Garfield county 
citizens asking that the question of a county 
seat be left to a vote of the people. On the 18th 
the bill to establish the seat of government of 
Garfield county at Pomeroy was taken up in the 
council and discussed by Messrs. Caton, Edmi- 
ston and Smith, after which the bill went to a 
final vote, resulting in its passage. 

By consent Mr. Edmiston introduced C. B. 
30, to submit to the electors of Garfield county 
the permanent location of the county seat 
thereof at the next general election. Under 
suspension of the rules this bill was read three 
times and passed. Apparently this act nullified 
the measure previously passed making Pome- 
roy the permanent county seat, but in reality it 
left that city the capital de facto, but giving the 
county the privilege of removal. Concerning 
this legislation the Chronicle said : 

"As may be seen by our legislative news to- 
day Pomeroy has been declared the county seat 
of Garfield county. Edmiston introduced a 
bill to leave the permanent location to a vote of 
the people, which was passed, but in the absence 
of any definite information we are of the opin- 
ion that it will take a two-thirds. vote to take 
it away from Pomeroy. The people of that 
burg are to be congratulated upon their success, 
as they have fought long and hard for it." 

In December, 1883, it was generally sup- 
posed that the county seat agony was over. 
The Chronicle grew optimistic, and editorial- 
ized as follows : 
33 



"Pomeroy is the permanent county seat of 
that thriving county now, and all sectional bit- 
terness between that town and Pataha City 
should be relegated to the past. The former 
town has a fine start and in time will equal Day- 
ton in population and wealth. Pomeroy and 
Pataha will be but one town, and that one a 
good one. The feeling engendered by the re- 
cent severe fight through which they have 
passed has been a great detriment to the devel- 
opment of the country, and after over two years 
bucking it is best to stop short, thereby con- 
sulting their pockets and best interests. Gar- 
field county is destined to be one of the richest 
agricultural counties in the Territory and the 
farmers will show their good judgment if they 
frown down any further attempt to produce 
discord within the lines. If ambitious town 
proprietors insist on it, kick them out and the 
gain will be on the side of the farmer." 

As all breakers were supposed to have been 
safely passed the board of commissioners pur- 
chased three lots in Pomeroy, for the purpose 
of county buildings ; two lots from C. H. De 
Bow, for the sum of $650, and one from 
Charles Carpenter for $200. But there was 
more trouble ahead; the people were not yet 
clear of the anxious seat. 

The year 1883 was marked by a rapid set- 
tlement of Garfield county. Prosperity beamed 
upon the citizens regardless of the fierce and 
almost irrepressible conflict which had raged 
at the polls and in the legislative halls. Land 
Agent and County Treasurer J. W. Rauch 
stated that between December 1, 1882, and 
June 1, 1883, six months, he had entered filings 
on 16,480 acres of land, and had taken proof on 
8,000 acres. And Mr. Rauch was only one 
agent out of eight or ten. It was in 1883 that 
the legislature created a district court for Gar- 
field county. The bill was approved by Gov- 
ernor William A. Newell November 28th. 

Another important action of this truly 
eventful year was the creation of Asotin, from 
the southeastern portion of Garfield county, 



5H 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



which left the latter as it stands today. The 
story of this event will he found in the Asotin 
county department of this work. 

March 22, 1884, the Republican said: 

"To a person who has not watched closely 
the advance of this county in population and 
wealth during' the past three years, a retrospec- 
tive comparison may be of interest, not only 
at home, but abroad. It is at present sufficient 
to confine our figures and facts to Garfield, be- 
ing comparatively a new county, not four years 
old yet, and from which Asotin county has been 
taken within the past six months. So our com- 
ments and facts will embrace the county of Gar- 
field previous to the establishment of Asotin 
county in 1883. 

"The taxable property of the county was 
$1,300,000; the increase for the year 1883 was 
$300,000 ; and at the same rate of increase 1 884 
will give us about, or probably something over 
$2,000,000. The increased number of 'proved 
up' or deeded ranches has added greatly to the 
taxable property, and as the county assessment 
for 1884 has not yet been made, we cannot with 
certainty give figures, and it is difficult to ap- 
proximate to the actual increase of this county 
proper, but there is no doubt in the minds of 
those best capable of judging, that we have 
made an unprecedented stride ahead in wealth 
during 1883. Our population (of the best class 
of people), has increased rapidly, being some- 
thing over an increase of 2,000 during the past 
year. The moral tone of our people will be 
shown by the fact of there being in .Garfield 
county proper nine church organizations and 
39 schools." 

We not approach the termination of the 
Garfield countyseat contest. Reference to the 
session laws of 1883 will show that the county 
was then without a capital and doomed to fur- 
ther anxiety and litigation. The act establish- 
ing the county seat at Pomeroy proved void 
and without effect. This was owing to the 
careless omission of the enacting clause. It ap- 
peared as if the Territorial solons convened an- 



nually for the purpose of making blunders. 
February 16, 1884, the Chronicle (Dayton) 
said : 

"Whether this was done intentionally and 
maliciously by some person interested in its de- 
feat, or through ignorance or neglect of the 
person who drafted the bill, remains to be dis- 
covered in the sweet subsequently. * * * 
* * * The people of Garfield county have 
had a three years' siege over the county seat 
question, and now that it was considered set- 
tled and quiet reigned supreme, the people 
has begun to look ahead to an era of prosperity. 
The enmity engendered by the fight was be- 
coming a thing of the past and our sister coun- 
ty was on the eve of a quiet boom. Instead of 
this, another two years' war is begun, the coun- 
ty will be kept back in a corresponding degree, 
the fierce heat of sectional passion will again 
come to the surface and property and business, 
to the extent of thousands of dollars will again 
be unsettled. A prominent member of the leg- 
islature informed us that when the bill was sent 
to the committee it was a perfect bill, and if it 
was mutilated in the committee, 'British gold 

did it: " 

March 8, 1884, the Pomeroy Republican 
said : 

By permission of Dr. T. C. Frary we publish 
a letter recently received from Governor W. A. 
Newell relating to the bill establishing the county 
seat of Garfield county. As we have stated before 
that there was no need of alarm because of the 
blunder some one had committed, and that the bill 
was a good one, the following letter fully sustains 
us in our position thus taken. 

Olympia, March 3, 1884. 
Dr. T. C. Frary. 

Dear sir: — I regret to find that the law making 
Pomeroy the county seat of Garfield county is pub- 
lished without the enacting clause, and that the 
validity is on that account questioned. The omis- 
sion was the mistake of the engrossing clerk, and 
escaped observation of the presiding officers and 
secretaries of both branches of the legislature as 
well as my own. This does not invalidate the law, 
which was passed with the proper enacting clause. 
It could not have been passed otherwise. I approved 
the law as it was enacted, and will stand any test. 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



515 



No session of any legislature ever adjourned with- 
out some errors, opportunities to correct which, are 
usually offered before publication. 

I regret to have caused any anxiety, and espec- 
ially to have given rise to so much wrathful indig- 
nation over a simple error in clerkship, plainly un- 
intentional. 

Yours truly, 

W. A. Newell. 

. Notwithstanding Governor Newell's as- 
sertion that the validity of the bill could not be 
questioned, it was questioned and it was not 
until the congress of the United States had 
legalized the Garfield county seat bill and recti- 
fied several other blunders that the legislature 
of 1883 had made, was the question settled. 
May 13, 1884, the United States House of Rep- 
resentatives unanimously passed a bill to cure 
defects in certain acts of the legislative as- 
sembly of Washington, and the Pomeroy 
county seat bill was among them. It was sent 
to the Senate and that body put the final seal of 
approval on the claims of Pomeroy, and the 
great contest was at last settled. For the first 
time in a number of years Garfield had a legal 
county seat. 

The 1883 session of the Washington Terri- 
torial legislature granted woman suffrage. At 
an election held in Pomeroy, Tuesday, January 
29, 1884, to fill a vacancy in the office of justice 
of the peace, there were cast 153 votes and of 
these ten were by ladies. This was the first 
election in Garfield county at which ladies 
voted ; their names should be preserved. They 
were Mesdames Cosgrove, John Brady, Bell, S. 
T. Dyer, Mendenhall, R. L. Rush, McGrew, 
Mills, G. D. Gibson and J: Butram. 

Friday evening, July 25, 1884, New York 
Gulch was visited by the most severe storm 
ever known in that section. Pigeon-egg-sized 
hailstones fell thickly, beating the young grain 
into the earth and completely destroying en- 
tire crops. Many cattle were drowned in their 
corrals. In the gulch so high was the water 
that for several hours it was impossible to cross 
it. Messrs. Miller, Van Atten, Kuhl, Lubking, 



Schenckloth, Schmidt, Weiner, Snoderly, Ho- 
gans and Kauschee suffered great losses in the 
way of crops. McCormick's place was com- 
pletely torn up by the flood. The fine garden of 
Mr. Tyrrell was completely destroyed. 

It was a general complaint in 1 884 that Gar- 
field county was completely bottled up and 
hermetically sealed so far as means of trans- 
portation was concerned. There was only one 
outlet ; a quite insufficient steamboat line down 
the Snake river. In December of that year it 
was closed by ice. Tens of thousands of bush- 
els of wheat were stored along the river await- 
ing shipment. The grain was out of the hands 
of the farmers, but they could only draw money 
on it when it was aboard the steamers. There 
was no immediate prospect of such being the 
case. Apparently the transportation compa- 
nies were in no particular hurry ; there was no 
competition ; they knew they would handle the 
grain at all events sometime; and on the whole 
they would really prefer to see it lie over until 
spring, when there would be more water in the 
river ; when the days would be longer and 
warmer. Under these circumstances farmer 
victims naturally felt depressed and were, alto- 
gether, financially embarrassed. Merchants in 
San Francisco and Portland were depending 
on Garfield county merchants ; Garfield county 
merchants were looking to the farmers; the 
farmers to the inert and free and easy transpor- 
tation company. Many agriculturists were in 
debt ; to commence suit against them would 
simply aggravate conditions, at that period bad 
enough, as they were. Surely, it was a period 
of "Hard Times," and hard times, too, in the 
midst of prosperity, which is a paradox. 

August 15, 1885, the assessment rolls of 
Garfield county showed a valuation of real 
estate of $467,815; improvements thereon, 
$149,690; value of personal property, $500,- 
887, making a grand total of $1,124,208. There 
were 46,332 acres improved and a total of 138,- 
947 acres of arable land in the county. The 
census, as taken from the assessor's rolls, show- 



5i6 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



ed a population of 3,451, of which 1,941 were 
males; 1.5 10 females; 1,221 were married; 
2,230 were single. Nine of this population 
were Chinamen. 

In compiling the railroad history of Gar- 
field county it becomes necessary to take a retro- 
spective glance so far back as 1 880. Then com- 
menced an agitation that did not eventuate in 
immediate results. Again in the spring of 1883 
the subject was made a burning issue with the 
people of this county. 

Saturday, April 28, 1883, delegations from 
Pomeroy and Pataha City, comprising B. B. 
Day, C. B. Foote, John Houser, Cyrus Davis 
and F. W. D. Mays repaired to Walla Walla. 
Here they sought an interview with Henry 
Yillard. It was their hope to induce him 
to construct a railroad up the Pataha creek. 
Having listened courteously to the applica- 
tion of the delegations Mr. Villard promised 
to give the subject due consideration. Con- 
sulting Mr. Thielsen. chief engineer of the 
Oregon Railroad & Navigation Company, 
Mr. Villard learned that the road could be 
built and stocked for $18,000 per mile. Mr. 
Villard then promised to soon inform the del- 
egations what he could do in the premises. 
July 23, 1883. the Columbia Chronicle became 
quite hopeful and said, editorially : 

"It seems from present appearances that 
the railroad company are determined to push a 
road up the Pataha to Pomeroy, at least, this 
fall. The large force of graders now employed 
on the Northern Pacific will, probably, be put 
to work on branch roads, the Pataha branch 
among the rest, by the last of August. The 
road will be an easy one built, and nothing will 
hinder its early completion when they once be- 
gin work." 

However, the Chronicle was doomed to 
temporary disappointment, so far as its prog- 
nostications were concerned, for the agitation 
of 1883 was n °t fruitful of immediate results. 
It was not until late in 1884 that further at- 
tempts were made in the way of securing trans- 



portation, at least, to Pomeroy. These efforts 
were continued through 1885, and then their 
first appeared favorable prospects of fruition. 
In December, 1884, the Walla Walla Union. 
published the following interview with Dr.. 
Jorgensen, register of the Walla Walla land 
office, after his return from an eastern trip : 

"Mr. E. H. Morrison and myself called to 
see President Smith, of the Oregon Railroad 
& Navigation Company, in relation to building 
the road between Starbuck and Pataha City. 
After going over the ground very thoroughly 
he made this proposition, and said that he 
would guarantee to carry it out, viz. : That if 
the farmers would grade and tie the road he 
would iron and do the other necessary work in. 
time to carry out the next crop. A preliminary 
survey of this road was made about two years 
ago, and in Portland yesterday, with H. D. 
Chapman, I examined the profile maps very 
carefully and found that it was a natural grade 
from Starbuck to Pataha City, with nowhere 
more than two to five feet of filling or cutting 
along the whole road, and very little rock work. 

"If the people of that section have the 
energy that I believe they have, and are alive 1 
to their own interests, they will not hesitate to- 
accept President Smith's proposition at once, 
as it will be worth to them from 10 to 15 cents 
per bushel more for their wheat." , 

In the month of January, 1885, Garfield 
county citizens were in cheerful spirits concern- 
ing prospective railroad extension up the Pa- 
taha. A proposition has been made by Mr. 
Villard, through President Smith, and the sub- 
stantial farmers of the county appeared to re- 
gard it quite favorably. True, it seemed exorbi- 
tant to ask them to grade and tie a road bed up 
the Pataha, especially when ruinous freight 
charges of the railroad companies in other lo- 
calities had nearly reduced them to the poverty 
danger line. A closer examination of the prop- 
osition, however, showed that with the Oregon 
Railroad & Navigation Company's lines dupli- 
cated throughout eastern Washington, rates or 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



517 



freights, both ways, would be reduced by rea- 
son of competition ; every dollar expended upon 
the grade would, quite likely, be returned ten 
fold before many years had passed away. 
With the opening of the Pataha branch from 
Starbuck. even without the O. R. & N. Com- 
pany's line being duplicated, the farmers would 
be in a better position. At this period grain 
was stacked up on the banks of Snake river 
awaiting a sufficient stage of water to permit 
its being hauled away by boats. With the road 
built it would soon be in the markets of San 
Francisco and Portland ; the farmers of Gar- 
held would be placed on an equal footing with 
those of Columbia county. Grain would be 
worth at least ten cents more per bushel than 
it was at that time; cattle, hogs. etc.. would not 
have to be sacrificed at cut-throat prices to pay 
taxes and grocery bills. With a railroad tap- 
ping the heart of Garfield county, an era of 
prosperity appeared likely to prevail. As con- 
ditions existed the county merchants could not 
take grain for store bills : the}- would be com- 
pelled to hold the most of it until the next year 
before they could ship it; they must take all 
chances upon the price remaining at what they 
had paid for it. Within sixty and ninety days 
their -goods must be paid for; wheat would not 
answer for that purpose : practically, the farm- 
ers had no reliable market whatever. The 
theory advanced was, "Build a road and wheat 
will be legal tender for all debts." Under date. 
New York, January 24. 1885. Mr. John Har- 
ford, of Pataha City, received the following 
letter from E. H. Morrison : 

"Dear Sir:— 

"Your letter received, also one from Dr. 
Jorgensen, stating that the Garfield county peo- 
ple were willing to furnish the grading in case 
the O. R. & N. Company would build a road 
from Starbuck to Pomeroy or Pataha. 

"I am sorry that there should be any opposi- 
tion from the Pomeroy people, as certainly a 



road to their town would benefit not only the 
people of that city, but the tributary country. 
In the first place it is going to be a very difficult 
matter to interest the company sufficiently to 
have them build in any event, as there are some 
branches which they think are of far more im- 
portance, such as the completion of the road 
to Moscow and the road from Colfax to the 
Farmington country. Therefore it behooves 
your people to settle all your difficulties and 
unite as one in doing everything to get a road 
to that section of the country. 

"Since receiving your letters I have had an 
interview with Mr. Smith, president, and some 
of the directors, and I can tell you they are not 
exuberant over building additional roads in 
Washington Territory or Oregon. But, I 
think, if in addition to the grading, which your 
people must agree to do. you will secure sub- 
scriptons sufficient to pay for the ties, that they 
will go ahead and build the road in time for the 
coming crop. These subscriptions must be in 
the form of notes, of grain notes, something 
that they can turn over to a contractor who will 
have the building of the road, and in that way 
relieving them of all trouble in collecting the 
subscriptions. 

Very truly yours. 

E. H. MORRISON." 



In Februarv. 1! 



there was a meeting 1 



of the management of the Oregon Rail- 
road & Navigation Company in New York 
City. At this meeting of the magnates 
— of the men who wanted the struggling 
farmers to build a railroad and make them 
a present of it — it was decided that if the 
people of Pomeroy would guarantee to the 
company the amount of salvage made by reason 
of the building of the road to Starbuck to trans- 
port" that year's crops, the company would build 
and equip the road by the first of January, 
1886. The management claimed that, in real- 
ity, they were not prepared to build the road at 



5*8 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY 



indefatigable 



any 



that time ; it was by earnest, 

work only in the Pomeroy district that 

promise at all was secured. 

In July, 1885, C. T. Stiles, Cyrus Davis, 
Charles Ward, G. A. Sable, N. C. Williams, L. 
P. Mulkey, F. W. D. Mays, G A. McCause, R. 
M. Smith and A. C. Short, from Pataha City 
and Pomeroy, were in Walla Walla. This was 
Saturday. Their object was to hold a confer- 
ence with railroad officials, and if possible in- 
duce them to extend the Riparia branch to tap 
the rich agricultural country of the Pataha. 
There were 2,000,000 bushels of grain to ship 
from Garfield county ; it was impossible for 
boats on Snake river to handle such a bulk. 

August 10th, H. S. Rowe, general superin- 
tendent, and Robert McClelland, chief engi- 
neer, of the Oregon Railroad & Navigation 
Company, accompanied by Dr.. Joseph Jorgen- 
sen and Frank Paine, of Walla Walla, visited 
Pomeroy in the interest of a railroad up the 
Pataha. A mass meeting was held ; Mr. Rowe 
made the definite promise that if the right of 
way was procured, together with necessary 
depot grounds, the locomotive would enter 
Pomeroy by January 1st, 1886. Here was a 
proposition far more reasonable than the previ- 
ous one demanding that the farmers grade and 
tie the road ; it demonstrated that the company 
was a trifle better "prepared" to extend its lines 
than it had at first made the farmers believe. 
Without the shadow of a doubt there had been 
considerable jockeying on the part of the rail- 
way magnates in the preliminary arrangements 
of the Pataha creek extension. 

By August 15th, the right of way from Star- 
buck to Pomeroy, with one or two minor excep- 
tons, had been granted to Messrs. Scott, Aus- 
tin, Wilson and Lynch. In reality, they had, 
two years subsequently, secured this right of 
way for what was then called the Starbuck & 
Pomeroy road — one of the projects that had 
failed to materialize. These gentlemen offered 
to relinquish their claims provided the Oregon 
Railroad & Navigation Company would con- 



struct the line within a specified time ; this Mr. 
Rowe promised should be done. A committee 
of three, viz. : F. W. D. Mays, W. C. Potter 
David Dixon, were named to co-operate with 
the above named four gentlemen, the railway 
men, forming a committee of the whole, to 
secure the right of way through Pomeroy and 
negotiate with the owners of the prospective 
depot grounds as to assessments and valuations 
of property required to locate the road. Sub- 
scriptions were solicited from property holders 
to defray necessary expenses for. securing right 
of way privileges. August 15th the Columbia 
Chronicle published the following: 

"Superintendent Rowe, Hon. Joseph Jorg- 
ensen and Fraud Paine, of Walla Walla, re- 
turned from Pomeroy Wednesday evening, 
having been to the Pataha country in the inter- 
est of the proposed branch railroad up that 
stream from Starbuck. While there a meeting 
of citizens was held and the depot grounds se- 
lected, upon the company's land, one-half mile 
from Pomeroy. The people offer $9 per ton 
for hauling grain to Portland, provided the 
road was built that season, but it was not 
thought likely that the company would demand 
more than the regular rate in such an event. It 
is thought that the graders on the Moscow 
branch will be transferred to the Pataha in Oc- 
tober, and work on the road begun. The people 
of Garfield county need a road badly and we 
hope their efforts to obtain one will be re- 
warded." 

The following telegram was received at 
Pomeroy Friday morning, October 16, 1885 : 

"I am instructed to commence work on the 
Pataha branch as soon as possible, and will 
commence immediately. 

"H. S. ROWE. 
"Portland, October 16, 1885." 

Tuesday morning, October 20th, all the 
men who had been employed on the branch 
road from Palouse Junction to Moscow, 
were transferred from that point to the 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



5 J 9 



line of the proposed Pataha branch. Dirt 
on the new road was fairly flying. So 
fast as possible work on the grade was 
pushed along. In November, 1885, Road 
Master Shaw, of the O. R. & N. Company, 
was in Walla Walla, just in from "the front." 
He stated that there were 700 men and a pro- 
portionate number of teams strung along the 
line from Starbuck to Pomeroy, making grade ; 
that the graders hung on the heels of the en- 
gineers, and that if extraordinary severe 
weather did not set in the road would be com- 
pleted to Pomeroy by New Year's Day. 

And now the citizens of Garfield county be- 
gan to experience some difficulty in the matter 
of securing the right of way which they had 
bound themselves to deliver to the Oregon Rail- 
road & Navigation Company. As the Walla 
Walla Union expressed it, "they had taken 
a bigger contract than they at first sup- 
posed." Previous to pledging themselves 
to control the right of way for the 
company's benefit the committee had received 
verbal promises from settlers as to the 
charges they would make for their land 
which was to be occupied for the road bed. 
Yet, in the face of all this when it came to 
making over the deeds for this "promised land" 
some of the same persons whose promises had 
been fair to the face, demanded exorbitant 
prices for the right of way, apparently forget- 
ful of the incalculable benefits to be derived 
from the extension ' of the land. Another il- 
lustration of the ingrained traits of weak and 
fallible human nature. 

January 9, 1886, construction trains were 
running within nine miles of Pomeroy; but 
track laying had ceased for some time past. 
Difficulty was experienced in getting railroad 
iron to "the front" fast enough. On the 23d 
the track had reached Pomeroy ; the railroad 
"consummation devoutly to be wished" was an 
accomplished fact. Here the road ceased ; it 
was never extended to Pataha City ; Pomeroy 
became the terminus. November 14, 1885, the 



East Washingtonian published the following : 
"It is a fact that it was only by the 'skin 
of the teeth' that the people of the county have 
been assured of the speedy construction of a 
railroad in our midst. Had not the order to 
build been given when it was it is not likely 
that it would have been given for two or three 
years. It was really against the interests of the 
Oregon Railroad & Navigation Company to 
build the Pataha road this fall. Here there 
was no threatened competition. It would have 
been much more to their interests to have built 
the Farmington road first, because the North- 
ern Pacific is competing for the traffic, while 
here there is no opposition, and no probability 
of any. It was difficult to get money to build 
any road, and if the company had constructed 
the Farmington branch first, they would so far 
have exhausted their means that we might have 
had to wait for years for a road. It was a 
fortunate thing for our farmers that things 
took so favorable a turn. We have been as- 
sured that the guarantee for the right of way 
and depot grounds had much to do in bringing 
about this result. In fact, without this guaran- 
tee the road would not have been built, and we 
might have remained for a long time in the 
same helpless condition we have been in for 
years. It has cost something, and it will cost 
more to secure the right of way. A bond was 
given in the sum of $10,000 to secure right of 
way and depot grounds. Had not a number 
of our citizens come forward and made this 
bond, there would not have been a stroke made 
on this road." 

In the history of Columbia county will be 
found an extended reference to a local option 
movement which occurred in 1886. As it af- 
fected Garfield county it may be said that the 
campaign was one of the most exciting events 
in the earlier history of the county. Feeling ran 
high in both antagonistic elements, and charges 
of illegal voting and ballot box "stuffing" were 
bandied about quite freely. In Pataha pre- 
cinct it was asserted by the prohibitionists that 



520 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY 



during the noon hour the ballot box was tamp- 
ered with and a sufficient number of votes 
changed to make the result favorable to the 
saloon element. It was, also, a significant fact 
that more electors in Pataha precinct took oath 
that they had voted for prohibition than there 
were ballots counted in its favor. The board of 
commissioners offered a reward of $250 for the 
apprehension and conviction of the person, or 
persons, guilty of tampering with the vote. 
This election was held June 28th. July 17th 
the East Washingtonian said : 

"The auditor of Garfield county has had an 
injunction served on him to not make the offi- 
cial count on the local option election until fur- 
ther orders from the judge of the district court. 
This injunction was sworn out by parties in- 
terested in the continuation of the whiskey- 
traffic here. The ground of the injunction is 
an alleged change in the Pomeroy precinct by 
the county commissioners. The case will have 
a hearing in a few days. It will occasion delay, 
however, and enable the saloon men to go on 
selling until a decision is secured." The can- 
vass of the local option vote was set for Mon- 
day, July 26th. Meantime the following was 
published in the East Washingtonian of July 
24th : 

"Attenton, Citizens ! 

"All who are in favor of law and order are 
requested to meet en masse at Pomeroy on 
Monday, July 26th, at 10 a. m., to organize a 
law and order association for the purpose of 
protecting the ballots of the popular vote of the 
people. Delegates from every precinct in the 
county are especially requested to attend. By 
order of the Executive Committee." 

On the 26th the local option vote of Garfield 
county was canvassed, with the exception of 
Pomeroy precinct, by Deputy Auditor Seeley, 
Probate Judge Benjamin Butler and County 
Treasurer J. W. Rauch, with the following re- 
sult: 

Pomeroy Precinct — Injunction served on 
the canvassing board; no count made. 



Pataha Precinct — Canvassed under protest 
of Pataha electors. Protest filed. For prohi- 
bition, 89; against, 154; majority against, 65. 

Columbia Center Precinct — For Prohibi- 
81 ; against, o; majority for, 81. 

Pleasant Precinct — For Prohibition, 65; 
against, 5 ; majority for, 60. 

River Preceinct — For Prohibition, 83 ; 
against, 2; majority for, 81. 

Meadow Precinct — For Prohibition, 3 1 ; 
against, 1 ; majority for, 30. 

Tucanon Precinct — For Prohibition, 24; 
against, 2 ; majority for, 22. 

Whole number of votes cast in the 'county, 
999; for Prohibition, 614; against Prohibi- 
tion, 385 ; majority for Prohibition, 229. 

October 5, 1886, the injunction against the 
board of canvassers from counting the local op- 
tion vote of Pomeroy precinct was dissolved; 
the vote was counted with the following find- 
ings : Local option, yes, 241 ; no, 221 ; majority 
for prohibition, 20. 

And yet, despite the fact that the sentiment 
of the people of Garfield county, as shown by 
the vote, was strongly in favor of prohibition, 
it was never put in execution. For quite an ex- 
tended period the injunction estopped the count 
of the ballots cast in Pomeroy, and Pataha City 
people had cast a decisive majority against it. 
A little later a decision was handed down to the 
effect that the local option law was unconstitu- 
tional and inoperative, although in another ju- 
dicial district Judge George Turner had ruled 
exactly opposite to this opinion. So the fight 
for prohibition that had been waged so ag- 
gressively by the men and women of Garfield 
county proved barren of results. 

In August, 1886, the number of acres of im- 
proved land in the county was 52,683 ; value, 
$524,790; value of improvements, $161,160; 
value of personal property, $493,895 ; total 
value of all property, $1,179,750 — an increase 
over the previous year of $55,542.. 

In December, 1886. a serious complication 
arose concerning the timber land in the county. 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



52i 



Nearly all of this was unsurveyed, and a por- 
. ton of it had been occupied for years by actual 
settlers. They had built houses on the land 
and many of them had repeatedly made applica- 
tion to have the land surveyed so that they 
could obtain title to their claims. From these 
unsurveyed lands nearly all the wood, rails and 
other timber used in the county had been taken ; 
until a comparatively recent period there had 
been no objection to this by government officials. 
In 1885 a surveying party had been at work in 
Garfield county, but the survey had been sum- 
marily stopped before much was accomplished. 
Without timber it was impossible to improve 
the county ; the district was open neither to set- 
tler nor purchaser, and the action of the gov- 
ernment came as a severe blow to the prosperity 
of a large scope of country. Oregon parties in- 
terested in supplying Garfield county with lum- 
ber were, of course, largely benefitted. About 
this time a large quantity of timber that had 
been cut by the Henley Brothers was seized by 
government officers. The latter, in fact, had no 
discretion in the matter but were compelled to 
enforce the law whenever complaint was made. 
The case of the United States vs. Henley 
Brothers for cutting government timber was 
tried at Pomeroy in March, 1887. The court 
ruled that the plaintiff should have all logs and 
lumber on hand; the defendant paying $1 dam- 
ages without costs. 

The completion, in 1886, of the Pataha 
branch of the Oregon Railroad & Navigation 
Company's road, to Pomeroy, imparted con- 
siderable stimulus to all lines of industries in 
that vicinity. During the first year following 
the completion of the road shipments were, in 
round numbers: wheat, 14,900 tons; hogs, 18 
car loads; horses, 5 car loads; about 142,000 
pounds of wool were shipped from warehouses 
just below town, and from adjacent points on 
Snake River an additional 10,800 tons of wheat 
were shipped. Following is the rate of tax levy 
through six consecutive seasons ; 1882, 19 mills ; 



1883, J 8; 1884, i?y 4 ; 1885, i6y 2 , 1886, i6y 2 , 
1887, i 5 y. 

In November, 1 887, the county commission- 
ers leased the old bank property, in Pomeroy, 
consisting of lot 5, block 3, including the 
bank building, auditor's, treasurer's and sher- 
iff's offices. This lease was to run five 
years at a rate of $900 per annum, pay- 
able in five annual installments. The per- 
sons owning this property agreed, at the ter- 
mination of that period to execute a deed to 
the county for this property for the considera- 
ton of one dollar. Arrangements were at once 
made to build a court room 30x60 feet in size, 
at the rear of the building then on the lot. At 
the time this was considered an excellent finan- 
cial move on the part of the commissioners, as 
the county really secured the property for only 
a trifle more than what the rent of office quar- 
ters, court room, etc., would amount to within 
the five years specified. 

Few were the days in 1887 in Pomeroy that 
did not witness the arrival of new immigrants. 
Population was increasing rapidly and it em- 
braced a most excellent class of citizens. The 
year 1888 was a repetition of 1887, and many 
more settlers arrived and added their fortunes 
to the general fund that made for prosperity 
throughout the county. It was in 1889 that 
real disaster overtook the farming portion of 
the county. Under the title, "The Breath of 
the Sirocco," the East Washingtonian told the 
story, June 15th, in the following words : 

"Less than four weeks ago the crop pros- 
pects in Garfield county were better than at any 
time since the settlement of the country. The 
past two weeks have wrought a great change. 
The protracted warm rains caused a growth in 
the grain that was too tender and succulent to 
stand the heat and dryness that followed. It 
was not the drought of the "soil, but of the at- 
mosphere that caused the grain to suffer. From 
all parts there came news of burning, parching 
fields. In some cases the crops are an entire 



5^2 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



failure. Fortunately, most farms had both 
spring and fall sowing, and most of them have 
some grain that promises well. It is only 
truth to say that crops in this county will be 
seriously shortened. Should the weather turn 
cool right away, many fields that now seem al- 
most ruined would liven up and yet produce fair 
crops. It will be better for some of our farm- 
ers to go to cutting down their fields for bay. 
The coming winter may prove hay to be more 
valuable than grain. Our advice would be to 
save the hay at any rate. We can better afford 



to lose the profits of a grain crop than to lose 
our stock. One year will produce a crop of 
grain, but it takes years to get a start in horses 
and cattle." 

The total assessment of the county for the 
year 1889 was $1,556,335. The population of 
the county was 3,682. The census of 1890 
showed an increase to 3,898, divided as fol- 
lows : Ilia, 12; Pomeroy, 642; Pataha, 273; 
Township, 12, 457; 13, 380; 14, 100; 15, 
1,390; 16, 644. The assessed valuation in 
1890 was $2,981,159. 



CHAPTER II 



CURRENT EVENTS— 1891 TO 1905. 



"Coming events cast their shadows before," 
and, while Garfield county had enjoyed a sea- 
son of undoubted prosperity, it was in 1891 that 
her people experienced the first turn of the screw 
which caused the financial agony of 1893. Now 
began a shifting of property holdings, much of 
which changed hands, passing into possession 
of a more successful and better class of citizens, 
all of which made for the welfare of the county 
as a whole. Many successful farmers from 
other parts of the country cast their lot with 
Garfield county and proceeded to found new 
homes. A shortage of crops hastened failures 
where they were inevitable, but instances were 
rare where men of any considerable means 
were closed out. However, it was claimed by 
the East Washingtonian, April 4, 1891, that, 
"Our county is now in a better financial condi- 
tion than ever before ; Garfield county farmers 
have over $1,000,000 deposited in the banks of 
this city (Pomeroy). It is estimated that the 
farmers of the county are worth $200,000 more 
clear cash than they were last year." 

It is undeniably true that, had it not been 
for the bitter and antagonistic feeling engend- 



ered by the county seat contest — the aftermath 
of that internecine warfare — a court house 
would have been built in Garfield county many 
years before it was finally secured. The first ef- 
fort, in 1 89 1, resulted in defeat. A special elec- 
tion was called by the commissioners for May 
1st to vote on a proposition to issue bonds to 
build a court house, vaults, jail, etc. What de- 
feated these bonds? Probably jealousy. This 
answer is not of our own suggestion, but is 
founded on the following extract from the 
Pomeroy East Washingtonian of May 2d : 

"We ask in the name of common sense how 
can every little postoffice in the county expect 
to be a county seat ? To hear some of our 'no 
court house men' talk, one would think Garfield 
county would eventually contain no less than 
half a dozen county seats. We have heard one 
man argue that the Pataha branch of the O. R. 
& N. would be extended, and the seat of gov- 
ernment would then be permanently located up 
toward the mountains. Again, the same fel- 
low said to Gould City men that Gould City was 
destined to be the metropolis of Garfield coun- 
ty, and money placed in public buildings else- 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUXTY. 



5 2 3 



where would be money thrown away. To re- 
sort to such flimsy arguments a man must be 
sorely pressed for material, indeed." 

At this special election there were cast 689 
votes. Of these there were 376 in favor, and 
313 against, bonding the county for court house 
purposes. The amount proposed was $20,000. 
A three-fifths vote was required to carry the 
proposition and it was not secured. It was 
stated the following day, with some show of 
credence, that were the question to be resub- 
mitted a sufficient number would support it — a 
sort of death-bed repentance rather unaccount- 
able in the light of consistency — and there were 
others who declared that the amount asked 
was inadequate for the purpose, and that if it 
were increased to $40,000 or $50,000, they 
would cheerfully support the project. 

In truth there was little interest manifested 
at this election, although there was a strong 
undercurrent among the more enterprising citi- 
zens in favor of the bonds. An analysis of the 
vote plainly indicated that the residents of the 
precincts in the immediate neighborhood of 
Pomeroy were largely in favor of the project. 
At one time the hopes of the "court house men" 
were high ; they claimed that while the vote 
would be close, certain victorv was in sisfht. The 
first clash of cold water came in reliable returns 
from Pataha precinct ; 8 votes for and 107 
against, the bonds. A tie vote was reported 
from Columbia precinct, and the decisive blow 
had fallen ; the bonds were doomed. Many ex- 
pressed the pessimistic belief that a majority of 
votes would be against the proposition, but 
such was not the case; the official count dis- 
closed the fact that the proposition was lost by 
only a few votes. And thus court house build- 
ing was, for a time, held in abeyance. 

Serious damage was done to Garfield county 
property, in the mountains, Friday, July 3, 
1 89 1, by a cloud burst. The heaviest sufferers 
were people living along Cornwell gulch and 
Alpowa, the water inundating the valley to a 
depth of 7 or 8 feet, and sweeping away every- 



thing in its course, including stock, farm ma- 
chinery and wagons. The handsome orchard 
of Mr. Mahler was entirely ruined. C. E. De 
Bow and wife, and Miss Ledgerwood, who 
were at the time returning from Genesee, 
narrowly escaped drowning in the flood ; they 
saved their lives by seeking refuge in an 
old building on the Mahler farm. One of Mr. 
De Bow's horses and his wagon, with about 
$300 worth of household supplies, were washed 
away and landed on a bar near the river. This 
was, probably, as severe a storm as had ever 
been experienced by white men in this vicinity. 

The amount of grain raised in the county 
in 1 89 1 was conservatively at 800,000 bushels 
of wheat and 1,000,000 bushels of barley. Of 
this generous crop the East Washingtonian 
said: 

t "No person with half an eye can go about 
the depot and see the immense quantity of grain 
that is passing in, the vast amount now there 
awaiting shipment, and the long string of 
loaded cars that pull out daily, without being 
filled with enthusiasm and extravagant hopes 
for the future of Pomeroy and Garfield 
county." 

Yet despite the bounteous harvests preceding 
1893, that period of depression was sorely felt 
throughout the county. Grain prices were low, 
"ruinous," as declared many agriculturists, and 
transportation facilities were not all that could 
be desired. Still, it cannot be said that condi- 
tions in Garfield were materially worse than 
those in other counties in the state, or in the 
whole country, for that matter. Certainly hei 
resources were far above the average, and her 
citizens, as a class, were substantial, forceful 
men, well calculated to weather a few gales of 
adversity. 

August 4. 1893, during the forenoon, news 
was received at Pomeroy of the wreck, on the 
Snake river, near Almota, of the steamer Annie 
Faxon. The boat was on her course down 
stream from Lewiston to Riparia ; there were 
23 persons on board including the crew. When 



5 2 4 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY 



nearing- Wait's bar the steamer was hailed 
by a man who said he wanted to ship some 
peaches. As the boat drew inshore and, as it is 
said, with a low pressure of steam, the boiler ex- 
ploded, throwing crew and passengers into the 
stream. Such as were not fatally injured seized 
floating wreckage and were rescued by small 
boats launched from the shore. Following is a 
list of the killed : John Mcintosh, Thomas Mc- 
intosh, of Starbuck; William Kidd, Henry 
Bush, Pain Allen, George Farwell, of Lewis- 
ton ; Scott McComb. 

The following persons were injured, some 
of them seriously : Henry Sturm, William 
Mohl, Sage Aikin. Richard Hall. D. H. Brech- 
tel. L. T. Latan, Jacob Moritz, Roger Mor- 
risey and three Chinamen. The injured were 
taken to farmhouses near the scene of the 
catastrophe, where they were cared for by 
physicians. Tuesday morning they were con- 
veyed to Walla Walla on a special train and 
placed in St. Mary's Hospital. Captain Henry 
Baughman, I. C. Sargeant and another man 
escaped without injury. The boat was of 
archaic lineage, and the boiler had been in 
constant use for a period of 20 years, having 
been removed from the old steamer, John Gates. 
The Faxon sunk about 40 feet from shore; 
Sage Aiken, the first assistant engineer, who 
was scalded about the hips, said : 

"I was standing in front of the first cabin 
when the explosion occurred, having just come 
'off watch, being relieved by A. P. Brown, the 
chief engineer. When the explosion occurred 
I was struck by the steam and blown straight up 
in the air about 20 feet, and came down, light- 
ing on my feet just in front of the boiler. I was 
stunned for a moment, but soon recovered. 
When Chief Engineer Brown and I saw 
Thomas Mcintosh, he was lying in the middle 
of the boat, his feet upward, and the wreckage 
of the pilot house lying on his body. We re- 
moved the debris and succeeded in extricating 
him from that position. Life was extinct. His 
head was badly bruised and the lower part of 



his body and limbs crushed almost to a jelly. 
The boat was just making a landing when the 
accident occurred. The bow was headed up 
stream, and the chief engineer had just turned 
on the steam, and the engine was started when 
the boiler was blown up. The sides of the boat 
were blown out, which caused the cabins and 
pilot house to come down with a crash. Chief 
Engineer Brown escaped -without injury, be- 
yond being shaken up considerably. I am at a 
loss to know what caused the explosion. The 
boiler was 29 feet long and 6 feet in diameter, 
and was allowed to carry 125 pounds of steam, 
but when the accident occurred we had only 
no pounds, that being the usual amount car- 
ried when going down stream. Just before we 
left Lewiston the boiler had been thoroughly 
cleaned and was to all appearance in good 
shape." 

The total amount of damages sued for, on 
account of the Annie Faxon disaster was in 
round numbers, as follows : Mr. Lawton, $175,- 
000; two Missses Mcintosh, $100,000; W. D. 
Bechtel, $40,000; J. Moritz, $10,000; wives of 
two deck hands, $20,000; Mrs. J. E. Tappan, 
purser's wife, $30,000; Mrs. Joseph Bush, $20,- 
000. Total $395,000. It is unnecessary to 
state that the amount recovered fell far short of 
this sum, as much of the damage claimed was 
settled by compromise out of court. 

The capture of a trio of supposed cattle 
thieves in Garfield county took place on the 
evening of August 4, 1894. They were Bud 
Pettijohn, William Lloyd and Chauncey Tay- 
lor, all of Columbia county. The arrests were 
made by a sheriff's posse during which about 
fifty shots were fired. Pettijohn was badly 
wounded in the leg above the knee, by two shots 
which shattered the bone. Lloyd received two 
shots through the calf of the leg and one bul- 
let slightly grazed his cheek. With the excep- 
tion of Deputy Sheriff Allen, of Columbia 
county, who received a slight scalp wound from 
the revolver of Lloyd, none of the officers were 
wounded. Lloyd appeared to pay particular at- 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



525 



tention to Allen during the entire progress of 
the engagement. 

For some time in the past the farmers of 
Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties had 
suffered considerable loss from depredations of 
cattle "rustlers." In consequence of this condi- 
tion of affairs the officers began quietly to in- 
vestigate; they discovered what they believed 
to be a well organized gang of cattle thieves, 
composed mainly of men residing in and around 
Dayton. It was learned by the officers that the 
band intended to make a wholesale raid in the 
latter part of August, on cattle, in Garfield and 
Asotin counties. At Pomeroy a sheriff's posse 
was organized. It comprised Deputy Sheriff 
Tom Burlingame, Lew Tidwell, Sam Shawley, 
Peter Setter, Sheriff Dickson, of Garfield, and 
Deputy Allen, of Columbia county. On the 
evening of the 4th, while the posse were eating 
supper at the old Freeman stage station, on 
Alpowa creek, Petti John and Lloyd were ob- 
served approaching the house. Immediately on 
their arrival they were summarily ordered to 
"throw up their hands." To this demand Petti- 
john seemed disposed to acquiesce; not so with 
Lloyd; he at once leaped from his horse and 
opened fire on the posse. Upon this Petti John 
plucked up courage and followed his example. 
During a desperate running fight the two out- 
laws were shot down and captured ; Taylor sur- 
rendered without resistance about three miles 
further down the canyon. In his possession 
were two horses; they were supposed to have 
been taken from Asotin county. 

On the morning of March 5th Deputy Sher- 
iff Allen returned from Pomeroy to Dayton. 
He gave the following account of the capture of 
the "rustlers" : 

"In company with the sheriff of Garfield 
county, two deputies and four citizens, we went 
to Lanning's place, at the head of Alpowa, Fri- 
day night, as we expected the gang to come 
along that evening. They did not appear, but 
last evening, just as we had finished supper at 
the Freeman place, Lloyd and Petti John came 



riding along. Knowing Lloyd well, I called 
him by name, told him to throw up his hands 
and consider himself under arrest. He pulled 
his gun and dropped over on the other side of 
his horse and commenced shooting. We fired 
three shots at his horse and he dismounted and 
started to run, firing at me continuously, Lloyd 
had previously told other parties that if he and 
I ever came together that way he would have to 
kill me. Pettijohn also dismounted and started 
to run, firing at the officers. Twice Lloyd 
came near hitting me, shooting once under my 
left arm, and once just to the right beside this 
hole." 

Here alien pointed to two holes in his left 
pantaloons leg, just below the knee. One bul- 
let made both holes and cut the underclothing, 
but did not touch the flesh. 

"After a 200 yard chase," continued Allen, 
"Lloyd and Pettijohn surrendered, Lloyd had 
two flesh wounds, below and above the left 
knee. Pettijohn was shot twice with a Win- 
chester, in the left thigh. The wound is a bad 
one and the leg will, probably, have to be am- 
putated. None of the officers were hit. 

"We then went on down the canyon several 
miles and captured Chang Taylor, another of 
the gang. I rode up along side him and shoved 
a pistol under his nose. He saw there was no 
chance to escape and threw up his hands. We 
took the prisoners to Pomeroy, where they 
could receive medical attention, arriving there 
about two o'clock this morning." 

Concerning this important capture the 
Chronicle said : 

"The rustlers, who are old offenders and 
well known here, recently made arrangements 
to deliver a car-load of cattle to John Church, 
of Dayton, whenever Church made a shipment, 
and they were seen with 30 head of cattle be- 
longing to John Powell, of Asotin county, just 
before they were captured. The cattle were to 
have been turned over to Church last night at 
Fred Gritman's ranch, on Tucanon, to be 
shipped Monday morning from here over the 



526 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



Washington & Columbia railroad. The cars 
are here now waiting- for stock. Church sus- 
pected crooked work and informed the officers, 
resulting as above stated. Wednesday even- 
ing. August 8th, Sheriff Weatherford received 
a telephone message, stating, that John Long, 
for whom a warrant had been issued from the 
county, had been captured near Pendleton, Or- 
egon. Long is charged with cattle stealing and 
it is supposed that he is one of the gang that 
has been operating in this vicinity. Deputy 
Allen went after the prisoner Thursday, arriv- 
ing home Friday." 

It was generally admitted in the fall of 
1894 that Garfield county was in "hard luck." 
The crop was bountiful, but grain prices, 
owing to railroad extortion, were extremely 
and absurdly low. So abundant was the crop 
that resident laborers could not handle it ; 
farmers were compelled to employ many trans- 
ients and tramps who were not the best of 
workers and, in the main, disagreeable and un- 
desirable employees. Many of them demand- 
ed their wages before the grain could be 
marketed, and forced sales were the result. As 
the East Washingtonian expressed the idea : 
"Men had to stop their work to come in and 
'dig up' for a lot of insolent hoboes." 

The low price prevailing for grain was one 
of the most discouraging features of this year 
of. general depression. The East Washingto- 
nian voiced the opinion of many agriculturists 
as follows : 

"So far as the farmers themselves are con- 
cerned if they had not bought sacks, but had 
turned hogs into their fields and not run head- 
ing, threshing and sack bills, they would have 
been just as well off. In fact they might about 
as well have left the grain stand and rot down 
in the field, for they have in many cases not 
realized anything above actual cost of sacks 
and harvesting. At twenty cents per bushel 
the farmer gets $6.66 per ton for grain and 
the railroad gets $4.50 for hauling that ton to 



Portland. Out of the $6.66 the farmer has 
to pay almost $2 for the sacks it takes to hold 
the grain, and besides pay the harvesting bills. 
The farmer cannot make anything whatever at 
this rate. Many are not getting enough to pay 
expenses." 

One relief sought from the serious burdens 
imposed this year, 1894, was an attempt to 
secure a reduction of freight rates. Petitions 
were circulated among the farmers addressed 
to the railroad company, asking it to grant 
some relief in the way of freight reduction. 
The petition received 700 signatures and was 
forwarded to the company. At the ware- 
houses wheat was then accumulating in im- 
mense quantities. On this "bumper" crop the 
farmers wanted a lower freight rate, and they 
wanted it badly. Accompanying the petition 
to the railway company was a letter from a 
committee of Garfield county citizens, of which 
S. G. Cosgrove was chairman. The following 
extract from this letter illustrates the condition 
of affairs at this depressing period : 

"The petition contains nearly 700 names, 
and among them are the best farmers of Gar- 
field county, all speaking for justice, as we be- 
lieve, in regard to freight rates for Garfield 
county, and all eastern Washington. The peti- 
tion speaks for itself, and it is hardly necessary 
for the committee to go into detail in regard 
to the matters contained in it, but the commit- 
tee, outside of the merits of the case so far as 
the farmers are concerned, honestly believe it 
will be as much to the interest of the railroad 
company so far as money is concerned, taking 
the future into consideration, for the railroad 
company to accede to the prayer of the petition, 
as it is to the farming interests of this county. 
Unless something is done scarcely any tonnage 
will be shipped out of this county next year, as 
the farming community is thoroughly discour- 
aged." 

But this petition bore no fruit — the rail- 
roads peremptorily refused to grant the relief 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



527 



prayed for. And yet, while turning a deaf ear 
to the agriculturists — declining to make any 
sort of a compromise — the arrogant railway 
lines as gracefully as possible, accepted a 
freight tonnage of 2,000,000 bushels of grain 
from Garfield county alone, and all of this was 
transported at the old ruinous rate. This was 
the amount of that season's crop, aside from an 
ample amount left at home for seed and feed. 

The attention of Garfield county residents 
during the summer and fall of 1895 was ab- 
sorbed to a great extent by what is known as 
the Myers case. Charles E. Myers had been 
found guilty of murder in the first degree at 
Asotin. The crime for which he was subse- 
quently hanged was the murder erf Frank 
Sherry by burning him to death in the City 
Hotel, at Asotin, March 4, 1893. An appeal 
was taken to the supreme court and the case 
remanded for a new trial. A change of venue 
was taken ; the trial dc novo was held at Pom- 
eroy. The case was prosecuted by M. F. Gose, 
and he secured from the court at Pomeroy an- 
other verdict of guilty. Following is the Co- 
lumbia Chronicle's account of the only legal 
hanging in Garfield county : 

"Pomeroy, Wash., September 20. — Dark 
and glooming, with a cheerless rain falling, 
dawned the last day of Charles E. Myers on 
earth. 

"The condemned man slept until awakened 
by the sheriff at 5 130 o'clock a. m., when he 
arose, washed and ate a hearty breakfast, in- 
cluding limeberger cheese, but no meats, to 
which he has shown a peculiar aversion 
throughout his confinement. During the meal 
he talked and laughed with the officers, ex- 
hibiting that wonderful nerve and impurtable 
demeanor which he has displayed throughout 
all the proceedings. He refused a new suit 
of clothes which the sheriff had bought for 
him, and also refused to be shaved, saying 
that he would die as he had looked in life. As 
to the disposition of his body he told the sheriff 



to do with it as he pleased, as it was immaterial 
to him. 

"Myers was brought from the Dayton jail, 
where he has been confined, on Friday night, 
September 27, and lodged in the city jail here. 
The doomed man persistently refused all spir- 
itual consolation until Saturday afternoon, 
when he sent for a testament over which he 
passed the remainder of the clay in reading. 
On Sunday he told the sheriff he was a Luth- 
eran and asked for a protestant minister. 

"Various parties endeavored to secure a 
confession, but his lips remained sealed, ex- 
cept to declare his innocence. His last hours 
in the jail were spent in religious meditation. 

"At 10:40 o'clock a. m. Myers left the jail 
for the scaffold. Neither wife nor friend ac- 
companied him, but he walked past his open 
coffin and mounted the scaffold steps between 
Sheriff Baldwin, of Garfield county and Sheriff 
Wormell, of Asotin county, without a tremor. 
The scaffold was built between the county 
buildings, and the view being cut off from the 
east and west, the street in front was packed 
with a sea of human faces, while the hill to the 
north was alive with spectators. Myers 
stepped squarely on the trap on ascending, and 
stood silent as a statue. His hat was on and 
his long hair, carefully brushed, showed be- 
neath it. His face and form were visibly thin 
from confinement. He wore his jail clothes. 
Presently a chair was brought out and he sat 
down. On the scaffold, beside the sheriff and 
his deputy, Ambrose Dickson, stood the sher- 
iffs of King, Snohomish, Whitman and Nez 
Perce counties. 

"Suddenly Sheriff Baldwin announced that 
the condemned man would speak. With a mil- 
itary tread he advanced to the front of the 
platform and in his broken English tremulous- 
ly said, 'My friends, I am innocent. I have 
always been a law abiding citizen. I hope to 
meet you over there; goodbye.' The Rev. Buz- 
zell then made an eloquent prayer. Myers 



528 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



never moved a muscle while the straps were 
being adjusted. Again he spoke — this time in 
a prayer and in a feebler voice than before : 
'May the Lord save my soul as well as yours.' 
The rope was then adjusted and the black cap 
drawn. 

"Precisely at eleven o'clock the trap was 
sprung. Myers' body fell like a rock — the 
knot slipped from behind the ear during the 
fall, and his neck was not broken. The body 
half rotated a few seconds — there were a 
dozen heaving respirations, the fingers twitched 
spasmodically; the neck grew purple, and that 
was all. At 1 1 :o8 the physicians pronounced 
life extinct from strangulation. At II 115 the 
body was cut down and placed in the coffin. It 
was buried by the sheriff as no friend or rela- 
tive appeared to claim it. This was the first 
execution ever held in this county and it 
created intense excitement. Over 1,000 peo- 
ple were present." 

The spring of 1895 was another era of dis- 
couragement. Some of the Garfield county 
farmers stated that they did not intend to crop 
their land ; that it did no good ; that they were 
daily getting deeper into debt; that the mort- 
gagees were going to usurp their places, any- 
how. They had secured no relief from the 
railroad company ; the state senate had de- 
clined to pass the Helm bill, or do anything 
else to relieve the agricultural community of 
Washington. August 24th the East Wash- 
ingtonian published this paragraph : 

"It is true some of us are in debt, and are 
pinched for money to meet demands on us, but 
then we find we can cut our expenses down to 
a point previously unthought of. Some are 
saying, 'but times are going to be worse this 
winter than ever before.' We say, no. The 
scare people have had has made them more 
economical than ever. The crop of this year 
will bring a good deal more clear money than 
that of last. Don't believe it? Well, it is so. 
Last year the crop hardly paid to harvest at 
all ; this year wheat will bring a fair price, and J 



those who have wheat to sell will clear a little 
money. This divided around will even things 
up a good deal. Some few have had an entire 
failure, but they are not so badly off as those 
who last year had big crops, but were brought 
out in debt harvesting and marketing it. So 
far as we are able to learn the yield of grain is 
averaging better than was anticipated. Some 
few fields of spring sowing are yielding fairly 
well, while the summer fallowed ground is 
turning out a little better than was antic- 
ipated." 

Following is the statement of the Garfield 
county commissioners concerning the condi- 
tion of. the county, published May 18, 1895 : 

"The county at the present time has an 
outstanding indebtedness of about $50,000, 
evidenced by outstanding warrants, on which 
there is considerable accumulated interest. 
The assessed valuation of the county is some- 
thing like $1,300,000. The constitutional 
limit oi i l / 2 per cent of the assessed valuation 
of the county has been greatly exceeded, and 
will pass the constitutional limit of 5 per cent 
of the assessed valuation of the county, on ac- 
count of the accumulation of interest on said 
indebtedness at a date not far in the future. 
The limit of 5 per cent is a limit beyond which 
the indebtedness of the county cannot pass, 
and when we have reached that all business 
must stop. 

"If our outstanding indebtedness should 
be funded the county will have an indebtedness 
of more than \]/ 2 per cent of the valuation of 
the property of the county, and afterwards the 
county must run on a cash basis and no war- 
rants can be issued unless there is cash to pay 
the same, or a levy has been made to pay the 
same. This last proposition is plainly laid out 
in the supreme court decision in the case of 
Hunt vs. Fawcett, 8 Wash., page 396, and the 
session laws of 1895, at page 297. 

"Charles A. Shafer, 
"Chris Brockman, 
'George J. Ruark." 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



529 



"Good times'' were ushered into Garfield 
county with the advent of 1897. Coupled with 
an abundant crop wheat prices were climb- 
ing toward the dollar mark. In August many 
farmers were looking forward to the near fu- 
ture when they would be able to lift the mort- 
gage which, like the 'old man of the sea,' had 
been riding their property and, incidentally, 
filling their hearts with apprehension and dis- 
mal forebodings. With the smaller debts, store 
accounts, etc., liquidations was constantly in 
progress. In the aggregate Garfield county 
ranchers were many thousands of dollars 
richer. The last of October nearly wound up 
grain threshing and long before this a large 
portion of the 1897 crop had been hauled away 
to market, the mone)' received therefrom was 
merrily circulating throught out the county. A 
large number of the more thrifty farmers 
wiped out their entire indebtedness and stowed 
some money away in bank. Those who had, 
the year previous, despaired of ever redeeming 
their homes, this fall 'took the plaster off,' and 
once more became free men. In March, 1898, 
official records showed that the release of farm 
mortgages in Garfield county for the past fiscal 
year, in excess of mortgages recorded, exhib- 
ited a net reduction of almost $140,000. The 
bountiful harvest of 1897 was followed by two 
other fine crops. September 9, 1899, the Pom- 
eroy East Washingtonian said : 

"It now seems reasonably certain that the 
grain crop will be harvested without a very 
great loss. We have had two fine crops con- 
secutively, and our farmers have had a chance 
to get their heads above water. Farms that 
were heavily mortgaged have been redeemed, 
and many farmers who thought they were 
hopelessly swamped, have come out above 
board, and are independent. It is safe to say 
that upon the whole, farming interests were 
never in a more favorable condition. While 
we shall not have a large crop we have a great 
deal of grain for shipment. Whrn the farmer 



gets his money this year he will not have to 
turn it over to some loan company. Our peo- 
ple are in better condition to stand a little 
drought and crop shortage than they were a 
few years back. For all these things let us be 
duly thankful and take courage for the future." 
The year 1900 was marked by a number of 
severe storms and disastrous floods. Wednes- 
day evening, February 21, Pataha creek over- 
flowed its banks and wrought considerabk 
damage along its course in Garfield county. 
In the city of Pomeroy bridges, sidewalks and 
fences were carried away by the raging tor- 
rent. Several houses and barns were swamped 
with water, and from this source the damage 
was great. Above Houser's mill, at Pataha, 
the dam was washed out and this added ma- 
terially to the extraordinary volume of water 
lower down in the stream. All roads leading 
toward the mountains were cut, gullied and 
washed out untl they were, practically, impas- 
sable. On Pataha prairie fall sown wheat 
fields were nearly ruined by washings, and 
along Pataha creek bridges and fences were 
carried down stream. Such a disastrous visir 
tation by flood had never before been known 
since the settlement of the county. 

But the end was not yet. April 27th the 
same vicinity was visited by a similar storm 
and flood which did great damage in a portion 
of the county. The general direction of this 
storm was northwest, the bulk of the damage 
inflicted being in the Melton neighborhood ; in 
fact it began at the head of Melton gluch, 
and water fell in bucketsfull, suddenly swell- 
ing the small stream to a fair sized river. 
Havoc was wrought with everything in its 
path ; bridges and fences were swept away ; 
gardens, orchards and growing crops of all 
kinds nearly ruined. A number of residences 
were, for a short time, in great danger, as the 
flood tore down the gulch in an immense and 
irresistable volume. Two miles below Pom- 
eroy the storm crossed the Pataha, passing 



34 



53° 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



over the Falling Spring neighborhood, where 
it wrought no little damage to crops, gardens 
and fences. 

The storm and flood was followed. May 
4th, by a water spout which passed from south 
to north over a strip nearly two miles wide, 
across the entire county just below Pomeroy. 
The roar of the falling water could be 
distinctly heard at Pomeroy above the 
crashing thunder. Washed away, damaged 
and drowned were bridges, farm implements, 
cows, calves and horses in the vicinity of Sky- 
hock's and Noyer's places, on the breaks of 
Meadow gulch, and, also, Westerly's above 
the Owsley ranch. Mr. Bentley lost two calves; 
Halterman some cows and John McDonough 
two horses. On the Owsley ranch twenty 
acres of oats were entirely washed away. The 
Melton, Skyhock and Bentley ranches were 
damaged to the extent of several thousand dol- 
lars in the aggregate. In the great volume of 
water that rushed down the gulch Leroy John- 
son lost a number of head of valuable stock. 
Within a period of less than five minutes the 
Pataha rose six feet, covering the whole val- 
ley from hill to hill. 

The month of June saw another visita- 
tion, though of less severity. June 30th the 
East Washingtonian said: 

"The thunder and hail storms of Saturday 
and Sunday nights (June 23d and 24th), were 
unusually severe back in the mountains and 
east of here in the vicinity of Alpowa. Con- 
siderable damage resulted from heavy chunks 
of falling ice. At Peola is was the most se- 
vere hail storm that ever visited that section 
of country, and the damages to growing vege- 
tation must have been heavy." 

According to the United States census for 
1900 the population of Garfield county was 
3,918. The population in 1890 was 3.987, and 
the increase for the decade was 21, or 5.10 per 
cent. Population by precincts : Columbia Cen- 
ter, 614; East Pomeroy, 785; Grand, 20; 



Meadow, 276; Pataha, 553; Pleasant, 400; 
River, 556; Tucanon, 150; West Pomeroy, 
564- 

Following the disastrous conflagration in 
Pomeroy, which destroyed the rented build- 
ings used for court house purposes in 1900, it 
became imperatively necessary to secure a new 
edifice. Thereupon the commissioners called 
for a vote on the proposition to bond the county 
in the sum of $20,000. The day set for this 
expression of the will of the people was on the 
general election day in November, 1900. The 
project was urged by the East Washingtonian 
in these words : 

"Every elector in the county should vote 
in favor of the proposition. The recent fire 
has demonstrated the necessity of a safe place 
for county records. Since all the county build- 
ings have been destroyed it is absolutely ne- 
cessary to build, and while building we should 
put up a good, substantial house. Twenty 
thousand dollars, in the opinion of many, is a 
modest sum, but if economically handled it will 
give us a neat, durable structure that will serve 
the county for half a century." 

This bond proposition was carried by a 
safe majority, and by March, 1901, the 
bonds had been disposed of, the contract to 
erect a court house had been let and it was 
now on the eve of construction. The esti- 
mated cost, when completed, was $18,783. 
However, all was not smooth sailing; the mat- 
ter got into court. But in July, 1901, word was 
received at Pomeroy that the supreme court 
had confirmed the decision of Judge Miller, of 
the superior court of Garfield county, to the 
effect that the court house bonding proposition 
had been legally authorized at the general elc- 
tion. In its decision the supreme court said: 

"More than three-fifths of those who saw 
proper to exercise their right to vote upon the 
proposition assented to the increasing indebt- 
edness. If other voters who had the oppor- 
tunity to exercise the power of the ballot de- 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



53i 



clined to do so, they cannot now complain upon 
any principle of right or justice. Voters should 
should he sufficiently interested in the public 
welfare to go to the polls at the time of an 
election and vote upon the proposition sub- 
mitted. If they fail to do so, then, under our 
interpretation of the constitution, those who 
actually do the voting upon the propositions 
submitted, must determine them.'' 

This contest in the courts was a friendly 
one, the suit being brought for the sole pur- 
pose of testing the validity of the bonds. In 
1901 the court house was completed, and whih 
there were many county buildings in the state 
which had cost more money, there were few 
that presented a more attractive appearance, or 
were better adapted for official purposes. It 
was surrounded by a fine lawn and in front of 
the structure was a handsome monument in 
honor of the soldiers who fought during the 
civil war. 

In May, 1901, the people living along the 
Tucanon, southwest of Pomeroy, assisted by 
Attorney Cardwell, prepared a petition for 
presentation to the next state legislature, ask- 
ing that a tract of land, comprising fifteen sec- 
tions in that locality, be transferred from Co- 
lumbia to Garfield county. The following rea- 
sons were given for this request : 

"It will bring the county seat from eight 
to fourteen miles nearer. 

"It will give a better market. 

"It will give a better road all the year. 

"It is impossible to .get to Dayton, our 
present county seat, in the spring and in the 
fall on account of the mud, and in -the winter 
on account of so much snow, as we have to 
cross a high divide. 

"It is seventeen miles to Dayton at the 
nearest point, and it takes two clays to make 
the trip to Dayton and return. 

"It is nine miles to Pomeroy, the county 
seat of Garfield county, and we do all our trad- 
ing and marketing at Pomeroy, for we can 
make the trip in one day, and it gives us a bet- 



ter outlet, and if we are permitted to make the 
change we can do our trading and attend to 
our county business at the same time.'' 

The petition bore the following signatures : 
J. W. Broyles, J. A. Russell, Wood Cox, W. 
C. Goodrich, G. O. Davis, James Wilson, T. 
Goodrich, S. J. Edwards, J. W. McGee, C. T. 
Edwards, John Bundy, E. F. Ogden, J. O. Ed- 
wards, Carl Ogden, P. F. Donahue, James W. 
Fuller, Joseph Martin, B. Frey and Mary 
Jane Potter. 

Still, this movement eventuated in nothing 
tangible, the Tucanon territory remained is 
Columbia county. The population of Garfield 
county, as taken by the assessor in 1902, was 
4,511. During the year, 1903, there were 
threshed in Garfield county 2,301,765 bushels 
of wheat and barley, divided as follows : Wheat, 
701,395 bushels; barley, 1,600,370 bushels. 
These figures were obtained by the county as- 
sessor from the different threshing machine 
men in the county. In July, 1904, Auditor 
Burch submitted for publication a comprehen- 
sive and carefully compiled exhibit of the 
finances of Garfield county. By comparison 
with the abstract of tax rolls for the year 1904, 
which had just been turned over to the auditor 
by Assessor Messenger, it was shown that the 
values of lands and improvements were then 
$2,050,625, against $1,717,270 for the preced- 
ing year, an increase of $333,335 during the 
year. The number of acres of improved land 
was about the same as the year previous. There 
was no material changes in the number of live 
stock, with the exception of hogs, which were 
listed at 3,059 ; valued at $8,425, against 1,509, 
valued- at $7,624 the previous year. The valu- 
ation of railroad, personal property and rolling 
stock for 1904 was $19,260, against $16,000 
for the previous year. The value of roadbed 
was fixed at $147,750, an increase of $60,000 
over the preceding year. The total value of 
all personal property, exclusive of exemp- 
tions, was $508,765 against $523,323 for the 
previous year. 



CHAPTER 111 



CITIES AND TOWNS. 



POMEROY. 

Pomery, the capital of Garfield county, is 
the only town of any considerable size within 
the county limits. Hence it is the business center 
of quite an extensive territory and is in one of 
Washington's best grain and fruit belts. Pom- 
eroy is the terminus of the Oregon Railroad 
& Navigation Company's line, and it lies about 
midway between the range of the Blue Moun- 
tains, on the south, and the Snake river, to the 
north, on a little stream called the Pataha. 
The present population is about 1,700. The 
altitude is 2,150 feet above sea level, and the 
city is surrounded by rolling hills, bluffs and 
small valleys. The scenery is not of a distinct- 
ively varied character. But in default of more 
picturesque natural attractions the first settlers 
of Pomeroy had keen eyes for the beautiful 
and, during their spare moments, they im- 
proved their time and homes by planting trees. 
The results of this well applied labor are now 
apparent on every hand ; shade trees and verdant 
lawns adorn the best residence portions of the 
town. 

Joseph M. Pomeroy located on Pataha 
creek, December 8, 1864, about twenty miles 
above its mouth. With no brilliant hopes of a 
town growing up on his quiet ranch he lived 
here happily for many years. He was located 
about half way between Dayton and Lewiston, 
on the main traveled route, and his home was 
always a favorite stopping place for travelers. 
It was the present site of Pomeroy. 

Mr. Pomeroy was born in Ashtabula 



county, Ohio, March 20, 1830. The same year 
his parents removed to Kendall county, Illi- 
nois ; two years later they crossed the plains 
to Oregon. Coming to the present site of 
Pomeroy, after a short time passed in Dayton, 
Mr. Pomeroy conducted a ranch and handled 
stock on a rather limited scale until 1877, when 
the townsite was laid out and the future city 
began to build up. Mr. Pomeroy erected the 
first hotel in the town. It is still standing, a 
landmark of "ye olden tyme," and is called 
the St. George. A broad-minded, liberal, phi- 
lanthropic man was Mr. Pomeroy, and. by gifts 
of money and the donation of land did much 
that materially aided the growth of the town. 
The idea of converting his property on the 
Pataha into a city first assumed definite shape 
in the mind of Mr. Pomeroy in 1877. The 
place then consisted of a large, rambling log 
house, big stables and sheds, orchard, fields of 
grain and pasture lands. Even at that period 
it was a famous stage station. Mr. Pom- 
eroy was public-spirited; he loved fine cattle 
and other domestic animals, and his stock car- 
ried away many premiums from the various- 
animal fairs held at those early days at Walla 
Walla, and participated in by all the southeast- 
ern portion of Washington Territory. He 
was, also, an eminently practical man, and hav- 
ing decided to build a city he set to work sys- 
tematically by employing a surveyor to "lay it 
out." One William Patter came to the vicin- 
ity of "Pomeroy's" about this time, and he had 
some money as well as many pretentions and 
ambitions. Patter induced Pomeroy to join him 




>&!% 





Pomeroy, county seat ox Garfield county 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



533 



in a flouring mill enterprise to be operated by 
power furnished by water from Pataha creek. 
This is a small, brawling stream, coursing 
through a narrow valley lying between high, 
steep, grass-covered hills. As superintendent 
of construction of this mill Patter employed 
William Jones, the well-known grain buyer of 
Walla Walla. Mr. Jones was then fresh from 
learning his trade of millwright in Canada. 
But Jones soon found what he considered more 
lucrative employment and relinquished his 
contract to another millwright. To this pro- 
ject Mr. Pomeroy contributed $2,000. The 
mill was built; the town started; named Pom- 
eroy, and the results are before us. 

Settlers began to flock in and the farm- 
ing industry increased to a most gratifying ex- 
tent. Quite thickly settled was the country back 
of and surrounding Pomeroy. Naturally the 
people soon felt the constantly increasing ne- 
cessity of a trade center in their vicinity. Hav- 
ing laid out his town Mr. Pomeroy made lib- 
eral offers of land to induce an enterprising 
class of business men to locate there. B. B. 
Day opened a store in the fall of 1877. in which 
he carried a large stock of goods ; Dr. T. C. 
Frary and F. E. Williamson embarked in the 
drug business. 

The townsite plat of Pomeroy was filed for 
record May 28, 1878. Those who platted the 
town were Joseph M. Pomeroy, Martha J. 
Pomeroy, Benjamin B. Day and Minnie A. 
Day. It is located on the east half of the south 
half of the southwest quarter of section 31, 
and the west half of the south half of the 
southeast quarter of section 31, in township 
12, north range 42 east. 

Additions since that time : Wilsons, by E. 
T. Wilson and J. M. Pomeroy, June 13, 1882. 

Day's by Minnie A. Day and B. B. Day, 
August 12, 1882. 

Pomeroy's, by Martha J. St. George and 
William S. Day, September 20, 1881. 

Mulkey's, by Logan P. Mulkey and 
Charles J. Mulkey, November 14. 1882. 



Darby's, by Walter L. Darby, August 16, 
1884. 

Depot, by the Columbia Valley Land & In- 
vestment Company, April 30, 1886. 

Patters, by William C. Patter, August 26, 
1887. 

E. M. Pomeroy's, by E. M. Pomeroy. No- 
vember 28, 1892. 

Crystal Spring, by S. G. Cosgrove, July 
?9. 1902. 

Highland, by H. C. Benbow and E. V. 
Kuykendall, July 9, 1902. 

Stephens', by Frank C. Stephens, March 
29, ^904. 

April 20, 1878, the following new.? item 
was published in the Dayton Columbia Chron- 
icle concerning the new town : 

"Mr. J. M. Pomeroy, of that flourishing 
little city, was in town (Dayton), this week. 
Pomeroy is a candidate for commercial hon- 
ors and is surrounded by a fine agricultural 
district. The scarcity of lumber has been a 
serious drawback to its growth, but this sum- 
mer the sound of the saw and hammer will be 
heard there almost constantly." 

The second building erected in Pomeroy, 
the one immediately following the old St. 
George hotel, was put up by Gustavus A. Par- 
ker in the spring of 1878. The same spring 
additions were made of a livery stable, black- 
smith shop, another hotel and a brewery ; Pom- 
eroy was fast blossoming into a village. Three 
miles distant was the rival city of Pataha. At 
one time so strenuous was the competition be- 
tween the two towns that Mr. Pomeroy do- 
nated lots on Main street to any one who would 
locate there in business of any description, thus 
waiving the profit on the sale of his land in 
the interest of the town at large. 

H. H. Gale, the first editor of the Colum- 
bia Chronicle, in July, 1878, paid a visit to the 
new town of Pomeroy and had this to say 
of it : 

"This is a new town, but admirably lo- 
cated and laid out : it has good water power, 



534 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



probably the best on the Pataha. It is growing 
rapidly, the great cry being for lumber with 
which to improve. Its business men are, cer- 
tainly, of the best class that ever established a 
new town. J. M. Pomeroy, the proprietor, is 
a man of enterprise and liberality, and Mr. 
Pomeroy presides over the best table a trav- 
eler finds between Lewiston and Portland. We 
had a very pleasant day at Pomeroy. Found 
Ben Day completely overrun with customers, 
and his mill running night and day. Mulkey 
Brothers are doing an extensive hardware 
business. Frary & Williamson do a profitable 
drug business. Tatman is kept busy in the 
livery stable, and Karnahan is the 'wet gro- 
cery' dealer. The cellar for the mammoth 
brewery is almost completed." 

The growth of Pomeroy continued to be 
particularly rapid. In March, 1879, we find 
the following business houses in the pretty lit- 
tle town : B. B. Day, general merchandise and 
grist mill ; Mulkey Brothers, hardware and 
tinware ; Frary & Williamson, drug store ; G. 
A. Sawyer, Pomeroy hotel; Caloway Broth- 
ers, livery stable ; Scholl Brothers, brewery. 
In October, of the same year, a correspondent 
of the Columbia Chronicle said: 

"The village of Pomeroy does not make a 
good pasture range, but for all that a band of 
sheep made themselves obnoxious traveling 
through the streets at a good, lively pace, with 
a dog or two in their immediate rear, by roost- 
ing under buildings and sticking in their noses 
generally." 

In November, 1880, a militia company of 
forty men had been raised at Pomeroy by re- 
quest of General Smith, who had visited the 
place that month. They were a fine body of 
robust young fellows and they christened them- 
selves "The Pomeroy Rifles." But this com- 
pany did not remain long in existence, and it 
was ten years later when there was organized 
a permanent militia company. 

It was in 1881 that Pomeroy made an un- 
successful attempt to secure the county seat 



of Columbia county. The result of this effort 
was county division, and for a full account of 
this see the current history chapters preced- 
ing. It was the creation of Garfield county, 
late in the year 1881, that contributed to a 
"boom" of surprising proportions in the young 
town. Although Pataha City, Pomeroy's vig- 
orous and energetic rival, had been designated 
by the Territorial Legislature, as the temporary 
county capital, the Pomeroy people were confi- 
dent that at the coming election of June 9, 
1882, they would be successful in "landing" the 
prize. Consequently the town was making a 
most flattering growth, although the period 
of her uncertainty concerning the final location 
of the county seat was prolonged several years. 
A Pomeroy correspondent of the Columbia 
Chronicle, of Dayton, writing a week or two 
after the new county was created, said : 

"Town property has advanced 100 per 
cent since the county was divided. New en- 
terprises have started in the new town and an 
era of prosperity dawned. It was during th.ese 
years of the early 8o's that Pomeroy gained 
the better of her rival and established the fact 
that she should be forever the leading tozvn of 
Garfield county." 

As we have told in the general history of 
the long continued fight for county seat hon- 
ors, we shall not repeat the details here. It 
was a never-to-be-forgotten struggle, and 
everyone realized that on the result hinged 
the future prosperity of the town. If Pataha 
City should secure the county seat, then that 
place would be the leading town of Garfield 
county and Pomeroy would be what Pataha 
City is today. 

Following is the early church and lodge 
history of the town of Pomeroy. The facts 
are, in the main, as related by Mr. Gilbert, in 
his history, written in 1882 : 

The Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Sacred 
Heart was organized in 1878, under the ministrations of 
Father Paaps, a visiting missionary priest. In November, 
1881, Father Don M. Caesari came here to reside and 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



535 



in April last removed to Uniontown, continuing in 
charge here as visiting priest. The church is 60x35 feet, 
was commenced in 1878, and completed enough for oc- 
cupancy the following year. When fully finished it will 
cost $3,000. The membership is about 200, and a Sun- 
day school of about 30 scholars is under the charge 
of Father Don M. Caesari. 

Devotional exercises are also held in the school house 
by the Protestant denominations, and a Methodist min- 
ister is in charge of this circuit, residing in town. Last 
spring, 1882, Bishop Paddock donated $500 for an Epis- 
copal church and Rev. L. H. Wells raised $1,000 more 
by subscription in a few days. The building will soon be 
erected. It probably will be but a short time before the 
Methodists will build a house of worship, and others 
will, probably, follow in a few years. 

The fraternal societies, at that period, comprised the 
following: Evening Star Lodge, No. 30, A. F. & A. M., 
was granted a dispensation March 22, 1879, and was or- 
ganized April 1, of the same year, receiving a charter 
June 4, 1880. The charter members were Eliel Oliver, 
W. M'. ; Samuel G. Ellis, S. W. ; James W. Hull, J. W. ; 
J. F. Foard, T. ; Amos C. Short, S. ; B. F. Shonkwiler, 
S. D. ; Imri J. Scribner, J. D. ; Thomas Cunningham, S. 
S. ; J. Lynch, J. S. ; Henry Koucher, Tyler ; and S. M. 
Gough. 

Harmony Lodge, No. 16, I. O. O. F., was granted a 
dispensation March 29, 1879, and was organized May 
16th. The first officers were Thomas C. Frary, N. G. ; 
Emil Scholl, V. G.; Frank E. Williamson, S. ; W. J. 
Schmidt, T. ; Alexander Henderson, I. G. 

Pomeroy Lodge, A. O. U. W., was instituted De- 
cember 21, 1880, with 29 members and the following 
officers: T. C. Frary, M. W. ; B. Hirsch, F. ; F. E. 
Williamson, O. ; W. E. Wilson, Recorder ; G. A. Parker, 
Receiver J. B. Lister, Fin. ; C. F. Green, G. ; D. C. 
Gardner, I. W. ; L. C. Lee, O. W. 

There was, also, a lodge of the Independent Order 
of Good Templars. 



Despite the sectional, factional and political 
war which prevailed over a considerable pe- 
riod between 1881 and 1884, Pomeroy con- 
tinued to improve. New business struct- 
ures sprung up ; a handsome school house, 
accommodating 200 pupils, was built ; two 
good churches were erected and another was 
under construction, and quite a large num 
her of substantial residences, together with 
other improvements testified to the faith of the 
people in the future of Pomeroy. By the latter 
part of 1884 the town had grown to such 
size that it ranked as the eleventh city in the 



Territory of Washington. This standing was 
determined by the vote at the general election 
held November 4, of that year, at which 540 
votes were cast in Pomeroy, and there were 
only ten other towns which cast a heavier vote. 
However, this did not indicate that Pomeroy 
had a population of two or three thousand 
people, as would be indicated by such a vote 
today. It should not be forgotten that at that 
election the women were permitted to vote in 
the Territory, and there was, also, another law 
which appears strange at this late day; any 
resident of Washington Territory could vote 
for candidates for territorial officers at any 
place within the Territory they happened 
to be on election day ; and any resident 
of a county could vote for county offi- 
cers at any voting precinct within the 
county. It was a prevailing custom then 
in the thinly settled portion of the Territory 
for ranchers living in the vicinity of any town 
to do their voting there. Thus, while Pomeroy 
cast 540 votes at this election, it probably did 
not have a population greatly exceeding that 
figure. But as the same conditions prevailed 
in all portions of the Territory it is only fair 
to give Pomeroy the rank of eleventh in size 
at that period. 

Mr. E. T. Wilson, editor of the Columbia 
Chronicle, of Dayton, visited Pomeroy in 
August, 1885, and he tells how the town ap- 
peared to him at that time, as follows : 

"Pomeroy presents a lively appearance to 
the stranger as he enters the town from either 
direction, and as its inhabitants are noted for 
their enterprise and 'staywitheachothertive- 
ness,' we do not wonder at it. The town is 
now the county seat of Garfield county, con- 
tains about 600 inhabitants, and has an excellent 
school, three churches, one flouring: mill, three 
general merchandise and a number of grocery 
and notion stores, two blacksmith shops, two 
livery stables, two drug stores, two newspapers, 
two hardware stores, several agricultural im- 
plement warehouses, several saloons, a brewery. 



536 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



two wagon shops, two hotels, several restau- 
rants, an excellent opera house, a photograph 
gallery, one bank, one harness shop, two mer.t 
markets, one lumber yard, one water and one 
steam planing mills, a millinery store or two, 
and, in fact, every business necessity to the 
prosperity of a country town is represented in 
its midst, while the professions are represented 
by men of recognized ability. * * * The 
only thing necessary to add to Pomeroy's 
prosperity is a railroad up the Pataha." 

Monday evening, December 28, 1885, the 
taxpaying citizens of Pomeroy convened in 
Burlingame's hall. The object was to secure 
an expression on the subject of incorporation. 
S. G. Cosgrove was named as chairman ; C. B. 
Foote, secretary. As a result of the rather 
informal discussion and free interchange of 
opinion, a committee of six, consisting of M. 
F. Gose, Dr. Kuykendall, R. L. Rush, G D. 
Gibson, James O'Connor and James H. Robin- 
son were appointed to examine the bill then 
pending before the Territorial Legislature for 
the incorporation of Pomeroy, and to make 
such amendments as might be deemed advisa- 
ble or, if need be, substitute an entirely new 
bill. A large majority of those present at this 
meeting were in favor of incorporating, but 
there was a unanimity of opinion along the 
lines of keeping expenses to the minimum 
point. The committee appointed immediately 
set to work to prepare" a charter which might, 
it was hoped, recommend itself to the views 
of the greater number of the citizens of the 
town. The act creating a city government for 
Pomeroy passed the Washington Territorial 
Council January 27, 1886; February 2d the 
measure was ratified by the house. In 1899 
Chester Kuykendall wrote in the columns of 
the Seattle Post-Intelligcnccr : 

"The city of Pomeroy was incorporated in 
1886 by a special act of the legislature, and 
immediately began the grading of streets, 
building of bridges and laying of walks. This 
improvement has been carried on from year to 



year until Pomeroy is now one of the neates'. 
little cities in the state of Washington. Roads . 
leading to the city from every direction have 
been widened and greatly improved." 

The first meeting of the Pomeroy common 
council was held Wednesday, February 10, 
1886. The officers named in the charter were 
J. M. Pomeroy, mayor; and C. B. Foote, John 
Brady, W. J. Schmidt, R. A. Rew and Jay 
Lynch, councilmen. At the first meeting, how- 
ever, R. A. Rew tendered his resignation, and 
S. G Cosgrove was appointed in his place. 
Frank E. Williamson was selected by the 
council as city recorder. At the second meet- 
ing February nth, Mr. Williamson tendered 
his resignation as clerk. The following offi- 
cers were appointed by the council at this 
meeting: Recorder, C. H. De Bow; attorney, 
M. F. Gose; justice of the peace, W. S. New- 
land, marshal, G. D. Gibson. 

The initial city election held in Pomeroy 
was on Monday, July 12th. Officers appointed 
for the supervision of the election were D. C. 
Gardner and David Dixon, judges; W. S. 
Newland, inspector, and I. C. Sanford and 
Frank Jackson, clerks. There were two tickets 
in the field, the People's ticket, with Elmon 
Scott for mayor; John Brady, William J. 
Schmidt, George Gibson, David Dixon and 
Dirk Zemel, for councilmen ; and the Citizens' 
ticket, with M. F. Gose, for mayor, and C. A. 
McCabe, D. C. Gardner, S. K. Hull, Jay 
Lynch and R. B. Potter, for councilmen. 
There were cast 218 votes with the following 
result: Mayor, Elmon Scott, 17 majority; 
councilmen, John Brady, C. A. McCabe, D. C. 
Gardner, S. K. Hull and Jay Lynch. The 
many bogus tickets circulated assisted in de- 
feating a part of the People's ticket. The city 
of Pomeroy is still maintained under this Ter- 
ritorial charter. 

The construction of a railroad to Pome- 
roy marked the beginning of many improve- 
ments in the town. The railroad company laid 
some half dozen side tracks to facilitate the 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



537 



handling of the season's crop, erected a depot, 
turn-table, water tank and many buildings. 
Other improvements by private parties were at 
once undertaken. A Pomeroy correspondent 
writing from there April 14, 1886, said: "It 
can be truthfully stated that Pomeroy has 
every indication of prosperity, and it will be 
very difficult indeed to find a town in the Ter- 
ritory where more energy and activity are dis- 
played in all undertakings than this.'' The 
assessed valuation of the town in July, 1886, 
totaled $145,930, divided as follows : real es- 
tate, $72,225; personal property, $73,605. 

In August, 1887, the leading citizens of 
Pomeroy filed articles with the county auditor 
incorporating the "Pomeroy Improvement 
Company." The object of this organization 
was to improve the town. The original capi- 
tal stock was $15,000, with the privilege of 
increasing this to $25,000. Forty per cent 
was paid in at its inception. Following were 
the officers and stockholders : G. B. Kuyken- 
clall, president ; S. G. Crandall, vice-president ; 
W. F. Noffsinger, secretary; T. Driscoll, 
treasurer; C. A. McCabe, H. C. Thompson, 
C. H. Seeley, trustees. The stockholders were 
C. A. McCabe, S. G Crandall. M. F. Gose, F. 
W. D. Mays, J. M. Hunt, Charles Kinzie, W. 
W. Swank, John Lacknitz, E. M. Rauch, W. 
S. Parker, F. E. Williamson, G W. Black, J. 
G Hughes, T. Driscoll, H. C. Thompson, W. 
N. Noffsinger, John Brady, G B. Kuyken- 
dall, John Rehorn, Charles H. Seeley, G L. 
Campbell, Elmon Scott, R. L. Rush, W. J. 
Schmidt, Herman H. Schlotfeldt, H. Darby, 
J. A. Darby and W. L. Darby. 

Of this enterprise Mr. Chester Kuykendall 
wrote as follows in the Seattle Post-Intelligen- 
cer, in May, 1899: 

"In 1887 the Pomeroy Improvement Com- 
pany was organized and incorporated 'for the 
purpose of engaging in milling, manufactur- 
ing, mechanical and building undertakings, 
and for the purpose of engaging in any and all 
other lawful undertakings, trade or business 



calculated to promote the general welfare and 
prosperity of the city of Pomeroy, in Wash- 
ington Territory.' 

"A magnificent water system furnishing 
abundance of water for irrigating purposes 
and fire protection was soon put in. A large 
reservoir 200 feet above the level of the city 
gives ample force for fire protection without 
the use of engines. In 1888 the city bought 
this system from the Improvement Company 
and has operated it ever since, extending the 
mains from time to time when they were 
needed. With the increase of population comes 
a demand for more and better water, and a 
proposition is now being entertained to double 
the supply and extend the system so that every 
citizen can have access to it, not only for fire 
protection and irrigation, but for culinary pur- 
poses as well. If this contemplated improve- 
ment is made Pomeroy will have an abundance 
of pure spring water." 

Agitation for a Pomeroy fire department 
was commenced in 1886. This was immedi- 
ately after incorporation was an accomplished 
fact, but it was not until the following year 
that a fire company was organized. In March, 
1886, the city council had passed the following 
resolutions : 

"Resolved, That the city council of the city 
of Pomeroy regard the organization of an ac- 
tive and efficient fire department, known as 
the Pomeroy Hook and Ladder Company, as 
a matter of prime importance to the protection 
of its property, and be it further 

"Resolved, That we earnestly recommend 
that every effort be used to produce such an or- 
ganization by the citizens of this place, and we 
will assist and encourage, so far as practicable 
and consistent with our present condition, the 
organization and equipment of such a depart- 
ment." 

The East Washingtonicm said : 

"By all means let something be done to- 
ward protecting our town against fire. There 
is probably no town in the northwest more 



538 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



helpless against fire than Pomeroy. Our peo- 
ple have struggled hard through adverse cir- 
cumstances, and we are now seeing a beautiful, 
prosperous town grow up around us. Let us 
have a hand engine and a hook ana ladder 
company and some better provisions against 
a calamity that almost surely will come — and 
it may be quickly — upon us.'" 

The permanent organization of the Pome- 
roy Fire Department was effected at a meet- 
ing of citizens held July 23, 1887. A consti- 
tution and by-laws were adopted and the fol- 
lowing officers elected: M. F. Gose, president; 
J. M. Hunt, vice-president ; C. H. Seeley, 
treasurer ; J. W. Raff erty, secretary ; John Re- 
horn, foreman; H. St. George, first assistant; 
Charles Kinzie, second assistant. The en- 
rolled membership was over thirty. Late in 
that year the department purchased a hook and 
ladder truck and a hose cart. 

The first brick building in the city of 
Pomeroy was erected in the fall of 1887. This 
was the First National Bank of Pomeroy ; the 
cost was $20,000. This was followed by the 
Seeley block, which, while less costly, was not 
inferior in point of architectural beauty to the 
bank building. This period was an era of 
building enterprise. Many handsome resi- 
dences sprang up; mains for the new water 
works were laid. In 1887 the value of Pome- 
roy property was $223,923, divided as fol- 
lows : real estate, $42,485 ; improvements, 
$60,045; personal property, $123,393. Upon 
this prosperous condition the East Washing- 
tonian commented as follows in May, 1888: 

"Over a hundred houses will be built in 
Pomeroy before the end of 1888. If many of 
our citizens who think they are up with the 
times would take a stroll about town they 
would be surprised to see the amount of im- 
provements going on. While many of the 
houses are small and have rather a temporary 
appearance, be it remembered that most of 
them are occupied by their owners and are 
only the advance guard of future develop- 



ments, and will some day give place to fine, 
substantial residences, of which they are not a 
few already here, and others being built. Of 
our 1,000 population, probably, there is a 
smaller proportion who live in rented houses 
than in most any other town in the Territory. 
This shows that they have faith in the future 
of Pomeroy, and have come here to stay, and 
are coming every day, too." 

The year 1888 proved exceedingly prosper- 
ous. A number of handsome brick business 
houses and residences were built. In many 
other directions the improvements were of a 
most substantial character. Each day, for 
months, long trains pulled out of the town 
laden with wheat for the hungry millions 
across the sea, and still at the close of the year 
the warehouse were filled to overflowing. Post- 
office statistics are faithful and reliable indices 
of a town's prosperity. Figures for 1888 
showed gross receipts of $2,105.25; the num- 
ber of money orders issued was 1,975, amount- 
ing to $2,140.93 ; fees, $177.51. 

The year 1889 was a repetition of 1888. 
Residence building continued steadily and all 
improvements were substantial. New side- 
walks were built and miles of streets graded. 
The census bulletin for 1890 placed the popu- 
lation of Pomeroy at 661. The East Wash- 
ingtonian objected to this return, and Sep- 
tember 12, 1 89 1, declared that the population 
was at least 1,000 souls. 

The first conflagration of importance fol- 
lowing the organization of the department in 
1887 attacked Pomeroy Thursday morning, 
February 6, 1890. The fire broke out near the 
dividing wall between J. H. Hagy's boot and 
shoe shop and the dry goods store belonging 
to S. Kasper, on Main street. The flames 
swept forward with wonderful rapidity and 
both buildings were soon reduced to ashes. By 
the time the fire was discovered the flames had 
gained such headway that it seemed the whole 
east side of Main street was doomed, but by 
heroic work of the department the fire was 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



539 



confined within narrow limits. There was 
prevailing at the time quite a high wind. The 
occupants of the two burned buildings were 
heavy losers. Mr. Kasper's loss was $9,500, 
with insurance of $7,000. J. H. Fiagy's loss 
was $1,600 with insurance of only $500. Con- 
siderable damage was done to the drug store 
building and stock of Dr. Kuykendall by 
water. Judge Scott, the owner of the burned 
structures, sustained greater loss than any 
other individual. 

In October, 1890, Company H, National 
Guard of Washington, was mustered into 
service. This was a Pomeroy organization. 
This company was one of the first in the state 
and was pronounced by General O'Brien as 
"the finest appearing body of men in the Sec- 
ond Regiment." There were 43 men in line; 
officers were Captain Harry St. George, First 
Lieutenant Elmer R. Brady, Second Lieuten- 
ant J. W. Murphy. The company was mus- 
tered in October 2d, by Captain Wise, of Gol- 
dendale. 

The building record of Pomeroy for the 
year 1891 was one of which any county seat 
in the state might justly feel proud. Quite a 
number of substantial dwellings and business 
houses were erected ; there were few vacant 
buildings for rent and there was abundant evi- 
dence on every hand that Pomeroy, while tak- 
ing no backward step, was making a number 
of long strides forward. In addition to this 
building activity there were many street im- 
provements, electric lights, etc., and improve- 
ments were continued far into December de- 
spite the lateness of the season. 

With the incoming of the year 1893, how- 
ever, the town, in company with every other 
important center in the state — and union — ex- 
perienced the heavy hand of financial depres- 
sion. This unfavorable condition was con- 
tinued until the early part of 1896. Her status 
was no worse, proportionately, than that of 
any other town of similar size and environ- 
ments. The hitherto rapid course of her pros- 



perity was simply checked for a period of three 
years. 

In 1895 there were in Pomeroy few of the 
landmarks of ten years previous. In the main 
the buildings of those early days had dropped 
into obscurity, or out of sight entirely. Most 
of them had been replaced with substantial 
two-story brick edifices ; and during the more 
prosperous days preceding 1893, their occu- 
pants had transacted a flourishing, safe and 
conservative business. And when the financial 
gale burst full upon them a majority were en- 
abled to ride out the storm, and even as late 
as 1895 were conducting a fairly lucrative 
trade and wearing the smile of hope. 

In 1893 the city's debt amounted to $2,500. 
In September, 1896, at a meeting of the coun- 
cil arrangements were made to take up the last 
outstanding warrant against the city, thus 
wiping out the last of its indebtedness. In 
1893-4 the tax levy hovered between 13 and 
15 mills. Following these periods taxes were 
gradually reduced, the levy of 1896 being only 
six mills. Few towns in the state equaled this 
record. 

The most disastrous fire in the history of 
Pomeroy, up to the date mentioned, occurred 
Friday afternoon, July 15, 1898. The large 
planing mill of Henley Brothers, together with 
the dwelling house and blacksmith shop of 
Charles Morrison were destroyed. It was sup- 
posed that the blaze originated with a spark 
from the engine communicating with the plan- 
ing room. The most energetic work on the 
part of the firemen only prevented the flames 
from extending to other buildings. Mr. Clus- 
ter's barn was, also, totally destroyed. At that 
time all combustible material was so extreme- 
ly dry that it was almost impossible to check 
flames whenever they had obtained much heid- 
way. Unfortunately the owners of the prop- 
erty destroyed carried no insurance ; the blow 
falling heavily upon them all. The loss of the 
Henley Brothers was estimated to be from 
$12,000 to $14,000. while that of Mr. Morri- 



54o 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



son was between $3,000 and $3,500. The 
family of Amos Legg occupied Mr. Morri- 
son's residence ; most of their household effects 
were destroyed. 

According to a report published in the East 
Washingtonian April 9. 1898, Company E, 
National Guard of Washington, was at that 
date in good fighting trim, their ranks fairly 
filled, and the men confidently expecting or- 
ders to move to the front. This company had 
a muster roll of 43 officers and men; every one 
of whom expressed willingness to advance to 
the front and take a shot at the Spaniards. 
Commissioned officers of the company were 
Harry St. George, captain; E. W. Gibson, 1st 
lieutenant; W. E. Greene. 2d lieutenant. The 
Pomeroy company was not called upon to be 
mustered into the United States service in the 
First Washington Regiment, although it was, 
as a whole, extremely anxious to go. A full 
account of the Pomeroy boys who enlisted in 
Company F, of Dayton, is given in the His- 
tory of Columbia County for 1898. Although 
the Pomeroy company was unsuccessful in 
getting into service under the first call, they 
succeeded at the second; July nth they were 
mustered in as Company C, of the Second In- 
fantry. Washington Volunteers ; the same day 
they left for the rendezvous at Tacoma, going 
later to Vancouver Barracks. Following is 
the list of officers and men mustered into serv- 
ice at that time : 

Commissioned Officers — Captain, Harry 
St. George ; First lieutenant, E. W. Gibson ; 
Second lieutenant, W. E. Greene. 

Non-commissioned Officers — First ser- 
geant. E. M. Pomeroy; quartermaster ser^- 
sreant, E. Weinberg:; sergeants. W. R. Davis, 
Louis Buchet, H. Alva Stiles. G. N. Ausman. 

Corporals— Reid Davis, W. S. Elliott, W. 
T. Mitchell. J. E. Harding. C. E. Ewart, H. 
C. Matheson, F. C. Dummond, O. T. Green, 
J. D. R. Brown, E. R. Sutherland, F. P. De 
Vinney, B. B. Bradley. 

Musicians — Ray J. Stevenson, John Neal. 



Artificer — Frank Sellers. 

Wagoner — W. N. Johnson. 

Privates — V. G. Allen, Max Alexander, 
George East, Horatio Fitters, B. B. Bradley, 
Henry S. Goggins, Bert Dodd, Clarence W. 
Long. H. P. Barnes, Robert Bon, O. D. 
Chard, Emanuel Cyrs, Charles Corey, Allison 
Chapman, Frank Youngs, W. L. Jones. J. W. 
Thomas, Michael Foley, Albert Kowhick, J. 
E. Leighton, Walter Fite, G. S. Childers. T. 
C. Brunton, O. D. Berry, J. A. Henderson, 
John McFarlane, Elmer Danes, John R. 
Nolan, George J. Volmer, Burr McMar- 
tin, J. H. N. Peterson, George S. Pat- 
terson, J. F. Walthall, Frank G Pot- 
ter, Richard Anderson, Charles Gonzales, 
Elisha Stephenson. Fred Peterson, Samuel O. 
Hoy, J. F. Richer, James P. Larson, M. El- 
liott, Richard Everley, P. A. Bonney, Lubwig 
Feise, Charles Brantner, Charles Gelder, James 
S. Jacks, Joseph Ruark, F. L. Pluss, John Gal- 
loway, Peter Kenney, Albert Hadley, J. C. A. 
Buckley, Thomas House, Charles A. Heller, 
Lewis Krack, Charles Jackson, M. Johnson, 
Bert Rogers, V. R. Ronan, Wesley McKee, 
Frank Messenger, Oscar C. Montgomery, 
Frank Moore, F. L. Martin, J. B. Hawkins, 
Edwin C. Snider, Leonard Tate, John Wheat- 
croft, M. R. Winger, E. C. Thompson, Will 
Wooten, L. J. Barneckley, Mitchell Ferris, L. 
D-. McCluere, Patric J. Conway, B. B. Smith, 
Peter Entz, Joseph Markel, Will Weed, W. 
O'Brien, Adolph Southerwaite. 

In July the identity of the Pomeroy com- 
pany was changed from the Second Regiment, 
Washington Volunteers, to the "Independent 
Battalion of Washington Volunteer Infantry." 
The latter part of October this batallion was 
mustered out of the service, and Company C 
was mustered out October 26th. On the 29th 
the Tacoma Ledger said : 

"The Independent Batallion of Washing- 
ton Volunteers is being mustered out at Van- 
couver, and the members are returning to their 
homes. Although coming into service too late 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



54* T 



to see active duty at the front, these boys de- 
serve credit for the cheerful and soldierly man- 
ner in which they have performed the duties 
allotted them. That they did not reach the 
front was not their fault. They were ready to 
do whatever might be required of them." 

In 1898-9 the city of Pomeroy had a pop- 
ulation of 1,500; the volume of business was 
estimated at $1,000,000 annually. During the 
year 1899 there were more improvements than 
had been made in any other year of her his- 
tory; more new residences were built, more 
homes purchased, more repairs made and more 
real advance along all lines than ever before. 
Throughout the past winter' there had not been 
a vacant business house or residence to let ; all 
property had been selling for fair prices. Fi- 
nancially the city had proved an example for 
every other town in the state. She not only 
purchased, paid for, and extended her water 
system, graded streets, built bridges, erected 
a fire house and jail, bought hose, hose-carts, 
etc., but in May, 1899. had in her treasury 
$2,500; a like sum soon coming in from the 
tax levy ; and was entirely out of debt. 

The greatest fire known in the history of 
Pomeroy occurred July 18, 1900. Nearly half 
the business portion of the town was swept 
away. This was on Wednesday afternoon. In 
the saloon of E. J. Rice the fire originated. 
The entire front of the building was ablaze be- 
fore the hose carts could be run to the scene. 
A dense cloud of smoke and flames shot out 
of the north end, reaching half way across 
Main street. It was subsequently ascertained 
that the primal cause of the fire was a gas light 
generator in Rice's saloon. Messrs. Rice and 
Kirby were replenishing the tank ; a quantity 
of the gasoline was spilled upon the floor. A 
match, inadvertently struck by Kirby, ignited 
the vaporized fluid; a quantity of gasoline had, 
also, been poured into an open vessel ; this im- 
mediately took fire and the room was filled 
with a sheet of flame spreading to all portions 
of the inflammable building material within 



the space of a few moments. Two hose carts 
and a hook and ladder truck were quickly on 
the ground, but the three streams that were 
soon pouring on the flames did not appear to 
produce any material effect. Chief Thompson 
and his fire fighters worked manfully, yet des- 
pite their efforts the dry, wooden buildings on 
either side were rapidly licked up like a large 
quantity of shavings. It was feared that the 
whole business part of the town was doomed. 
As rapidly as possible goods were removed 
from all buildings situated within the fire zone 
on the south side of the street as far as the 
Treadwell livery stable on Fifth street. The 
implement store of E. M. Rauch, on the north 
side of the street was soon in flames ; fanned 
by a stiff gale from the west the fire made short 
work of all the business houses east of this 
point, with the exception of the blacksmith 
shop of Krouse & Hoffman, and T. E. Ben- 
bow's wagon shop. 

Among those overcome by the heat while 
fighting this fierce fire, or saving merchandise, 
were C. H. Seeley, G. L. Campbell, E. M. 
Rauch and Roy Stevenson. Slight burns were 
received by a number of others. Had it not 
been for most desperate efforts on the part of 
the fire fighters Seeley' s Opera House would 
have been destroyed ; this would, doubtless, 
have resulted in incalculable loss in the western 
end of the town. The property destroyed was 
fairly well insured. Following is a list of 
losses sustained : 

Dr. and C. E. Kuykendall, building occu- 
pied by Allen & Adams, $.1,500, insurance, 
$1,000; building occupied by L. L. Noble, 
$500, no insurance; drug store, damage to 
building and contents, $1,500, fully insured; 
Allen & Adams, grocers, $9,000, no insurance ; 
Stevenson-Ford Implement Company, $6,500, 
insurance, $1,000; G. W. Jewett, law library, 
$600, no insurance; E. W. Gibson, notes and 
accounts, $150, no insurance; Baldwin & Dick- 
son, office fixtures, $150, no insurance; C. H. 
Seeley, the Stevenson-Ford implement build- 



542 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY 



ing", $1,500, no insurance; the Pomeroy Mer- 
cantile Company's building", $8,500, insurance, 
$4,000 ; E. M. Ranch, implements and hard- 
ware, $12,000 to $15,000, insurance, $5,000; 
F. W. D. Mays. Independent plant and build- 
ing, $4,500, no insurance ; W. J. Rummens, 
stock, tools and building, $1,200, insurance, 
$200 ; James Lasity, barber shop, $600, no in- 
surance ; L. L. Noble, loss on stock, $600, light 
insurance; G. L. Campbell, building and office 
fixtures, $1,000, insurance, $500; L. G Cos- 
grove, building, $400 ; Davis Brothers & 
Morse, wagon and blacksmith shop, $3,000, no 
insurance ; Pomeroy Mercantile Company, 
general merchandise, $35,000, insurance, $25,- 
oco; H. Wenning, bakery, $2,500, no insur- 
ance; William Gammon, butcher shop build- 
ing, $800. no insurance ; Fox & Sons, photo- 
graph gallery, $1,500, no insurance; E. J. 
Rice, saloon, $2,500, no insurance; Mrs. S. 
Stephens, livery stable, $1,500; Miss Dun- 
ham, millinery, $1,000, insurance, $600; Mrs. 
Clark, restaurant, $250; Mrs. M. C. Moore, 
household effects, $500; Kirby & Irwin, sa- 
loon, $1,000, insurance, $600; T. C. Nye. jew- 
elry, $1,000; N. D. Nettle, grain office, 
$200; G. W. Black & Son. office fixtures and 
building. $3,000; Garfield County, office fixt- 
ures, supplies, etc., $7,500, insurance. $1,800; 
Val Loy, household goods and residence, 
$1,000, fully insured; William McEnery, build- 
ings, $1,500: Stephens Brothers, drug store, 
$10,000, small insurance; W. F. Cluster, 
building. $1,000; Foster & Robinson, build- 
ing, $1,000; A. Hobbs, tailor, $400; L. P. 
Mulkey, two buildings, $1,000; Mrs. A. L. 
Bush, building, $1,000; Mrs. Alice O'Connor, 
building, $150. 

The loss to Garfield county by this fire, 
through the burning of the court house was in 
the neighborhood of $10,000. 

This fire was followed by the usual results 
in western towns; in the month of October 
there were more substantial brick buildings in 
process of erection than ever before in the his- 



tory of Pomeroy. To assist in the rebuilding 
of the burned district the Oregon Railroad & 
Navigation Company granted, for a period of 
sixty days a reduction in freight rates on 
building material of about 33 per cent. Never 
before had the pulse of business activity beaten 
with stronger, fuller or more vigorous life 
throughout all the channels of local trade. 
Eleven new brick buildings, with an aggregate 
floor space of 63,000 square feet were in course 
of construction. For the pluck, energy and 
business enterprise of the citizens of Pomeroy 
this fact speaks volumes ; they possessed su- 
preme confidence in the future of the place and 
by their works they emphasized it. There was 
not a house for rent in any portion of the city ; 
new comers were compelled to build and every 
indication pointed to a rapid increase in popu- 
lation. This population, in March, 1900, ac- 
cording to the United States census, was 953, 
representing an increase of 292, or 44.1 per 
cent within the decade since 1890. February 
22, 1902, the Columbia Chronicle said : 

"Those of our citizens who have not visited 
Pomeroy for a number of years will be greatly 
surprised at the improvements made there 
since the fire of two years ago. Main street 
has been built up almost entirely with brick 
buildings, and during the past year a number 
of fine dwellings have been erected. Besides 
these improvements there is a fine brick school 
building and a $20,000 court house just com- 
pleted. The city has an air of prosperity on 
every side and the good work is to be contin- 
ued until every modern convenience is installed 
and every comfort obtained that enterprise can 
suggest and money will buy. * * * * With 
good water works, electric lights and a sewer 
system, Pomeroy would be a most desirable 
place to live in. These things being in contem- 
plation, and with the enterprise behind them 
that has built the town, the day is not far dis- 
tant when they will be realized." 

August 4, 1902, Pomeroy citizens were 
called upon to vote on. the ratification or rejec- 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



543 



tion of an ordinance designed to give the. city 
an adequate supply of pure spring water. Since 
the incorporation of Pomeroy the water ques- 
tion had been a most important one in the 
minds of the people. Mass meetings had been 
held and divers plans discussed concerning it 
at various times for fifteen years. It was then 
discovered by an engineer that an immense 
supply of spring water was going to waste, 
only two and a half miles distant, and 150 feet 
above the town. These springs the city coun- 
cil judiciously purchased and passed an ordi- 
nance looking toward a substantial, safe and 
sensible water system. At the election the pro- 
position prevailed by a vote of 112 to 10. 
Tuesday evening, August 18, 1903, water 
from the Butler spring was turned on, and for 
the first time in the history of the town a suffi- 
cient supply of wholesome water was sent 
coursing through the mains. 

From a population of 661 in 1890, it rose 
to 953 in 1900. The present population of 
Pomeroy is about 1,700. In 1904 electric 
lights were installed, power being obtained 
from the Tucanon, by the Tucanon Power 
Company. 

The churches of Pomeroy are represented 
by the Baptist, Christian, Methodist Episcopal 
and Congregational denominations. The fra- 
ternal societies include Harmony Lodge, No. 
16, I. O. O. F. ; Garfield Lodge No. 25, K. of 
P.; Red Hill Camp, No. 5388, M. W. A.; 
Fairvew Camp, No. 119; Eureka Circle, No. 
29, W. O. W. Circle; Pomeroy Lodge, No. 
152, I. O. G T.; McDowell Post, No. 22, 
G. A. R. ; Court Pomeroy, No. 40, Foresters 
of America; Evergreen Chapter, No. 10, R. 
A.M.; Evening Star, No. 30, A. F. & A. M. ; 
Mystic Chapter, No. 10, Eastern Star. 

We cannot more fittingly conclude this 
sketch of the county seat of Garfield county 



than by quoting an article published in the 
East Washingtonian of date, January 9, 1904: 
"The steadily increasing and substantial 
growth of Pomeroy, as shown by the building 
record of the year just closed is gratifying to 
every citizen of the town. Our little city is 
gradually becoming one of the best towns in 
the interior of the state of Washington. After 
the construction of the solid line of brick build- 
ings which followed the big fire of July, 1900, 
a business man remarked to a representative 
of the Washingtonian, that the town would 
keep right on growing. He asserted that the 
'building fever' which had been inaugurated 
by what appeared then to be almost a calamity, 
would extend over a period of years, and what 
seemed a misfortune and worked a hardship 
on many individuals would in the end prove 
beneficial to the town. So far the words have 
been verified. Week by week there has been 
noted since then a steady improvement. It is 
seen in the substantial new brick buildings on 
Main street and the many new homes. To-day 
Pomeroy is in the best condition in all its his- 
tory. Values of town property have increased 
about fifty per cent. There is a steady inflow 
of capital seeking investment and there is a 
vast amount of local capital which finds invest- 
ment at home. The business men of Pomeroy 
and farmers of Garfield county, naturally, are 
feeling good. It is for this reason they are 
engaged in constructing expensive business 
houses and dwellings in town, and making val- 
uable improvements and buying land in the 
surrounding country. There is a wholesome 
spirit of conservatism which prevents danger- 
ous speculation in business channels, but there 
is also a determination to progress which is 
bringing town and county to the front. You 
may safely write it down that Garfield county 
is solid to the core." 



CHAPTER IV 



CITIES AND TOWNS — CONTINUED. 



PATAHA CITY. 

This town takes its name from the creek 
upon which it is situated. Pataha is a Nez 
Perce name signifying "brush." It was, 
doubtless, applied to the stream because of the 
dense growth of willows and other varieties of 
brushwood along its banks. The altitude of 
the place is 2,300 feet above sea level. The 
town is located between two and three miles 
up the stream from Pomeroy. The situation 
and environments of Pataha City are of the 
best as well as the most beautiful in Garfield 
county. The valley at this point is wide, 
straight and level, and the surrounding hills 
add much to the picturesqueness of the 
location. 

It was in 1861 that James Bowers settled 
on the site of Pataha City. In 1865 he was 
followed by James and Walter Rigsby. The 
townsite which had been taken up by Bowers 
in 1 861 was sold to his brother-in-law, J. Ben- 
jamin Norton, the latter being the first victim 
of the Nez Perce massacre of 1877. But in 
1868 Mr. Norton had disposed of the claim to 
A. J. Favor, popularly known as "Vine" 
Favor. August 21, 1882, the town of Pataha 
City was platted by Angevine Favor. Origin- 
ally it comprised twelve blocks. October 27, 
1882, Rigsby's addition was platted by Walter 
W. Rigsby, H. C. Rice and Cyrus A. Lundy. 
Concerning the founder of Pataha City and 
the curious circumstances connected with his 
baptismal name, the Columbia Chronicle said, 
January 31, 1885 : 



"Many of our readers are acquainted with 
Vine Favor, the founder of Pataha City, 
and for several years a stage driver on the 
Lewiston route. He has a name, or a handle 
to his name rather, which in days gone by had 
the same effect upon its owner that a red rag 
would on a bull if flaunted in his face. We 
have known the name a number of years, and 
now that the Oregonian has given it to the 
public we run no risk of getting a head put on 
us by publishing it. The name in full is 'An- 
gevine June Titus and Company Favor.' All 
that part of the above described name lying in 
front of the word 'Favor,' is his Christian 
name. The way he happened to be afflicted 
with this terrible load was thuswise. His par- 
ents lived in a small town in Maine, and a cir- 
cus came there for the first time in the history 
of the place. It was owned by Angevine, 
June, Titus & Company, and it was a first rate 
show. Mr. and Mrs. Favor attended in the 
afternoon and were so well pleased that they 
named their boy, born on the following day, 
for the proprietors of the enterprise. The son 
has borne the affliction without murmur, and is 
fondly hoping for the time when Pataha City 
shall have grown to be large enough to justify 
the visit of a circus." 

In June, 1878, the town plat was surveyed 
by A. T. Beall. It was a part of the southwest 
quarter of section 34, township 12, north range 
42 east. It was originally known as Favors^ 
burg, or Watertown; but its people preferred 
and adopted the name of Pataha City. At that 
early day arrangements had been completed 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



545 



with J. N. Bowmann and George Snyder to 
build a flouring mill at this point, and work 
was then in progress. A general merchandise 
store was opened by H. L. Caples and C. T. 
Stiles, immediately after the town was laid 
out. This was the first business enterprise in 
Pataha City. There was at this point a fine 
water power, and excellent roads led into the 
rich farming lands to the northeast and south. 
These attractions induced people to establish 
themselves here; Pataha rapidly became a 
place of considerable importance. To aid the 
new town Mr. Favor donated to it two water 
power sites, twenty acres of land and sixty- 
nine lots. Writing to the Columbia Chronicle 
of date of June 8. 1878, the article being 
headed, "Favorsburg,'' Mr. I. J. Tomlinson 
said: 

"The above is the name of the coming city, 
situated on the Pataha at the well known place 
of Vine Favor, after whom it is named. The 
embryo city is surveyed off and many lots 
taken already and several enterprises on foot 
which I will mention as they occur. County 
Surveyor Alex Beall surveyed out the town 
and also the mill race this week. The mill is 
to be erected as soon as lumber can be put on 
the ground, at the mouth of a gulch opening 
into the Pataha, and will be run by a very 
strong spring coming down said gulch, having 
eighty feet fall in less than one-quarter of a 
mile. The mill is to be erected by the efficient 
and well known millwright, J. N. Bowmann, 
and will be run by George Snyder, his partner. 
It will start in July with three run of burrs, 
after which they will add more if required. A 
store and butcher shop will soon be in readi- 
ness to supply the people with their respective 
lines of trade. Other enterprises may be on 
foot, but I can only give passing notice at 
present. Several of the leading business men 
( . f Dayton having an eye to business have con- 
tracted for lots in the place. The location of 
the place is in every way Favor-able. 

"We are centrally located in the wheat 
35 



growing country, only ten miles from Snake 
river, to Kelly's Bar, to which a road will soon 
be opened. We are surrounded by four town- 
ships, viz: 11 and 12, range 43, and 11 and 
12, range 42, and others lying farther away, 
but more convenient to this than any other 
place. We have the most Favor-able point for 
all of Pataha prairie to come to mill and to 
trade. The enterprising miller, Mr. George 
Snyder, informs me that if no one else puts 
up a flouring mill at the town, he and his part- 
ner will erect one this fall in connection with 
a sash factory, which they will run by the 
waters of the Pataha, as this is a fine place to 
erect any kind of a factory. All the people 
are in Favor of this enterprise. Business men, 
come and examine the beautiful site of the 
coming city before investing elsewhere." 

This article was supplemented June 22, 
1878, by Surveyor A. T. Beall, under the 
heading, "Watertown :" 

"After finishing the road I proceeded to 
finish the survey of Watertown. Here let me 
correct a communication to you by Mr. Tom- 
linson. The town is not called Favorsburg, 
neither is my name Alex, nor is the distance 
from the town to Snake river ten miles. Wat- 
ertown is pleasantly situated, or located, in the 
Pataha valley, in the southwest quarter of sec- 
tion 34, town 12, north range 42, east, and is 13 
miles from Kelly's Bar, on 'Snake river, and 
near the center of the grain country, being much 
nearer the river than Pomeroy. The distance 
tance from the latter place to New York Bar, 
on Snake river, is twenty miles, making a dis- 
tance of seven miles. Messrs. Bowmann and 
Snyder intend putting up a planing mill be- 
sides the grist mill. Mr. Snyder was on his 
way to procure lumber for the buildings. In 
surveying the ditch I gave them 92 feet fall, 
and the 20th part of an inch to the rod to the 
main ditch. The water is from a neverfailing 
stream and does not stand in pools as it some 
times does in Pataha creek below. The road 
from Watertown to Snake river is better wat- 



546 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



ered and more thickly settled than the one to 
New York Bar." 

In March, 1879, a postoffice was estab- 
lished and operated by Stiles and Caples, pro- 
prietors of the general merchandise store. At 
the same period the young town had a school 
house 26x40 feet, a flouring mill 30x40 feet, 
three and one-half stories high, with two run 
of burrs, and a saloon conducted by Thomas 
Cunningham. 

In December, 1880, a militia company was 
organized at Pataha City. The commissioned 
officers were H. C. Rice, captain; C. T. Stiles 
and D. P. Crawford, lieutenants. 

When Garfield county was formed in No- 
vember, 1881, Pataha City was named as the 
temporary county seat. Then followed the 
long contest for the permanent county capital. 
It was fully realized that with this honor went 
the future prominence of a town that would 
completely distance its rival. In a former 
chapter we have told of the result of this fierce 
and protracted contest. But, as had been pre- 
dicted by some, Pataha did not go out of ex- 
istence with the loss of the county seat. 
Against almost overwhelming odds it contin- 
ued the struggle, and during the 8o's remained 
a place of considerable importance. 

But one unavoidable event completely 
dashed the hopes of the most optimistic citi- 
zens. When the* branch of the Oregon Rail- 
road & Navigation Company's line was ex- 
tended from Starbuck westward to Pomeroy, 
and the latter town was made the terminus, 
leaving Pataha without railroad facilities, its 
fate was sealed; at least temporarily. May 
28, 1887, tne Pomeroy East Washingtonicm 
tendered the following fatherly advice : 

"Our friends at Pataha have struggled 
manfully to maintain their town, hoping that 
things would take a turn favorable to them. 
The survey of the railroad extension toward 
Lewiston has about settled the question for 
Pataha once for all. The line surveyed starts 
up the hillside near the upper end of the Pome- 



roy corporation, and by the time it gets oppo- 
site Pataha it is far up on the hillside above 
the town. It is apparent that no station will 
ever be made above Pomeroy that will benefit 
Pataha. There is now nothing left to struggle 
for, and our friends should fall in line and move 
their business houses to the business center of 
the county. By so doing they will advance 
their own interests and help build up a town 
that will be a credit to our county. In tim? 
the whole valley between the two towns will 
be filled in with residences." 

A water system was established at Pataha 
in July, 1887, by Messrs. Houser and Har- 
ford. In 1890, according to the United States 
census, depopulation was 273. 

April 7, 1893, the inevitable fire disaster 
— the almost perpetual foe of young western 
towns — attacked Pataha City, and soon all 
that formed the business portion of the town 
was reduced to ashes. The fire broke out at 
one o'clock, Friday morning, in the hardware 
store of Harford & Sons. Like a huge bellows 
the high wind fanned the flames ; the structure 
burned like a box of matches struck by light- 
ning. To the scene of action dashed firemen 
and citizens, but as is usual in many such 
cases, the apparatus was sadly out of order, 
and the flames gained such headway that all 
efforts to check their progress proved futile. 
The large mercantile store of Koenig & Born- 
houser was soon ablaze asd in a short time the 
whole block, including Koenig & Bornhouser's 
and Harford & Sons warehouses, and R. P. 
Reynold's grocery, forming the entire business 
portion of the city, excepting the saloons and 
postoffice, were licked up by the angry flames. 
R. P. Reynolds was sleeping in the rear of his 
-store and barely escaped perishing, leaving at 
the back door just as the flames broke into his 
room. 

The origin of the fire remained unknown. 
Many inclined to the theory of incendiarism. 
The local paper expressed the opinion that 
"common sense and a due respect for the 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



547 



human race prompts us to come to a more 
charitable conclusion; we cannot believe there 
is a man in Pataha so mean and destitute of 
all principle and solicitude as to jeopardize his 
neighbors' lives and commit a crime so unpro- 
voked and yet so fiendish.'' 

Following were the losses and insurance : 

Harford & Son, building and stock, 
$17,000, insurance, $12,000; Koenig & Born- 
houser, general merchandise, $17,000, insur- 
ance, $13,000; Harford & Son, building occu- 
pied by Koenig & Bornhouser, $3,000, insur- 
ance, $2,000; R. P. Reynolds, groceries, 
$1,000, no insurance; Harford & Son, ware- 
house and contents, and building occupied by 
R. P. Reynolds, $5,000, insurance, $3,000. 

On the Saturday following R. P. Reynolds 
opened his safe and found everything intact. 
The same fortunate circumstance was the case 
with the safe of Koenig & Bornhouser. It 
was subsequently stated by the East Washing- 
toniau that Harford & Son failed to recover 
their insurance and were compelled to make 
an assignment. 

The census of 1900 showed a loss of popu- 
lation to Pataha City of 126, within the past 
decade, the figures for 1900 being 157 against 
273 for 1890. Since then there has been a 
gradual increase and a conservative estimate 
now place the population at about 260. There 
remains quite a little village, but the empty 
store buildings, several of them relapsing into 
ruin, tell the tale of retrogression. There is 
still a general store and a few other business 
houses in operation, a good school, two 
churches, etc. The large flouring mill built 
in the early days still stands, and is the leading 
business enterprise of the town. But its old 
glory has departed. Pomeroy has outstripped 
it and will, undoubtedly, remain the leading 
town of Garfield county. 

GOULD CITY. 

This is a postoffice and small village on 
Deadman creek, about twelve miles northeast 



of Pomeroy, in the thickly populated Dead- 
man country. According to the census of 
1900 it contained within its limits 48 souls. 
February 17, 1891, it was platted by George 
R. McPherson and T. E. Griffith. It was dur- 
ing this year that Dr. Story came to Gould 
City and developed a number of enterprises. 
I le is said to have engaged in the "general 
merchandise, second hand and dentist busi- 
ness," and became postmaster. But in 1896 
the Gould City postoffice was moved one-half 
mile up Deadman creek to the grocery store 
of Mr. Lease, who had been appointed post- 
master. 

ALPOWA. 

This is another postoffice situated on the 
stream of that name, about midway between 
its mouth and its source. The location is a 
deep depression in the earth, surrounded by 
breaks and bluffs which defend it from all ap- 
proach except by the single road that follows 
down the creek. The town in 1900 was cred- 
ited with a population of 28. 

PEOLA. 

High up, on beautiful undulating ground, 
Peola commands varied and impressive views 
of the surrounding country; to the south the 
shadowy Blue Mountains; the Asotin prairie 
to the east, and the wide expanse of the far- 
famed wheat fields of the Palouse country and 
Garfield county to the north and west. 

Peola postoffice, ten miles up Alpowa 
creek from the town of Alpowa, was estab- 
lished August 2, 1880. Miss Mary King was 
the postmistress in charge. She resigned in 
February, 1881. and William King was ap- 
pointed to succeed her. In 1875 settlement 
was begun in this vicinity then designated as 
the Head of the Alpowa. The altitude above 
sea level is 3,500 feet. In June, 1879, a Chris- 
tian (Campbellite) church was organized by 



548 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



Rev. Amos Buchanan; Rev. Jacob Hastings 
became pastor. In 1892 Peola had two black- 
smith shops doing an excellent business, a res- 
taurant, notion store and a feed stable. The 
store, restaurant and feed stable were con- 
ducted by Dr. Story. This most southern 
postoffice in Garfield county is surrounded by 
a rich farming country. 

COLUMBIA CENTER. 

Near the mountains, at the forks of Pataha 
creek, in the fall of 1876. was made the first 
attempt to establish a town within the present 
limits of Garfield county. Four miles above 
the forks at this period were two saw mills. 
At the forks another one was conducted by 
Bean & Blackman, and here a town was laid 
out; it was platted December 26, 1877, by T. 
G. Bean and Andrew Blackman, and named 
Columbia Center. During the summer of 
1877 Bean & Blackman erected a grist mill 
26x36 feet, with one run of stone. The same 
autumn E. D. Hastings opened a general store, 
and a blacksmith shop was added to the attrac- 
tions and inducements of the young village. 
A postoffice was established, but subsequently 
discontinued. In 1882 the town consisted of 
the mill, store, school house and a few scat- 
tered dwellings. 

Columbia Center was a thrifty and flourish- 
ing village in the early history of Garfield 
county. It was occasionally mentioned, with 
a speculative intonation, as a probable county 
seat, but this optimistic prognostication soon 
fell to a minor key, and Columbia Center be- 
came a veritable deserted village. Even the 
hungry traveler experienced difficulty in pro- 
curing food and shelter. 

ILIA. 

This place is situated on Snake river, two 
miles south of Almota, the latter town being 
on the north bank of the stream. It is one of 



the oldest postoffices in the county. E. L. 
Hemingway secured a title to the bar, con- 
taining about 50 acres, in March, 1879. Here 
he erected a commodious warehouse with a 
capacity of 100,000 bushels of grain. At this 
period the place was the only accessible one 
for teams on the south side of the Snake river 
for a distance of twenty miles. Its importance 
as a point for receiving and forwarding freight 
was fully realized by Mr. Hemingway, and it 
was an especially excellent boat landing. In 
connection with his warehouse Mr. Heming- 
way conducted a small store; it soon became 
inadequate to supply the demands of the local- 
ity. A more spacious store building was 
erected; a large stock of goods laid in. Mr. 
Hemingway was postmoster; the mail arrived 
daily by stage from Dayton and Colfax. In 
1 88 1 Mr. Hemingway shipped 2,000 tons of 
wheat from his warehouse. July 21, 1883, the 
Columbia Chronicle published the following: 

"Mr. E. L. Hemingway called upon us today 
and informed us that Ilia was booming. He 
has a blacksmith shop in running order and is 
selling a large quantity of goods. His ware- 
house has a capacity of 100,000 bushels of 
grain, but lie is enlarging it to accommodate 
the farmers, who will have double the grain to 
ship this year that they ever had before. Mr. 
H. says that the average yield of wheat in this 
section will be about twenty-six bushels to the 
acre. There are four good roads leading to 
Ilia and from a business point it is booming." 

But the census of 1890 gave Ilia a popula- 
tion of only twelve souls. 

OTHER TOWNS. 

Mayview is a postoffice four miles south of 
Ilia. It was established in 1880 with Mrs. N. 
L. Cox as postmistress. In 1885 the postof- 
fice was removed to the residence of L. H. 
Bradshaw for the better accommodation of the 
settlement. 

Ping postoffice was named in honer of Rob- 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



549 



-ert and Frank Ping ; in early days they had set- 
tled in that vicinity. It lies in the northern 
part of Garfield county, a short distance from 
Snake river, and the surrounding" country is 
devoted mainly to fruit raising. 

Chard is a postoffice and station on the 
Pomeroy branch of the Oregon Railroad & 
Navigation Company's line, on the extreme 
western border of the county. 

Zumwalt is a station on the Pomeroy 
branch of the Oregon Railroad & Navigation 
Company's line, about midway between Chard 
and Pomeroy. 

Valentine postoffice is located in the eastern 
part of the county. 

There have been a number of other post- 
offices and prospective towns in Garfield county 
during its history, which are not now in exist- 
ence. Mentor was a town laid out, three miles 
above Pataha ; it was at one period a candidate 
for the county seat. The name was consid- 
ered appropriate for a Garfield county town, 
but there was not significance enough in the 
name alone to secure the prize. The prosper- 
ous future predicted for it shows no signs of 
appearing. The town at first had been christ- 
ened Belfast; this was changed to Mentor, the 
name of President Garfield's Ohio home. 
Formerly it had been known as "Rafrerty's 
ranch." Here the county seat boom was 
worked industriously by the enterprising citi- 



zens. But the whole Mentor project was des- 
tined to arrive at a lame and impotent conclu- 
sion ; the lumber of which the houses were built 
was purchased by a Mr. Scott and conveyed 
to Pomeroy. As the Columbia Chronicle said: 
"Like Mahomet and the mountain, if the coun- 
ty seat would not go to Mentor, Mentor would 
go to the county seat." 

Berlin was platted January 9, 1883, by 
Charles Ward and Sarah E. Ward, his wife. 
Ward's addition was platted June 23, 1884, by 
the same parties. But this town existed only 
on paper. At one period it was rumored that 
Berlin would become a candidate for the 
county seat as a compromise between Pomeroy 
and Pataha City, but nothing eventuated. 

Deadman was the name of a postoffice 
which served the people in the Deadman coun- 
try in the early da}fs. It was discontinued in 
August, 1880. 

Cayote was a charming name given to a 
postoffice established in Garfield county in 
September, 1882. John R. King was post- 
master. 

Central Ferry was a postoffice established 
at an early day. The name was afterward 
changed to Reform, but this did not help mat- 
ters much and it passed out of existence. The 
change of name was made in December, 1881, 
and H. M. Jenkins became postmaster at that 
time. 



CHAPTER V 



DESCRIPTIVE. 



The entire territory of Garfield county lies 
south and west of the Snake river ; it is in the 
big bend of this stream, and is bounded on the 
north by the Snake, on the east by Asotin 
county, on the south by Oregon and on the 
west by Columbia county. Its area amounts 
to about nineteen full townships; it is forty- 



eight miles from north to south at its greatest 
extremity, and thirty miles at its greatest ex- 
tremity from east to west. The greater por- 
tion of the county has an altitude of 2,100 feet 
above sea level, although there are parts of its 
territory much higher. 

The general topography comprises a table 



55o 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY 



land rising about 1,000 feet above the low 
water mark of Snake river, and ascending 
gradually southward until it ends in the Blue 
Mountains in the southern part of the county. 
Although a high table land it is rolling, with 
gulches here and there, descending from these 
table lands into the .various streams of water 
that flow usually southwestward into the Snake 
river or its tributary streams. The valleys of 
these water courses are all very narrow. 

Traveling about this country an observant 
person will, perforce, see much to inspire him, 
or her, with speculative thought. One of the 
first features that will attract the attention will 
be the presence, everywhere, of the black, ba- 
saltic rock, quite frequently roasted and 
charred red, or blubbered up into rough sponge 
scoria. Other impressive objects are the im- 
mense canyons and gorges, and their precipit- 
ous, rocky sides, with water courses flowing 
thousands of feet below the level plateau above. 
Prominent characteristics are these of all the 
country. This basalt lava formation is found all 
along from the Spokane country far down into 
California, east of the Sierras. It is quite evi- 
dent, then, that sometime in the long ago — in 
some prehistoric age — this whole country was 
a vast sea of fire — of redhot, molten, flowing, 
hissing lava. When did this occur? Whence 
did it come ? It is plainly demonstrable that no 
volcano could ever belch forth sufficient molten 
matter to form so extensive a deposit. Aeons 
since there must have been a breaking up of 
the earth's hardened curst; a dropping down 
of a vast area with an accompanying squeez- 
ing out of the melted mass below which rose 
and overflowed the surface. From a geolo- 
gical viewpoint it is admitted that the present 
green hills and expansive plains of this county 
were once a sea of hissing fire. For its cool- 
ing ages were required — possibly, and quite 
probably, many thousands of years. Then other 
elements swept in and played their parts in 
the geological economy of earth transmutation. 
The rocks began to disintegrate. For hun- 



dreds of years, doubtless, the intense heat from 
below prevented the surface from freezing and 
perhaps during this period the breath of the 
Frost King passed harmlessly over the land. 
And during all these transforming aeons soft 
"chinooks" from the south and west were 
blowing as they do today. 

It may be sapiently asked, "How does one 
know this?"' Examine the north and east 
sides of these hills of Garfield county. There 
you will discover deep, rich, alluvial soil. Pass 
around to the south and west sides. Here you 
will find barren, wind-swept and sunburnt, 
rocky steeps. During the countless ages past 
the winds have blown the sand and dust from 
the west and south sides, and deposited them 
to the north and east, where the winds of 1905 
deposit the snow drifts. 

At first, after cooling, there were cinders 
and alkaline ashes ; the winds carried these up, 
also ; we find them underneath the soil de- 
posited there later. Aeons ago all of Garfield 
county was one vast alkali bed. Pataha prairie 
and the upper Deadman country, now almost 
entirely free from it, were all strongly alkaline, 
which in time leached off. Gradually the soda, 
borax and other alkaline substances were 
washed out by snow and rain which soaked 
through ; the streams carried down the ashes, 
with the lye, depositing the former in the bot- 
toms of the valleys and gulches. Today they 
may be found in immense white beds and 
banks. Yet there was an extended period when 
these rocks were neither cold nor burning hot, 
except in places. And at this epoch the whole 
country threw off vast clouds of steam and 
vapor, particularly during the winter and 
spring months. 

But it is only a step from geological facts 
to the most fanciful speculation. Who can 
gaze downward from the tops of the "breaks' r 
upon the wild, picturesque gorges through 
which wind the Tucanon, Tumlum or the Al- 
powa, and forbear to ask the questions, "How 
came these mighty, majectic chasms? Were 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



55i 



they ditched out by the fierce, eternal flow of 
resistless waters? If so, whose abstruse and 
higher mathematics can compute the ages that 
Snake river has been fretting and chafing away 
the solid rock and whirling it down to the sea 
— to the bar of the Columbia below Astoria?" 
Could these solid, basaltic walls, towering far 
above the waters, speak what sensational tales 
they might relate of the shadowy, traditional 
past! 

That there was a "lake period" in Garfield 
county there is every reason to believe. Long, 
horizontal lines of erosion of the rock may be 
seen from the summits of almost any of the 
neighboring hills. These lines are along the 
sides of the gulches and canyons, and they im- 
press one as being the result of water action. 
Here and there are beds of sand ; lines of partly 
washed gravel far up the mountain sides show- 
plainly that this county was once far more 
extensively watered than it is at present. Snake 
river, all these numerous streams, ran nearer 
the level of the surrounding country. Bones of 
gigantic specimens of animals long since ex- 
tinct, have been found in the clay and alkali 
beds. These animals were natives of a warm 
tropical, or semi-tropical climate — animals like 
the) dinosarus — and one is forced to believe 
that there was, sometime in the prehistoric 
past, such a climate in Garfield county. Again, 
many of these extinct animals were herbivor- 
ous, or tree-eating; the conclusion is obvious 
that there was much more timber in this coun- 
try then than there is at present, and, doubt- 
less, of a distinctively different kind. Im- 
bedded in the coal measures west of Garfield 
county have been found the fossils of giant 
palm trees and other tropical growth. Full of 
wonders is this marvelous country ; rich are 
the fields for scientific investigation and there 
is much food for reflection. 

On the authority of a volume issued by 
the Washington Bureau of Statistics, Agricul- 
ture and Immigration, we place the area of 
Garfield county at 672 square miles. The popu- 



lation, according to the United States census 
of 1900, was 3,918; the present estimated pop- 
ulation, from school statistics, assessors' rolls 
and other sources, is 4,945. The total valua- 
tion of real and personal property in 1903, in- 
cluding railway trackage, was $2,321,588. 

Transportation facilities comprise a branch 
of the Oregon Railroad & Navigation Com- 
pany's system, extending westerly from Pom- 
eroy, about the center of the county, and steam- 
boats which ply the Snake river. The north- 
ern half of the county is in the magnifient 
wheat belt of the state; all descriptions of 
grain, fruit and vegetables are grown. In ad- 
dition to wheat, oats and large crops of barley 
are grown and harvested. Beginning at the 
Snake river bottoms the agricultural lands of 
Garfield county gradually slope up to the 
summit of the Blue Mountains, southward. 
On the Snake river flat all vegetation is very 
early in starting and maturing. Three miles 
south there is a change of a week or two ; and 
at the city of Pomeroy the difference is still 
greater while still further south, toward the 
summit of the Blue Mountains, the difference 
in climate is still more accentuated. On Snake 
river strawberries ripen as early as May 20. 
The average soil is of a fine, sandy quality, the 
result of attrition and crumbling away of ba- 
saltic rocks that comprise the foundation or- 
under stratum of the county. Owing to the 
absence of heavy clays the soil is amenable to 
thorough cultivation, and when once mellowed 
seldom, or never, bakes or crusts. 

Until one enters the foothills of the Blue 
Mountains one will find the land of Garfield 
county, mostly prairie. In the mountains there 
is an abundance of pine, spruce, fir and hem- 
lock timber, and that near the summit of the 
mountains can be converted into very fair 
building material; in fact the greater part of 
the lumber used in the county is manufactured 
from timber grown on the Blue Mountains. 
The following figures were published by the 
Washington Bureau of Statistics in 1903 : 



552 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



Total standing timber in the Blue Mountains, 
150,000,000 feet; square miles of timber, 128; 
square miles of timber cut, 70 ; square miles 
burned, o. 

The current of Snake river is narrow, 
rapid and deep, weaving itself from right to 
left at the bottom of an irregular, narrow 
gorge, in certain localities scarcely wider than 
the stream ; in other places several rods wider. 
At the broadest portions, which lie on both 
sides of the stream, as it swings close to the 
bluffs, after sweeping around some abrupt 
point in the channel, left high and dry from the 
washings of the river in ages past, we find 
famous orchards of which all in this section of 
Uncle Sam's domain have heard. 

Garfield is one of the best watered counties 
in the state of Washington. Its' principal 
boundary is a large semi-circle of the Snake 
river, and aside from this there are numerous 
smaller, but never failing streams coursing 
through the heart of this territory. Pataha 
c-eek is one of these. In the Nez Perce lan- 
guage the name signifies "Brush creek,"' and 
this appellation was, apparently, bestowed upon 
it because of a dense fringe of willows and 
brush along its banks. Lewis and Clark speak 
of this stream, up which they passed on their 
return journey to the states in May, 1806, as 
being the first locality in some distance where 
they had found a sufficient quantity of fire- 
wood. In a spur of the Blue Mountains it has 
its source. Thence it flows northward and 
westerly a distance of fifty miles, forming a 
confluence with the Tncanon river about ten 
miles above the junction of the latter stream, 
with the Snake river. A portion of the waters 
of Pataha creek, owing to the character of its 
banks and bed, are somewhat muddy, and more 
especially so just before discharging into the 
Tucanon. But high up toward the source of 
this stream the water passes through a rocky 
channel and is pure, c'ear and cold. 

The name of Alpowa creek is a corruption 
of Alpaha, a Nez Perce word signifying 



"Spring creek." By the Indians the mouth of 
this creek is called Al-pa-wa-we. In an east- 
erly direction this stream flows, debauching 
into Snake river, in Asotin county, about eight 
miles below Lewiston, Idaho. The trail over 
which Lewis and Clark traveled in 1806 leads 
down the Alpowa from near its source. The 
streams abounds in trout; in the spring of the 
year great numbers of salmon find their way 
into it from Snake river to spawn. 

Moxwai creek is a small stream six miles 
in length, flowing into Snake river, twelve 
miles below the mouth of the Alpowa. Along 
its banks the bottom lands vary from a few 
rods to a quarter of a mile in width. These 
lands were settled upon at an earlier date than 
were those of any other portion of Garfield 
county. 

Meadow gulch, eight miles north of Pa- 
taha creek, is a small stream which might be 
termed intermittant, as it contains running 
water only a portion of the year, and even then 
the stream frequently sinks from sight, a phe- 
nomenon not at all unusual with many of the 
smaller streams in the state of Washington. 
After passing under ground a short distance 
the stream will reappear and dance merrily 
along through the gulch or meadow land only 
to dip again into the bosom of mother earth 
and pursue its course in subterranean seclu- 
sion. The general contour of the banks of this 
stream are abrupt, leaving only a narrow strip 
of bottom land. About twenty miles in length 
is the gulch ; and it opens out into Deadman 
Hollow, a tributary of Snake river. Deadman 
Hollow is about thirty miles in length, termin- 
ating at Snake river, two miles above the 
northwest corner of the county. 

Garfield is not a mining county. But along 
Snake river, which bounds the county on the 
north, there is to be found the flour gold which 
has been discovered and mined by Chinamen 
on the banks of the Columbia and most of its 
tributaries. So far no practical process has 
been invented to save the values, although a 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



553 



great many attempts have been made to solve 
this industrial problem. Although it came to 
naught the county has experienced a gold ex- 
citement as will be seen by the following cor- 
respondence published in the Columbia Chron- 
icle June. 14, 1879: 

"A few weeks ago Pataha City was almost 
depopulated by the rush to the mines. Rockers 
were made; the excitement waxed intense; all 
that was thought of was gold, gold! Their 
minds were disturbed. Their dreams were of 
gold. Oh, think of the gold over there! the 
gold fields were reached ; work was com- 
menced, but the rocker failed to produce much 
of the precious stuff. They decided to return 
home and build a different kind of machine. 
It was built and they returned to the gold fields 
full of hope, with their machines and bags in 
which to scoop in the gold. Work was com- 
menced with the machine with seven hands. 
After one hard run, putting tons of dirt, sand 
and gravel through its delicate mouth, they 
cleaned up and brought seventy cents to sight 
— ten cents to the man. Forthwith the ma- 
chine was kicked higher than Mount Hood and 
landed in the river. It started for Astoria 
post haste. Their mines were changed, as also 
was their opinion of the mines. Back to Pa- 
taha with a steady stride, and quite crestfallen, 
to Home, Sweet Home." 

One month previous the Chronicle had 
published this article : 

"Several parties from our town went up 
the Snake river to prospect the mines this 
week. They report fair diggings and that 
Pataha City has gone in full force to 
the new Eureka. There are a great many 
Chinamen mining on Snake river at New 
York Bar, with fair success. These mines 
could be profitably worked had the miners the 
proper machinery. We are told there are a 
great many people out seeking their fortunes 
at this place." 

In September, 1879, the shores of Snake 
river, between Penawawa and Almota. a dis- 



tance of nine miles, were reported by the Co- 
lumbia Chronicle to be fairly alive with Chi- 
namen engaged in mining operations, and that 
they appeared to be washing out the dust in 
paying quantities. But, as has been shown, 
there were no tangible results from the alleged 
discoveries of "rich placer claims." 

But considerable excitement was engend- 
ered in Garfield county in 1892-3 by reported 
discoveries of what were supposed to be valu- 
ble onyx fields. Companies were formed and 
some development work done — sufficient to 
reveal the fact that there was nothing in it. 
However, the Pomeroy East Washingtonian 
optimistically published the two following ar- 
ticles, the first in September and the latter in 
December, 1892: 

"It is a fact not generally known that a 
local company was incorporated in this city 
last winter for the purpose of developing onyx 
mines on the Deadman. The company is 
known as the Opal & Onyx Mining Company, 
and the principal stockholders are Spedden 
Brothers, L. M. Ringer and William Booth, 
the latter being a mining expert of Portland. 
Spedden Brothers have been prospecting this 
part of the country for a year or more, and 
have found a very fair quality of what is called 
by experts opal-onyx. The company has 
bought about 1,000 acres of land on the Dead- 
man, about ten miles east of this city, where 
the mines are situated. Experts who have ex- 
amined the stone pronounce it of the finest 
quality, superior to the Mexican onyx, which 
is the only kind found in the markets of the 
country today. Mr. E. C. Spedden says that 
croppings of this stone can be found almost 
anywhere in Garfield county, but the difficulty 
lies in finding it in a perfect state of preserva- 
tion. Most of it has been burned or ruined in 
some way by the changes of the past. The 
company will begin work in a few days. 

"It would seem that the days of harum 
scarum prospecting in the onyx mines in this 
county are about over, and mine owners are 



554 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY 



now ready to settle down to business. If the 
half that is claimed for these mines by experts 
is true, they afford boundless opportunities to 
those who are willing to put their shoulders to 
the wheel, and the mineral resources of Gar- 
field county will astonish the world. Develop- 
ment has as yet scarcely begun, owing to the 
conservatism of capital and lack of transpor- 
tation facilities and machinery, but new inter- 
est is now awakening from the success already 
achieved, and hereafter these mines will be 
operated as a business investment and not as a 
speculation. 

"On Tuesday (December 13). a new com- 
pany, to be known as the Onyx Mining & Mill- 
ing Company, organized in this city and filed 
articles of incorporation with the county aud- 
itor. The capital stock is $120,000, and the 
life of the company is twenty years. C. A. 
Lundy, H. L. Lanning, E. C. Spedden and E. 
M. Rauch are the trustees. The company has 
secured 500 acres of land in the onyx regions 
and have a force of men now at work develop- 
ing their property. 

"The Opal-Onyx Mining Company of Pa- 
laha have perfected arrangements for the build- 
ing of a thirty-horse-power mill and a part of 



the material for its construction has been ord- 
ered. Work on the flume will be commenced 
as soon as lumber can be obtained. Mr. Booth, 
who was, during our recent visit to Pataha 
absent from the city, owns large interests 
in this property and is a mining engineer of 
considerable experience, having devoted most 
of his time to the fickle goddess of fortune for 
the past twenty years. He was one of the 
early prospectors in the mines of the north- 
west and as a judge of mining property he is 
looked up to as a reliable authority, for his 
opinions are generally backed by capital and 
he seldom makes a mistake. We were in- 
formed by Captain Harford that the mill would 
not be completed until Mr. Booth had de- 
termined the exact kind of machinery neces- 
sary to dress the stone. This he proposes to do 
by taking a small amount of the stone to Chica- 
go, where he will cut and polish it himself. He 
will then order the machinery and the work of 
building will go ahead. We also learned from 
Mr. Harford that the smallest pieces of the 
stone would be crushed and prepared for mar- 
ket by a method known to Mr. Booth, who has 
secured a patent right for the process of pre- 
paring it in this manner." 



CHAPTER VI 



POLITICAL. 



Garfield county is normally Republican 
by a small majority. A perusal of the results 
of the different elections since the formation 
of the county in 1881 will show that in Terri- 
torial days the county usually contributed a 
small majority to the Republican candidates 
for delegate to congress, and since Washing- 
ton was admitted to statehood, a majority for 
the Republican presidential electors. To this 
condition an exception will be found during 



the period that the people's party was strong- 
est in the state. Altogether the vote is quite 
an independent one ; neither party can right- 
fully claim to have the county in its pocket as 
an entirety. In local politics the contests are 
invariably close, and, as a rule, the best men 
win. 

Considerable speculation was indulged in 
when Garfield was set off from Columbia 
county, in 1881, as to what would be its prob- 



t 

.,-f 




Garneld County Court House 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



555 



able political complexion. From the election 
returns of 1880, taking the vote for adjutant 
general as a basic indicator, it was discovered 
that that portion of Columbia, which was 
eventually to become Garfield county, had 
thrown 329 Republican and 260 Democratic 
votes, a Republican majority of 69. The first 
election thereafter showed that eight Repub- 
licans and four Democrats were successful at 
the polls. 

It will be recalled by those who have fol- 
lowed the pages of the History of Garfield 
county that the enabling act provided for a 
special election to be held January 9, 1882, for 
the purpose of choosing county officers and to 
select a county seat. Consequently only a brief 
period was left for campaign purposes, but 
during these few days it was fast and furious ; 
partisan spirit ran high and political interest 
was intense. 

A Democratic county convention had been 
held at Pataha City, December 24, 1881, and 
two days later the Republicans met at the same 
place. Each convention named a full county 
ticket. 

At this initial election the Democratic can- 
didates were : 

County commissioners, I. Harrington, Sr., 
E. Oliver, Weisenfelt ; sheriff, W. E. Wilson ; 
auditor, H. L. Caples; treasurer, W. L. Free- 
man; probate judge, R. H. Wills; school su- 
perintendent, Joseph Wills; assessor, Smith 
Svvezea; surveyor, C. E. Runyan; coroner, J. 
S. Denison; sheep commissioner, Samuel T. 
Jones. 

The Republican candidates were : 

County commissioners, J. J. Kanawyer, 
George D. Wilson, Casper Plummer; sheriff, 
C. W. Fitzsimmons ; auditor, Scott Rogers ; 
probate judge, Benjamin Butler; school su- 
perintendent, W. H. Marks; assessor, H. H. 
Wise; surveyor, E. D. Briggs; treasurer, Dr. 
J. N. Perkins; coroner, Dr. E, D. Davidson. 

The precinct officers of election were: 

Tucanon Precinct — A. H. Hagans, in- 



spector; William Buckley, judge; Ned Buck- 
ley, judge; Thomas Shannon, clerk; F. B. Lo- 
gan, clerk. 

Pomeroy Precinct — J. H. Lister, inspector'; 
J. W. Harkelrood, Z. A. Baldwin, judges; J. 
A. Stephens, F. M. Dougherty, clerks. 

River Precinct — G. W. Buford, judge; J. 
W. Parker, J. M. Reid, clerks. 

Cottonwood Precinct — M. S. King, W. E. 
Benedict, clerks. 

Pataha City Precinct — R. H. Wills, in- 
spector; John Nolan, George Snyder, judges; 
C. H. Debo, R. E. Wills, clerks. 

A county seat contest of the most bitter de- 
scription was injected into this election, and it 
developed one of the most warmly contested 
of any in the history of Garfield county. The 
largest vote cast was 1,014, for the office of 
sheriff. It was divided among the different 
precincts as follows : Pomeroy, 260 ; Pataha, 
114; Tucanon, 8; Meadow, 28; River, 90; 
Pleasant, 69; Columbia Center, 108; Asotin, 
66; Cottonwood, 201. 

The county officers chosen were divided 
between the dominant parties, four Democrats 
and eight Republicans. . Those elected were : 
County commissioners, J. W. Weisenfelt, 
Dem. , J. J. Kanawyer, Rep. , Eliel Oliver, 
Dem. ; sheriff, W. E. Wilson, Dem. ; auditor, 
Scott Rogers, Rep. ; probate judge, Benjamin 
Butler, Rep. ; treasurer, J. N. Perkins, Rep. ; 
assessor, H. H. Wise, Rep. ; surveyor, E. D. 
Briggs, Rep. ; school superintendent, W. H. 
Marks, Rep. ; coroner, E. A. Davidson, Rep. ; 
sheep commissioner, S. T. Jones, Dem. 

Following are the majorities of the above 
successful candidates : Weisenfelt, 590 ; Ka- 
nawyer, 567; Oliver, 462; Wilson, 95 ; Rogers, 
32; Butler, 210; Perkins, 238; Wise, 270; 
Marks, 173; Briggs, 285; Davidson, 127; 
Jones, 223. Pomeroy, for county seat, 124 
majority. 

At the meeting of the board of county com- 
missioners, February 21, 1882, the offices of 
assessor, school superintendent and surveyor 



556 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



were declared vacant, and the following were 
appointed: E. D. Briggs, surveyor; H. H. 
Wise, assessor; W. H. Marks, school superin- 
tendent. 

Following close on the heels of the January 
election came the November contest of 1882. 
The Republican county convention was held 
at Pomeroy, September 9, D. B. Pettijohn, 
chairman ; D. E. Kelley, secretary. The ticket 
nominated : 

William Clark, representative; M. S. King, 
auditor ; James Palmer, sheriff ; J. P. Hastings, 
treasurer; J. D. Swain, Z. A. Baldwin, John 
McQueen, commissioners; Benjamin Butler, 
probate judge; Mrs. F. G. Morrison, superin- 
tendent of schools; H. H. Wise, assessor; E. 
D. Briggs, surveyor; Dr. G. B. Kuydenhall, 
coroner; C. H. Seeley, sheep commissioner. 
Delegates to Territorial convention — D. B. 
Pettijohn, F. G. Morrison, E. T. Wilson, C. T. 
Stiles, C. W. Fitzsimmons. 

September 23 was the date set for the Dem- 
ocratic convention at Pomeroy. A temporary 
organization was effected by the election of J 
S. Denison, chairman, and H. B. Ferguson 
secretary. The permanent organization saw J 
\Y. Offield, chairman, in place of Davison 
Mr. Ferguson remaining as permanent secre- 
tary. The county central committee named 
were: John Romaine, John Ruark, R. H. 
Wills, C. A. McCabe and E. H. Vinsen. The 
delegates to the Territorial convention named 
were: S. W. Swezea, F. B. Logan, S. W. Of- 
field, John Steen and E. Oliver. The ticket 
nominated : 

Joseph Legerwood, representative; H. B. 
Ferguson, auditor; W. E. Wilson, sheriff; Al- 
exander Sumpter, John Nolan, James Hull, 
county commissioners ; I. R. Budd, probate 
judge; J. W. Rauch, treasurer; W. L. Howell, 
assessor; F. M. Beckwith, school superintend- 
ent; A. H. Hagen, surveyor; N. Estes, cor- 
orner ; Frank Ping, sheep commissioner. 

In the general election of November, 1882, 
several new voting precincts were formed. The 



different precincts and the officers appointed 
for the election were : 

Pomeroy Precinct — William Clark, in- 
spector; John Brady and R. A. New, judges. 

Pataha City Precinct — L. M. McCause, in- 
spector; Walter Riggsby and Joseph Rafferty, 
judges. 

Pleasant Precinct — Thomas Ruark, in- 
spector; Nelson Mettle and H. Scott, judges. 

River Precinct — C. M. Ish, inspector; H. 
Victor and A. C. Woodard, judges. 

Meadow Precinct — George Miller, in- 
spector; A. H. Hagans and Robert Ping, 
judges. 

Tucanon Precinct — Frisby B. Logan, in- 
spector; William Buckley and William Molt- 
ham, judges. 

Columbia Center Precinct — Frank King, 
inspector; M. Hudson and Baxter Courtney, 
judges. 

Asotin Precinct — John O'Keefe, inspector; 
Alexander Sumpter and Arthur Shaft, judges. 

Cottonwood Precinct — O. R. Bennett, in- 
spector ; M. S. King and John Romaine, 
judges. 

Lake Precinct — Brad Hodges, inspector; 
D. B. McKlure and Taylor Trent, judges. 

Grand Ronde Precinct — J. T. Manns, in- 
spector ; Benjamin Montgomery and Alexander 
Martin, judges. 

This election resulted, majorities only being 
given, as follows : 

Delegate to congress, Thomas H. Brents, 
103; joint councilman, J. E. Edmiston, 14; 
joint councilman, N. T. Caton, 146; J. K. 
Rutherford, prosecuting attorney, 24 ; repre- 
sentative, William Clark, 57; auditor, Fergu- 
son, 142; sheriff, Wilson, 299; treasurer, 
Rauch, 231 ; commissioners, Swain, 553; Bald- 
win, 66; Hull, 15; probate judge, Benjamin 
Butler, 226 ; school superintendent, Mrs. F. G 
Morrison ; assessor, H. H. Wise, 115; surveyor, 
Briggs, 259; coroner, Kuykendall, 129; sheep 
commissioner, Seeley, 2. 

J. D. Swain resigned as member of the 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



557 



board of county commissioners, and James 
Chisholm was appointed to fill the vacancy. 

A Republican county convention was held 
at Pomeroy August 16, 1884, at which Benja- 
min Butler was chairman and E. H. King, sec- 
retary. The delegates elected to the Territo- 
rial convention were : N. C. Williams, R. L. 
Rush, James Palmer, E. W. Riley and Air. 
Bradshaw. There were contests for nearly all 
the nominations. The following were selected 
members of the county central committee : 
Amos Vallen, J. M. Julian, Joseph Scott, Gil- 
bert Dixon, H. C. Childers, W. S. Oliphant 
and T. C. Mewhinney. 

On the 30th of the same month the Demo- 
crats convened at Pomeroy and placed a full 
ticket in the field. Delegates to the Democratic 
Territorial convention elected were : William L. 
Freeman, R. H. Wills, M. F. Gose and J. H. 
Long. 

The election of November 4. 1884, showed 
that Garfield, after the loss of that portion 
which was set off in 1883, as Asotin county, 
was in the Republican column. The Republican 
candidate for delegate to congress carried the 
county by a plurality of 134, over the popular 
Democratic candidate — C. S. Yoorhees. The 
few elective offices of the Territorial govern- 
ment were carried in Garfield county by some- 
what larger pluralities. On the district and 
county tickets the Democrats elected their can- 
didates for sheriff, treasurer and one county 
commissioner. The rest of the ticket was car- 
ried by the Republicans. The total number of 
votes cast was 1,314. It will be recalled that 
at this period woman suffrage was in vogue in 
Washington Territory, and this accounts for 
the large number of votes. The official vote : 

For Delegate to Congress — J. M, Arm- 
strong, Rep., 724; C. S. Voorhees, Dem., 590. 

For Joint Councilmen (seven counties) — 
Isaac Carson, Rep.. 634; C. H. Warner, Dem., 
626. 

For Joint Councilman (three counties) — B. 
B. Day, Rep., 749; S. L. Gilbreath, Dem.. 511. 



For Joint Representative — J. N. Perkins, 
Rep., 585; M. C. Harris, Dem., 511 ; F. W. D. 
Mays, Ind., 293. 

For Sheriff— J. H. Walker, Rep., 525 ; W. 
E. Wilson, Dem., 663. 

For Treasurer — G. A. Parker, Rep., 533; 
J. W. Rauch, Dem., 742. 

For Probate Judge — Benjamin Butler, 
Rep., 816; E. Oliver, Dem., 459. 

For School Superintendent — I. C. Sanford, 
Rep., 771 ; J. N. Miller, Dem., 500. 

For Assessor — H. H. Wise, Rep., 830; 
George Nebuhr, Dem., 453. 

For Surveyor — Hayden Gearhardt, Rep., 
663; E. D. Briggs, Dem., 608. 

For County Commissioners — G. F. Jackson, 
Rep., 553^ Charles O. Kneen, Rep., 724; J. F. 
Martin. Rep., 745; D. Strain, Dem., 765; Wil- 
liam Parker, Dem., 519; William McCullough, 
Dem., 496. 

For Coroner — Dr. G. B. Kuykendall, Rep., 
624; Dr. R. H. Mitchell, Dem., 614. 

For Sheep Commissioner — C. H. Seeley, 
Rep., 725 ; S. L. Brown, Dem., 554. 

The Garfield county Republican convention 
for 1886 was held at Pomeroy, September 4. 
S. G. Cosgrove presided as chairman ; H. L. 
Bowmer and W. L. Lister, seretaries. Partici- 
pating in the deliberations of the convention 
were twenty-five delegates. Resolutions were 
adopted favoring a fair and impartial trial of 
the local option law and declaring against re- 
peal of woman suffrage. The county central 
committee named were S. G. Cosgrove, chair- 
man. Elmon Scott, James Palmer, John Har- 
din, Gilbert Dixon, W. B. Stallcap, James 
Bratcher.and G. F. Jackson. 

Delegates to the Territorial convention : W. 
S. Oliphant, Elmon Scott, John Swank, I. N. 
Julian, J. Palmer, G. W. Burford, H. C. 
Thompson and N. C. Williams. 

For nearly all the offices there were sharp 
contests on the floor of the convention hall. 
Eleven ballots were necessary to select a can- 
didate for auditor. C. H. DeBow, George 



558 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



Campbell and I. C. Sanford were the contest- 
ing candidates, the nomination being captured 
by DeBow. 

September 18 the Democrats convened at 
Pomeroy and the gathering was remarkable for 
its harmonious action, although there were a 
number of candidates for each of the various 
offices. William Schnebly was chairman, F. 
W. D. Mays and W. S. Newland secretaries. 
A long list of resolutions was passed, no men- 
tion, however, being made of local option or 
woman suffrage. The central committee chosen 
were M. F. Gose, chairman; Albert Cook, John 
Bartels, J. B. Tyrrel, J. H. Long, Thomas 
Ruark and Frank Ping. No nominations were 
made for office of probate judge and coroner. 

At the election of November 2, 1886, there 
were cast 1,313 votes. Again the Republicans 
carried the county for their candidate for dele- 
gate to congress by a small majority, and gave 
large majorities for their candidates for joint 
senator and joint representative. On the coun- 
ty ticket the Democrats elected four candidates. 
The official vote : 

For Delegate to Congress — C. M. Brad- 
shaw. Rep., 662: C. H. Voorhees, Dem., 651- — 
11 majority. 

For Joint Councilman — O. C. White, Rep., 
803; W. E. Ayers. Dem., 508 — 295 majority. 

For Joint Representative — R. A. Case, 
Rep., 810; D. H. Poyneer, 450 — 360 majority. 

For Prosecuting Attorney — W. N. Noff- 
singer, Rep., 770; L. J. Dittemore, Dem., 527 
— 243 majority. 

For Auditor— C. H. DeBow, Rep., 584; R. 
H. Wills, Dem., 707 — 123 majority. 

For Sheriff— H. H. Wise, Rep., 635; S. 
K. Hull, Dem., 670 — 35 majority. 

For Probate Judge — Benjamin Butler, 
Rep.. 791 ; scattering, 13. 

For Treasurer — Gilbert Dickson, Rep., 760; 
M. M. Humphrey, Dem., 550 — -210 majority. 

For Assessor — I. N. Julian, Rep., 708; J. 
D. Tyrrel, Dem., 590 — 118 majority. 

For School Superintendent — F. M. Beck- 



with, Rep., 616; Professor Driscoll, Dem., 
691 — y=, majority. 

For Surveyor — Hayden Gearhardt, Rep., 
817; A. H. Hagens, Dem., 490 — t> 2 7 majority. 

For Coroner — Dr. G. W. Black, Rep., 745; 
scattering, 9. 

For Sheep Commissioner — J. H. Walker, 
Rep., 689; Robert Ping, Dem., 612 — yy ma- 
jority. 

For County Commissioners — J. S. Davis, 
Rep., Joseph Scott, Rep., J. Parker, Dem., 
(elected); T. J. Mewhinney, Rep., John Bar- 
tels. Dem., Newton Estes, Dem. 

For jail tax, 452 ; against jail tax, 666. 

September 1, 1888, the Republican county 
convention was held at Pomeroy, at which Wil- 
liam Clark presided as chairman, and Horace 
Banbow served as secretary. Delegates to the 
Territorial convention selected were H. M. 
Hathaway, Elmon Scott, C. G. Austin, C. W. 
Fitzsimmons, R. M. Smith, Jay Lynch, James 
Palmer and W. G. Victor. Nearly all of the 
nominations were made by acclammation. 
There was a warm contest for the nomination 
for assessor. The county central committee 
selected were : Elmon Scott, chairman ; G. L. 
Campbell, secretary ; J. H. Walker, W. G. Vic- 
tor, G. F. Jackson, C. W. Fitzsimmons, I. M. 
Julian and T. J. Mewhinney. 

On July 28, the Democrats had assem- 
bled and selected as delegates to the Territorial 
convention Joseph Ledgerwood, S. G. Cran- 
dall, Cyrus Davis and F. W. D. Mays. The 
Democrats follo'wed this up with another con- 
vention for the naming of candidates for county 
offices. It was held at Pomeroy. H. L. Caples 
was chairman and H. C. Krouse, secretary. 
There were present thirty-two delegates. Sharp 
contests ensued for the offices of assessor, com- 
missioner and superintendent of schools. No 
nominations were made for probate judge or 
surveyor. The county central committee named 
were : M. F. Gose, H. S. Caples, William Howe, 
W. J. Chard, Noah Stevens, John Tarbot and 
J. C. Welch. 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY 



559 



With the exception of prosecuting attorney 
the Republicans elected every candidate on the 
county ticket. Judge M. M. Godman was the 
only Democrat elected on the district ticket. 
There were 977 votes cast, the loss in number 
of votes being due to the absence of the women's 
votes. The official vote : 

For Delegate to Congress — John B. Allen, 
Rep., 531; Charles S. Voorhees, Dem., 440; 
Green, Pro., 6. 

For Joint Councilman — D. T. Welch, Rep., 
497 ; M. M. Godman, Dem., 476. 

For Joint Representative — W. S. Oliphant, 
Rep., 517; Ledgerwood, Dem., 440. 

For Prosecuting Attorney (joint) — W. 
N. Noffsinger, Rep., 482; M. F. Gose, Dem., 

483- 

For Auditor — George L. Campbell, Rep., 
492; R. E. Wills, Dem., 484. 

For Sheriff — Gilbert Dickson, Rep., 504; 
S. K. Hull, Dem., 464. 

For Assessor — G. D. Wilson, Rep., 514; D. 
B. Mast, Dem., 454. 

For Treasurer — I. C. Sanford, Rep., 584; 
D. Crandall, Dem., 583. 

For Probate Judge — Benjamin F. Butler, 
Rep., 596. 

For County Commissioners — David Miller, 
Rep., 522; J. S. Davis, Rep., 555; J. Fitzsim- 
mons, Rep., 494 (elected) ; James Parker, 
Dem., 481; Thomas Woodrow, Dem., 370; 
Henry Krels, Dem., 448. 

For School Superintendent — H. C. Ben- 
bow, Rep., 506; T. Driscoll, Dem., 455. 

For Surveyor — Hayden Gearhardt, Rep., 
575; scattering, 1. 

For Coroner — G. W. Black, Rep.. 603; Dr. 
Poyneer, Dem., 349. 

After the Washington enabling act had 
passed congress, and all that was necessary for 
it to become a state was to draft a constitution 
to be approved by the people, a call was at once 
issued for a constitutional convention. For 
the election of delegates to this convention the 
Territory of Washington was divided into 



twenty-five districts. Each of these districts 
was entitled to three delegates, but it was fur- 
ther provided that not more than two from one 
political party could serve. District Xo. 8 in- 
cluded the counties of Adams, Garfield, Asotin 
and Franklin. 

The Republican district convention of the 
Eighth District was held at Pomeroy May 7, 
1889, to select candidates for delegates to the 
constitutional convention. Adams, Asotin, 
Franklin and Garfield counties were fully repre- 
sented. I. N. Muncy, editor of the Pasco 
Headlight, was chosen chairman, and George 
W. Baily, of Asotin, secretary. The nominees 
selected as delegates were Elmon Scott, of Gar- 
field county, and D. Buchanan, of Adams 
county. The counties were represented by dele- 
gates to the district convention, as follows : 
Adams, seven delegates; Asotin, six; Franklin, 
one; Garfield, 15. The Garfield county dele- 
gates to this district convention were William 
Greer, T. E. Tueth, John Jewett, N. O. Bald- 
win, C. G. Austin, J. Schnebly, F. G. Morrison, 
A. C. Woodward, Joseph Vassar, A. B. Allen, 
Albert Long, W. S. Oliphant, James McCause, 
George Stallcap and W. L. Lister. 

The Democratic district convention was 
held at Pomeroy and but one candidate was 
placed in nomination — W. B. Gray, of Franklin 
county. There was a diplomatic reason for 
this. The district was known to be strongly 
Republican, and it was certain that only one 
Democrat from the district could be elected as a 
delegate. There was dissention in the Repub- 
lican party, something in the nature of a split, 
and by throwing their strength to an independ- 
ent candidate the Democrats hoped to dictate 
the naming of two delegates to the convention 
by placing only one candidate in the field. The 
result of the election shows that their plans 
were successful. 

May 14th the election was held, S. G. Cos- 
grove, of Pomeroy, entered the lists as an in- 
dependent Republican candidate, and he re- 
ceived the votes of the Democrats. F. W. D. 



560 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



Mays, of Pomeroy, became an independent 
Democratic candidate. W. A. George, also, 
received a small support as an independent can- 
didate. The official vote of Garfield county at 
this election was : 

Elmon Scott, Rep., 213; D. Buchanan, 
Rep., 264; W. B. Gray, Dem., 279; S. G. Cos- 
grove, Ind., 389; F. W. D. Mays, Ind., 104; 
W. A. George, Ind., 38. The Adams county 
vote was: Scott, 130; Buchanan, 160; Gray, 
38; Cosgrove, 75. The votes of Asotin and 
Franklin counties are not obtainable, but Bu- 
chanan, Gray and Cosgrove were elected and 
served in the constitutional convention. 

After the convention had drafted a state 
constitution in 1889, to be submitted to the 
people for their ratification or rejection, pre- 
dicated upon the admission into the union of 
the state of Washington, a special election was 
called to decide this momentous question, and 
to select state and legislative officers and county 
clerks — a new official provided for by the pro- 
posed constitution. This election was held Oc- 
tober 1, 1889. 

The Republican county convention to se- 
lect delegates to the Territorial convention, 
which in turn was to choose candidates for the 
state offices, should the constitution be adopted, 
was held at Pomeroy August 29. Dr. T. C. 
Frary was elected chairman and W. G. Victor, 
secretary. The following delegates were se- 
lected : Jay Lynch, S. G. Cosgrove, W. G. Vic- 
tor, F. G. Morrison, C. G. Austin and W. S. 
Oliphant. Later the Republicans selected their 
county ticket — W. S. Oliphant for representa- 
tive, and F. E. Williamson for county clerk. 

September 7th the Democrats met in con- 
vention at Pomeroy. E. Oliver was made 
chairman, and James Parker, secretary. Dele- 
gates to the Territorial convention were R. E. 
Wills, F. W. D. Mays, W. S. Parker and J. S. 
Thomas. Joseph Parker was selected as the 
candidate for representative and R. E. Wills 
for county clerk. 

The election resulted in the ratification of 



the constitution. Washington entered state- 
hood. Garfield county was found to be in the 
Republican column on state issues by about 100 
plurality. The official vote : 

For Congressman — John L. Wilson, Rep., 
519; T. H. Griffiths, Dem., 415. 

For Governor — E. P. Ferry, Rep., 517; 
Eugene Semple, Dem., 418. 

For Lieutenant Governor — Charles E. 
Laughton, Rep., 517; L. H. Platter, Dem., 417. 

For Secretary of State — Allen Weir, Rep., 
518; W. H. Whittlesey, Dem., 417. 

For State Treasurer — Addison A. Lindsley, 
Rep., 519; M. Kaufman, Dem., 416. 

For State Auditor — Thomas M. Reed, 
Rep., 518; John Miller Murphy, Dem., 416. 

For Attorney General — William C. Jones, 
Rep., 518; H. J. Snively, Dem., 416. 

For Superintendent of Public Instruction — 
Robert B. Bryan, Rep., 516; J. H. Morgan, 
Dem., 419. 

For Commissioner of Public Lands — Wil- 
liam T. Forest, Rep., 517; M. Z. Goodell, 
Dem., 417 

For Supreme Judges — Ralph O. Dunbar, 
Rep., 518; Thomas L. Stiles, Rep., 501 ; Elmon 
Scott, Rep., 448; John P. Hoyt, Rep., 518; 
Thomas J. Anders, Rep., 528; B. L. Sharp- 
stein, Dem., 471 ; William H. White, Dem., 
413; J. B. Reavis, Dem., 419; John P. Jud- 
son, Dem., 411; Frank Ganohl, Dem., 396. 

For Superior Judge (Columbia, Garfield 
and Asotin)— R. F. Sturdevant, Rep., 457; M. 
M. Godman, Dem., 468. 

For State Senator (Garfield and Asotin) — 
C. G. Austin, Rep., 442 ; Brady, Dem., 467. 

For Representative — W. S. Oliphant, Rep., 
474; James Parker, Dem., 440. 

For County Clerk — F. E. Williamson, Rep., 
443; R. E. Wills, Dem., 491. 

For the constitution, 342 ; against constitu- 
tion, 551. 

For woman suffrage, 336; against woman 
suffrage, 492. 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



56i 



For prohibition, 442 ; against prohibition, 

415- 

For Permanent Location of State Capital- — 
North Yakima, 342 ; Olympia, 133 ; Ellensburg, 
397 ; Pasco, 4. 

The Garfield Republican county convention 
of 1890 was held at Pomeroy, September 20, 
W. L. Darby was elected chairman, and N. O. 
Baldwin, secretary. A complete list of candi- 
dates was selected. The delegates to the state 
convention were : E. R. Brady, S. G. Cosgrove, 
R. M. Smith, W. S. Oliphant, R. L. Kirby and 
John Burford. 

The same month the Democratic convention 
assembled at Pomeroy and the county central 
committee named for the ensuing two years 
were F. W. D. Mays, John Brady, J. C. Welch, 
M. M. Humphrey, W. L. Howell and W. J. 
Duncan. 

The election of 1890 resulted in a victory 
for the Republican party. With the exceptions 
of treasurer and clerk they elected all their can- 
didates. The ticket of the Prohibitionists did 
not materially affect the result. Considerable 
interest was manifested in the details of the 
Australian system of voting, then used for the 
first time in Garfield county. The official 
result : 

For Congress — Robert Abernathy, Pro., 
58; Thomas Carroll, Dem., 361 ; John L. Wil- 
son, Rep., 378 — plurality for Wilson, 17. 

For Representative — F. M. Beckwith, Pro., 
84; James Palmer, Rep., 373; James Parker, 
Dem., 367 — plurality for Palmer, 6. 

For Sheriff — Gilbert Dickson, Rep., 403; 
Albert Ford, Pro., 59; S. K. Hull, Dem., 385 — 
plurality for Dickson, 18. 

For County Clerk — R. B. Brown, Dem., 
307; Fred Ellensohn, Pro.. 183; R. R. Sped- 
den, Rep., 332 — plurality for Spedden, 25. 

For Auditor — Benjamin Butler, Rep., 412 ; 
J. A. Darby, Pro., 51; A. M. Johnston. Dem., 
386 — plurality for Butler, 44. 

For Treasurer — H. E. Farns worth. Pro., 



39; H. M. Hathaway, Rep., 377; R. E. Wills, 
Dem., 434 — plurality for Wills, 57. 

For County Attorney — W. E. Greene, 
Dem., 387; W. N. Noffsinger, Rep., 403 — ma- 
jority for Noffsinger, 16. 

For Assessor — H. C. Childers, Pro., 44; H. 
H. Wise, Rep., 447; Herbert Wilson, Dem., 
336 — plurality for Wilson, in. 

For School Superintendent — H. C. Ber.- 
bow, Rep., 416; C. W. Cotton, Dem., 341 ; M. 
M. Humphrey, Pro., 72 — plurality for Ben- 
bow, 75. 

For Surveyor — Hayden Gearhart, Rep., 
600; J. M. Reid, Pro., 131 — majority for Gear- 
hart, 469. 

For Coroner — G. W. Black, Rep., 431; J. 
R. Gose, Dem., 376 — majority for Black, 55. 

For County Commissioner, First District — 
W. W. Dickson, Dem., 366; John Lubking, 
Rep., 375 ; B. F. Noyer, Pro., 64 — plurality for 
Lubking, 9. 

For County Commissioner, Second District 
— Joseph Ledgerwood, Dem., 349; George 
Stallcop, Rep., 376; N. C. Williams, Pro., 87 
— plurality for Stallcop, 27. 

For County Commissioner, Third District 
—J. J. Ashby, Pro., 79: D. H. McBride, Dem., 
336; Robert Story, Rep., 377 — plurality for 
Story, 41. 

The Democratic county convention for 
1892 was held at Pomeroy, June 4th. With the 
exception of the delegates from Meadow pre- 
cinct there was a full quota present. Harmony 
prevailed and candidates for county officers 
were placed in nomination. Members of the 
county central committee selected were : S. C. 
Chappell, J. R. Gose, Joseph Ledgerwood, W. 
M. Jones, J. C. Welch, W. J. Chard, John 
Ruark, W. E. Greene. The delegates to the 
state convention were : M. F. Gose, T. M. 
Dickson, N. Berkley, W. L. Freeman, R. B. 
Brown, J. C. Welch, Joseph Ledgerwood. 

June 8th the People's Party county conven- 
tion was held at Pomeroy. Nearly a complete 



36 



5 62 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



ticket was nominated, and the following elected 
delegates to the state convention : E. G. Noyer, 
A. E. Troyer, John Hilderbran, J. P. King and 
J. \Y Bond. 

The Prohibitionists decided to enter the lists 
again in the campaign of 1892, and on Satur- 
day, June 1 8th, they met in convention at Pom- 
eroy and placed in nomination candidates for 
all county offices except sheriff, prosecuting at- 
torney and coroner. H. E. Farnsworth pre- 
sided at this convention and F. M. Beckwith 
was secretary. The delegates to the state con- 
vention were J. M. Reid, F. M. Beckwith and 
Rev. R. L. Lotz. 

July 26th the Republicans assembled at 
Pomeroy and there were a number of sharp 
contests for the several offices, the most pro- 
longed struggle being over the nomination for 
sheriff. Gilbert Dickson and N. O. Baldwin 
were the contestants, and the former was nom- 
inated by a vote of 14 to 12. Of this conven- 
tion R. L. Rush was chairman and F. R. Jones, 
secretary. Delegates chosen to the state con- 
vention were: C. A. Lundy, J. S. Davis, H. 
H. Wise, W. S. Oliphant. R. L. Rush and 
James Palmer. The county central committee 
comprised George Stallcop, C. W. Moore, 
James Palmer, D. B. Williams, W. S. Oliphant, 
G. W. Burford and D. W. Gritman. 

With four tickets in the field the campaign 
of 1892 proved spirited and exciting; and re- 
sulted in the selection of a politically mixed set 
of officials. The Republicans carried the coun- 
ty for presidential electors and the state ticket. 
The official vote : 

For Presidential Electors — Rep., 352; 
Dem.. 289; P. P., 284; Pro., 46. 

For Congressmen — John L. Wilson, Rep., 
353 ; W. H. Doolittle, Rep., 341 ; Thomas Car- 
roll, Dem., 279; James A. Munday, Dem., 270; 
J. C. Van Patten, P. P., 228; M. F. Knox, P. 
P., 223 ; C. E. Newberry. Pro., -38: A. C. Dick- 
inson, Pro., 42. 

For Governor — John H. McGraw, Rep., 



352; H. J. Snively, Dem., 300; C. W. Young, 
P. P., 2T,y; R. S. Green, Pro., 50. 

For State Senator — J. A. Kellogg, Rep., 
306; U. Z. Ellis, Dem., 233; Earnest Hopkins, 
P. P., 226. 

For Representative — J. S. Davis, Rep.. 
271; F. W. D. Mays, 309; D. B. Messinger, 
P. P., 226; A. D. Davis, Pro., 100. 

For Superior Judge — R. F. Sturdevant. 
Rep., 402; J. E. Edmiston, Dem., 413. 

For County Attorney — W. E. Greene, 
Dem., 384; Thomas Tweedy, P. P., 287. 

For Auditor— J. R. McMaster, Rep., 256; 
Joseph Davidson, Dem., 383; H. De Beaumont, 
P. P., 209; W. J. Wills, Pro., 19. 

For Sheriff — Gilbert Dickson, Rep., 365; 
H. C. Krouse, Dem., 323; Jerry King, P. P., 
198; H. E. Farnsworth, Pro., 19. 

For Clerk — E. W. Gibson, Rep., 378; L. 
M. Carter, Dem., 254; J. B. Hawkins, P. P., 
230; G. G Edwards, Pro., 27. 

For Treasurer — H. B. Henly, Rep., 261 ; 
H. A. Adams, Dem... 424; E. G. Teale, P. P., 
182; J. N. Perkins, Pro., 18. 

For Assessor — R. L. Kirby, Rep., 292 ; J. 
P. Bucket, Dem., 285; H. L. Wilson, P. P., 
^53; J- J- Ashby, Pro., 35. 

For School Superintendent — H. C. Ben- 
bow, Rep., 406; R. B. Brown, Dem., 132; J. 
Q. Strech, P. P., 217; R. L. Latz, Pro., 127. 

For Surveyor — Hayden Gearhart, 523. 

For Coroner — Dr. J. S. Dennison, Rep., 
340; Dr. J. R. Goss, Dem., 352. 

For County Commissioner, First District — 
C. A. Shaffer, Rep., 315; M. C. Smith, Dem., 
228; H. M. Beach, P. P., 264; M. M. Hum- 
phrey, Pro.. 53. 

For Commissioner, Second District — C. E. 
Smith, Rep., 256; E. B. Fletcher, Dem., and 
P. P., 698; W. W. Richardson, Pro., 38. 

For Commissioner, Third District — Robert 
Story, Rep., 315; Amos Legg, Dem., 199; J. 
J. Bentley, P. P., 288; Albert Ford, Pro., 41. 

For Sheep Commissioner — G. F. Jackson, 
Rep., 330. 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



563 



For funding county indebtedness, 252 ; 
against same, 406. 

For the Democratic county convention of 
1894. at Pomeroy, Joseph Ledger wood was 
chairman and Mr. Koenig secretary. Many of 
the candidates were named without opposition, 
although there were a few languid contests. In 
this convention nineteen votes were cast. The 
delegates elected to the state convention were : 
M. F. Gose, R. E. Allen. N. Berkley. D. B. 
Elder and R. E. Wills. 

September 15th Ham Henley presided over 
the Republican convention and Charles Bald- 
win served as secretary. The delegates con- 
vened at Pomeroy. For the various offices 
there were many candidates, and the result was 
a spirited convention. For the legislature there 
were three candidates, six for sheriff, two for 
county clerk, three for assessor and two for 
surveyor. Delegates elected to the state con- 
vention were : J. H. Walker, S. G Cosgrove, 
R. L. Kirby, James Palmer and Charles Bald- 
win. The county central committee named 
were: W. L. Darby, H. C. Benbow, James 
Palmer, T. J. Durbin, E. B. Davis, W T . G. Vic- 
tor, S. S. Young and J. Lubking. 

September 22d delegates to a People's Par- 
ty convention assembled at Pomeroy and placed 
in nomination a full set of candidates. There 
were contests for the nomination of candidates 
for the offices of representative and assessor. J. 
J. Bentley was chairman, and S. S. Russell, sec- 
retary. Delegates elected to the state conven- 
tion were : J. J. Bentley, E. G. Noyer and A. 
E. Allen. 

The Prohibitionists assembled October 
10th, to the number of 13 delegates. H. E. 
Farnsworth was chairman and F. M. Beckwith 
secretary. Candidates were named for repre- 
sentative and most of the county offices. 

At the succeeding election the highest num- 
ber of votes cast was 966 — for candidates for 
sheriff. The Prohibition vote touched high 
water mark on Davis, who received 34 votes, 
and dwindled to seven votes for Beckwith. The 



highest plurality was for Jewett; 135. The 
greatest majority received by any candidate 
was that of Allen, 78 ; the lowest by Beach, one 
vote. This contest was decidedly warm. The 
principal fights were for representative, treas- 
urer and sheriff. The official vote : 

For Congressmen — W. H. Doolittle, Rep., 
348; S. C. Hyde, Rep., 346; N. T. Caton, 
Dem., 135; B. F. Heuston. Dem., 137; W. P. 
Adams, P. P., 384; J. C. Van Patten, P. P.. 

387- 

For Representative — Gilbert Dickson, Rep., 
421 ; A. E. Allen, P. P., 499; A. D. Davis, Pro., 
24 — Allen's plurality, 78. 

For County Attorney — Carrie Jewett, Rep., 
468; William Greene, Dem., 148; Thomas 
Tweedy, P. P., 333 — Jewett's plurality. 135. 

For County Clerk — E. W. Gibson, Rep., 
488; Joseph Strain, P. P., 428; G G Edwards, 
Pro, 14 — Gibson's plurality, 60. 

For Auditor — Hayden Gearhart, Rep., 311 ; 
J. H. Davidson, Dem., 281 ; S. T. Sanford, P. 
P., 339; J. A. Darby, Pro., 15 — Sanford's plu- 
rality, 28. 

For Sheriff — N. O. Baldwin, Rep., 405; J. 
M. Moore. Dem., 166; Albert Ford, P. P., 395 
— Baldwin's plurality, 10. 

For Treasurer — G. F. Jackson, Rep.. 189; 
H. A. Adams, Dem., 385; H. M. Beach, P. P., 
386; H. E. Farnsworth, Pro., 12 — Beach's plu- 
rality, 1. 

For School Superintendent— E. V. Kuy- 
kendall, Rep., 473; C. W. Cotton, P. P., 440; 
F. M. Beckwith, Pro.. 7 — Kuykendall's plural- 
ity, 33- 

For Assessor — R. L. Kirby, Rep., 355; J. 
P. Buchet. Dem.. 209; H. L. Wilson, P. P., 
371 ; Joseph Wills, Pro.. 7 — Wilson's plural- 
ity, 16. 

For Surveyor — Edward Truax, Rep., 488. 

For Coroner — G W. Black, Rep., 394; J. 
R. Gose, Dem., 149; John Bond. P. P., 359 — 
Black's plurality, 37. 

For County Commissioner, Second District 
— G. D. Wilson, Rep., 94; Greene Swinney, 



M 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



Dem., 41; George Ruark, P. P., 114; John 
Sanders, Pro., 2 — Ruark's plurality, 20. 

For County Commissioner, Third District 
— John Swank, Rep., 174; John King, Dem., 
83; Chris Brockman, P. P., 192; G. W. Kenny, 
Pro., 11 — Brockman's plurality, 18. 

November 15th a contest was filed by J. W. 
Waldo against H. M. Beach, who had been 
duly declared elected county treasurer. Charges 
were made against various election officers 
based on thirteen counts of malconduct on their 
part. The prayer was that Beach be ousted and 
H. A. Adams seated. December 15, 1894, the 
East Washingtonian said : "A compromise 
was effected in the election contest against 
Beach, and the case was dismissed. According 
to the terms of the compromise Beach will de- 
posit one-half of the county money in the First 
National Bank.'' 

The Garfield Republican county convention 
of 1896 assembled at Pomeroy August 22d. 
James Palmer was chairman and C. M. Bald- 
win, secretary. Delegates to the state conven- 
tion were : S. G. Cosgrove, E. W. Gibson, R. 
R. Santo, W. G. Victor and C. M. Baldwin. 
The convention to nominate candidates for the 
county offices was held September 26th. 

September 19th the People's party conven- 
tion assembled at Pomeroy. The question of 
fusion was injected into the deliberations of the 
delegates with the result that it degenerated 
into one of the most inharmonious conventions 
ever held in Garfield county. A compromise 
was affected between a People's party commit- 
tee and some of the leading Democrats, and the 
committee reported favorably to the Demo- 
crats, allowing them to name two county of- 
ficers — Candidates for clerk and one commis- 
sioner. To this the middle-of-the-road Popu- 
lists objected and a motion was made to lay the 
report of the committee on the table. Then 
began the fireworks, and they continued to 
blaze for some time. When the matter was 
finally brought to a vote the report was killed 
by 25 to 13, and the Populists, who were far 



away the strongest party at this period, named 
a full ticket and conceded the Democracy noth- 
ing. The latter party did not place a ticket in 
the field. 

The election was held November 3. Gar- 
field county gave the People's party majorities 
and pluralities for all national, state and dis- 
trict officers. In the county field the Repub- 
lican candidates for sheriff, clerk and county 
attorney and coroner were elected ; the People's 
party elected the rest of the ticket. The official 
vote : 

For Presidential Electors — Republican, 
378; Democratic, 13; People's party, 469; Pro- 
hibition, 15; National, 1. 

For Congressmen — S. C. Hyde, Rep., 376; 
\\. H. Doolittle, Rep., 378; James Hamilton 
Lewis, P. P., 469; William C. Jones, P. P., 
475; C. A. Salver, Pro., 12; Martin Olsen, 
Pro., 4; Charles E. Mix, Nats., 2. 

For Governor — P. C. Sullivan, Rep., 367; 
John R. Rogers, P. P., 490; R. E. Dunlap, 
Pro., 15. 

The rest of the state ticket was carried by 
the People's party candidates by a trifle smaller 
pluralities than Mr. Rogers'. 

For Superior Judge — R. F. Sturdevant, 
Rep., 365; M. M. Godman, P. P., 502. 

For State Senator — E. Baumeister, Rep., 
378; J. C. Van Patten, P. P., 477. 

For Representative — S. C. Cosgrove, Rep., 
460; James Parker, P. P., 483. 

For Sheriff — N. O. Baldwin, Rep., 477; 
Amos Legg, P. P., 394. 

For Auditor — D. W. Green, Rep., 380 ; S. 
T. Sanford, P. P., 473. 

For Assessor — F. Miller, Rep., 371 ; H. L. 
Wilson, P. P., 490. 

For County Clerk — A. E. Dickson, Rep., 
447; Joseph Strain, P. P., 419. 

For Treasurer — C. A. Shaffer, Rep., 365; 
H. M. Beach, P. P., 500. 

For County Attorney — G. W. Jewett, Rep., 
432; R. B. Brown, P. P.. 426. 

For School Superintendent — E. V. Kuy- 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



565 



kendall, Rep., 400; Emma Nelson, P. P., 462. 

For Surveyor — Edson Briggs, Rep., 438. 

For County Commissioners — W. R. Parlet, 
Rep., 383; Vincent Anderson, Rep., 378; J. H. 
Russell, P. P., 455; Chris Brockman, P. P., 
465. 

For Coroner — -Dr. Black, Rep., 38; D. H. 
Poyneer, P. P., 10. 

For constitutional amendment, 173; against 
231. 

The 1898 Republican county convention 
was held at Pomeroy, September 17th. Wil- 
liam Seigrist was chairman and W. G. Victor, 
secretary. There were few contests for the 
nominations and it was one of the most inter- 
esting conventions in the history of Garfield 
county Republicanism. 

The People's party remained in the held. 
Their convention was held September 24, and 
a full ticket was nominated. Election day fell 
on November 8. Again the Republican and 
People's party held the center of the stage. 
But two years had effected quite a raidical 
change of political sentiment. It was an "off 
year;" and not a very heavy vote was polled — 
on the congressional ticket only 805. The Re- 
publicans carried the county for the congres- 
sional candidates by pluralities of over sixty, 
and in the contest for county officers elected all 
their candidates except those for auditor, as- 
sessor and school superintendent. The official 
vote : 

For Congressmen — Wesley L. Jones, Rep., 
434; Francis W. Cushman, Rep., 419; James 
Hamilton Lewis, P. P., 371 ; W._ C. Jones, P. 
P-- 353; Walter Walker, Socialist Labor, 5; 
M. A. Hamilton, Socialist Labor, 5 ; A. C. 
Dickinson, Pro., 20; C. L. Haggard, Pro., 14. 

For Representative — C. M. Baldwin, Rep., 
488; F. W. D. Mays, P. P., 348. 

For Sheriff — S. S. Russell, Rep., 445; H. 
M. Beach, P. P., 405. 

For County Clerk — A. E. Dickson, Rep., 
534; T. C. Allen, P. P., 318. 



For Auditor — H. B. Henley, Rep., 392; J. 
A. Strain, P. P., 459. 

For Treasurer — Walter Dixon, Rep., 449; 
M. Cross, P. P., 384. 

For County Attorney — E. V. Kuykendall, 
Rep., 506; Thomas Tweedy, P. P., 335. 

For Assessor — D. B. Williams, Rep., 411 ; 
J. P. Buchet, P. P., 431. 

For School Superintendent — Alice Scully, 
Rep., 405; Emma Elsensohn, P. P., 445. 

For Coroner — W. B. Williamson, Rep., 
421 ; J. S. Denison, P. P., 408. 

For County Commissioner, First District 
— S. S. Young, Rep., 431; J. H. Russell, P. 
P., 392. 

For County Commissioner, Second District 
— August Young, Rep., 428; G J. Ruark, P. 

P-. 397- 

The proposed amendment to Section 9, Ar- 
ticle 6, of the constitution, conferring the elect- 
ive franchise on women was lost by forty-four 
votes, the total vote being 512. The proposed 
amendment to Section 2, Article 7 (known as 
the single tax proposition), lost by 248 out of a 
total vote of 404. 

The Republican convention to elect delegates 
to the state convention was held at Pomeroy 
July 7, 1900, and resulted in a spirited con- 
test. This was between the friends of S. G. 
Cosgrove, who was a candidate for governor, 
and the friends of Charles M. Baldwin, who 
was a candidate for joint senator for Colum- 
bia, Garfield and Asotin counties. The Cos- 
grove supporters realized that instructions for 
Mr. Baldwin would injure the chances of Mr. 
Cosgrove in securing support from certain 
quarters, After considerable trouble in ad- 
justing this difficulty and getting the question 
to a vote, it was found that the Cosgrove men 
controlled the convention, the vote on a test 
being 30 to 16. The delegation was instructed 
to work for Mr. Cosgrove for governor. The 
delegates to the state convention were : M. F. 
Gose, E. V. Kuvkendall, S. S. Russell. G. L. 



5 66 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



Campbell. J. O. Mills and D. B. Williams. It 
was admitted that the result of this contest in 
the convention compelled the Republicans to 
enter the campaign of 1900 with disorganized 
forces. The Republican convention to nomi- 
nate county candidates was held September 29. 
H. C. Benbow was chairman and Frank Mes- 
senger secretary. There were a number of ex- 
ceedingly sharp contests, and the session proved 
a warm one. 

The People's party delegates to the state 
convention in 1900 were: W. L. Howell, J. 
W. Offield, F. W. D. Mays, E. G. Noyer, J. 
A. Strain, D. B. Messinger and H. M. Beach. 
The convention was held September 1, and a 
strong ticket was named. F. W. D. Mays was 
chairman. The ticket nominated while officially 
recognized as Populistic, combined all the ele- 
ments in opposition to the Republican party 
except the sound money Democrats. 

On the county ticket the Republicans se- 
cured a majority of the offices, but the rule of 
electing a mixed county ticket prevailed. Per- 
haps never before in the history of Garfield 
county was there so much "scratching" done at 
a presidential election. There was no organi- 
zed bolt against any particular set of candi- 
dates, but the party name cut little figure in this 
contest at the polls. The official vote : 

For Presidential Electors — Republicans, 
528; Democratic, 437; Prohibition, 18; Social- 
ist Labor, 4; Social Democratic, 19. 

For Congressman — -F. W. Cushman, Rep., 
506; W. L. Jones. Rep., 500; F. C. Robertson, 
Dem., 434; J. T. Ronald, Dem., 427; Guy Pos- 
son. Pro., 14; J. A. Adams, Pro., 16; Walter 
Walker, Socialist Labor, 3 ; Christian F. Lar- 
sen. Socialist Labor, 1 ; William Hogan, So- 
cial Dem., 19; Herman F. Titus, Secial Dem., 
18. 

For Governor — J. M. Frink, Rep., 452; 
John R. Rogers, Dem., 501 ; R. E. Dunlap, 
Pro., 10; William McCormick, Socialist Labor, 
6; W. C. B. Randolph, Socialist Dem., 19. 

For State Senator, Eighth District — E. 



Baumeister, Rep., 459; H. M. Beach, Dem., 

5i7- 

For Superior Judge — C. F. Miller, Rep., 
473; M. M. Godman, Dem., 516. 

For State Representative — E. V. Kuyken- 
dall, Rep., 461; W. L. Howell, Dem., 517. 

For Sheriff— W. J. Kelly, Rep., 429; J. A. 
Strain, Dem., 567. 

For Auditor— E. M. Pomeroy, Rep., 504; 
R. T. Hammond, Dem., 327 ; James A. Darby, 
Ind., 167. 

For Treasurer — W. H. Dixon, Rep., 544; 
J. C. McKeirnan, Dem., 454. 

For County Clerk — H. A. Adams, Rep., 
532; Joel Dickson, Dem., 462. 

For Assessor — F. W. Messenger, Rep., 
526; John P. Buchet, Dem., 464.. 

For School Superintendent — Nellie Vallen, 
Rep., 576; Hattie Corbin, Dem., 416. 

For County Attorney — G. W. Jewett, Rep., 
454; Frank Cardwell, Dem., 546. 

For Coroner — C. G. Black, Rep., 562 ; J. 
S. Denison, Dem., 424. 

For Surveyor — J. M. Reid, Rep., 491 ; J. 
E. Tupper, Dem., 482. 

For County Commissioner, Second Dis- 
trict — August Young, Rep., 477; A. H. Ma- 
lone, Dem., 503. 

For County Commissioner, Third District 
— D. R. Lewis, Rep., 534; T. C. Scoggin, 
Dem., 439. 

For court house bonds, 462 ; against court 
house bonds, 226. 

The 1902 Republican county convention 
assembled at Pomeroy, July 1, and was 
participated in by seventy delegates. The 
delegation elected to the state convention com- 
prised S. G. Cosgrove, S. S. Russell, J. 
W. Cox, D. B. Williams, C. E. Truax, 
Robert Gammon, M. F. Gose. Mr. Gose was 
named as chairman, and S. S. Russell, sec- 
retary of the county central committee. The 
convention for nominating candidates for the 
county offices was held October 4. There were 
contests for the nomination of auditor and com- 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



567 



missioner from the Third District. Otherwise 
nominations were made by acclamation. 

October 6 was the date on which the Demo- 
crats assembeld in convention. James Parker 
was chairman and John Ledgerwood secretary. 
No nominations were made for school superin- 
tendent, assessor, surveyor or coroner. 

Comparatively mild was the campaign of 
1902. Although the election of two years 
previous had been notable for the "scratching" 
done on the county ticket, the election of No- 
vember 4, 1902, went it considerable better. 
The members of the Republican party voted 
straight for the congressmen, but below that 
they did more or less "scratching" on all the 
candidates. The Democrats voted their whole 
ticket straight. Although the Republican vot- 
ers were plainly in the lead by good plurali- 
ties, as is shown by the vote for congressmen, 
owing to the "scratching," the Democrats 
nearly broke even on the county offices. The 
vote: 

For Congressmen — F. W. Cushman, Rep., 
530; W. L. Jones, Rep., 516; W. E. Humph- 
rey, Rep., 517; George F. Cotterill, Dem., 360; 
O. R. Holcomb, Dem., 358; F. B. Cole, Dem., 
360; J. C. Martin, S. L., 5; William McCor- 
mick, S. L., 7; H. P. Jorgenson, S. L., 4; J. H. 
C. Scurlock, Soc, 19; D. Burgess, Soc, 18; 
George W. Scott, Soc, 18; A. H. Sherwood, 
Pro., 17; W. J. McKean, Pro., 18; O. L. Fow- 
ler, Pro., 20. 

For Representative — J. H. Walker, Rep., 
480; W. L. Howell, Dem., 491. 

For Auditor — E. M.-Pomeroy, Rep., 447; 
Frank Burch, Dem., 524. 

For Sheriff — W. H. Dixon, Rep., 429; J. 
A. Strain, Dem., 545. 

For County Clerk — Attwood A. Kirby, - 
Rep M 488; Hiram Dickson, Dem., 481. 

For Treasurer — H. A. Adams, Rep., 515; 
Harry Chard, Dem., 454. 

For County Attorney — George H. Rum- 
mens, Rep., 440; J. T Ledgerwood, Dem., 
o3i- 



For Assessor — F. W. Messenger, Rep., 685. 

For School Superintendent — Nellie Vallen, 
Rep., 703. 

For Surveyor — J. E. Tupper, Rep., 648. 

For Coroner — Dr. C. G. Black, Rep., 657; 
Dr. J. S. Denison, 2. 

For Commissioner, First District^ — J. O. 
Miles, Rep., 519; W. H. Leonard, Dem., 428. 

For Commissioner, Third District — D. B. 
Williams, Rep., 507; John Robertson, Dem., 
440. 

April 30, 1904, the Garfield county Repub- 
lican convention, to select delegates to the 
state convention, was held at Pomeroy. S. G. 
Cosgrove was chairman, and S. S. Russell, 
secretary. The convention instructed the dele- 
gates to work for an appointive railway com- 
mission and to do all in their power to secure 
the nomination for governor of Henry Mc- 
Bride. The state convention delegates were : 
Otto Long, S. S. Young, G. L. Campbell, S. 
G. Cosgrove, W. A. Harrison. George Stallcop 
and E. B. Davis. 

The second county convention was held 
July 2, when the Republicans selected S. S. 
Russell as their candidate for joint senator, and 
endorsed C. F. Miller for superior court judge 
of the district. The central committee selected 
were: Luke Kidwell, Frank Messenger, Clyde 
Messenger, P. C. Nicholson, William Seigrist 
and J. O. Miles. 

October 1 the third county convention 
was held. This was for the purpose of nomin- 
ating candidates for county offices. F. V. Mes- 
senger was chairman and H. G Cosgrove sec- 
retary. They named a ticket, with the excep- 
tion of auditor and prosecuting attorney. It 
appeared to be the unanimous opinion that the 
Democratic candidates for these offices would 
be elected — hence the shyness. 

October 8 the Democrats assembled, with 
Professor Boyles in the chair and County At- 
torney Ledgerwood, secretary. They nomin- 
ated a full ticket. Official vote. November 8, 
1904: 



5 68 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



For Presidential Electors — Republican, 
yj~; Democratic, 267; Socialist, 35; Socialist 
Labor, 6; Prohibition, 19 — Republican plural- 
ity, 510. 

For Congressman — W. E. Humphrey, 
Rep., 669; W. L. Jones, Rep., 668; F. W. 
Cushman, Retp., 660; Howard Hathaway, 
Dem.. 363 ; James J. Anderson, Dem., 362 ; W. 
T. Beck, Dem., 366. 

For Governor — Albert E. Mead, Rep.. 457 ; 
George E. Turner, Dem.. 623 — Turner's ma- 
jority, 166. 

For Joint Senator (Columbia. Garfield and 
Asotin counties) — S. S. Russell, Rep., 619; 
Frank Cardwell, Dem., 485 — Russel's majority, 

134- 

For Superior Judge ( Columbia, Garfield 
and Asotin counties) — C. F. Miller. Rep., 588; 
M. M. Godman, Dem., 506 — Miller's majority, 
82. 

For Representative — W. O. Long. Rep., 
610; G J. Ruark, Dem., 500 — Long's ma- 
jority, no. 

For Sheriff — W. H. Dixon, Rep.. 622; J. 



B. Hawkins, Dem., 501 — Dixon's majority, 

F2I. 

For County Clerk — A. A. Kirby, Rep., 
679; Merton Tidwell, 423 — Kirby's majority, 
256. 

For Auditor — B. F. Burch, Dem., 601. 

For Treasurer — H. A. Adams, Rep., 539; 
James H. Schneckloth, Dem., 578 — Schneck- 
loth's majority, 39. 

For County Attorney — J. T. Ledgerwood, 
Dem., 577. 

For Assessor — M. N. Jeffreys, Rep., 691 ; 
J. A. Craig, Dem., 402 — Jeffrey's majority, 
289. 

For Surveyor — J. E. Tupper, Rep., 726. 

For School Superintendent — Annie Hay- 
worth, Rep., 467; Violetta Smith, Dem., 637 — 
Miss Smith's majority, 170. 

For Commissioner, First District — E. G 
Hastings, Rep., 684; W. C. Jacks, Dem., 394 — 
Hastings' majority, 290. 

For Commissioner, Second District — W. 
J. Kelly, Rep., 627; A. H. Malone, Dem., 453 
—Kelly's majority, 174. 

For Coroner — Dr. G W. Black, Rep., 761. 



CHAPTER VII 



EDUCATIONAL. 



Before the territory of which we are treat- 
ing in this history was set off from Columbia 
county, schools had sprung up in various sec- 
tions of this country. Most of these came in the 
late 70's, when the settlement of the eastern 
portion of what was at that period Columbia 
county was rapid. 

It was in the spring of 1873 that the first 
school district was organized and preparations 
were made for the establishment of the first 
school in the territory now known as Garfield 
county. The residents of Pataha flat, which 



then boasted cmite a population, met and organ- 
ized the first school district east of the Tucanon 
river. The meeting was held at the blacksmith 
shop of George Gill, which was located on what 
is now known as the Ford place. The school 
board selected was composed of Adam Minnick, 
F. W. Showley and B. F. Shunkwiler. E. Oli- 
ver was clerk. William Butler, a brother of 
Drake Butler, still a resident of Garfield county, 
was employed to teach a three months' term, 
and in the winter of 1873-4, Garfield county's 
first school was begun, being held in a little log 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



569 



cabin five miles south of the present city of 
Pomeroy. Twenty-five scholars were present. 
In 1874 it was decided to build a school house. 
Those who had money donated to a fund to pur- 
chase lumber; others spent their time in haul- 
ing lumber from George Eckler's saw mill, 
eight miles south of Dayton; and still others 
did work upon the building. A neat little frame 
house, 16x28 feet, was the result. This build- 
ing served as a school house for this initial dis- 
trict until about 1901, when a new building, 
25x35 feet, was erected. The old building in the 
early days served as a church as well as a school 
house, and here for many years the residents 
gathered for worship. E. Oliver preached the 
first sermon in the building. 

In 1 88 1 Garfield county was organized. 
There were twenty-eight school districts in the 
new county, which then, of course, included 
what is now Asotin county. For the following 
regarding schools we are indebted to F. M. Mc- 
Cully : 

"A great number of the new school districts 
organized in Columbia during 1870 and 
the succeeding years were in the terri- 
tory now included in Garfield county, within 
which, at its organization, there were twenty- 
eight districts and six school buildings. Since 
that time (this was written in 1882) there 
have been five new ones organized and eight 
new buildings will have been erected at the 
close of the present year. The average length 
of the schools is a little over four months, the 
longest term being nine, and the shortest three 
months. The highest wages paid is to males, 
$75 ; to females, $60. Lowest wages to males, 
$45 ; to females, $25. The number of teachers 
in the county is twenty-three : seven males and 
sixteen females. The number of children of 
school age in the county is 1.475 ! enrollment in 
public schools, 950 (estimated). The value of 
school property in the county is $9,000. 

"Considering the short time that Garfield 
county has been organized and the recent set- 
tlement of the country, the progress of the 



schools may be referred to with pride. A county 
teachers' institute was held in May, 1882, and 
was largely attended. The schools in Pomeroy 
and Pataha City, the principal villages of the 
county, are creditable to the people who sup- 
port them, the former town having decided re- 
cently to enlarge their building." 

Though the attendance was eminently satis- 
factory the initial teachers' institute in Garfield 
county was not quite all that had been antic- 
ipated. Owing to the illness of several parties 
the music was not well prepared. The absence 
of the Territorial school superintendent was 
also a disappointment. However, the evening 
session was highly enjoyed by all. 

Yet Garfield county, considering its new- 
ness, had just cause to be proud of her educa- 
tional facilities. Only a few years prior to 
1885 tne whole territory was the habitat of 
wild beasts and wilder, more blood-thirsty In- 
dians. But in 1885 it was dotted with school 
houses and hundreds of happy, intelligent chil- 
dren romped and played around them during 
recess and the noon hour, or imbibed the elemen- 
tary knowledge of the average country school 
within. It was here that many now prosperous 
citizens of Garfield county were taught, by this, 
limited curriculum, the rudiments of a future 
solid education. In 1885 there were thirty- 
four districts, and schools were flourishing in 
twenty of them. In his various visits to the 
schools the county superintendent found a 
steady improvement in the methods of teach- 
ing, order and general management in the 
school room. Notwithstanding "hard times" 
two handsome school houses were built this 
year, and prospects were favorable for the erec- 
tion of several more at an early day. In the ed- 
ucation and culture of their children the people 
of Garfield county manifested then, as now, a 
deep and abiding interest. The following is 
from the report for 1888 of School Superin- 
tendent T. J. Driscoll : 

"During the year ending June 30, 1888, 
thirty-eight of the thirty-nine districts have had 



570 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



schools the requisite length of time. There were 
employed forty-five teachers at an average sal- 
ary of $43. The number of children enrolled 
in the public schools is 1,173 > at private schools, 
100; average daily attendance, 806. The num- 
ber of children between five and twenty-one 
years of age in the county is 1,558; under five 
years, 592. 

Six new school houses have been built — in 
Districts 9, 10, 27, 28, 29 and 35. Four dis- 
tricts — Nos. 6, 13, 32 and 34 — have arranged 
for, and propose building houses during the 
present season. This will leave but one district. 
Xo. 26. without a school house." 

In 1890 Garfield county had arrived at a 
period when it could point with greater pride 
to its manifold educational advantages. In the 
past many of the schools had been handicapped 
by the fact that a majority of the teachers em- 
ployed had never enjoyed advantages much be- 
yond the elementary schools of their immediate 
neighborhood : and it is an educational maxim 
that no teacher is properly qualified to preside 
over a school of a given grade until he or she has 
been thoroughly instructed in the next higher 
grade. 

In November, 1886, the people of Pomeroy 
voiced a sentiment in favor of a high school. 
They insisted that it was time to begin agitat- 
ing with that end in view. They demanded a 
school building that would be a lasting credit 
to their city. They claimed that while Pomeroy 
had not been lacking in interest in educational 
matters, the time had come for a forward move- 
ment. As the town and surrounding country 
were constantly increasing in population and 
wealth there were urgent demands for better 
educational privileges. Young men and women 
were being sent away from Garfield county 
to Portland, Salem, Walla Walla and other 
points to secure the educational advantages de- 
nied them at home. There were in the county 
hundreds of families perplexing themselves in 
an endeavor to escertain the most advantageous 
place in which to complete the education of 



their sons and daughters. The graded schools 
of Pomeroy were then full to overflowing. 
Therefore the citizens of Pomeroy asked for a 
high school fully abreast of the demands of the 
times. This was finally secured; but not im- 
mediately, nor without some legal technicali- 
ties and difficulty. 

Soon after the incorporation of Pomeroy 
the increase of population made a new school 
building an absolute necessity, the old one being 
totally inadequate to the demand. The East 
W'asliingtonian said : 

"The city of Pomeroy would increase its 
population 500 people and correspondingly 
augment its business in eighteen months by 
building a high school that would command the 
confidence and respect of the best class of peo- 
ple of this county." 

Accordingly the directors of the Pomeroy 
school district made a call for an election, to be 
held May 19, 1888, for the purpose of submit- 
ting the question of voting an indebtedness of 
$10,000 for the construction of a public school 
building. Bonds were to be issued therefor pay- 
able in ten, fifteen and twenty years, bearing 
interest at 7 per cent., payable semi-annually; 
also, to purchase a lot, or lots, located as cen- 
trally in the city as practicable. Out of 133 
votes cast at this election only three were regis- 
tred against th proposed tax. 

But, unfortunately, the school house was 
destined not to be built that season. It trans- 
pired that there was a defect in the act making 
provision for taxing the district for school pur- 
poses. There being no method prescribed by 
law for bonding the district, it became neces- 
sary to await congressional legislation or secure 
an amended or additional act through the Ter- 
ritorial legislature. 

Another election was called for Saturday, 
August 2, 1890. There were cast 243 votes, 
all being in favor of bonding the district. This, 
it was claimed, would make the bonds good be- 
yond question, and the money obtained without 
difficulty. And following this unanimous elec- 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUXTY. 



57 1 



tion the people of Pomeroy secured their $10,- 
ooo brick school building. The seating capacity 
of this structure is 525. The combined value 
of the school house and school property was 
$27,250. There were enrolled in 1904 pupils 
to the number of 397, and the average attend- 
ance was 257. Nine departments are main- 
tained and eleven teachers employed. 

There is one private school in Garfield 
county — parochial school — a Catholic institu- 
tion at Pomeroy. Rev. W. Amschwand is the 
principal. There were thirty-nine pupils en- 
rolled in this school during the year 1904. 

Following is the report of Garfield county's 
school superintendent — Xellie Vallen — for 
1904: 

"Number of children between five and twen- 
ty-one years of age, 1,419; enrolled in public 
schools, 1,206; average daily attendance, 721; 
number of departments maintained in the 
county during the year, 45 ; number of teachers 
employed, 48 ; average monthly salary, males, 
$56.28; females, $49.75; pupils in different 
grades: First year, 220; second. 138; third, 
140; fourth, 185; fifth, 159; sixth, 143; sev- 
enth, 99; eighth, 86; ninth, 14; tenth, 6; 
eleventh, 8; twelfth. 8. Twenty-two pupils 



graduated from the common schools during the 
year. School houses in the county — Log. 1 ; 
frame, 34; brick, 1. Total seating capacity, 
1,703. Value of all school property in the 
county, $53,942. Number of districts in the 
county, 38. Teachers holding state or Terri- 
torial certificates or diplomas, 1 ; normal de- 
partment of state university, o ; elementary cer- 
tificates from state normal schools, 2 ; first grade 
certificates, 8 ; second grade certificates, 29 ; 
third grade certificates, 8. 

"The Pomeroy school is the only one graded 
and the only high school. On the whole I feel 
that educational interests in Garfield county 
have made some little progress during the past 
year. There has been, some lengthening of the 
school term; five rural districts held nine 
months' terms, while only two were on the list 
last year. Teachers' salaries have advanced 
a little. Of the $3,972.15 warrant indebted- 
ness reported, more than $800 of the debt has 
been called by the treasurer and hence bears no 
interest. The report of the library books is 
752, an increase of 358 over last year. The 
school officers have been unusually prompt in 
making reports." 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 

GARFIELD COUNTY 



MACK F. GOSE is one of the leading at- 
torneys of southeastern Washington. He re- 
sides at Pomeroy from which town he does an 
extensive practice and is known to the profes- 
sion as a clear and powerful advocate, a keen 
and well informed leader, and a man who has 
succeeded in the profession as the result of his 
interest, labor and ability. He was born in 
Missouri, on July 8, 1859, the son of John M. 
and Hannah J. Gose, natives of Virginia. The 
father came to the coast in 1864 and after one 
year's stay in Boise, journeyed on to Walla 
Walla and for thirty years has been one of the 
prominent fruit growers in that country. In 
Walla Walla our subject received his educa- 
tional training, being favored with the best 
courses the city provided and then he entered 
the office of ex-senator, John B. Allen, one of 
the prominent attorneys in the northwest. Here 
he was occupied in reading law and in 1883, 
was admitted to the bar. During his reading 
lie made practical the knowledge he had gained 
by constant application of the same in the lower 
courts so that upon his admission it was no 
experiment for him to try a lawsuit. He imme- 
diately began practice in Pomeroy and for over 
twenty years has been one of the leaders in that 
portion of the state. For one term he served 
■is mayor of the city and in that capacity was 
known as a faithful and conservative officer. 
Mr. Gose is known far and wide as one of the 
hardest working attorneys to he found. His 



success depends not only upon his na- 
tural ability, nor upon the erudition he 
has gained by an extensive and care- 
ful reading, but upon his consum- 
mate tenacity and skill which master every de- 
tail of every case that is placed in his hands. 
The profession has learned to fear him as an 
opponent and welcome him as one of the bright- 
est lawyers at the bar. In addition to this, Mr. 
Gose has so conducted himself that he has the 
confidence and esteem of all the people and his 
clientage is only limited by his strength to con- 
tinue in the labor of trying cases. 

In 1886, Mr. Gose married Miss Lelah See- 
ley, the daughter of Charles H. Seeley. To 
them one child has been born, L. Vyvien. 



CHARLES W. FITZSIMMONS, one of 
the progressive men who have made Garfield 
county one of the choice portions of the state 
of Washington, is now dwelling about eight 
miles southeast from Pomeroy, on an estate of 
nearly one thousand acres, which he has se- 
cured as the result of his wisely bestowed labors 
in this section for many years. He is w r ell and 
favorably known throughout the countrv and 
is a man of good standing and pleasing ways. 
He was born in Mahaska county, Iowa, on 
February 16. 1850, the son of Patrick W. and 
Harriet (Ellsworth) Fitzsimmons. The father 



574 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY 



was a native of Pennsylvania and moved to 
Iowa in 1849 an< ^ settled on a farm and in that 
capacity he spent the remainder of his days. The 
mother died when our subject was an infant. 
She was a cousin of Colonel Ellsworth, who 
had the distinction of forming the first regi- 
ment of Zouaves of the Civil War. He had 
been a law student under Lincoln during the 
days of his practice, and the president gave him 
the privilege of gathering this regiment. Ells- 
worth was made colonel of the regiment and 
thev were exceptionally fine men and did ex- 
cellent work. Colonel Ellsworth was killed in 
action near Washington. 

Charles W. went to Jefferson county. Kan- 
sas, with his father and there was reared and 
educated. He was in Kansas during the bor- 
der troubles and knew much of the awful times 
there. In 1872. he came from that locality to 
the Walla Walla country and for some time 
was employed at general labor. In 1879, he 
searched out his present location and there se- 
cured land from the government and here he 
has since labored. He has met with the best of 
success, owing to his wisdom and industry and 
the fine property he has accumulated is but the 
due reward of his labors. The estate is well 
improved and supplied with all that is needed 
on a first-class farm and is a handsome divi- 
dend payer, annually. Mr. Fitzsimmons has 
some fine blooded stock, as horses, cattle and 
hogs, which is among the best to be found in 
the country. Mr. Fitzsimmons began life with- 
out means and has worked his way up by 
reason of real merit and is now one of the lead- 
ing agriculturists of southeastern Washington. 
In 1875, Mr. Fitzsimmons was married to 
Miss Martha J. McGuire, who was born in 
Iowa and came to Washington in 1862. Seven 
children have been born to this union, named 
as follows, Charles B., Mary G., Hattie B., 
Ernest E., Martha D., and Marcus W., twins, 
and Stanley L. Mr. Fitzsimmons has a very 
bright and interesting family and two of them 
have already graduated from the Pomeroy 



high school. Mr. Fitzsimmons is and always has 
been a stanch Republican and manifests a keen 
interest in political matters. Fraternally, he is 
affiliated with the K. P., the A. F. & A. M., and 
the W. O. W. 



HENRY SCHNEEKLOTH. Garfield 
county has a large population of progressive 
farmers and stockmen and one among this 
number who has achieved especial success is 
the gentleman whose name appears at the head 
of this article. He has shown marked sagacity 
and energy since coming to this western coun- 
try and added to this, the native tenacity and 
staying qualities characteristic of his race, have 
combined to make him a man capable of hand- 
ling successfully large enterprises. At the pres- 
ent time he is conducting an estate of over one 
thousand acres, which lies four miles south 
from Mayview postoffice. The place is utilized 
for general crops and the stock business and is 
excellently improved, which shows the taste 
and ability of its proprietor. Mr. Schneekloth 
has fine bands of stock and receives a hand- 
some annual dividend from the crops of his 
farm, while all the comforts of rural life are 
supplied with a generous hand. 

Henry Schneekloth was born in Holstein, 
Germany,' on October 23, 1840, the son of 
Jochin and Trena (Ewold) Schneekloth, also 
natives of Germany where they were married. 
They came to America in 1853, bringing our 
subject with them, and made settlement near 
Davenport, Iowa. There the father became 
one of the wealthy and prominent farmers of 
the community and his death occurred there in 
1890. Our subject was educated mostly in 
Germany, being favored with only two months 
in school after coming to the United States. 
Then his time was given to farming and in the 
vicinity of Davenport he remained engaged in 
this occupation until 1881, when he determined 
to see the west for himself. • He accordinglv 
sold his property there and journeyed to Wash- 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



575 



ington." Pomeroy was the objective point and 
soon he was in possession of a homestead and 
a timber culture claim, which he improved 
straightway, in a becoming manner. Soon 
these were sold and our subject in 1888 located 
where we find him at the present time. Here 
he has bestowed his labors with wisdom and 
the result is he is one of the wealthy men of the 
county. 

In 1867, while in Iowa, Mr. Schneekloth 
marrieed Miss Margretha Kuhl, a native of 
Germany. She came to this country with her 
parents when a girl. To this union the follow- 
ing named children have been born: James H., 
Gusta P., William J., Katie C, Herman O., 
Emil R., and Ada F. 



HON. WILLIAM OSCAR LONG is an 
extensive farmer and successful stockman re- 
siding about five miles south from Pomeroy. 
He is one of the leading men of Pataha Flat 
and shows by his achievements his ability to be 
of high order. Mr. Long owns five hundred 
and twenty acres and farms in addition to this 
one thousand acres making him one of the lead- 
ing wheat producers of this part of the county. 
Mr. Long gives considerable attention to hand- 
ling stock and owns about fifteen thoroughbred 
Shorthorns in addition to other animals. He 
has some very fine specimens and takes great 
pride in them. 

William O. Long was born in Lane county, 
Oregon, in 1864. His father, Ransom Long, 
was born near Charleston, Virginia, in 1812, 
and died in 1899. He participated in the 
Black Hawk war and crossed the plains in early 
days. In 1833 he married Miss Rosetta Clark, 
who died in 1887. She was born in Ohio. Our 
subject attended the common schools in Ore- 
gon until eight years old, when the family re- 
moved to Dayton, Washington, and one year 
later came where he now resides. There he 
continued his education until he was old 



enough to take part in the work for himself 
when he began the stock business and general 
farming and later bought five hundred and 
twenty acres of choice land. Since that time 
he has given his attention to the cultivation 
and improvement of the estate and is known as 
a man of industry and excellent habits. 

In 1890, Mr. Long married Mrs. Maggie 
R. Stringer, who was born in Illinois, in 1856. 
Her parents are Stephen and Mary (Long) 
Hand, and are dwelling on the farm in Illinois. 
The mother was born in Indiana, in 18 19, and 
is still living. She was an aunt of the subject 
of this sketch. To Mr. and Mrs. Long three 
children have ben born, Sherman E., Lottie 
and Ruth. 

Mr. Long is identified with the Republican 
party and has always taken the interest that 
becomes a leading citizen in political matters 
as well as in local affairs. He is a member of 
the Woodmen of the World and is known ? e 
a genial and affable man. 

In 1904 Mr. Long was chosen to represent 
his constituents in the state legislature and has 
shown himself a man of firmness, keenness and 
integrity in the halls of legislation. 



RICHARD J. HILTON, although one of 
the younger men of Columbia county, has 
made a record of which men of three score 
years and ten might well be proud. He is to- 
day one of the wealthy property owners in this 
part of the country and has done a large busi- 
ness in general merchandise at both Pataha and 
Starbuck. An account of his life can but be 
interesting to all and it is with pleasure that 
we append the same. 

Rchard J. Hilton was born in California, 
on May 15, 1874. His father, F. W. Hilton, 
was a native of Michigan and came to Cali- 
fornia as one of the "forty-niners." He fol- 
lowed freighting for many years and had some 
very thrilling experiences and wild adventures 



576 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



with the Indians and in other ways during 
those early days. He married Maggie Hart- 
man, who was a native of San Jose, California, 
her parents also being among the early settlers 
in the Golden State. When a lad, our subject 
was brought by his parents to Pendleton, Ore- 
gon, and a short time thereafter they moved to 
the Cold Spring country, about twenty miles 
out from Pendleton. There the father of our 
subject built the first school house in that part 
of the country. The educational chances for 
Richard were very limited indeed, but he pos- 
sessed a spirit that pressed him forward to the 
improvement of what he had and that has con- 
stantly given him interest in research and study 
since, so that he has come to be one of the well 
informed men of the country. When he was 
fourteen years of age, the family moved to 
Columbia county and two years later our sub- 
ject started out on the voyage of life for him- 
self. His first venture was working on the 
farms of the neighbors for wages and for five 
years he continued doing that with a persever- 
ing tenacity which few possess. In 1896 Mr. 
Hilton went to Lincoln county, in Washing- 
ton, and selected a homestead near Creston. 
When he went to Spokane to file on the land, he 
found he lacked two dollars and fifty cents of 
having enough to pay the fees. The kindly 
receiver at the land office, however, trusted him 
for the balance which in due time was paid 
promptly. From Spokane, Mr. Hilton went 
afoot without a penny, clear to Waitsburg, 
Washington, where he secured a job and soon 
earned enough to enable him to improve his 
homestead in good shape and in 1902, he sold 
that property and removed to Pomeroy. Here 
he bought five hundred and twenty acres, built 
two beautiful residences, made other improve- 
ments and sold the place soon after. In Janu- 
ary, 1903. he was appointed postmaster at Pa- 
taha and has given excellent satisfaction in that 
office since. At that time he started a general 
merchandise store there and has made a suc- 
cess in that venture. Among the property that 



Mr. Hilton owns may be mentioned eighteen 
hundred acres of land just west from Starbuck, 
town property at Leland, Idaho, and also much 
in Pataha and Starbuck, Washington. He has 
shown himself a thorough and capable business 
man, stirring, energetic and always abreast of 
the times. Being a man of excellent informa- 
tion, he is able to take advantage of every op- 
portunity that offers and has thereby gained his 
present princely holding. 

In 1894, Mr. Hilton married Miss Dora 
Montgomery, who was born and raised in 
Waitsburg. Her father, William Montgom- 
ery, was one of the early pioneers of Walla 
Walla county and was a prominent citizen 
there. To this union four children have been 
born, Louis D., Lola, Laura and Clarence L. 

Mr. Hilton started in 1896 with scarcely a 
dollar. Inside of eight years he has accumu- 
lated a property worth many thousands of dol- 
lars and has met and overcome in the meantime 
much adversity and opposition that would have 
swamped a man of ordinary ability. After thus 
overcoming in all these trying places, he is to- 
day a better and stronger man and is ready to 
meet even greater difficulties than has been 
mentioned, and judging the future by the past, 
he will make a brilliant record for himself. 



N. O. BALDWIN is one of the pioneers of 
Garfield county. He is well known throughout 
this portion of the state and is a man of recog- 
nized ability and integrity. At the present time 
he is serving as postmaster of Pomeroy, hav- 
ing been two years in this capacity. Faithful- 
ness and close attention to business, with a 
skillful handling of the duties placed in his 
hand have made him an efficient officer and 
popular with the people. In various other pub- 
lic capacities he has served for many years, and 
in all of them he has manifested the same care 
and responsibility. 

N. O. Baldwin was born in Missouri on July 





N. O. Baldwin 



Mrs. N. O. Baldwin 








Col. J. K. Kelly 



Michael Buckley 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



577 



9, 1 86 1, being the son of Zenas A. and Martha 
E. Baldwin, natives. of New Jersey and Mis- 
souri respectively. The father crossed the plains 
to California in the early 50's and, after mining 
some time, returned via the Horn. In 1864, he 
brought his family overland to California, 
whence he journeyed to Pomeroy, arriving 
there on July 29, 1875. He secured a farm, 
where he remained until his death in December, 
1903. Our subject attended school for two 
years in California, finishing his education in 
Pomeroy. He remained with his father until 
twenty-three years of age, and then engaged in 
farming for himself. In 1891 he settled in 
Pomeroy, and gave his atteneion to working in 
a general store for several years. After that 
he was appointed deputy assessor and gave uni- 
versal satisfaction in that capacity for two 
years, then he was elected sheriff of his county 
twice, and also was appointed for a term, and 
has served as a special deputy in the sheriff's 
office continuously. In June, 1902, Mr. Bald- 
win was appointed postmaster of Pomeroy, and 
since that time he has given his attention en- 
tirely to the care and operation of that import- 
ant office. 

In January, 1887, Mr. Baldwin married 
Miss Nancy J. Demaris, a native of Walla 
Walla. Her father, James Demaris, was born 
and raised in Ohio and came west in 1863. To 
Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin the following named 
children have been born: Robert O., Coil O., 
Mary O., Wyrn O., Noble O., Dolph O. and 
Lura O. 

So thoroughly has Mr. Baldwin identified 
himself with the interests of Garfield county 
and the surrounding country that one sees in 
him a splendid champion of this section. Every 
important move which is intended for the build- 
ing up and development of the country has al- 
ways been pushed forward by him and he is 
known as a progressive, public-spirited and 
broad-minded man. He has many warm friends 
and merits the kindly esteem and good will 
which are so generously bestowed upon him. 
37 



MICHAEL BUCKLEY, deceased. No 
one among the leading stockmen and farmers of 
Garfield county is better known than was the 
gentlemen whose name appears at the head of 
this article. For many years he was one of the 
most successful operators in this part of the 
county and was known as one of the substan- 
tial and good men. Mr. Buckley came in early 
times and therefore had the hardships of the 
pioneer to undergo, but being a man of indo- 
mitable pluck, he did not shrink from the task 
and the success that has followed his labors be- 
speak his ability, determination and his pains- 
taking care. A review of his life will be inter- 
esting and, therefore, we append the same. 

Mr. Buckley was born in Ireland in 183 1, 
When eight years of age he was brought by his 
parents to New York, and there remained until 
seventeen, during which interim he gained his 
education in the public schools. Then he went 
to California, via Cape Horn, and for seven 
years was engaged in mining in the earliest and 
palmiest times of California's great mining 
days. Then he made his way to what is now 
Washington, in company with his brother Wil- 
liam, and for many years operated a pack train 
from these parts to Montana. In 1879 ne de- 
termined to retire from the hardships of that 
life and accordingly cast about for a good lo- 
cation for the stock business. He finally selected 
the estate where his family reside at the present 
time, one mile north from Chard. He bought 
a band of cattle and continued in stock raising 
until the time of his death. He was well known 
to the stockmen, and, in fact, to every one in 
this part of the country and his herds were well 
kept and wisely marketed. The result was that 
he prospered and became quite wealthy. In 
September, 1903, came the call for Mr. Buck- 
ley to depart the labors of this life and he was 
laid to rest by loving hands and mourned by all 
who knew him. 

In 1895, at Walla Walla, Mr. Buckley had 
married Mrs. Cecila Leaverton. She was born 
in Ireland in 1871, and came to the United 



578 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY 



States with her parents when eleven years of 
age. Her father was Anthony Leavelle, also a 
native of Ireland. Previous to her marriasre to 
Mr. Buckley she had married Henry Leaver- 
ton, and to that union two children had been 
iborn, John and, Henry. To Mr. and Mrs. Buck- 
ley four children were born, William, Marie, 
Celia and May. Upon Mr. Buckley's death the 
entire responsibility of the large estate and stock 
business that he was handling, devolved upon 
Mrs. Buckley. The estate consists of nearly 
twenty-five hundred acres of land, besides two 
hundred and fifty head of cattle and other stock 
needed in handling the business. To any one 
acquainted with the labor attending stock rais- 
ing and the care of a large farm it would be evi- 
dent at once that Mrs. Buckley had no small 
matter to attend to and her ability and wisdom 
"have been manifested in that she is successfully 
handling everything in a first class shape and 
has suffered no loss in any detail. She has 
about three hundred acres of wheat at the pres- 
ent time and something over twenty-eight 
acres of alfalfa. Mrs. Buckley is certainly to 
/be commended very much upon the ability man- 
ifested in attending to this large business, while 
it is not to be forgotten that the loss of her 
husband and the responsibilities of her family 
.have been very heavy burdens to her. 



-+—+- 



JOHN S. NYE has spent so many years of 
"his life in Garfield county that he can almost 
be said to be a native westerner. He is well 
known and has friends from every quar- 
ter of the country, having displayed those char- 
acteristics which win and retain friendships. 
He is giving his time and attention to farming 
and stock raising and in these related occupa- 
tions has made a good success as did his father 
before him in this locality. Mr. Nye resides on 
the old home place secured by his father, and 
being an only child, the entire estate reverted 
to him upon the death of his parents. It is 



very gratifying to be well settled among the 
familiar scenes and have to one's hand that 
which will be reproductive of memories of the 
happy days gone by, while one is living in the 
present. 

John S. Nye was born in Marion county, 
Iowa, on May 27, 1871. His father, Samuel L. 
Nye, was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, 
in 1840. His forefathers were natives of Ken- 
tucky and Virginia, and some came to Ohio. 
They were stanch Americans and fought with 
distinction in the Revolution and the War of 
1812. Samuel L. Nye was a private in Com- 
pany C, Ninth Indiana Volunteers, enlisting on 
September 5, 1861, and being honorably dis- 
charged on September 9, 1864. He had 
moved to Indiana with his parents before the 
war and in 1868 came to Marion county, Iowa. 
In 1882, the father of our subject brought his 
family to the Walla Walla country and soon 
thereafter located the place where we find John 
S. at this day. The estate lies about three miles 
south from Mayview, and consists of seven 
hundred and twenty acres of choice land. It 
is all under cultivation and is supplied with all 
the buildings and improvements needed. On 
April 13, 1904, Samuel L. Nye passed to the 
world beyond, having lived a long and useful 
life. He was mourned by all and his remains 
rest in the neighboring cemetery beside those 
of his wife, who had died in 1899. She was a 
Miss Electa J. Miller previous to her marriage 
and was born in Jackson county, Ohio. When 
three years of age she came with her parents to 
Marion county, Iowa, where she grew up and 
was educated. There in 1870 she married Mr. 
Nye, and continued a faithful helpmeet until 
the time of her death. Our subject came to 
this country with his parents and here was edu- 
cated and grew up. 

In 1893, Mr. Nye married Miss Myrtle 
Miller, a native of Douglas county, Oregon. 
Her father, Asa Miller, was a native of Illinois. 
He crossed the plains with ox teams to the coast 
in 1846. His mother was with him and died 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



579 



enroute. Settlement was made in Douglas 
•county, Oregon, and in 1889 he came to Gar- 
field county and here remained until his death. 
He had married Miss Ellen Smith, who was 
born near Monmouth, Oregon. Her father 
crossed the plains in 1846 and was a devout 
Christian minister. To Mr. and Mrs. Nye five 
■children have been born, S. Loring, Lola I., 
Dwight L., J. Cecil and Myrtle. 



JOSEPH LEDGERWOOD is one of Gar- 
field county's oldest settlers and is, without 
doubt, one of her most substantial and highly 
respected citizens at this day. He was born in 
Clay county, Missouri, on July 17, 1836, the 
■son of Joseph and Rachel Ledgerwood, natives 
of Tennessee. The father pioneered to Clay 
county, Missouri, when young and ini864Jour- 
neyed to the Pacific coast, where he died soon 
after arriving. Our subject received his edu- 
cation in Clay and Davis counties, Missouri, 
and then turned his entire attention to farming. 
In 1864 he determied to try the west and ac- 
cordingly fitted out teams for the trip and jour- 
neyed across the plains to the Umpqua valley, 
Oregon. He had great hardships to meet and 
endure on the way, having had scanty means 
to fit out with. However he arrived at the 
journey's end all right, but entirely without 
money. He at once went to work and opened 
up a ranch. There he labored until 1877, when 
he was willing to sell out and try his fortune 
east of the Cascades. He searched out his 
present location, which is about nine miles east 
from Pomeroy, and began the labor of opening 
up a new place a second time in the west. He 
has prospered and from time to time has pur- 
chased land until he now owns eight hundred 
and twenty acres of first-class wheat soil. The 
place is provided with everything in the way of 
improvements and equipment that is needed 
and is a valuable property. Mr. Ledgerwood 
has recently retired from the active labor of 
the farm and is now dwelling in Pomeroy 



where he has a beautiful residence. Here Mr. 
Ledgerwood is enjoying the fruits of his for- 
mer labors, and is overseeing his property. , 

In 1859, Mr. Ledgerwood married Miss 
Louisa O'Keef, a native of Illinois, and she has 
been a faithful helpmeet and has shared in all 
the hardships and successes of her husband in 
his eventful career. She is an estimable lady 
and of her it may be said, as of the wise woman 
of the Proverbs, "Let her works praise her in 
the gates." To this worthy couple the follow- 
ing named children have been born, William, 
Joseph, John, Fred, Jane, Emma, Martha, 
Rosie and Clara. John is a prominent attor- 
ney here and is at the present time filling the 
office of county attorney at Pomeroy. He 
graduated from the high school here and then 
completed a law course in Valparaiso, Indiana. 

It is interesting to note that when Mr. 
Ledgerwood first came here, there were no 
roads, and the country was almost a trackless 
wilderness. He met and overcame all that is 
usually forced against the pioneer, and has won 
distinction as a man of energy and worth. 
There was but one railroal in the entire country 
then, and that was a little narrow gauge from 
Walla Walla to Wallula and the passengers 
had to ride on sacks of grain on the flat cars. 



JOHN W. HARDIN resides in Pomeroy, 
being now retired from active business life. He 
has gained a good competence in his life in the 
west and truly one can see he has been a very 
progressive, active and resourceful man. He 
was born in Mason county, Illinois, on Sep- 
tember 6, 1848, the son of Thomas J. and Har- 
riett (Bearden) Hardin. The father was born 
in Indiana in 1830 and was a pioneer to Illinois. 
His farther, Henry Hardin, was the first sheriff 
Christian county, Illinois. Thomas J. Har- 
din remained in Illinois until his death in 1884. 
His wife was born in 1833, in Kentucky, and 
moved to Illinois when young and was married 



5 8o 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



in 1847. She still lives in Pataha, this county, 
and is strong and hearty. Our subject had a 
limited opportunity for an education and was 
early thrown on his own resources. In 1865 
he enlisted in Company I, Third Indiana Cav- 
alry, under Colonel R. H. Carnahan and Cap- 
tain Solomon M. Tabor. After a short service 
he was honorably discharged and returned to 
farming and milling. He came on west to Ne- 
braska and for three years fought hot winds 
and grasshoppers, being discouraged with the 
outlook. Although he had but seven dollars in 
his pocket he started with a span of horses and 
a wagon to bring his wife and four children 
across the plains. He also had a mule as extra 
in case of accident to the team. He found work 
on the railroad, earned fifty dollars and started 
on again. When he got to the Green river 
he met ten teams and between the whole outfit 
there was a little over two dollars. Later our 
subject met a sick family and gave them funds 
and supplies, bought medicine and paid their 
way across the plains ; then they were all with- 
out money. Mr. Hardin hired out, tending 
flume for two dollars per day, but was beaten 
out of his wages. After that he loaded cord- 
wood until he made enough to buy supplies for 
the trip, then came on to Salt Lake. Three 
weeks were spent there in labor, then he got 
supplies enough to come on to Boise. When he 
arrived there he had one two-dollar greenback. 
He soon secured a position on the G. M. ranch 
and in a short time was appointed foreman. 
For two years he conducted the estate, then 
sold out his interest for thirteen hundred dol- 
lars and came to Columbia county, that por- 
tion now embraced in Garfield county. He ar- 
rived here in 1877 and since that time has been 
a continuous resident. He now owns two 
beautiful residences in Pomeroy and a half sec- 
tion of wheat land in Nez Perces county, Idaho, 
besides other property. For years he has been 
one of the extensive farmers in this great wheat 
belt. 



At Taylorsville, Illinois, on November 9, 
1869, Mr. Hardin married Miss Mary C. Tet- 
rick. Her paternal grandfather was born in 
Germany and came to New York, whence he 
journeyed through Kentucky to Illinois. He 
had four sons and three daughters. Mrs. Har- 
din's father, Charles F. Tetrick, was the 
youngest boy and was born in Kentucky in 
1792. Before the war of 1812 he had settled 
in Illinois and remained there until 1843, then 
started for Texas and stopped in Arkansas 
until 1847. Then he moved to Lawrence 
county, Missouri, and there died on December 
12, 1848. In 1816 he was a member of the 
rangers. The mother of Mrs. Hardin was. 
born in Kentucky in 1808, and her father was 
Michael Huffman, who was born in Vermont 
and assisted to drive stock for supplies to 
the patriots in the Revolution. He had four 
brothers in that war. He married a widow, 
Mrs. Carnes, then came on west to Kentucky 
and Illinois, and died in 1847. Michael Har- 
din's father, who was also Michael Hardin, 
came from Germany. The wife of Charles 
Tetrick remained in Missouri until the death of 
her husband in 1848, when she removed to Illi- 
nois and there died in 1852. 

John W. Hardin's father was a Democrat, 
but he has always been a Republican. He has 
held several offices and is a member of the G. 
A. R. 

To Mr. and Mrs. Hardin the following 
children have been born: Charles A., in Illi- 
nois, on November 17, 1870; Thomas J., in 
Nabraska, on November 22, 1871 ; Flora E.,. 
in Nebraska, on June 8, 1873; John W. Jr.,. 
in Nebraska, on February 18, 1875; Daniel' 
A., in Idaho, on July 18, 1878; Arthur E., 
in Washington, on December 16, 1880; Jessie 
S., in Washington, on January 1, 1883, and' 
James M., in Washington, on March 5, 1885. 

In early days Mr. Hardin was quite a nim- 
rod and used to kill buffalo and other large 
game in Nebraska. 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



58i 



J. H. WALKER is one of Washington's 
most successful and wealthy stockmen. He re- 
sides at Pataha, where his headquarters are and 
from there conducts his large interests. He was 
born in Maine, on June 28, 1839. His father, 
R. H. Walker, was also a native of Maine and 
a well-to-do farmer, and married Mrs. Clara 
Wilson, who was born in Maine. The ancest- 
ors were among the early settlers in the colo- 
nies and were stanch American before there was 
a United States. The educational training of 
our subject was received in the common schools 
of his native state and after he had finished that 
part of his life he learned the wagonmaker's 
trade in Massachusetts. He completed this in 
1862, when he enlisted in Company G, Fiftieth 
Massachusetts Infantry, and fought through- 
out the war" He participated in the Port Hud- 
son campaign under General Banks, and after 
the struggle was over retired to private life, 
again taking up his trade. In 1866 we find him 
in California, operating a wagon shop in Va- 
caville, whence he journeyed to Oregon City in 
1869, continuing at his trade. Finally, in 1877, 
Mr. Walker determined to change his occupa- 
tion, consequently went to what is now Wasco 
county, Oregon, it being then a new country, 
and opened a stock ranch. For three years he 
operated there successfully and then became 
convinced that the territory now embraced in 
Garfield county afforded better advantages than 
where he was, consequently he transferred his 
stock holdings here and located in Deadman 
country. From time to time he purchased land 
until now he is one of the largest property- 
holders in southeastern Washington. He has 
a vast number of sheep and horses and has been 
eminently successful in his labors. Mr. Walker, 
in all the years that have gone by, paid careful 
attention to the labors that he had in hand, 
knowing well the old proverd that, "What is 
worth doing at all is worth doing well," 
was the secret of success. No detail of the 
large business, at the head of which he stands 
today, is too small for his personal attention 



and care, and his keen oversight has enabled 
him to handle the larger and more extensive 
parts of the business with an ease and skill that 
have brought about his success. While he has 
devoted his attention steadily to the business 
he has not forgotten to take the part that be- 
comes every good citizen in political matters 
and in the general upbuilding and improvement 
of the country. He has won hosts of friends 
and is known as one of the real builders of this 
portion of Washington. 

In 1884 Mr. Walker married Mrs. Sylvia 
Palmer, a native of California. 



W. L. TAYLOR is to be classed with the 
earliest pioneers to the territory now embraced 
in Garfield county. He is a man or stamina 
and reliability and has done well the labor that 
fell to his lot in life. As a pioneer he showed 
that sturdiness and fortitude so indispensable 
in that calling, and the hardships, self-denials 
and other trying items to be met with on the 
frontier have wasted their power in vain ef- 
fort to discourage or dishearten him, for he has 
but grown the stronger in the powers of endur- 
ance and the fertility of mind to find a way 
through them all. Today he is classed as one of 
the influential and capable men of the commu- 
nity and has the satisfaction of knowing that 
with his own hands he has carved out a for- 
tune to supply his needs and add the luxuries 
of life in the golden years that will soon begin 
to run apace in his life. He has conducted his 
enterprises well and he and his wife have 
reared a good family while they together have 
gathered the substance that now makes their 
fortune. 

W. L. Taylor was born in Adams county, 
Illinois, in 1840. His father, Adam Taylor, 
was a native of Kentucky and pioneered to Illi- 
nois and there farmed the balance of his life. 
He married Miss Barbara Grimes, a native of 
the Blue Grass State, also, whose father, John 
Grimes participated in the Blackhawk war. 



582 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



She was married in her native state and shared 
the labors and triumphs of her husband in the 
pioneer days and later years of their careers. 
The public schools of the frontier of Illinois 
furnished the training of our subject and he 
made the best of the winter days when he sat 
on the slab bench and dug out the intricacies 
of the common branches. The school house 
was a log cabin and, although primitive, many 
happy and profitable days were spent there. 
The summers were occupied in the healthful 
labors of the farm, and thus his life continued 
until he had come to the years of his majority. 
Then he began to meet the responsibilities of 
life for himself and naturally turned his at- 
tention to farming. In 1878 he sold his pos- 
sessions in the Prairie State and made the 
long journey across the country to Washington, 
where he selected a place in Garfield county, on 
which he now lives. He took a preemption, a 
homestead and a timble culture, and then added 
a quarter section by purchase. This makes him 
six hundred and forty acres of choice soil. 
When Mr. Taylor first came here there was 
only one store in Dayton, and one at Pataha. 
There were no fences and very few roads. The 
wildness and all the attendant difficulties that 
nature strews around her domains to beset the 
intruder with were heaped on the pioneers here, 
and our subject had his share. He labored pa- 
tiently on and the result is that he has made a 
good success. 

When twenty-four Mr. Taylor married 
Miss Lucretia, the daughter of A. and Mar- 
guerite (Jackson) Vannest, natives of Hol- 
land and Michigan, respectively. Mrs. Taylor 
was born in Illinois and she has borne to her 
husband three children, William, Edward and 
James. 



F. W. UNFRIED is one of the younger 
men of Garfield county and has manifested a 
sterling, progressive spirit in his labors here. 
He has met with excellent success as a fruit 



grower and stock raiser, having brought to bear 
in the business a well informed mind and ma- 
ture judgment. Mr. Unfried is an energetic 
man and one of the substantial citizens of the 
community. He was born in Germany on May 
3, 1872, and came from a very prominent and 
wealthy family. The father, J. J. Unfried, was 
also a native of Germany and a wealthy manu- 
facturer. He was very prominent in public life 
and an influential man. The mother of our 
subject, Louise Unfried, was born in the father- 
land and came from one of the old and promi- 
nent families in the empire. Our subject was 
brought up in a refined home and received the 
best opportunities for education to be found in 
classical Germany, being first carefully trained 
in a gymnasium and later completing a univer- 
sity course. He reads Latin and Greek literature 
and speaks fluently the English, the French, 
Italian and German languages, while in higher 
mathematics he has made some excellent rec- 
ords and always keeps abreast of the advanc- 
ing chariot of science in this progressive and 
intelligent age. According to the regulation in 
Germany a man who completes a college course 
is exempt from military training except one 
year and consequently our subject had but 
twelve months to serve in the regular army life. 
After completing his course he spent two years 
traveling in France and Switzerland for the 
purpose of studying the people and perfecting 
himself in the French and Italian languages. 
In 1889 Mr. Unfried came to America and 
spent five years in Chicago. After that we find 
him for three years in the Golden City, and 
later he was in Butte, Montana, for one year. 
In 1898 he came to Washington and selected 
his location where he now resides. Having be- 
come desirous to retire from the more active 
duties and devote himself as a stock man and 
horticulturist. He owns about five hundred 
acres of land which is well improved and a por- 
tion of which is irrigated. He raises all kinds 
of fruits adapted to this climate and handles 
considerable stock. 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



583 



In 1903 Mr. Unfried married Miss Sylva- 
nia Little, a native of Illinois. Mr. Unfried has 
made several trips to Europe since coming to 
this country and has followed several different 
occupations. 

He stands well in the community and has 
thoroughly identified himself with its progress 
and upbuilding. 



ALBERT P. COYLE is one of the wealthy 
pioneers of Garfield county who has earned 
and is now enjoying the pleasures of a retired 
life. He is making his home in Pomeroy, al- 
though he owns property in the agricultural 
portions of the country. 

Albert P. Coyle was born in Columbiana 
county, Ohio, in June, 1842, being the son of 
Terrance and Susan (McKenna) Coyle, the 
former born in Westmoreland county, Pennsyl- 
vania, and the latter in Ireland. They were 
married in 1839 and in 1850 came to Illinois, 
where they farmed until the father's death in 
1884. Albert P. has a sister, Catherine, born 
in Ohio, in 1844, and in 1864 married James 
Murray. Our subject was educated in the com- 
mon schools of Pennsylvania until i860, when 
he spent one year in St. Vincent College. After 
that he went to work in the roundhouse in Pitts- 
burg, Pennsylvania, then operated a stationary 
engine in the oil country for about fourteen 
years. In 1874 Mr. Coyle came to San Fran- 
cisco, then by steamer to Crescent City. Later 
he went afoot to Coos Bay, Oregon, and thence 
to the Willamette valley. He finally found his 
way to Portland and later journeyed to Se- 
attle. It was 1877 when Mr. Coyle cameto Pom- 
eroy and took a homestead of one quarter sec- 
tion, later committing on it. After that he 
went into the Big Bend country for a year, but 
not being pleased with that section, returned 
to his homestead. Although he made a good 
showing on the homestead, still life was too 
monotonous for him there, consequently he re- 
turned to Braddock, Pennsylvania, and there, 



on October 23, 1882, married Margaret Don- 
nelly. Her parents, James and Sarah (Brown), 
Donnelly, were born in Berlin, Pennsylvania,, 
in 1809, and in Cambria county, Pennsylvania, 
respectively. The mother died in 1874 and the 
father in 1875. The father's father was bori? 
and educated in Ireland, receiving a fine med* 
ical training. However, not liking the prac- 
tice of medicine, he emigrated to the United 
States and took up farming. Mrs. Coyle has- 
one brother, James, and three sisters, Sarah M, 
Buffner, Mrs. Mary McKeirnan and Susan. To 
Mr. and Mrs. Coyle one child has been born, 
James P, in Garfield county, on March 20, 
1885. He is now handling the home place 
while his parents reside in Pomeroy. Mr. and 
Mrs. Coyle are devoted Catholics and have 
been stanch supporters of the faith during 
their long and eventful career. 

Politcally Mr. Coyle is a Democrat. Al- 
though he has resided in Pomeroy for one- 
third of a century, still he has been a great trav- 
eler in his day and has viewed many portions, 
of the United States. 



GEORGE STALLCOP was born in Clin- 
ton county, Iowa, on May 4, 1850, and now re- 
sides in Pomeroy, from where he conducts his 
large interests in this county and elsewhere. 
His father, George W. Stallcop, was a native 
of Kentucky, and came to* Iowa when a young 
man. In 1856 he went to Kansas and there 
had much trouble with the hostile savages. On 
many occasions his family were compelled to 
flee for their lives and Mr. Stallcop was called 
out several times with the other pioneers to 
fight back the Indians. In 1864 he brought his 
family across the plains to Washington. In 
the fall of 1865 the family packed their effects 
on oxen and ponies and started over the trail 
for the Tillamook country, then unbroken and 
little known. For three years they remained 
there, then returned to Yamhill county and 



584 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



found their old wagon setting under the tree 
where they had left it. They fitted up the 
wagon and returned to Portland. At Portland 
they loaded their effects, including the wagon, 
cattle and so forth on boat and went to the Cow 
litz country. From there they jonrneyed to 
Seattle, and then by team essayed the trip to the 
Kittitas valley. This was the hardest journey 
of them all. They had to cut their way across 
the mountains and at one place were obliged 
to ferry their equipages across the lake. 
For this purpose they constructed a large raft. 
After a time in the Kittitas valley they went 
to The Dalles, Oregon, and there cut wood for 
one winter. After that they returned to Ya- 
kima county and took a homestead within two 
miles of the present city of Yakima. From this 
they were driven by the Indians from The 
Dalles and in 1870 returned to Walla Walla. 
Here the father bought a ranch and settled 
down. He became one of the well-to-do farm- 
ers of the country and his death occurred in 
Pomeroy in 1901. He spent his entire life on 
the frontier and experienced many thrilling 
adventures. He married Miss Nancy H. Pell, 
a native of Kentucky, who accompanied her 
husband in all his journeys and was a faithful 
helpmate to him. She is now living in Pom- 
eroy. Our subject was with his father in all 
these journeys until 1870, when he started out 
for himself. He worked for several years, and 
in 1878 took a homestead, timberculture and 
pre-emption near Pomeroy. He has bought 
and sold land since and now owns one section 
of choice wheat land, supplied with all build- 
ings and improvements necessary, about eleven 
miles northeast of Pomeroy. He also owns a 
beautiful residence in Pomeroy, which is the 
family home. He stared life with nothing but 
two good, strong hands and a courageous spirit, 
and is now one of Garfield county's wealthy 
men. 

In 1874 Mr. Stallcop married Miss Sarah 
E. Edwards, a native of Oregon. Her father, 
Samuel Edwards, crossed the plains to Oregon 



in 185 1, and was a prominent man in the west 
in early days and became very wealthy. To Mr. 
and Mrs. Stallcop three children have been 
born, Guy W., Harley B: and Lulu E. 



GEORGE W. MILLER has well earned 
the retirement from active business life he is 
now enjoying. His is one of the most promi- 
nent families in southeastern Washington, and 
personally he is a man of most excellent 
qualities. He comes from a race of sturdy and 
long-lived pioneers, who have been instru- 
mental in opening up different sections and 
leading on to success in the United States for 
generations back. Mr. Miller is no exception 
to the good record made by his ancestors, and 
has well done his part in developing and build- 
ing up the west. 

George W. Miller was born in Crawfords- 
ville, Indiana, on April 6, 1830. His father, 
John Miller, was born in Tennessee, and his 
father, our subject's grandfather, John Miller, 
was a veteran of the Revolution. The father 
of George W. moved to Indiana when that was 
a wilderness. Later he went to Illinois, and as 
early as 185 1 crossed the plains with ox teams 
to Linn county, Oregon, and there opened up 
a donation claim, where he remained until his 
death. He was on the frontier all his life, and 
on his various journeys was accompanied by 
his three brothers — George, Isaac and Abra- 
ham. Wherever one moved the rest moved, 
and they remained together until their death. 
The mother of our subject was Sarah (Smith) 
Miller, and her father, also, was a patriot who 
fought for his country's independence in the 
Revolution. 

She was born in Tennessee and was with 
her husband in all of his journeys until her 
death, which occurred in Oregon. George W. 
was on the frontier all of his life and had very 
scanty opportunity to gain a literary training, 
but became well versed in practical things of 




George W. Miller 





Mr*. George W. Miller 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



585 



life, and has not ceased to be a constant reader 
and inquirer, which have made him one of the 
best informed men of the country. He was 
with his parents when they crossed the plains 
in 1 85 1, and well remembers the troubles that 
he had with the Indians. On two occasions, 
however, they were enabled to placate the sav- 
ages by a peace offering of a cow. In due 
time they arrived in the Willamette valley, 
and our subject took a donation claim 
near Albany, where his father located. For 
nine years that was his home. During 
that time, in 1855, there was a general 
uprising of the Indians in the northwest. 
"Mr. Miller enlisted in Company H, First 
Oregon Mounted Volunteers to fight the 
savages. On December 7, 1855, 350 of the 
soldiers met about 1,500 Indians seven miles 
below the present site of Walla Walla. The 
battle raged four days and finally the whites, 
though only one to five, drove the savages from 
the field and practicaly ended the war. After 
eight months' service in the army Mr. Miller re- 
ceived an honorable discharge and returned to 
his home. In i860 he came to Washington and 
took a homestead where Dayton now stands. 
Eighteen months later he took the place where 
he is now located, three miles west from Ping. 
He has seven hundred acres, which is utilized 
as a stock ranch. He also has one of the best 
fruit orchards in the country, his peaches being 
justly celebrated. Four years since Mr. Miller 
sold the ranch at Dayton and is now retired 
from active life. 

In October, ,1858, Mr. Miller married Miss 
Sarah E. Ping, who was born in Terre Haute, 
Indiana, and crossed the plains with her parents, 
Elisha and Lucretia (Kuykendall) Ping, in 
1852, to Lincoln county, Oregon. To our sub- 
ject and his wife the following named children 
were born : Chester R, Celesta I., who was the 
second white child born in Columbia county, 
Fred L, Jesse G., Ralph A. and Ray R. Ches- 
ter F. is now judge of the superior court in 
Garfield, Columbia and Asotin counties. Jesse 



G. is an attorney in Dayton, of the firm of Mil- 
ler & Fouts. Mrs. Miller departed this life on 
August 26, 1890, and was buried at Dayton, 
Washington. Her life was an example of 
womanly grace and virtues, and her influence 
is felt still in the noble work that she did, es- 
pecially in moulding the lives of her children 
for good and uprightness. She was universally 
beloved. Mr. Miller may justly take pride in 
the work that he has accomplished, not alone 
in that he has made a financial success, but also 
in that, with the faithful and beloved helpmate, 
he has reared a family who are today taking 
their places among the leading citizens of south- 
eastern Washington and are not behind their 
worthy ancestors who did so much in other 
parts of the United States to build up this great 
country. Loyal and patriotic, they have a high 
sense of honor and a due appreciation of their 
stewardship, and are leaving today, as their 
ancestors have done in other localities, their 
impress for wisdom and uprightness in this 
great state. 



ELIEL OLIVER is one of the oldest set- 
tlers in Garfield county. At the present time 
he is residing in Pomeory where he has a beau-, 
tiful dwelling, being retired from the more ac- 
tive duties of life. He was born in Rush county, 
Indiana, in 1830, the son of E. F. and Cather- 
ine (Odea) Oliver. The father was born in 
Kentucky in 1803 followed farming andcameto 
Indiana when it was a territory. There he was 
married and in 1849 went to Illinois. Four 
years later he settled in Iowa, and in 1864 
crossed . the plains with ox teams to Oregon, 
making settlement in the Grande Ronde valley. 
He died in 1880. The mother was born in 
Kentucky in 1805 and was a niece of Daniel 
Boone. She died in the Grande Ronde valley 
in 1883. Our subject has two brothers, J. E. 
and Hiram W. The public schools of Pulaski 
county, Indiana, furnished the education of our 
subject, and in 1849 ne married Miss Nancy 



5 86 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



Lower, who was born in Indiana on February 
17, 1833. In 1849 tne y journeyed to Scott 
county, Indiana, and later to Iowa, arid in 1864, 
came across the plains to Oregon, settling in 
Washington county. In 1871 they came to the 
Territory of Washington and the next year set- 
tled in Garfield county, which was then em- 
braced in Walla Walla county. Our subject 
had very little means at that time and took a 
homestead and began farming. He later rented a 
half section of school land, which he still retains 
although lie has sold the homestead taken when 
he first came here. He has gained a goodly com- 
petence during the years of his labor and is 
considered one of the substantial and leading 
citizens of Pomeroy. Mrs. Oliver's parents 
were William and Rebecca (Goodwin) Lower, 
the former born in Indiana on March 26, 1808, 
and died in January, 1888, and the latter born 
on July 2, 1812, and died in 1878. Mrs. 
Oliver has two sisters, Mary J. Oliver and 
Phoebe Shunkwiler. To Mr. and Mrs. Oliver 
the following children have been born : Mrs. 
Mary E. Skogland, on June 9, 1850, in Scott 
county, Illinois ; Mrs. Naomi C. Walters, on 
November 8, 1852, in Morgan county, Illinois; 
John W., on January 4, 1855, in Marion 
county, Iowa; Mrs. Rebecca J. Minnick, on 
September 8, 1857, in Marion county, Iowa; 
James, on November 23, 1859, in Marion 
county, Iowa; Asbery, February 8, 1862, in 
Marion county, Iowa ; Mrs. Ida O. Stevens, on 
July 29, 1864, at Sweetwater, Idaho; Kavan- 
augh H., on February 24, 1866, in Washing- 
ton county, Oregon ; Mrs. Isabella Lukey, on 
February 7, 1872, in Walla Walla county; 
Frank W., on July 7, 1875, in Garfield county, 
and Mrs. Francis M. McCormack, on March 
11, 1878, in Garfield county. 

Mr. Oliver is a stanch and lifelong Demo- 
crat and takes a keen interest in political mat- 
ters. He is a member of the Masonic order 
and was a master assistant in the organization 
of the Evening Star lodge No. 30. He and his 
wife belong to the Methodist church and for 



thirty years he has been a local preacher in 
that denomination. He is known as a generous,, 
hospitable, upright man and deserves to be 
classed as one of the builders of Garfield 
county. . , 

Mr. Oliver was appointed by Governor 
Ferry as commissioner in the organization of 
Columbia county and was county commissioner 
of Columbia county the first term. Also, he 
was commissioner when Garfield county was 
formed from the eastern portion of Columbia 
county. 



WILLIAM M. KEY follows the avocation 
of farming and dwells about one-half mile south 
from Mayview postoffice. He has shown com- 
mendable industry in his career and is a man of 
good qualities. He has traveled over various 
portions of the country and has had vast expe- 
rience in frontier life, knowing well the hard- 
ships incident to that existence. He was born 
in Rhea county, Tennessee, on November 23,. 
1852, the son of Zachariah and Martha (Dod- 
son) Key. The father was born in Virginia 
and removed to Tennessee when a young man. 
He was one of the pathfinders of that new 
country and also served in the Civil War with 
distinction and display of valor. The mother 
was born in Tennessee. They became wealthy 
farmers and were people of excellent standing 
in their country. Our subject received his ed- 
ucation in the common schools of Tennessee 
and Kentucky, having gone to the latter state 
with his parents when a boy. In the early sev- 
enties he went with his people to Iron county, 
Missouri, and in 1884, journeyed thence to 
southeastern Washington. Since coming here, 
Mr. Key has given his attention to farming. 
Although he has purchased no land, still he has- 
prospered and is accredited with a goodly com- 
petence. 

In 1874, Mr. Key married Miss Katie, the 
daughter of John and Helen Dunn, natives of 
Missouri. Mrs. Key was born in Missouri, 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



587 



Iron county. To Mr. and Mrs. Key the fol- 
lowing named children have been born: Min- 
nie A., Lily M., James A., Martha H., Mary 
A., Carrie, Bert L. and Lola E. Mr. Key is 
a member of the W. W., and a man of good 
standing in the community. He always takes 
a keen interest in political campaigns and local 
matters, being also especially interested in 
school affairs. 



GEORGE D. WILSON is one of Garfield 
county's well-known and substantial men. He 
resides in Pomeroy, whence he oversees his es- 
tate, being now retired from the active labors 
which formerly occupied him. He is one of the 
pioneers of this country and has done a worthy 
part in making the county what it is at this 
time. When Mr. Wilson first came here it was 
unbroken prairie and in fact there were no 
wogan roads through the country. Pomeroy 
consisted of one log cabin. The ravages of the 
Indians, among other things, had to be met by 
the pioneers, but their perseverance and sturdi- 
ness have overcome and Mr. Wilson is now en- 
joying the fruits of his labor and industry. 

George D. was born in Wellington 
county, Ontario, Canada, on June 9, 1846. His 
father, George Wilson, was a native of East 
Loth, Scotland. He was raised and educated 
in his native land and there married Miss 
Mary Dewer, a native of Fifeshire. Soon after 
that the young couple sailed for Canada, the 
date being 1834. They selected a home, opened 
a farm and became very prominent and wealthy 
people. The father died in 1895, aged eighty- 
five years. The mother is aged eighty-eight 
and is still living. Our subject was educated in 
the common school of Canada and then en- 
gaged in farming there for a number of 
years. It was 1876 that he made his way to 
the Willamette valley, Oregon, whence a year 
after he came to what is now Garfield county. 
He took a timber cultrue claim twelve miles 



northeast from where Pomeroy now stands 
and began the work of opening a farm. He 
added a quarter section later and now has four 
hundred and eighty-eight acres of fine wheat 
land. The place is well improved and in a high 
state of cultivation and supplied with every 
piece of machinery that is needed, even to a 
threshing machine. The horsepower that opr- 
ates Mr. Wilson's threshing machine was man- 
ufactured by himself and he has secured a pat- 
ent on it. He has a remarkable talent for me- 
chanics and has invented and constructed sev- 
eral devices. 

There were no small hardships to endure 
and no small obstacles to meet by these strudy 
pioneers, but he persevered and in due time, as 
the result of his hard labor, the land was trans- 
formed into a valuable farm, and now Mr. 
Wilson is a wealthy and highly respected man. 

While in Ontario in 1871 Mr. Wilson mar- 
ried Jane E. Meline, a native of that country. 
To them were born two children, James W. 
and Albert G., deceased. In June, 1875, Mrs. 
Wilson was called hence by death. In October, 
1877, Mr. Wilson contracted a second mar- 
riage, Miss Susie Overholserbecominghisbride. 
She was a native of Indiana, and her father, 
Noah Overholser, was a well-to-do miller in 
that state. In 1870 he sold out and came to 
the coast. To this second marriage six chil- 
dren were born, three of whom are living and 
named as follows: Lloyd B., Delia E. and 
Rhea O. 

Mr. Wilson has always taken a great inter- 
est in political matters. He served as deputy 
assessor one term and then was elected to fill 
the office for one term. In school affairs he 
labors untiringly for better advantages. He is 
a member of the W. W. and is a genial and so- 
cial man. During the Nez Perce Indian war 
Mr. Wilson was exposed to much danger 
and hardship, but passed through it all with- 
out any wounds or fatality, either to himself 
or to his family. 



5 88 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



WATSON DAVIS is a man who knows 
how to be a true friend and to make an enemy 
fear him. His home place is about two miles 
east from Valentine, where he has a choice es- 
tate and other property. He is respected by all 
and has the good will of the entire community. 
This pleasant state of affairs has been brought 
about by the uprightness and geniality of Mr. 
Davis and his unswerving adherence to the 
path of honor and rectitude. 

"Watson Davis was born in Vermont on 
June ii, 1859, the son of Leonard Davis, a 
native of the Green Mountain State also. When 
a young man the father brought his family to 
St. Croix county, Wisconsin, and there owned 
and operated one of the choicest farms in the 
entire county. In 1877, ne came to the Pacific 
coast, making settlement in Walla Walla, after 
which he came to Garfield county. Our sub- 
ject accompanied his father on all these jour- 
neys and received his education in Hammond, 
Wisconsin. St. Croix county was noted for its 
athletic young men, and our subject with his 
brothers was not one whit behind the best and 
the strongest. Owing to this fine lot of muscu- 
lar and active men to select from, the base-ball 
teams were among the best of the country. 
Hammond team outstripped them all and the 
Davis brothers played in this team for years. 
Whenever people thought of base-ball in that 
country, they spoke of the Hammond team and 
when that was mentioned, the Davis boys were 
universally recognized as the ones who led the 
brilliant work of the games. In 1884, Mr. 
Davis came from W'alla Walla county to Gar- 
field county and took government land where 
he is located at the present time. He went to 
work with a will and soon had the wild country 
transformed to a fertile farm, to which he has 
added at different times by purchase until he 
has now a magnificent domain and is one of the 
county's wealthy men. Mr. Davis has a happy 
home, his wife being an estimable lady, and to 
them have been born five children, Willie, Earl, 
Audley, Winnie and Irene. Mr. Davis has the 



following named brothers, Edson, deceased, 
Marion and Alfred. Edson was one of the 
earliest settlers in Garfield county and became 
a wealthy and influential man before his death. 
Alfred is now living on a farm near. Valentine. 
The Davis brothers are recognized all through 
the country as progressive and liberal men, and 
their true generosity and kindness have won 
them hosts of friends from all sections and 
classes. In political matters, our subject is al- 
ways interested and takes the part of a good 
citizen. He has labored continuously for the 
betterment of educational facilities and is a 
man of influence and prominence in the com- 
munity. 



JOSEPH E. LEACHMAN has one of the 
choicest pieces of land to be found in Garfield 
county. The same is situated just southeast 
from Mayview, and is less than a mile from 
a good school house and two miles from a 
tramway which loads the farm produce on the 
market boats. Mr. Leachman has owned and 
improved four different places in this county 
and now has one of the comfortable homes 
which make the strength of any country. He 
is a man of industry and good habits and has 
made a good record during his life. He was 
born in Adams county, Illinois, on September 
13, 1847, tne son °f Samuel and Maria (Dal- 
by) Leachman. The father was born in Ken- 
tucky and when a young man came to Quincy, 
Illinois, where he remained until his death. He 
was a merchant for the first years there and 
later owned a farm and bred fine horses. The 
mother was born in Ohio and came to Illinois 
with her parents when a girl. She was mar- 
ried in that state and is now residing in Lewis- 
ton, Idaho, aged eighty-seven. Our subject 
received his education from the common 
schools, but owing to the fact that his father 
died when he was young, which entailed on 
him and his brother the care of the farm and 
the support of the balance of the family, he was 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



589 



favored with but little opportunity to gain 
schooling. Then, too, the school house was 
four miles distant and was a log cabin supplied 
with slab benches and puncheon floor. How- 
ever, he made the best of it and the strenuous 
effort then put forth has been of great benefit 
to him since, when he met the hard battles of 
life. Mr. Leachman remained on the farm 
until 1868, then he went to Quincy and there 
entered contracting on road work, which he fol- 
lowed until 1879. In that year he sold his prop- 
erty in the east and then came west. After due 
search, he located in southeastern Washington, 
but as stated above, he has owned three other 
places besides the one where he now lives. He 
has shown commendable industry in his labors 
in opening the places and is a man of energy 
and excellent judgment. His farm is well sit- 
uated, and the improvements added by Mr. 
Leachman make it a comfortable and choice 
rural abode. 

In 1876, Mr. Leachman married Miss 
Mary Smith, who was born in Davis county, 
Iowa. She removed to Adams county, Illi- 
nois, with her parents when three years of age 
and there received her education. Her parents, 
Zion and Frances Smith, were born in Ken- 
tucky and Ohio, respectively, and followed 
farming during their lives. To Mr. and Mrs. 
Leachman one child has been born, George B., 
married and living on a farm near his parents. 



•»« » 



HERBERT L. WILSON resides at Val- 
entine and was born in Nova Scotia, on De- 
cember 28, 1856. His father, George Wilson, 
was also a native of Nova Scotia and followed 
blacksmithing and farming. He was a pio- 
neer to that country and married Miss Sarah 
Ellis, a native of the same land. Our subject 
was reared and educated where he was born 
and there remained until twenty years of age. 
In the centennial year, he made his way to Cal- 
ifornia and engaged there in farming for five 



years, then journeyed to the Puget Sound 
country, remaining until 1883, in which year 
he came to the territory now embraced in Gar- 
field county. He soon selected the place where 
he now resides and purchased four hundred 
and eighty acres and the same has been trans- 
formed into a first-class farm, well improved 
and cultivated and is one of the choice and val- 
uable estates of the county at this day. He 
has a full quota of all kinds of modern machin- 
ery needed on a farm, while thrift and good 
taste are evident throughout the premises. 

In 1898, Mr. Wilson married Miss Alice 
Fisher, a native of Nova Scotia. Her parents, 
Alexander and Jane (Croker) Fisher, were 
also natives of Nova Scotia. 

Mr. Wilson is a member of the W. W., and 
an old and prominent citizen in this portion of 
the county. For two terms he wa.s chosen by 
the people as assessor of the county and in this- 
capacity gave first-class satisfaction. Mr. Wil- 
son has so conducted himself throughout his 
life that he has won the respect and confidence 
of all who know him and he is esteemed to-day 
as one of the upright and honorable men of the 
country. His ability and judgment are excel- 
lent and his unswerving integrity is known to 
all. Financially, he is a man of good success. 



THOMAS E. TUETH, who resides about 
two miles south from Mayview, was born in 
the vicinity of Decatur, Illinois, on May 6, 
1850. His parents, Edward and Mary 
(Fields) Tueth, were natives of the north of 
Ireland and White county, Illinois, respec- 
tively. The father came to America in 1842 
and settled on a farm in Illinois. In 1855, he 
went to Iowa, where he farmed until his death. 
The mother had previously married Raleigh 
Wheeler and after his death, married Mr. 
Tueth. Our subject was educated in the dis- 
trict schools of Iowa and in 1870 went to Min- 
nesota where he joined a surveying party on 



590 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



the Northern Pacific and assisted to run the 
the line from Duluth to Bismarck, North Da- 
kota. Two years were occupied in this, then 
he returned to Iowa and bought a farm which 
was the home place until 1882. In that year he 
sold his property and determined to try the 
west. He soon decided that Washington was 
the territory of his choice and accordingly he 
came here and a little later had settled on Dead- 
man creek in Garfield county. This was sold, 
however, and in 1885 he bought the land where 
he is now located. He owns one-half section 
which is well improved and in a high state of 
cultivation. For nearly twenty years Mr. 
Tueth has labored here and has accumulated 
considerable property. 

In 1873, Mr. Tueth married Miss Sarah E. 
Newkirk, who was born in Clinton county, 
Ohio, and removed with her parents to Iowa in 
1862. Her parents were B. L. and Martha 
(Wills) Newkirk, natives of Indiana and Ohio 
respectively, being pioneers both there and in 
the west. To our subject and his wife the fol- 
lowing named children have been born, Jessie, 
Daniel, Martha, Ray and Roy, twins, and 
•Orel E. 

In political matters, Mr. Tueth is allied 
with the Republican party and shows a lively 
interest in the campaigns and issues of the day. 



*♦» 



WILLIAM SHANGLE resides one mile 
south from Alpowa. He has a choice estate 
which is part wheat land and part under, irriga- 
tion and devoted to alfalfa. The place is pro- 
vided with improvements and is so conducted 
that it brings in good returns annually. 

W'illiam Shangle was born in New Jersey, 
on June 25, 1838. His parents, William and 
Experience (Leek) Shangle, were natives of 
New Jersey. They came to Iowa in 1855, 
where the father was one of the prominent pio- 
neer citizens. When they settled in Iowa, it 
-was a new country and our subject had very 



little opportunity to complete the education 
which he had begun in the east. However, he 
made the best of his opportunities and has been 
a careful reader since. In 1862, he went to 
Colorado Gulch, Colorado, the place where 
Leadville now stands. Shortly after that, he 
'was employed in driving stage along the Platte 
river and in 1868 came to Salt Lake where he 
engaged with the Wells Fargo people. Here he 
remained until 1872, then located in Cassia 
county, Idaho, taking up government land. He 
devoted his entire attention to handling cattle 
and horses and continued in that business with 
unbounded success for a good many years. In 
1899, he sold his various interests in other 
places and came to his present location. He 
bought the farm that he now owns and has im- 
proved it materially since. He has a very 
choice home place, one of the valuable ones of 
the county and is known as a substantial man. 

In 1870 Mr. Shangle married Miss Rachel 
Cams, a native of Indiana. To them the fol- 
lowing children have been born : George, a 
farmer in Idaho; Mrs. Maude Warde at Alma, 
Idaho; Mrs. Ella Graham; William; Wade; 
and Ada. 

Mr. Shangle has spent nearly his whole life 
on the frontier and is thoroughly acquainted 
with everything that obtains in such sections. 
He has had many thrilling experiences with the 
Indians, but has never come out with a wound 
and he has seen and done some hard fighting. 
He was especially exposed to danger when 
driving the stage. When at Smoky Hill, Kan- 
sas, Mr. Shangle remarks that many of the 
people had regular stone houses and had bored 
tunnels from the house to the barn and so forth, 
to avoid the Indians. 



■♦»» 



GEORGE D. GIBSON, a wealthy stock- 
man of Pomeroy is one of the early settlers of 
southeastern Washington who is now retired 
largely from active business, having passed a 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



59i 



career filled with enterprise and adventure of 
the most stirring asd successful kind. He was 
born in Pike county, Illinois, in August, 1840, 
the son of Davis and Sophronia (Ingles) Gib- 
son. The father was born in St. Charles coun- 
ty, Missouri, on July 31, 18 12, and settled in 
Pike county in 1834. He crossed the plains 
to Oregon in 1849 an d in 1850 returned to Illi- 
nois. The next year he brought his family to 
Polk county, Oregon, and died there on Jan- 
uary 12, 1893. The mother was born in Ban- 
gor, Maine, in March, 181 5. Her father, Israel 
Ingles, was also born in Maine and followed 
the saddler business and died about 1835. Her 
mother was descended from a family of nobil- 
ity. She had married in November, 1839, and 
is still living in Polk county. Mr. Gibson has 
the following brothers and sisters, Albert B., 
born December 8, 1842, and now living in Polk 
county; Cass, born in 1848; Lyman D., born 
in Polk county, Oregon, in 1853; Almira B., 
born in Pike county, Illinois, on June 8, 1845, 
and now the wife of Rev. T. H. Starbuck, an 
Adventist minister ; Sarah, born in Polk county 
in 1858, the wife of W. Patrick. Our subject 
had a limited opportunity to gain an education, 
having to walk five miles to school in the win- 
ter. When nineteen, he clerked in the store of 
J. B. Butler, a cousin of General B. F. Butler. 
On December 11, 1861, he enlisted in the first 
Oregon Cavalry, Company B, as sergeant. In 
May, 1862, he was sent to Walla Walla then 
across the plains to protect emigrants. The 
next year he was ordered to Lapwai to treat 
with Chief Joseph, the father of the present 
Chief Joseph. In March, 1864, the Indians 
became hostile and he went with others to quiet 
them, Lieutenant Watson being in command 
of the soldiers together with fifty friendly 
Warm Spring Indians. They met the savages 
at Crooked river and gave battle, and Lieuten- 
ant Watson with a number of the others was 
killed. Our subject was discharged on De- 
cember n, 1864, at Vancouver. Soon after 
that he was married and settled in Clackamas 



county, Oregon, until 1872, being engaged in 
farming. Then he came to Columbia county, 
Washington, with his brother-in-law, S. R. 
Taylor, and took up the sheep business. In 
1878, he moved to Dayton and there was dep- 
uty sheriff under R. P. Steen. In 1880, he was 
nominated for sheriff by the Democrats but lost 
the election by seven votes. The county was 
one hundred and fifty Republican. In 1882, 
Mr. Gibson moved to Pomeroy and took 
charge of the planing mill, then was city mar- 
shal and recorder for seven years, after which 
he engaged in the sheep business with R. P. 
Steen in Nez Perces county, Idaho. After this 
partnership was dissolved, he brought his stock 
to Washington to the Grande Ronde river. In 
1893, Mr - Gibson formed a partnership with 
his son-in-law, G L. Campbell, the concern 
being known as the Gibson-Campbell Land and 
Live Stock Company, incorporated. They 
bought government and railroad land until they 
had twenty sections, which today is one of the 
largest fields of fenced grazing land in the state 
of Washington. The land was sold lately to Mr. 
Campbell for twenty thousand dollars and he 
is now living a retired life in Pomeroy. Mr. 
Gibson has two beautiful residences in Pom- 
eroy, and also some farm land in the Willa- 
mette valley. 

On December 2.2, 1864, at Clackamas, Ore- 
gon, Mr. Gibson married Miss Leura, daughter 
of Benjamin and Mary (Oden) Homesly. The 
father was born in Tennessee, in 18 18, crossed 
the plains in 1852, is still living in Clackamas 
county, Oregon, and has followed blacksmith- 
ing all his life. The mother was born in War- 
ren county, Missouri, in 1823, and died cross- 
ing the plains in 1852. Mrs. Gibson was born 
in Warren county, Missouri, in 1848, and has 
one sister, Sarah, born in the same county, in 
185 1, now the wife of S. R. Taylor. To Mr. 
and Mrs. Gibson the following children have 
been born, May M., October 16, 1865, in Clack- 
amas county, Oregon, now the wife of C. S. 
Jerard, a prominent business man of Dayton, 



592 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



who has served two terms as representative in 
the state legislature; Albertia, born on August 
I, 1868, and the wife of G. L. Campbell, a 
prominent business man at Pomeroy; Ralph 
R., born November 25, 1877, and married 
June 7, 1903, to Georgie Harris; Sarah S., 
born November 25, 1877, and the wife of T. 
C. Nye, second salesman of Tull & Gibbs, of 
Spokane; Emery E., born February 25, 1879, 
an invalid as the result of pneumonia. 

During his term of service in the sheriff's 
office, Mr. Gibson had much difficult and try- 
ing work to perform and was always sent when 
it was necessary to capture desperate charac- 
ters, there being many of them in the country 
at that time. He was known as a determined, 
cool and courageous man, who never failed to 
bring his prisoner. In 1862, when Mr. Gib- 
son was passing from Pomeroy to the sheep 
ranch, he stopped with Frank Sherry, at the 
City Hotel, in Asotin, Washington. That 
night a man by the name of Meyers, who was 
afterward hanged in Pomeroy, set the hotel on 
fire and Sherry was burned to death. Mr. Gib- 
son barely escaped with his life, being forced 
to jump from the chamber window. He was 
badly burned. 



-+—+- 



F. V. MESSENGER, who is now the 
efficient and popular assessor of Garfield 
county, Washington, is a man of energy and 
push, and has demonstrated his worth in his 
labors in this county for some time. He owns 
considerable farm property and has the same 
leased out. His term in the assessor's office 
has continued uninterruptedly since 1900, and 
he has given the best of satisfaction in this try- 
ing position. However, his excellent judgment 
and keen sense of justice have enabled him to 
so adjust matters that all could see them right 
and so the duties cf this usually irksome office 
have been discharged to the approval of all. 

F. V. Messenger was born in Wayne 



county, Iowa, on November 5, 1869, the son 
of R. H. and Arbella (Kirkpatrick) Messen- 
ger, natives of Ohio. The father came to 
Iowa when a boy and gave his attention to 
farming there until 1880, when he journeyed 
on west to Pomeroy. He settled here and was 
one of the leading citizens of the community 
until 1896, when he decided to spend some 
time on the sound. He is now residing at 
Everett. Our subject received his early edu- 
cation in the district schools of Iowa, and then 
completed his studies in the Huntsville acad- 
emy and the Pullman college. During these 
days of study he also paid considerable at- 
tention to military matters and has studied 
in that line. Upon the completion of his edu- 
cation, Mr. Messenger turned his attention to 
farming in Garfield county, and continued 
those labors with the attendance of good suc- 
cess until the people called him to assume the 
office of assessor of the county. For two terms 
he has continued in this capacity, and, as men- 
tioned above, he has shown commendable wis- 
dom and skill, which have rendered him very 
popular with the people. Mr. Messenger has 
always shown a keen interest in politics as well 
as in education matters and he is ever found 
on the side of good government and improve- 
ment. 



■♦ » » 



DAVID W. FARANCE, one of Garfield 
county's prosperous farmers and stockmen, 
resides about a mile east from Ping. He was 
born in Knox county, Missouri,- on December 
22, 1857. His mother, -Sarah (Hustead) Far- 
ance, was born in the same county. The father, 
Henry Farance, was a native of West Virginia 
and came to Missouri when a young man, being 
a pioneer of that state. In 1889, he journeyed 
west to Garfield county and here remained until 
his death. After gaining a good education in 
the public schools of his native place Mr. Far- 
ance began farming for himself in Missouri. 
This he continued until 1884, when he came to 





Mrs. David W. Farance 



David W. Farance 





J. Denny Ashbj 



Mary A. Montgomery 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



593 



Washington to seek a home. He finally decided 
to locate where we find him at the present time 
and since then he has always been found indus- 
triously engaged in the avocation which he is 
now following. He owns 640 acres of land, 
which has been brought to a high state of culti- 
vation and improved in a becoming manner. 
He handles cattle and horses in addition to 
farming. Mr. Farance has a comfortable and 
tasty home and is one of the highly respected 
men of the community. 

In 1891 occurred the marraige of Mr. Far- 
ance and Mrs. Malinda Jones, a native of Sa- 
lem, Oregon. Her father, C. Bumgartner, 
crossed the plains as a pioneer to Oregon about 
the middle of the century. To Mr. and Mrs. 
Farance five children have been born : Vina, 
William B., Louie, Edna and Arthur Eugene, 
aged seven months. 



JOHN J. ASHBY, an 1874 pioneer of 
Garfield county, was born in Illinois in 1847, 
the son of Solomon and Jane (Ripley) Ashby, 
natives of Montreal and New York respect- 
ively. Solomon Ashby departed this life at 
Pomeroy, on November 28, 1904, while his 
faithful wife followed ten days later, December 
7, 1904. Thus two of the beloved pathfinders 
of Garfield county have gone on to their last 
rest, while their work still testify to their good 
qualities. Our subject resides at Pomeroy, 
Washington, at the present time, and is a man 
of good standing, being one of the leading citi- 
zens of the county of Garfield. His education 
was received in his native place and in 1865 he 
came across the plains with his parents, driving 
a span of mules and a span of horses to one 
wagon the entire journey. He had the mis- 
fortune to start out without a brake on the 
wagon and it was no small task to get down 
some of the steep hills in safety; how- 
ever no serious accident happened and they 
reached the Willamette valley, where their 

38 



residence was made until 1874, when a loca- 
tion was selected where the old home is 
now in Garfield county. Mr. Ashby took a 
homestead in Pataha flat, where he resided 
until 1884, when he went to Falling Spring and 
there opened another farm. This property is 
now leased and Mr. Ashby is retired and living 
in Pomeroy. He has about one section or better 
of choice wheat land and is one of the well to 
do' men of the county. He is to be commended 
for his industry and skill shown in his labors 
here during the long years wherein the country 
has grown from a wilderness to a populous and 
wealthy section. 

In Marion County, Oregon, on October 27, 
1872, Mr. Ashby married Miss Mary Denny, 
who was born in that county in 1855. Her 
father, John F. Denny was born in Wash- 
ington county, Indiana, in 18 19, and came 
to Oregon in 1852, where he secured a 
donation claim of one-half section. He 
was closely identified with the upbuilding 
and welfare of the young territory, and in 
1868 was chosen to the legislature from 
Marion county. He was a life long Repub- 
lican and an intelligent man. In i860 he was 
ordained a ministeer of the methodist church by 
Bishop C. W. Clark. He has a brother, Hon. 
A. A. Denny, of Seattle. D. T. Denny, a mem- 
ber of the same family, was the first white set- 
tler where the great city of Seattle now stands. 
He built the first cabin there, the year being 
1 85 1, when he was nineteen years of age. Two 
years later he staked out a very large portion 
of the land now included in Seattle, and so 
wisely did he manipulate that he soon had a 
city started and his wealth increased to over 
three millions. His death occurred on Decem- 
ber 25, 1903. 

Mrs. Ashby's paternal grandfather, John 
Denny, was appointed governor of Washington 
by Lincoln in 1861, and the doings of the fam- 
ily have been important items in history which 
are well known. The mother of Mrs. Ashby 
was Frances (Garret) Denny. She was born in 



594 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY 



Knox county, Indiana, on March 20, 182 1, and 
died in Salem, Oregon, on February 8, 1894. 
Two of this venerable lady's brothers were 
veterans in the Civil War, and she has one 
nephew, John Garret, now a presiding elder in 
the Methodist church. To Mr. and Mrs. Ashby 
two children have been born, Jennie, in Weston, 
Oregon, on December 23, 1873, wn0 died in 
July, 1887. The other child is J. D., who was 
born on February 8, 1876, on Pataha flat. 
After completing the district and high schools, 
he, in 1895, matriculated in the Idaho Univer- 
sity, taking up the classical course as well as 
paying considerable attention to military mat- 
ters. After this he was in the university in 
Portland and finally graduated from the Wes- 
leyan University of Montana, in 1899, with the 
degree of Bachelor of Arts, the first one born 
in this county to receive the degree. For one 
year he was professor of science and higher 
mathematics in the university and then devoted 
some time to post graduate studies, giving es- 
pecial attention to literature and oratory. He 
was greatly interested in athletics and was the 
leading member of the debating societies in the 
various universities where he studied. In the 
state contests he took a prominent part and won 
all prizes competed for in the last three years 
in the medical college. In 1900, Mr. Ashby en- 
tered the New York Homeopathic Medical 
School and had he been spared would have re- 
ceived his degree in 1905. 

On August 2, 1904, while in bathing on the 
beach at Oak Island, near Fire Island, in com- 
pany with Misses Bieber and Oughtred, trained 
nurses in the sanitarium, on Muncy Island, 
- New York, a tremendous wave caught Mr. 
Ashby and Miss Oughtred and they were both 
drowned. His body was recovered the next 
day and shipped direct to Pomeroy for burial. 
No other death in Garfield county has caused 
such general sorrow and was so universally 
mourned as that of Denny Ashby. He was a 
native son of Garfield county and was person- 
ally known to and greatly beloved to nearly 



every resident in the county. Miss Ada Ough- 
tred, who lost her life with Mr. Ashby, was his 
affianced wife. The announcement of their en- 
gagement was made only the morning before 
they were drowned. Mr. Ashby was a stanch 
member of the Methodist church and was fit- 
ting himself for a medical missionary. Miss 
Oughtred, being a trained nurse, intended to 
share her part in this noble work. From early 
life Mr. Ashby was always a strong Christian 
and while attending the Portland University 
was president of the Y. M. C. A., and also dele- 
gate to the state convention. When a member 
of the faculty of the Wesleyan institution in 
Montana he used to go to the poor farm and 
hold services, and also visited the penal institu- 
tions and offered consolation to the inmates. 



•» « » 



MARY A. MONTGOMERY resides 
about four miles south from Pataha in Garfield 
county and is engaged in overseeing and super- 
intending her farm and stock ranch. That she 
is successful in handling these related indus- 
tries is evidenced from the property that she 
has accumulated and the wisdom manifested. 
Few women possess the natural executive abil- 
ity that does Miss Montgomery and it is very 
gratifying to know that in financial matters she 
has been blessed with abundance! and ranks 
with the leading citizens in this wealthy county. 

Mary A. Montgomery was born in Illinois, 
on January 26, 1853, being the daughter of 
Robert and Louisa Montgomery. During her 
early life, she attended the common schools 
then finished her education in the high schools 
of the town where she lived. Being thus fa- 
vored with a fine education she was well forti- 
fied for any of the ordinary duties of life but 
about this time, her health broke down. Not 
being benefitted by extensive doctoring in the 
east her parents decided to come west, thinking 
that the climate might prove beneficial to her. 
Accordingly they crossed the plains and their 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



595 



hopes were fully realized for Miss Montgomery 
began to improve at once and soon became rug- 
ged and hearty once more. Since then she has 
continued in the west and given her attention to 
securing a good estate. She has now one half 
section of extra fine land and a large band of 
cattle. In addition to this property, she owns 
an interest in a coal mine in Washington and 
also stock in the famous Standard Oil Com- 
pany. Miss Montgomery has a beautiful home., 
one of the choicest residences in the country. It 
is evident even to the cursory observer that 
prosperity dwells with her and thrift is plainly 
seen in everything. Miss Montgomery has 
hosts of friends and is known as a kind, consci- 
entious, and upright woman. 

Miss Montgomery's parents are both de- 
ceased, but she has one brother, George, and 
one sister, Mrs. Almira Furguson, who until 
recently were residents of Columbia county, but 
now dwell in Marshfield, Oregon. 



MARMAXDUKE X. JEFFREYS resides 
one mile south from Peola. where he has a 
good farm. At the present time he is engaged 
in stage driving between Pomeroy and some of 
the outlying districts and is known as one of the 
most careful and skillful horsemen in the 
country. For eleven years he has handled 
the ribbons successfully, never missing a trip, 
a record which is hard to beat. He was born 
in Missouri in 1865. His father. Marman- 
duke X. Jeffreys, was born in Indiana, in 1846. 
He enlisted in the First Arkansas Regiment, 
in 1863. and did good service until his honor- 
able discharge in 1865. He is still living. He 
married Mrs. Nancy Kidwell, who was born 
in Tennessee, in 1839. and is still living with 
her husband. The common schools of Mis- 
souri furnished the educational training of our 
subject and the rest of the time of his eirly 
life was spent in the invigorating exercise of 
farm work until 1880. Then in company with 



his parents, he took the long journey across the 
plains to 'Washington, and had the experience 
of driving a team the entire distance. In due 
time they arrived in Washington without 
especial incident more than the wear and tear 
of the journey. After careful investigation, 
they determined to settle in what is now Gar- 
field county, and accordingly selected a place 
near Peola. Our subject took a homestead and 
here he has remained ever since. For the first 
eleven years. Mr. Jeffreys, as mentioned above, 
has made the trip so regularly on the stage that 
it would hardly seem the stage was running 
if he was not handling the horses. He is well 
known throughout the county and is a man 
of reliability and good standing. 

At Peola, on December 25. 1887. Mr. Jeff- 
reys married Miss Xancy R. Foster, who was 
bcrn in Oregon, in 1870. Her parents. Gren- 
ville and Cinthia (Long) Foster, were born in 
Tennessee, and were among the early pioneers 
to thread their way across the dreary plains. 
They settled in Oregon and hewed themselves 
out a home. This they sold and in 1899, re- 
moved to Garfield county, and are now living 
near Peola. retired from active business. 

Politically, Mr. Jeffreys is allied with the 
Republican party, and is always in line to do 
excellent work for the execution of 
those principles which he believes to be 
for the welfare of the community. 
Fraternally, he is a member of the W. 
W., and is a genial man with hosts of friends. 
Of Mr. Jeffreys it may be said, that in all his 
services, he has shown perserverance and faith- 
fulness, and that he has had power to accom- 
plish in a satisfactory manner whatever his 
hand found to do. is evidenced by the satis- 
faction he has given his employers with whom 
he stands exceptionally well as he does also 
in the community. . 

In 1904. Mr. Jeffreys was nominated by 
the Republican party for county assessor, and 
?t the polls he received a majority of two hun- 
dred and eighty-nine. This is the largest ma- 



596 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



jority given any candidate in the county save 
one, who received two hundred and ninety 
majority. Mr. Jeffreys carried every precinct 
except one, and also carried the precinct where 
his opponent lived. He will make a splendid 
officer and takes up the duties of the position 
with the confidence of the people. 

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffreys have four children, 
Simon F., aged fifteen; Elmer M., twelve years 
old, Sidney S., eight years old, and Vera, who 
in deceased. 



HENRY M. DIXON is a good example 
of one starting in life with nothing and gain- 
ing by his own efforts and wisdom, a comfort- 
able fortune. He is a leading farmer and 
stockman of Garfield county and resides just 
southeast from Gould City. His birth oc- 
curred in Cedar county, Missouri, on May 2, 
1862. His parents, William R. and Nancy 
(Privett) Dixon, were natives of Indiana and 
Tennessee, respectively. The father settled in 
Missouri when a young man, and took land 
in Cedar county, where he remained until his 
death, being then a wealthy and prominent citi- 
zen. The mother came to Missouri with her 
parents when a child of eight years. The 
father was loyal to the Union at the time of the 
Civil War, and fought in that conflict. The 
common schools of Missouri furnished the 
educational training of our subject, and he re- 
mained in that country until nearly twenty- 
one years of age, when he began a tour of the 
west, landing: in Davton, in 1881. One sum- 
mer was spent there and then Mr. Dixon came 
on to Garfield county and has been here ever 
since. His present location was selected in 
1883, and by purchase and government rights 
he has secured a title to four hundred and 
eighty acres of choice land. He has made the 
estate one of the valuable ones of the county, 
having brought it to a high state of cultivation 
and provided it with all improvements as house, 
barn and other buildings and conveniences, 



machinery, stock and so forth. His is a very 
pleasant rural abode, and Mr. Dixon is pos- 
sessed of the happy faculty of enjoying life as. 
he goes along. 

On April 15, 1895, Mr. Dixon married 
Miss Mary L. Brunton, who was born in Kan 7 
sns, and came to this country with her parents, 
when a child. Her father, Daniel Brunton, 
was also a native of Illinois, and settled in 
Garfield county during the pioneer days of this 
state and has remained there since. His wife, 
Susan Brunton, is still living. To Mr. and 
Mrs. Dixon, three children have been born, 
Elton J., Eva G., and Charles W. The pros- 
pects were quite uninviting here when Mr. 
Dixon started without means to build a home 
in the wild country. He is richly endowed 
with determination and pluck, and has the hap- 
py faculty of looking on the bright side of 
everything ; consequently he went to work with 
a will, and although he encountered his full 
share of hardship and deprivation, he sur- 
mounted all and continued in his industry until 
he became one of the wealthy men of the- 
county. 

While being prospered in his career, he has 
not forgotten that the higher part of life deals 
with principles of uprightness and integrity, 
and has so conducted himself that he has won 
the esteem of all who know him. 



SAMUEL G. COSGROVE is as well 
known in southeastern Washington as any 
other resident of Garfield county. He is oc- 
cupied in practicing law and the oversight of 
his property. In political life, military activity, 
business enterprise, as well as in his profes- 
sional career, he has always shown ability of 
a high order, and won from friend and foe 
alike, the encomiums demanded by true genius 
and the proper activities of a bright mind and 
scholarly attainments. 

Samuel G. Cosgrove was born on a farm 
in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, on April 10, 1847,. 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



597 



the son of Elliott and Emily (Berkshire) Cos- 
grove. The father was born in Pennsylvania 
and came of Irish ancestry. He was a pioneer 
to Ohio, and followed farming until his death 
which occurred on May 2, 1897, he being aged 
eighty-four. The mother was born in Virginia 
•of a prominent southern family, which came to 
Ohio in pioneer days. She died on April 10, 
1876. Our subject began the intricacies of the 
English language in the common schools, from 
which he was called by the needs of his country, 
and in 1863, he enlisted in Company E, Four- 
teenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, being then 
but sixteen years of age. He went in as pri- 
vate and was in various skirmishes and battles 
from Chattanooga to Atlanta, and until the 
surrender of Johnson at Holly Springs, North 
Carolina. He also took part in the grand re- 
view at Washington. In July, 1865, he was 
mustered out under an order mustering out 
the oldest veteran regiments. Then Mr. Cos- 
grove determined to complete his education, 
and accordingly entered the Ohio Wesleyan 
University, at Delaware, Ohio, and graduated 
with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, in 1873. 
Then. he took up teaching and followed it for 
five years. During this time he read law under 
the direction of Hollister & Okey, a prominent 
firm of lawyers at Woodsfield, Ohio, and was 
admitted to the bar in 1875, and in 1878, he 
received the degree of Master of Arts from his 
alma mater. In 1881, Mr. Cosgrove came to 
the Pacific coast, and spent one year in mining. 
In 1883, after having traveled over the 
country for some time, he located in Pomeroy, 
and here he has since given his entire attention 
to the practice of law. He was a member of 
the constitutional convention and has been 
mayor of Pomeroy for five terms. The last 
three times he was elected unanimously. In 
1900, Mr. Cosgrove was a McKinley and 
Roosevelt elector, and led the ticket here by 
one thousand majority. In 1904, he was a 
Poosevelt elector, and received 72,000 major- 
ity. Mr. Cosgrove is one of Washington's 



leading attorneys, and has shown himself a 
master in his profession. He is a careful stud- 
ent and has won his way to the top, not alone 
by lenson of natural ability, but because of 
his consummate energy in studying every de- 
tail of his case, by the vast fund of erudition 
which has been acquired through his diligence 
and studiousness, and by his power as a 
forensic orator. His acumen and rare ability 
to make lucid all questions pertaining to his 
practice have contributed materially to his suc- 
cess as well. 

On June 25, 1878, Mr. Cosgrove married 
Miss Zephorena Edgerton, a native of Ohio. 
She was educated in Cleveland, in the schools 
handled by her husband, and is a woman of 
grace and culture. Mrs. Cosgrove's father is 
Ezekiel Edgerton, a mechanic in Ohio. Mr. 
Cosgrove has always given his time to serve 
on the school board, and his interest in educa- 
tional matters is ever unflagging. He is a 
member of the I. O. O. F., and has passed all 
the chairs of that order. He has also been 
grand master of the Washington jurisdiction 
and is now Grand representative of the sover- 
eign grand lodge from his state. Mr. Cos- 
grove has filled all the important offices of the 
local G. A. R., and in 1889-90 was also de- 
partment commander of the jurisdiction of 
Washington and Alaska. In 1895, at Louis- 
ville, Kentucky, he was chosen junior vice 
commander in chief, a national office of the 
Grand Army. Mr. Cosgrove is also a member 
of the A. F. & A. M. 

It is of interest in this connection to note 
that Mr. Cosgrove has campaigned for the 
Republican party in every election for the last 
twenty-one years, and has missed but three 
state or national conventions during that time- 
In addition to his professional business 
Mr. Cosgrove attends to the oversight of his 
farm and other property.' He has a pleasant 
home and three children have come to gladden 
the parents, Howard G, Elliott E., and Zepho- 
rena M. 



598 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



CHARLES A. NORBERG. Some four 
miles east from Ping- post-office lies the estate 
of Mr. Norberg. It consists of one-half section 
of grain land in addition to which he farms five 
hundred acres of rented land. He has a good 
home, and is a prosperous man. Mr. Norberg 
is a hard worker and has given value received 
for everything that he possesses at the present 
time. Not being inclined to a speculative ten- 
dency, he has been industrious and economical 
and the result is a good property holding at the 
present time, which has been accumulated by 
wise and bard labor, and is therefore, 
thoroughly appreciated. C. A. Norberg was 
born in Minnesota on July 23, 1868. His 
father, Peter Norberg, was born in Sweden 
and came to America in 1857. In very early 
days he settled on a farm in Minnesota and 
was soon chased away by the warlike Sioux 
Indians. He went to Illinois and remained for 
three years, then went back to his old home in 
Minnesota, being one of the first settlers of that 
country. In 1877, he came to Pataha, Wash- 
ington, and there remained until his death. 
The mother of our subject, Martha Norberg, 
a native of Sweden, was with her husband in 
all his adventures and travels as a pioneer. 
At one time, when the family was living in 
Minnesota, a band of Indians appeared and 
Mr. Norberg hastily transferred his family to 
an island in the lake nearby and then returned 
to defend his property against the savages. 
Happily, they chanced to be a friendly band, 
and there was no loss, either of property or 
life. Our subject came to Garfield county with 
his father, being a lad of nine years of age at 
that time. His education was obtained in the 
common schools of Minnesota, and this was 
gained during the first eighteen years of his 
life. He also had learned well the stock busi- 
ness and farming, and when eighteen, rented 
his father's farm and operated that for three 
years. Then he went to Oregon and engaged 
in the cattle business for two years. After 
this, we find him in IdaL>", doing lumbering 



for a couple of years, or until 1898, when he 
came to his present location. For two years 
he rented land here, then purchased a half 
section which is now his home place and is 
well improved. This, together with the land 
he rents, makes over eight hundred acres of 
grain he handles each year. Being a skillful 
and wise farmer, Mr. Norberg is doing well 
and is becoming one of the wealthy citizens 
of the county. 

He did freighting with ox teams in 1 880-1 
from Walla Walla to Lewiston, and the hard- 
ships endured in the early days can never be 
forgotten. 

In 1889, Mr. Norberg married Miss Lillie 
B., the daughter of Newton N. Estes. Her 
father came to the coast in 1852, and was a 
prominent stock man. He was also engaged 
in several Indian wars, during the pioneer 
days and showed that fearlessness and sturdi- 
ness was necessary to the frontiersman. 

To Mr. and Mrs. Norberg four children 
have been born, C. Newton, Clarence, Mar- 
vin and Leo L. 



DRAPER C. BUTLER is one o'f the lead- 
ing stockmen and farmers of Garfield county. 
He resides at Ping, and owns property in 
various other sections. He was born in War- 
ren county, Illinois, on July 2j, 1852. His 
father, William C. Butler, was a native of 
Kentucky and a surveyor by profession. 
When a young man, he went to Illinois and 
did some of the first surveying ever done in 
that state, and was among the very earliest 
settlers there. In 1859, he journeyed to the 
new territory of Kansas, and thence to Mis- 
souri in 1867. In 1877, he crossed the plains 
with horse teams to Umatilla county, and con- 
tinued in that vicinity until his death in 1894. 
He was a very prominent and influential man 
in the various communities where he resided. 
During his life he was a staunch supporter 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



599 



of the Christian faith, and a member of the 
Christian church. While in Illinois, he as- 
sisted to route the Mormans from Nauvoo. 
His father, Peter Butler, the grandfather of 
our subject, was an officer in the Blackhawk 
war. Mr. William C. Butler married Rebecca 
E. Lucas, a native of Warren county, Ken- 
tucky, and she was a faithful and efficient help- 
mate to her husband in all his labors and 
journeys. During their long and faithful life, 
they were always on the frontier. Our sub- 
ject gathered his education from the various 
places where the family lived in Illinois, Kan- 
sas, Missouri and Washington, and grew up 
amid the surroundings of the frontier life. 
During his boyhood days, he never saw other 
than the log cabin schools, provided with 
puncheon benches and floors. It was 1873, 
that he came to this country, and in July of 
that year, he settled on a homestead five and 
one half miles south from Pomeroy. Upon 
taking stock and finding that he was without 
cash or anything that could be converted into 
that commodity, he went to Walla Walla and 
worked for wages to secure money to live and 
to improve the place. Times were very 
hard and many of the settlers became dis- 
couraged, but Mr. Butler had always lived on 
the frontier and was not to be driven off by 
the hardships of pioneer life. Accordingly, he 
plodded on, although squirrels took his crop 
one year and crickets the next, and various 
other things at different times. In 1888 he sold 
his property at Pomeroy and settled in 
Meadow Gulch, where he took up horse rais- 
ing. In 1892, he came to his present location 
at Ping, and bought land. He has since added 
until the estate is one thousand and twenty 
acres. In the Breakdown country, he has eight 
hundred acres more, besides a valuable home 
place at Vineland, Washington. Mr. Butler has 
come to be one of the prosperous and wealthy 
men of the country, and may well take pride 
in what he has accomplished here. 

In 1882, Mr. Butler married Miss Ella V. 



Davidson, of Polk county, Oregon. Four 
years after the nupitals were celebrated, Mrs. 
Butler died, and two children died the same 
year. A second marriage was contracted and 
on this occasion, Miss Minnie Travis became 
the bride of our subject. She is a native of 
Missouri, and the daughter of John Travis, 
a veteran of the Blackhawk war. He crossed 
the plains in 1870, and located in Washington. 



ALBERT B. WHITE is one of the 
younger men who have achieved marked suc- 
cess in Garfield county. He may be found at 
the present time at the head of a very thriving 
livery business in Pomeroy, which is the re- 
sult of his painstaking labor and excellent busi- 
ness ability. He has the finest stable in the 
city and is favored with a splendid patronage. 
His carriages and road wagons are of the best, 
while his stock is as choice as can be found in 
any barn in this portion of Washington. Mr. 
White never leaves anything undone that is 
for the comfort and safety of his patrons, and 
the result is that he has gained the confidence 
and good will of the public. 

Albert B. White was born in Michigan, in 
1876. His father, John F. White, was born 
in Michigan, in 1845, an ^ ^ s now living in 
Pomeroy. The mother of our subject died 
when he was an infant and his father married 
again. Albert B. went with the family to 
Dakota when six years of age, and there re- 
mained eight years, during which time he was 
diligently pursuing his studies in the public 
schools. In 1890, they went to the Willamette 
valley and there he continued his educational 
training for three years. It was 1893 when 
he arrived in Dayton, and for six years he was 
steadily occupied in working on a ranch for 
wages. Then he came into Pomeroy, and in- 
side of a year had Opened a good livery barn, 
and since that time has given his entire atten- 
tion to operating the business and bringing it to 



6oo 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



its present prosperous condition. The barn 
is a fine large edifice, neat and attractive and, 
as stated before, supplied with everything 
needed in a first class livery business. Mr. 
White rightly takes pride in his business and 
his energy and skill have been displayed with 
practical success. In addition to the property 
mentioned, Mr. White owns interests with sev- 
eral very promising mineral prospects and in 
an oil well. , 

In 1902, Mr. White married Miss Lesam- 
na Scroggins. He has one brother, Charles, 
a farmer living in the vicinity of Pomeroy. 
Mr. White is a very popular young man, and 
has made excellent records for himself since 
coming to this state. 



GEORGE BENSON KUYKENDALL, 
M. D., is too well knowi ; n southeastern Wash- 
ington to need introduction in this capacity, 
while also in medical and scientific circles he 
is equally well received, being also a man of 
recognized literary ability. 

George Benson Kuykendall was born near 
Terre Haute, Indiana, on January 22, 1843, 
the son of John Kuykendall, who in turn was 
descended from a long l.'ne of ancestry promi- 
nent in the professional and mechanical world. 
The grandfather of our subject, Henry Kuy- 
kendall, was one of the pathfinders in the wilds 
where now is the great state of Indiana, where 
he built and operated saw and flouring mills to 
supply the wants of the early pioneers of that 
state. In this same business he was succeeded 
by his sons. When three years old George 
went to Wisconsin with his father and in 1852 
the family set out across the great western 
plains in ox-team conveyances to the Pacific 
coast. That year has passed into history as 
being one of the hardest ever experienced by 
emigrants coming to the far west. They fol- 
lowed in the wake of disease and massacre, and 
many an abandoned outfit, with thousands of 



dead and dying animals and hundreds of new 
made graves bore testimony to the suffering 
and privations of the hardy emigrants. 

After crossing the Snake river at Salmon 
Falls the father was taken sick with the dread 
typhoid fever, and for many weary weeks he 
suffered while the train dragged its slow way 
across the deserts of southern Idaho. Their 
stock became so poor and weak that they with 
wagons had to be abandoned; other members 
of the family were taken sick while they were 
yet surrounded with hostile savages and many 
hundreds of miles from refuge and civilization. 
The effects of our subject's father were trans- 
ferred to the wagon of a brother who was shar- 
ing the misfortunes of the trying journey. Af- 
ter almost increditable suffering and privations 
they at last reached The Dalles, Oregon, where 
they loaded their household goods upon a flat 
boat and started down the Columbia for Port- 
land. Somewhere near the Cascades a little 
sister of our subject sickened and died, and 
though they marked the grave, no member of 
the family has ever been able to find it. 

On October 19 they reached Portland, Ore- 
gon, and went on up to Milwaukee where they 
passed the winter. The following spring and 
summer were spent on the Tualatin plains near 
Forest Grove. In the fall of 1853 they jour- 
neyed on to the Umpqua valley near Roseburg, 
where they stopped and located. 

Amid the wilds of western Oregon, in the 
midst of savages, our subject was reared, and 
like the rail splitter president, he knew almost 
every book in the houses of the settlers. He 
took equal delight in the joys of biography, his- 
tory and travel, and early acquired a profound 
liking for writings on psychology and mental 
philosophy. His father noting his fondness for 
reading and study procured for him as far as 
his limited means would permit good books, 
though it was often at a considerable sacrifice. 
When arrived at young manhood's estate Mr. 
Kuykendall was amply fitted to enter the Willa- 
mette University, and in due time, after ma- 




G. B. Kuykendall 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



601 



triculating, he graduated at the head of his 
class, receiving the degree of Doctor of Medi- 
cine. Soon afterwards he received a govern- 
ment appointment as physician at Fort Simcoe, 
Washington. 

Here the young doctor was privileged to 
pursue farther the intensely interesting science 
of medicine, in its various departments. It 
was here he became expert in microscopy and 
gained a vast fund of erudition by chemical re- 
search. He was the first on the Pacific coast 
to take up micro-photographic work to illus- 
trate histology and pathology, and by means of 
special apparatus devised by himself he suc- 
ceeded in producing a large number of micro- 
photographic enlargements, showing histolog- 
ical and pathological structures. He studied 
the masters in tokology and became exception- 
ally skilled as an obstetrician. 

The doctor did not confine his studies to 
these branches alone but pursued enthusiasti- 
cally medico-legal science to the extent that he 
became an expert in forensic medicine and med- 
ical jurisprudence. 

At the suggestion and request of Prof, 
Powell of the Bureau of Ethnology in the 
Smithsonian Institute, he took up as a side line 
the study of the ethnology of the native races 
of the northwest. He prepared and published a 
number of papers on this subject, which have 
been favorably received by ethnologists, and 
are considered valuable contributions to this 
science. A number of these have found their 
way into leading publications and are consid- 
ered to be standard. 

In 1882 the doctor resigned his position at 
Fort Simcoe and located in Pomeroy, Wash- 
ington, beginning at once the practice of medi- 
cine, and later started a drug business. 

Success attended him from the start and he 
is the recipient of the confidence of the people 
as a skillful surgeon, a successful practitioner, 
and a true gentleman of integrity and worth. 
The doctor believes in progress and practices 
his belief in daily life, for his library is filled 



with the choicest and latest works on all sub- 
jects pertaining to the science of medicine, and 
he is a constant and thorough reader. He 
takes the leading journals and is fully abreast 
of the times and is also an original thinker and 
investigator. His office is equipped with all 
the latest appliances known to the science, in- 
cluding a full outfit for modern aseptic surgery, 
latest X-ray apparatus, static, faradic and gal- 
vanic electrical appliances and many other 
things which make it one of the finest offices of 
the west. His establishment is a credit to Pom- 
eroy and would be to any city on the coast. 

Dr. KuykendalTs brothers and sisters are 
mentioned as follows : H. C, a machinist in 
California; E. W., land owner and stock man 
of southern Oregon; J. W.. a retired Methodist 
minister in San Jose, California ; Dr. William, 
a prominent physician of Oregon, residing at 
Eugene and state senator and president of the 
Oregon Senate; and Mrs. Lessie Pickering, 
wife of Major Abner Pickering, of the Twen- 
ty-second Infantry, U. S. A., now stationed at 
Mindanao, in the Philippine Islands. 

In 1868, at Oakland, Oregon, Dr. G. B. 
Kuykendall married Miss E. J. Butler, and to 
them have been born eight children ; Chester 
E., a druggist in Pomeroy; E. V., an attorney 
in Pomeroy, formerly county attorney of Gar- 
field county; George V., a telegraph operator; 
William B., a student in college; Hubert, in 
the high school ; Minnie Pearl, a stenographer ; 
Grace O., wife of G C. Start, a real estate man 
in Pomeroy; and Bessie, attending school. 

Mrs. Kuykendall's father, Benjamin Butler, 
was a pioneer who crossed the plains in ox 
wagons in 1853 anc ^ settled in southern Ore- 
gon. He. moved out to Washington and settled 
in Garfield county in 1879, anc ^ was elected to 
the office of county judge several terms. Mrs. 
Kuykendall received a good common school ed- 
ucation, and is a woman of most excellent nat- 
ural ability, and is especially gifted in diagnos- 
ing diseases and in the management of the sick. 
Dr. Kuykendall is a member of the A. O. U. 



602 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



W. and of the W. W. He is also U. S. pension 
examiner and examiner for nine of the leading 
life insurance companies of the United States. 
Dr. G. B. Kuykendall is a man of decided 
literary tastes and withal a lover of the beau- 
tiful and grand in nature. He has on different 
occasions written poems that indicate his abil- 
ity and taste in this direction. His "Address 
to the Columbia" received very flattering com- 
ments from literary critics ; it is a beautiful tri- 
bute to the grandeur of the greatest of rivers, 
"Where Rolls the Oregon," and will be found 
in another portion of this volume. 



H. M. MORRIS. When we look back to 
the time of the attack of treason on the grand 
flag that floats today unsullied, we are apt, 
because of the distance, to underestimate the 
conditions that then obtained. It is only when 
we see matters as they exist, that we can fully 
enter into the scene, and can form any ade- 
quate idea of the patriotism and valor dis- 
played by the brave defenders of our free in- 
stitutions. When we see one in these trying 
times, a mere boy of seventeen, so filled with 
zeal for his country and the principles which 
led his forefathers to suffer and to die, that 
he at once, upon the first call, quickly steps 
forward and offers his services, Ave are filled 
with admiration for his bravery and for his 
loyalty to the stars and stripes. But when 
we see the boy holding his place steadily in 
all the trying situations of the soldiers life, 
in battle and weary march, not simply until 
some certain time has elapsed, but until the 
entire struggle is ended, until treason has had 
her last gun spiked, until the noble flag is 
flung again free to the breezes of heaven, then 
we understand that in that character there is 
combined the promptness of true love of 
country and the stability that deserves the 
encomiums of a saved nation. Our subject 
has won a position by this extended service 



which neither money nor influence could buy, 
and it is a great pleasure to outline his career 
to those who will come hereafter. 

H. M. Morris was born in Van Buren 
county, Iowa, on -June 18, 1843, the son of 
Nelson S. and Catherine (Dickenson) Mor- 
ris, natives of Pennsylvania and Indiana, re- 
spectively. The father was brought to Iowa 
by his parents when a child, and in 1863 
crossed the plains to Walla Walla, where he 
remained until his death. The mother died in 
Iowa. Our subject received his education in 
the common schools and when seventeen laid 
aside his books to enlist in Company E, Third 
Iowa Cavalry, the date of this enrollment be- 
ing in August, 1 86 1. He was on the front all 
the time and served in the Mississippi and was 
beyond Sherman when that general went to 
sea. His command was to join Sherman, but 
the war closed before the plan was consum- 
mated. After his honorable discharge, he re- 
turned to Iowa, and there farmed until 1882, 
when he came to Walla Walla. This journey 
was made in the fall, and the next spring, he 
came on to Pomeroy and here remained. He 
was one of the substantial farmers of the 
county and had a good estate. 

On March 6, 1864, Mr. Morris married 
Miss Sarah A. Shadle, a native of Illinois. 
She accompanied her husband in his journeys 
since their marriage, and is now an esteemed 
lady of this section. Her parents are Joseph 
and Elizabeth (Slover) Shadle, natives of 
Pennsylvania. To Mr. and Mrs. Morris, six 
children were born, Ida E., Mary N., Francis 
M., Joseph N., deceased, Charles M., and Del- 
bert H. It is of interest that Mr. Morris' 
grand uncle, Robert Morris, was a signer of 
the Declaration of Independence. The family 
was prominent among the colonial patriots and 
was one of the strong families on the side of 
the American cause. 

Since the above was written, Mr. Morris 
has passed away. The death messenger came 
on November 2, 1904, and he quietly passed to 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



603 



the world beyond. He had done well the work 
of life and left many mourning friends be- 
hind. 



WILLIAM LONG has for seventeen 
years been postmaster as Ping, and during 
all this long service has given entire satis- 
faction to the patrons of this office. He is an 
upright and reliable man, and has the confi- 
dence and esteem of the entire community. He 
owns an estate of one section, where he dwells 
at the present time, and gives his attention to 
farming. 

On December 19, 1849, ^ was announced 
to Jacob T. and Susannah Long that a son 
was born to them, who is the subject of this 
sketch. They were Pennsylvanians by birth 
and pioneers to Ohio, in Holmes county, of 
which state occurred the birth above men- 
tioned. In 1865, they settled in Illinois and 
opened up a farm from the wild country. 
They became well to do people and were of 
that sturdy pioneer stock which opened up the 
country west of the Mississippi valley. Our 
subject was trained in the common schools of 
Ohio, then engaged in farming there and in 
Illinois, whither he went with his parents, 
until 1882. In that year, he put into execu- 
tion the purpose he had long cherished, of 
coming west. He visited different parts of 
the northwest and finally decided upon south- 
eastern Washington, with which he was very 
much pleased. He later selected a timber 
culture claim and a homestead and settled 
down to farm and improve them. This was in 
1884. Then he sold and purchased one-half 
section where he resides at present. Since he 
has purchased one half section more. Mr. 
Long has shown himself a very enterprising, 
progressive man, and his farm is one of the 
well improved places in this vicinity. 

On March 2, 1879, occurred the marriage 
of Mr. Long and Miss Ara A. Tetrick, a na- 
tive of Illinois. She accompanied her husband 



in all his various journeys since leaving Illi- 
nois, and to them have been born six children, 
named as follows; James W., William E., 
Charlie R., Myrtle D., Clandine E., and 
Pearl E. 

When Mr. Long started for himself in life, 
he had no capital whatever, and everything 
that he is now possessed of has been acquired 
by his own labors and wisdom. 



WILLIAM FLETCHER has certainly 
earned the title of pioneer and frontiersman and 
it should not be omitted that during his career 
in various places, he has met the Indians and 
has ever displayed a fortitude and bravery very 
commendable. When the settlers flocked to the 
protection of the towns in the late Indian wars, 
Mr. Fletcher sent his family in but remained 
alone on the farm to care for his property. His 
bravery was respected by the savages and he 
was left unharmed. He resides now about ten 
miles west from Pomeroy and devotes his at- 
tention to fruit farming and stock raising. 

William Fletcher was born in England, in 
1842 and his father, George Fletcher, was born 
in that same country in 1797, and was overseer 
of the estates and stock of Earl Fitzgerald. He 
remained with the Earl for a long time, then 
rented land and farmed for himself. He was 
very successful in financial matters and accum- 
ulated great wealth. He came to America to 
visit his son, the subject of this sketch, and died 
on the train while traveling. The mother of 
our subject was Mary Jane (Watte) Fletcher, 
who was born in England, in 1807, and there 
remained until her death. Her father was a 
large brick contractor in England and her 
brother, Joe Watte, had a third interest in the 
Third National Bank in Chicago, previous to 
the great fire. Our subject remained with his 
parents until eight years of age then began 
working for himself for wages. He gained 
what schooling he could along with his work 
and continued faithfully there until twenty-six 



<3o4 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



years of age. At that time, he came to Amer- 
ica and settled in Chicago where he drove a 
carriage for one year. After that, he was vari- 
ously engaged, gardening, then in the pineries, 
later farming and during all this time he was 
in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Chicago and the Che- 
rokee Nation. Not being satisfied with that 
country he went back to Iowa and Illinois and 
fed cattle and did wood draying. We next see 
him in Nebraska and later in the Cornucopia 
mines. He sold provisions in the mines then 
ran a tramway for the Blue Jacket mines. Fol- 
lowing that, he bought a ranch on the Lewis 
river, cleared it and sold it in two years. Then 
he was in The Dalles and finally after spending 
some time in Idaho, settled where we find him 
at the present time. He has two hundred acres 
of land, well improved, twenty of which are 
planted to apricots, prunes, pears, apples and 
peaches. The place is a very beautiful as well 
as profitable one and his skill and labor have 
been rewarded by the fine returns he receives 
each year, both from his orchards and from his 
herds. Mr. Fletcher was one of the early men 
•on the plains and saw much hardship, as well 
as experiencing great danger in fighting the 
Indians. 

At Liverpool, England, in 1868, Mr. 
Fletcher married Miss Mary Jane Watte, who 
was born in England, in 1847. Her parents 
were natives of England. The father's name 
was Abraham Watte. To this union the fol- 
lowing named children were born : Mrs. Sarah 
H. Remington, Mrs. Gertrude Miller, Martha, 
Olive, Albert, George, Mrs. Mary Berry, de- 
ceased, and Isabella, deceased. 

Mr. Fletcher is an influential and prominent 
citizen and enjoys the respect and esteem of all 
his fellows to a marked degree. 



WILLIAM H. LEONARD resides just 
west from Ping postoffice, where he owns an 
estate of eleven hundred acres. He gives his 
attention to stock raising and general farming, 



in which enterprise he has been especially pros- 
pered. He has bought Shorthorn cattle and 
has some excellent specimens. Mr. Leonard 
manifests an industry and thrift which com- 
mend him to his fellows and have brought him 
their due reward of prosperity and wealth. 

William H. Leonard was born in Vermilion 
county, Illinois, on March 1, i860. His par- 
ents were William J. and Sarah J. (Cronkhile) 
Lee, natives of Indiana. In the early days they 
moved to Illinois and there became well to do. 
Our subject began his education in the public 
schools of Illinois and when fourteen, jour- 
neyed west to California. There he settled for 
two years, then came to Washington. He com- 
pleted his education at Huntsville Seminary. 
In 1 88 1, he decided to locate in the territory 
now occupied in Garfield county and selected 
a homestead and pre-emption where he resides 
at the present time. He at once began to work 
in the improvement and cultivation of his es- 
tate and has added since by purchase until he 
has the amount mentioned. During all these 
years since first locating here, Mr. Leonard has 
continued steadily, laboring on at general farm- 
ing and stock raising and although he had the 
adversity and hardship to meet that is the cus- 
tomary life of the pioneer, still he has passed 
through it and is one of the well to do men of 
the section. Also it may be mentioned that Mr. 
Leonard started in life with very limited means 
and his present property has been gained by his 
own labors. 

Soon after locating his homestead, Mr. 
Leonard decided that it was best for him to 
have a life partner and accordingly he selected 
Mrs. Mahilda J. Starr, who became his wife in 
1882. She was born in Oregon and has been 
a faithful helpmeet to him during the quarter 
of a century that they have traveled on to- 
gether. To them have been born five children, 
Clara E., Izza C, William J., Mary M., and 
Mildred T. Mrs. Leonard's parents were W. 
H. and Priscilla (Crabtree) Starr, natives of 
Missouri. They crossed the plains with teams 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



605 



in the early pioneer days and settled in Oregon. 
Mr. Leonard evinces a keen interest in politi- 
cal and educational matters and as well in- 
formed in everything that pertains to the wel- 
fare of the community. 



G. J. RUARK, who resides at Pomeroy, 
is one of the leading farmers of Garfield county. 
The entire property that he now owns was se- 
cured through his own wise labors and he cer- 
tainly has made a record in which he can take 
pride. The fact that he has met the conditions 
that obtain in a pioneer country, has weathered 
all the reverses, panics and hardships and now 
has a large estate, shows that he is possessed of 
fine executive ability and is a good financier. 

G. J. Ruark was born in Jefferson county, 
Kansas, on August 17, 1858, the son of 
Thomas and Mary A. (Messinger) Ruark, na- 
tives of Indiana and Ohio, respectively. They 
are both more particularly mentioned in the 
sketch of Ira Ruark in this volume. Our sub- 
ject celebrated the fourth anniversary of his 
birth in company with his parents on the plains 
journeying to the Pacific coast with ox teams. 
They settled in Clarke county, Washington, 
later removed to Walla Walla, then to Garfield, 
after that to Whitman, and now reside in Aso- 
tin county in this state. Our subject was in all 
their journeys until he arrived at manhood's 
estate, when he began life for himself. His 
education was received from the common 
schools of Clarke county and other counties 
where he lived and he was fortified as best 
possible in the pioneer schools for the battle of 
life. He first came to Garfield county with his 
parents and since 1880, he has been farming 
here continuously and is now retired from the 
more active work of the farm and gives his at- 
tention to overseeing his estate. He has nine 
hundred and sixty acres of land, six hundred 
and forty of which are choice wheat land. In 
addition to this, he owns a very good residence 



in Pomeroy and a large interest in the Tucanon 
Power Company. Mr. Ruark is a man of good 
practical judgment and capable of handling all 
the questions that arise in the ordinary business 
matters of life in a very satisfactory manner. 
The wisdom, keen foresight, thrift and integ- 
rity that he has manifested during the quarter 
of a century that he has resided in Garfield 
county, commend him strongly to all gcod 
citizens. 

On November 8, 1889, Mr. Ruark married 
Miss Olive Vannausdale, a native of Wayne 
county, Iowa. 

Mr. Ruark has been county commissioner 
of Garfield county for four -years and takes a 
lively interest in political affairs. He is a mem- 
ber of the W. W., and stands well socially. It 
is of note that his father and mother secured 
the first marriage license ever issued in Wayne 
county, Iowa. Mr. Ruark has the following 
brothers and sisters, John C, Charles, William 
T., Ira, Joseph, and Dennis B. 



HERMAN TREBAS was born in Bre- 
men, Germany, on February 13, i860. He 
now resides about five miles northeast from 
Pataha and is owner and operator of a fine es- 
tate of five hundred and twenty acres. The 
thrift and industry that he manifests place him 
among the best farmers in the county and are 
responsible for the success that he has achieved 
during his life. When seventeen years of age, 
he came to the United States and began work- 
ing in Columbus, Ohio. Later, he went to the 
vicinity of Milwaukee and there wrought for 
wages until 1895. In that year he came to 
Whitman county and bought land and opened 
up a farm. Four years after that, he went to 
the Coeur d' Alene country and there did gen- 
eral farming until 1900. In the year last men- 
tioned, Mr. Trebas selected an estate in Gar- 
field county and purchased it. Here he has 
made his home since and is one of the respected 
men of the community. 



6o6 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY 



In 1897, Mr. Trebas married Miss Phoebe 
Crumpacker. She was born in Missouri and 
crossed the plains with her parents in 1866. 
They settled in Walla Walla and were among 
the prominent pioneers of that county. Her 
father, William C, was born in Virginia. Mr. 
Trebas is not alone occupied in his personal 
enterprises but takes a lively interest in the 
welfare of the community, and educational 
matters and in politics. He is a well informed 
man, public spirited and progressive. 



ENOCH G. HASTINGS has an ideal 
stock farm in Garfield county and is one of the 
substantial and influential men of the section. 
He has always been on the frontier and has 
shown himself a true pioneer, possessed of 
those capabilities that win success wherever lo- 
cated. He was born in Davis county, Iowa, 
on November 18, 1850, the son of Jacob P. 
and Martha A. (Graham) Hastings. The 
father was born in Lancaster county, Pennsyl- 
vania and went with his father, the grandfather 
of our subject, to Ohio, and later to Iowa. He 
was a cooper by trade and also owned agricult- 
ural land. His two brothers, Enoch and Dan- 
iel, were in the Civil War. The mother was 
born in the vicinity of Louisville, Kentucky. 
Our subject crossed the plains in 1862 with his 
father, being then eleven years of age. They 
were in a train captained by George Manvil 
and the journey was beset with much trouble 
and hardships. Many times they were forced 
to fight back the hostile savages and once on 
Green river they had a pitched battle. How- 
ever, they were all preserved alive and ended 
the journey at Walla Walla. There Enoch G. 
completed the education which he had begun 
in the east and then began to do for himself. 
He soon learned the stock business and in 1872, 
located in what is now Garfield county. His 
first settlement was in Pataha flat and there he 
labored and improved the estate until 1884, 



when he decided that his present location was 
more advantageous for raising stock. There- 
fore, the Pataha property was sold and Mr. 
Hastings selected the place where he now 
dwells, near Central ferry. He and his sons 
have sixteen hundred and sixty acres of good 
land, which is suitable for both pasture and 
crops. A portion of the estate is capable of 
being irrigated. It lies along the Snake river 
and is admirably adapted for stock raising. 
Mr. Hastings well knows how to utilize this 
choice location to the best advantage and there- 
fore he has made a splendid success in his 
labors. He and his boys are energetic and pro- 
gressive men and they have fine herds and do 
a thriving business. They handle cattle almost 
exclusively and have well graded stock. 

In 1873, Mr. Hastings married Miss Alice 
S. Morris, who was born in the same place as 
her husband. Her father, N. S. Morris, 
crossed the plains in 1863, an d settled in the 
Walla Walla country where he became wealthy 
and influential. Mrs. Hastings came across the 
plains with her father and knows the hardships 
of the pioneer well, having also shared her hus- 
band's triumphs and labors. To this worthy 
couple the following named children have been 
born, Alfred G. and Alvin J., twins; William 
M., Essie A., John J. and Ella M. Mr. Hastings 
has spent the major portion of his life on the 
frontier and he has had the satisfaction of 
knowing that he has walked well in the way of 
the pathfinder. Dangers have no terror for 
him and the hardships which would have over- 
come the ordinary man, have been borne by Mr. 
Hastings with a fortitude and self-reliance that 
characterize a typical man. His joy was to 
thread the way where man had never trod and 
find out the places where he could lead civiliza- 
tion to bring in the good things of her train. He 
has done this successfully and has also won the 
smiles of Dame Fortune to a good extent. He 
has hosts of friends and admirers among the 
people and all the old timers are well known to 
him. 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



607 



JOHN C. STENTZ resides two miles west 
from Pomeroy on his ranch and does general 
farming and stock raising. He was born in 
Pennsylvania, in 1840. His father, Philip 
Stentz, was born in Pennsylvania, in 18 14, and 
died in 1885. He had married Mrs. Lydia 
Moser who was born in the Keystone State 
in 18 12 and died in 1894. John C. attended 
the common schools in his native state and 
worked on the farm there unt'l 1861, in which 
year he responded to the call of the martyred 
president for troops to defend the flag and en- 
listed in the Eighth Pennsylvania for three 
months. As soon as that time had expired, he 
promptly enlisted in the Third Pennsylvania 
Heavy Artillery and was in active service until 
the close of the war. All the way throrgh, Mr. 
Stentz saw terrible and hard fighting but as an 
honorable and brave soldier did his part in a 
commendable manner. He was in the front at 
Richmond and Pittsburg in those most trying 
of all struggles in the great Civil War and al- 
though wounded twice, he escaped with his life 
from the bloody fields. Once when on the river 
he was wounded in the head by a shell and his 
boat was sunk by the enemy. At Malvern Hill 
he received a rifle ball in his leg. As soon as 
he recovered from these wounds on each occa- 
sion he went promptly back to his command 
and never faltered in all the conflict until the 
last gun of the Rebels was silenced and the 
weary boys in blue were privileged to return 
from the scenes of death and destruction to 
their homes and loved ones. In July, 1865, he 
was honorably discharged then was at home 
until 1866, when he came to Illinois. The 
Prairie State was the scene of his labors until 
1870, when he journeyed on west to Minnesota. 
There he tilled the soil until 1899 when he came 
to his present location and homesteaded eighty 
acres. He has improved the place in first-class 
manner and is considered one of the reliable 
and good men of the community. 

While in Mexico, in 1876, Mr. Stentz mar- 
ried Miss Alice Palmer, who was born in Eng- 



land, in 1854. To this union five children have 
been born, Mrs. Jennie Horton, Philip A., 
John, Jessie and Roy. Mr. Stentz is a member 
of the G. A. R., and a man who deserves and 
receives the respect and esteem of all who know 
him. 



ALEXANDER H. KEITH is without 
doubt a typical pioneer. He is possessed of the 
physique aud stability as well as the spirit and 
determination that would win distinction as a 
pathfinder, and an account of his life can but 
prove interesting to the readers of the volume 
and we append the same. Mr. Keith resides 
about one mile north from Gould City where 
he owns a fine estate, a portion of which was 
secured through the pre-emption right, the bal- 
ance by purchase. He devotes his time both 
to stock raising and general farming and has 
made a good success in both lines of enterprise 
so much so that to-day he is classed with the 
wealthy men of Garfield county. His family 
consists of himself, wife, Elizabeth (Van- 
sandt) Keith, and two children, William H., 
and Richard B. He is a member of the G. A. 
R. and the Masonic fraternity, and is a man 
who wins and holds the friendship of all who 
know him. 

Alexander H. Keith was born in Perry 
county, Illinois, on March 28, 1835, the son. of 
Sampson and.Lucinda (Parinley) Keith, na- 
tives of Kentucky and Illinois, respectively. 
The father settled in Illinois as a pioneer and 
there became a wealthy farmer. Alexander H. 
was educated in the common schools and in 1862 
enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Ninth 
Illinois Infantry, but was soon disabled and 
received an honorable discharge on account of 
his disability. In 1854 he crossed the plains 
from Illinois to California and returned thence 
in six years. After the war, he went to Cali- 
fornia across the plains a second time and re- 
turned to Illinois in six years. In 1870, for 
the third time, he made the trip to the coast and 



6o8 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



then determined to remain. After spending 
twelve or more years in various localities, he 
finally came to Garfield county and settled 
where we now find him. Since that time, he 
has given his attention to stock raising and 
farming and has become one of the wealthy 
and prominent men of the county. 



FRED L. MILLER resides about lour 
miles west from Ping postoffice in Garfield 
county. He is a native of southeastern Wash- 
ington, having been born where Dayton now 
stands, on February 12, 1866. His parents, 
George W. and Sarah E. (Ping) Miller are 
mentioned elsewhere in this work and are 
among the leading citizens of this part of the 
county. Our subject studied in the common 
schools of Dayton until he completed the high 
school course and then went to work on his 
father's ranch. In 1880, he came to Garfield 
county and there wrought at various occupa- 
tions until 1895, when he bought two sections 
of land where he now resides. Since then, he 
has purchased three sections more, giving him 
an estate of thirty-two hundred acres. Over 
three hundred acres of this is valuable for 
wheat and the rest is used for pasture. Mr. 
Miller devotes his attention entirely to stock 
raising and general farming. He handles cat- 
tle and horses quite extensively and is known 
as one of the wealthy men of the country. His 
herds are well bred and he has a large number 
of cattle as well as some horses. The farm is 
improved in a becoming manner having one of 
the finest residences in the county, and Mr. 
Miller is a thrifty and progressive man. 

In 1888, Mr. Miller married Miss Laura 
McMorris, who was born in Illinois and 
crossed the plains with her father to Califor- 
nia in 1 87 1, being then but a small child. Her 
parents are Elias J. and Martha E. (McKen- 
zie) McMorris, natives of Ohio and Indiana, 
respectively. In 1879 they settled in Wash- 



ington 



To Mr. and Mrs. Miller nine children 
have been born, named as follows, George E., 
F. Elbert, Harry B., Nellie, Jessie R., Otis, 
Sarah E., and Nerill and Merri^, twins. 



RALPH ACIE MILLER is one of Pome- 
roy's leading and substantial business men, 
being engaged in buying and selling live stock 
and operating a first-class meat market. He 
has given especial attention to these lines of 
business for some time and has made thorough 
investigation in everything that would tend to 
assist him in the prosecution of his business. 
He has been blessed with a fine talent for busi- 
ness, as his ancestors before him have shown 
themselves also of stirring worth and ability, 
and this young gentleman is fast developing 
those qualities which are indispensible in the 
successful and leading business man. He has 
made a splendid success thus far and presaging 
the future by the past, we are safe in saying 
that Mr. Miller is to be one of the heavy prop- 
erty owners of Garfield county. 

Ralph A. Miller was born at Dayton, Wash- 
ington, on April 19, 1875, the son of George 
R. Miller, a prominent citizen of Garfield coun- 
ty, who is mentioned elsewhere in this volume. 
Our subject was educated in the public schools 
of Dayton, completing with a course in the uni- 
versity at Eugene, Oregon. After this, he as- 
sisted his parents in conducting their fruit and 
stock farm in Garfield county and after he had 
arrived at his majority, rented his father's es- 
tate for three years. Later he removed to Pom- 
eroy and took up his present line of business 
and since then he has continuously followed 
the same. Mr. Miller is one of the best judges 
of stock in the county, while his commercial 
ability is considered of a high order. His 
brothers and sisters are all named in the biog- 
raphy of their father, and are prominent and 
highly esteemed people. 

On September 4, 1896, at Pomeroy, Wash- 





Mrs. Fred L. Miller 



Fred L. Miller 





Mrs. Ralpli A. Miller 



Ralpk A. Miller 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



609 



ington, Mr. Miller married Verna E. Whit- 
.more, the daughter of B. and Adelia (Over- 
acker) Whitmore, natives of Michigan. Mrs. 
Miller was born at Moscow, Idaho, on August 
io, 1878, and has three sisters: Mrs. George 
James, residing at Walla Walla; Bessie and 
Nellie Denny. The last two are half sisters 
and reside at Lewiston. Mr. and Mrs. Miller 
are the parents of four children : Lorena, aged 
seven ; Glenna, aged five ; Ralph, two years old ; 
and George, an infant. 

Mrs. Miller is a lady of culture and refine- 
ment and stands very high in social circles. Al- 
though not a politician, Mr. Miller is a good 
stanch Republican and always manifests a keen 
interest both in the campaigns and in all local 
and educational matters. He is a public spir- 
ited man, generous, and always ready to assist 
in any enterprise for the advancement of the 
country. 



MATTHEW C. BEALE is one of the in- 
dustrious and well known agriculturists and 
stockmen of Garfield county. At the present 
time he resides three miles north from Valen- 
tine where he has an estate of one thousand 
acres, all of which is in a high state of cultiva- 
tion and provided with every improvement re- 
quired on a first-class farm. He was born in 
Monroe county, Illinois, on November 5, 1863. 
His father, William Beale, was a native: of 
England and came to the United States in 
1852, settling on a farm in Illinois. He was a 
highly respected and prominent citizen of that 
country. He married Rebecca Chenoworth, a 
native of Virginia, who had come to Illinois 
with her parents in the pioneer days. The com- 
mon schools of his native state provided the 
educational training for our subject and his life 
was spent much the same as the youth of that 
country until 1883, when he removed to Mis- 
souri. For five years he continued there and in 
1889 niade his way west to the Pacific coast. 
He soon was in the vicinity of Dayton and 
39 



there remained two years working for wages. 
In 1 89 1, he came over to Garfield county and 
worked for wages until 1895, then he rented 
land and started farming and soon bought until 
he now has six hundred and fifty-six acres in 
his estate. During the last two> years Mr. Beale 
has given considerable attention to raising 
stock as well as farming and has been very suc- 
cessful in this venture. The success that he has 
attained in his labors in this county, show him 
to be one of the most skillful farmers in the 
country. 

In 1898, Mr. Beale married Miss Christina 
Elsensohn and to them four children have been 
born, Florence, Helen, Marien, and Clark. 

Mr. Beale is a member of the K. P. and a 
highly esteemed man. 



DANIEL McGREEVY is one of Garfield 
county's most successful business men. As a 
financier, he has shown himself both capable 
and keen, displaying an oversight and determi- 
nation which have been unswerving as is evi- 
denced by the success he has gained in financial 
circles. 

Daniel McGreevy was born in Down Coun- 
ty, Ireland, in 1839. His parents, Daniel and 
Margaret (McGean) McGreevy, were also 
born in Ireland where they spent their entire 
life. The common schools of the Emerald Isle 
contributed the educational training of our sub- 
ject during the first eighteen years of his life, 
then stirred by the spirit of adventure, although 
still a young boy he emigrated to the 
United States. Soon after arriving he 
made his way direct to Grant county, 
Wisconsin, where he operated in the 
lead mines until 1861. In that year he 
journeyed on to California and in the Golden 
State sought precious metal for three years. 
Then we see him in Boise, then in Florence, 
and in various other camps he continued the 
alluring pursuit for gold and was variously 



6io 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



successful in the different adventures. In 1868 
Mr. McGreevy laid aside the pick and shovel 
and the prospector's outfit and came to the 
Tucanon country, investing his savings in 
sheep. For a decade he was very successful 
as a wool grower and has the distinction of 
being the first man to bring sheep into this part 
of the country. In 1878, he sold his sheep and 
bought about two thousand acres of land. From 
that time until 1900, he has been more or less 
engaged in buying and selling land. In 1900, 
he removed to Pomeroy and purchased a very 
beautiful place for his residence. He at once 
engaged in the banking business and continued 
in the same until recently, when he sold out to 
profit and is now determined to take the enjoy- 
ment of a retired life which he has well earned. 
In Iowa, in 1878, Mr. McGreevy married 
Miss Rose Morris, a native of Ireland. Mr. 
McGreevy has two brothers, Patrick and 
Thomas. During a good portion of his life, 
our subject has been on the frontier and is well 
acquainted with that arduous life in all its 
phases. He and his wife are highly respected 
people and it is with pleasure we have traced 
the path of these pioneers who have taken such 
an active part in opening this rich and excel- 
lent country. 



DANIEL H. McGREEVY resides two 
miles north from Gould City in Garfield coun- 
ty. He is occupied in stock raising and general 
farming and is one of the prosperous men of 
the country. He was born in Fayette county, 
Iowa, the son of Patrick and Bridget (Morris) 
McGreevy, natives of Ireland. The father 
came to the United States when young and 
spent a few years in the leading mines of Wis- 
consin and Illinois. Afterward, he settled on 
a farm in Iowa and became one of the promi- 
nent citizens of that country. Our subject at- 
tended the common schools in Iowa until 
grown to manhood remaining with his father 
during those years. In 1886, he determined to 



take a journey to the west and selected Wash- 
ington as the objective point. After various 
investigation, he chose Columbia county as the 
choice place to settle and embarked in the stock 
business. For a number of years he raised cat- 
tle there and then decided to transfer his resi- 
dence to Garfield county. The place selected 
is the one where he now resides and he pur- 
chased six hundred acres of pasture and farm 
land. It was in February, 1892, and he at once 
began to fit up the estate for a stock ranch. For 
twelve years now, he has given his attention 
to these labors and has made a good success all 
the time. Early in life, Mr. McGreevy met 
with adversity and many mishaps, but in the 
later years he has been favored with excellent 
success and has now come to be one of the 
wealthy men of the country. 

In 1888 Mr. McGreevy married Miss Mar- 
garet Ryan, the daughter of Thomas Ryan, 
who came to this county from New York in 
1885. Mrs. McGreevy was born in Lewis 
county, New York. To our subject and his 
wife six children have been born, namely, Rosa, 
Marguerite, James, Mary John and Alice. 

During the time in which Mr. McGreevy 
has labored here, while he has manifested ex- 
cellent industry and thrift in caring for his 
own enterprises, he has not forgotten to give 
the attention and thought which is due from 
every good citizen, to political and educational 
matters. He is an advocate of good roads and 
general improvements and is known as a man 
that assists in any enterprise that is for the 
public welfare. 



ISAAC LILE has the distinction of being 
one of the earliest settlers in southeastern 
Washington. He has also been in the promi- 
nent mining camps of the northwest in the early 
days and labored assiduously in that calling for 
a number of years. With his own hands he 
has opened up several places in Garfield and ad- 
jacent counties and is to be highly commended 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



611 



as a worthy man and a sturdy pioneer. He 
was born in Cooperstown, Pennsylvania, on 
December 23, 1836. His parents, John H. and 
Catherine (Fry) Lile, were natives of Penn- 
sylvania and died when our subject was a child. 
He was educated in the common schools of his 
native state and in 1859, crossed the plains with 
ox teams to Walla Walla, which at that time 
consisted of fourteen houses. Our subject 
completed the fifteenth structure in the city and 
immediately occupied it with a shoe shop, that 
being the first one in the city. He followed 
that occupation for some time then went on to 
the Similkameen mines to seek his fortune. 
Later, we find him at Orofino and finally he 
settled at Boise, still searching the golden 
sands. After following that occupation for 
some years, he returned to Walla Walla and 
opened a farm. Later he removed to the terri- 
tory now occupied by Garfield county and took 
land where he now lives, five miles northeast 
from Valentine. Since that time he has been 
one of the industrious and capable farmers of 
this county. 

In 1863 Mr. Lile married Miss Sarah 
Ellis who was born in Maryland and crossed 
the plains with her parents to Walla Walla in 
1862. To this union the following children 
have been born ; Townsend, deceased ; George ; 
and Charles A., deceased. Mr. Lile has been 
on the frontier all of his life and consequently 
his career is replete with stirring and thrilling 
adventures, yet he has demonstrated himself 
a capable and fearless man, fully equal to the 
trying circumstances which surround him. He 
has the pleasure now of being retired from the 
more active duties of life and enjoys the com- 
petence which his labor has provided. His son 
George was born in Walla Walla valley, was 
educated in the common schools and grew up 
on the farm. When arrived at manhood's es- 
tate, in 1 88 1, he located where the father now 
lives, and has a farm of four hundred and 
eigthy acres of choice land, well improved and 
cultivated. In 1891, he married Miss Sarah 



E., the daughter of Daniel and Cyrene J. Clay- 
ton, who were pioneers to Walla Walla in 
1859, crossing the plains with ox teams. Mrs. 
Lile was born in the Walla Walla valley. To 
this marriage five children have been born, 
Ralph, Cyrene, Carl, Lila and Esther, who are 
the grandchildren of our subject. 

Isaac Lile had six brothers, who fought in 
the Civil War. One, while participating in the 
battle of Pittsburg Landing, was wounded 
seven times, yet he would not lay down his gun 
but continued in the conflict until the end. 



WILLIAM REILLY is a well known and 
stirring business man of Pomeroy. At the 
present time he is handling a first-class hotel 
there, in fact the only first-class hotel in the 
city, and owing to his geniality and skill as a 
host, it is liberally patronized by the traveling 
public with whom his place is a favorite. Mr. 
Reilly possesses an adpatability that has ren- 
dered him successful in every enterprise he has 
taken up and without question he is a man to 
be commended for the part he has taken in 
building up this portion of the country where 
his life has been spent. He is a public minded 
man and alive to the issues and interests of the 
day. 

William Reilly was born in New York, in 
1 861, the son of Daniel Reilly. When three 
years of age our subject was taken from New 
York to Salt Lake, his parents having died at 
about that time, and there he made his home 
with William Rafferty. For eleven years he 
was with this uncle, gaining a good education 
from the public schools. Next we see him at 
St. George, Utah, after which he returned to 
Salt Lake City and took up the butcher busi- 
ness for over a year. His uncle, Joseph Raf- 
ferty was at Pataha City, Garfield county, and 
soon after our subject went to live with him. 
For, two years William made his home here, 
being occupied on the farm. After that, he 



6l2 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



was engaged in farm work in various places 
and one year was spent at Lind, Washington, 
which place was then a hamlet of one store and 
a postofhce. Returning then to Pataha City, 
Mr. Reilly was engaged in farming his own 
place for three years and was also postmaster, 
then he operated a general store for two years 
After which he sold out those interests and 
bought a sixteen hundred acre stock ranch. For 
this he paid one dollar and fifty-eight cents per 
acre, and in a short time sold the entire tract for 
five dollars per acre. In November, 1902, he 
moved to Pomeroy and bought out a cigar and 
confectionery store which he has operated con- 
tinuously since. Sometime after purchasing 
that property Mr. Reilly opened the only first- 
class hotel in Pomeroy and has since conducted 
it in a model manner. He has had the satisfac- 
tion of seeing his business prosper from the 
outset and it is all owing to his care and wis- 
dom in managing and conducting the same. 

At Pataha, in 1895, Mr. Reilly married 
Mrs. Nancy Yates, a native of Vermont, and 
to them one child has been born, Margueritte 
G., a charming lass of seven years. 

Mr. Reilly is a member of the K. P. and 
the Foresters. He always evinces marked in- 
terest in political matters as well as in local 
affairs and is an active and wide awake man. 



JOSEPH G. TROSPER is one of Gar- 
field county's industrious and prosperous 
farmers and stockmen. He resides about five 
miles northwest from Pomeroy, and there 
owns an estate of five hundred and twenty 
acres. He secured this farm through the pre- 
emption right and purchases from time to time. 
His first location here was in 1884, and from 
that time until the present he has given histime 
to his farm and stock continuously. He has 
always been favored with success, owing to 
the wisdom with which he has managed his 
business and now has some of the best horses 



in the county. They are of the Wilkes breeds 
and certainly are excellent animals. Mr. 
Trosper takes great pride in stock breeding 
and his animals are known throughout the 
country. He has always taken an interest in 
politics as well as educational matters, and is. 
well informed on the questions and issues of 
the day. 

Joseph G. Trosper was born in Caldwell 
county, Missouri, on April 7, 1861. His. 
parents are Benjamin and Mary C. Trosper,. 
natives of Caldwell, Missouri, and Morrow 
county, Oregon, respectively. The father 
fought in the Civil War and died soon after. 
Thus our subject was early thrown on his own. 
resources and his opportunities for gaining an 
education were very meager. However, by 
careful labor and the improvement of such 
opportunities as came to him, he has stored 
his mind with information and is well versed. 
He began work on the farm for himself when 
very young and thus remained until 1884, 
when he came west. In that year, he came to 
Washington and located as a pre-emption a 
portion of the estate that he now owns. Since 
then, as stated above, he has labored faithfully 
here and has reaped a reward due honest in- 
dustry. 

In 1885, Mr. Trosper married Miss Eva 
Bonney, a native of Iowa. Her parents,. 
George and Malinda, were natives of Ohio and 
Pennsylvania, respectively, and the father was 
a veteran of the Civil War. To this marriage 
four, children have been born, Odessa, Joe 
Wesley, Lloyd and Bennie. Mr. Trosper well 
knows the hardships of the pioneer life, having 
experienced them for years. He started in 
life without any means whatever and has been 
very successful. By his own efforts, he has 
overcome all these hardships and the trying 
times both of opening up the country and the 
panic since and has prospered in his labors al- 
though meeting with much adversity. He is 
a highly esteemed man and has many friends, 
throughout the country. 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



613 



IRA RUARK is a native of the north- 
west, having been born in the vicinity of Van- 
couver, Washington. His father, Thomas 
Ruark, was born in Kentucky, and crossed the 
plains with ox teams in the early sixties. He 
came direct to Oregon and there took a home- 
stead. Some years later he went to the Walla 
Walla country, and in 1879, located in what 
is now Garfield county. He took land and 
farmed until 1892, when he removed to St. 
John, Washington, which was his home until 
1902. Then he returned to Asotin, where he 
resides at this time. He married Miss Mary 
Messinger, a native of Ohio, who accompanied 
her husband in all his journeys and labors. 
She is still living, and together they are pass- 
ing their golden days amid the plenty that their 
labor has provided. Mr. Ruark was all 
through the Indian wars of the early days here. 
Our subject first came to Garfield county when 
a lad of ten years and here and in the places 
where the family have dwelt since, he secured 
his education. He labored with his father on 
the farm until twenty and then bought a farm 
in Asotin county, where he bestowed his labors 
until a flood washed him out, taking his house 
and all the improvements. Then he sold what 
was left, and bought property in Asotin. At 
the present time he has charge of his father's 
farm of nine hundred acres, which is adjoining 
Valentine. He is a skilled farmer and suc- 
cessful stock breeder, and has gained a good 
property for the time he has labored in this 
country. Although he has met with many ad- 
versities, he has a strong spirit and is classed 
as one of the progressive men of the county. 
Garfield county is his home, and he is well 
known all over it, having practically spent all 
of his life here. 

In 1888 Mr. Ruark married Miss Lizzie 
Jones, a native of Oregon. Her parents, Eli- 
jah and Susan Jones, were among the earliest 
pioneers of Oregon, and her father was about 
the first man in Portland. Three children have 
been born to Mr. and Mrs. Ruark, Alvie, Itha. 



and Eddie. Mr. Ruark has six brothers, John, 
Charlie, George, William, Joseph and Dan. 
John fought all through the Xez Perces war. 



ED MALONE. Any man who makes a 
success by virtue of wise and continued indus- 
try, who demonstrates that he is capable of com- 
ing out victorious in the battles of life, and who, 
as the chief of the nation says, shows himself 
a man. "Who can do things," is to be com- 
mended and his example held up to inspire 
those who may come after, and have the same 
obstacles to overcome, and the same battles to 
fight. The subject of this article is a man who 
has shown himself worthy to be classed as 
such an one and it is with pleasure that Ave 
mention him in this connection. 

Ed Malone was born in Lucas county, 
Iowa, on January 8, 1864, the son of J. T. 
Malone, who was born in Indiana. When a 
young man, the father moved to Missouri, and 
in 1850, the next year after the famous cry 
of "Fortynine," he wended his way across the 
plains with an ox team outfit and for two years 
sought for a fortune in the golden sands of 
California. Then he returned to Missouri, but 
while crossing the plains on his way back, he 
was accidentally shot, which rendered him un- 
able to participate in the Civil War. which he 
desired much to do. After sometime in Mis- 
souri, he went to Texas, and for twelve years 
was numbered with the substantial men of that 
great commonwealth. After that he returned 
to Iowa, and in 1864 crossed the plains again, 
this time coming to Walla Walla. Later he 
removed to the Willamette valley, and after 
that came back to Walla Walla. Then he set- 
tled in what is now Garfield county, and here 
remained until his death. He was a man of 
great energy and loved adventure, and was in 
many of the Indian wars of the west. He had 
married Miss Allie Flaugher. a native of Texas, 
and a member of a prominent and highly edu- 
cated familv. 



614 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



Our subject was with his parents when 
they crossed the plains in 1864, and in Walla 
Walla he received his education and wrought 
with his father until eighteen. Then he 
started for himself and the same year came to 
the place where he now lives. He bought land 
on time and set to work to make a fine farm. 
He has added by purchase since and now has 
five hundred and fifty acres of choice land. 
He had no capital when he commenced and all 
he now owns is the result of his own labors 
since those days. He has come to be one of 
the wealthy and leading men of the commun- 
ity, and has the esteem and confidence of the 
people. His estate is provided with the best 
and latest machinery and all improvements 
that are needful and for comfort. 

In 1892, Mr. Malone married Miss Susie, 
the daughter of William and Sarah (Jones) 
Ground, among the earliest pioneers in the 
territory of Oregon. The father's brother par- 
ticipated in all the Indian wars of this north- 
west country. Mrs. Malone was born in Ore- 
gon. She and her husband have been blessed 
with five children, whose names appear as 
follows: Alice, Eva M., Leora, Veva F. and 
Ralph E. Mr. Malone has three brothers, A. 
H., J. H., and Ira. He is a member of the 
K. P. and the W. W. It is pleasant to note 
that Mr. Malone has displayed a keen interest 
in the affairs of the community and is always 
tireless in his endeavors to bring forth that 
which is for the welfare of all. Politically he 
is independent and always reserves for his own 
decision the questions of the day. 



ROBERT TIDWELL is a man of great 
experience in traveling over various sections 
of the United States, and although he has been 
in many trying and dangerous places, he has 
always managed to make his escape. While 
in the military, he was known as a brave and 
trustworthy soldier, who never refused to 



face the worst dangers of the action, and who 
was feared by the enemy. 

Robert Tidwell was born in Clark county, 
Indiana, in 1849, tne son °f John and Martha 
(Willson) Tidwell, natives also of Indiana. 
The father died when our subject was five 
years of age. Just before the father's death, 
the mother and her children had gone on to 
Nebraska, it being 1855, leaving Mr. Tidwell 
to settle the business and follow soon. How- 
ever, he was stricken and died shortly after 
the family's departure for the west, and he 
never met his loved ones again. This left the 
widowed mother to meet the trials of the pio- 
neers life with her nine children, two girls and 
seven boys. She labored faithfully along until 
they had made a good home and gained a 
promising property. When twelve, our sub- 
ject went to work for himself, and when fif- 
teen years of age, he enlisted in the First Ne- 
braska, and for two years and nine months 
was in active duty against the hostile savages 
on the various frontiers of the United States. 
After his honorable discharge, he returned to 
Nabraska and remained for one winter. Then 
he crossed the plains by teams to Oregon and 
engaged in fieighting from Umatilla Landing 
to Boise, Idaho. Two years were spent in this 
trying and dangerous business and we find 
him again in Nebraska. Six months after 
that, Mr. Tidwell married Amanda C. Rails- 
back, who was born in Polk county, Indiana, 
in 1853. Three children have been born to 
this union, Myrtle, in 1874; Pearl, in 1877; 
and Oma, in 1886. In 1878, Mr. Tidwell 
removed to Shellsburg, Iowa and there oper- 
ated a barb wire machine for three years, and 
conducted a meat market two years. In 1880, 
he went to South Dakota and spent ten years 
there, farming. In 1890, Mr. Tidwell came 
by rail to Washington, and soon made location 
on fouf hundred and fifty acres near Pomeroy, 
which he secured by purchase. Since that time 
he has continued here, laboring for the success 
of his enterprises and the general development 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



6i5 



of the country. He has always taken a keen 
interest in educational facilities and the mak- 
ing of good roads and general improvement. 
His place is beautifully located and is one of 
value. A general air of thrift pervades the 
premises and Mr. Tidwell is to be commended 
on the success he has achieved in gaining a 
good comfortable living since coming to the 
state. 

Mr. Tidwell's mother died here in 1898. 
He has two brothers living in Washington; 
William, who has been living in Dayton over 
thirty years; and Lewis, who has dwelt in 
Pomeroy twenty years. 

Mr. Tidwell is a member of the Foresters 
and is a man of influence in his community. 
At the present time, he is handling a livery 
and feed stable in Pomeroy, Washington. 



ANDREW E. LEE, with his step-father, 
W. L. Freeman, is one of the earliest pioneers 
of southeastern Washington. At the present 
time, Mr. Lee has risen to the position of one 
of the leading men of Garfield county, as well 
as one of its wealthy and large stockmen. He 
resides in Alpowa, where he has been post- 
master for a number of years. 

Andrew E. Lee was born in Racine, Wis- 
consin, on August 28, 1859. The father, John 
Lee, was a native of England and came to 
America when a boy, and settled on a farm 
near Racine, and in 1864, journeyed west to 
San Francisco via the Isthmus. The next year, 
he came to where our subject is now located. 
Andrew E. accompanied his father in all these 
journeys, and when they arrived here in Wash- 
ington, the entire section now embraced in 
Garfield, Columbia and Asotin counties was 
almost uninhabited by white men. One man, 
by the name of J. M. Pomeroy, lived where 
Pomeroy now stands, and was the nearest 
neighbor of the Lees. Our subject gained the 
education to be had in this frontier region, and 
from childhood began to learn the stock busi- 



ness. He became very expert and skillful in 
this line and continued in the same until the 
present time. Mr. Lee has also kept an inn 
since settling on his present place, and still 
entertains travelers, his place being well known 
and popular. 

His .present residence was built by Thomas 
Grant in 1861, who was said to be a nephew 
of the noted General. Mr. Lee has occupied 
this house since 1878. The estate is located 
most pleasantly. As the traveler comes from 
the high road of the mountains adjacent where 
he has made his w r ay through the cold and 
snow and descends to Mr. Lee's residence, 
he finds the charms of summer abounding, the 
birds singing and the flowers blooming. So 
marked and beautiful is the change that it well 
pays the tourist to take the trip and remain 
as a guest in this popular wayside inn, to en- 
joy the beauty and charm. Mr. Lee's place 
is known far and near, and the owner is as 
popular as the estate is beautiful and valuable. 
He has about two thousand acres of land and 
large bands of horses and cattle. Five hun- 
dred acres are devoted to grain and alfalfa, and 
the balance is pasture. The farm is supplied 
with everything that can be used or enjoyed 
in the rural abode, and Mr. Lee may well take 
pride in the magnificent establishment that he 
is handling. His stock is all well bred from 
the best strains and brings the highest market 
price. 

In 1884, g Mr. Lee married Miss Mary B. 
Offitt, a native of Kentucky. She was raised 
in Missouri and came to Washington in 1883. 
To this union three children have been born, 
Robert E., Andrew B. and Mary E. 

Mr. Lee's father died sometime after com- 
ing to this country, and his mother married 
W. L. Freeman, who crossed the plains in 
1853, was a marshal in California, then oper- 
ated in the early campaigns of Idaho and Ore- 
gon until 1886, when he came to Pomeroy, 
whence four years later he journeyed to Al- 
powa creek where he now lives. 



6i6 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



• DANIEL E. SMITH. When a man 
starts in a new country without means, en- 
dures the hardships of the pioneer's life, over- 
comes the obstacles so freely strewn in his 
path, and then brings out of the wilderness a 
good fortune, he is to be commended on his 
pertenacity, his industry, his fortitude and his 
ability as a financier. Such a man is 
the subject of this brief review, and 
it is with pleasure that we outline 
his career, both since he deserves especial 
mention among the successful men of Garfield 
county, and also because it will doubtless in- 
spire others, who are laboring hard to climb 
the steep hill of success to toil on with pur- 
pose, for there is a reaping day ahead to the 
industrious, who bestow their labors with wis- 
dom. 

Daniel E. Smith was born in Lawrence 
county, Illinois, on September 16, 1865. His 
father, Charles E. Smith, was a native of Ohio, 
removed to Illinois with his parents when a 
child, and grew up on a farm. In 1875, he 
brought his family to the coast, making settle- 
ment in Linn county, Oregon, where he did 
carpentering work in addition to farming. 
He married Miss Perninar Barnes, a native 
of Illinois. Together they now dwell in 
Pataha, being venerable and highly esteemed 
people. Mrs. Smith had one brother, John 
Barnes, who fought through the Civil War. 
Our subject came with his parents to Oregon 
in 1875, an d m that state, California, and 
Washington, he completed his education in the 
public schools. This indicates he traveled con- 
siderable and doubtless gained much experi- 
ence that was useful to' him in his labors here 
in the later years. In 1881 Mr. Smith came 
to southeastern Washington, and since that 
time has been closely identified with the " 
country and has done a remarkable amount of 
labor in the lines of improvement, manifesting 
a progressive spirit and a zeal that are truly 
commendable. In 1886, he purchased the first 
land he owned here and since that time has 



added until he has a choice estate of five hun- 
dred and sixty acres. The same is well im- 
proved and handled with skill, bringing in 
annually fine crops of cereals. In addition to 
this, Mr. Smith owns a half interest in a 
threshing and heading outfit, which is handled 
each year in the surrounding country. The 
farm is well stocked with all implements and 
animals needed and Mr. Smith ranks to-day 
as one of the wealthy men of the county. 

In 1886, Mr. Smith married Miss Jessie 
M. Butler and to them eight children have 
been born, Claud E., Mabel L., James B., 
Clarence D., Ralph C, Vera P., Lester, and an 
infant unnamed. Mr. Smith is residing in 
Pomeroy, where he has one of the beautiful 
and modern homes of the city, but he still 
oversees his farm property. 



I. H. SHREFFLER is a typical frontiers- 
man and has seen the thrilling adventures of 
those days when it took men of nerve and sta- 
bility to traverse this country. He has wrought 
from that time to the present with display of 
wisdom and ability and the result is that to-day 
he is one of the wealthy men of Garfield coun- 
ty and is respected by all who know him. A 
detailed account of his life would read like the 
thrilling tales of fiction, and we regret that we 
have not space to chronicle all his travels and 
adventures. 

I. H. Shreffler was born in Richland county, 
Ohio, on March 7, 1844, the son of Samuel and 
Kezziah (Ralston) Shreffler. The father was 
born in Pennsylvania and removed to Ohio 
when a young man, being a pioneer of Rich- 
land county. He crossed the plains with teams 
to California in 1849 an d returned the same 
way in 1852. His father, Paul Shreffler, and 
the grandfather of our subject, was a veteran 
of the War of 18 12. The family is an old and 
prominent one of Dutch ancestrage. The 
mother was also born in Pennsylvania and her 




Mr. and Mrs. I. H. Shreffler 








Mrs. John L. Stember 



John L. Stember 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



617 



father, John Ralston, was a captain in the Rev- 
olution, and a brave fighter for independence. 
Our subject, as is seen, is descended from loyal 
and patriotic blood on both sides, and his an- 
cestors were brave and undaunted men, able 
and willing to stand for the country they loved. 
Mr. Shreffler was educated in the public schools 
of his native place and at the first call in 1861 
he promptly enlisted in the Third Ohio Cavalry. 
At the expiration of that service he enlisted in 
the Thirteenth Iowa Infantry and participated 
in the battles of Little Rock, Oakland, and in 
the siege of Vicksburg. His honorable dis- 
charge was received in 1863, and the next 
year he went west to Montana. His objective 
point was Fort Benton and he trapped and 
hunted on the Missouri for some time. From 
the mouth of Milk river, where he had assisted 
to erect two forts, he went to Helena, being 
among the very first to arrive there. Being 
with the first in Helena, Mr. ShrefHer knows 
well the terrible times of those lawless days 
and he has faced danger in every form. On 
one occasion a large band of Indians came to 
old Fort Union, now Fort Buford, and took all 
the soldiers' mules away. Mr. Shreffler went 
with some other trappers and miners and 
brought back the mules to the soldiers. His was 
an act that spoke volumes for the bravery of 
our subject and his companions. They had a ter- 
rible conflict but they knew no such word as de- 
feat and finally the savages decamped without 
their booty. In 1867 Mr. Shreffler, when 
alone, was attacked by eight Indians, and while 
he succeeded in killing three of them, he also 
received some painful wounds. However, the 
savages, even five to one, and he wounded, 
showed the white feather and retreated from 
this brave fighter. 

Among other occupations followed in Mon- 
tana was freighting and he made several trips 
to Walla Walla, the first being in 1864, for sup- 
plies, flour and apples, which he took to Vir- 
ginia City. In 1873, having been impressed 
with this country, he came to Walla Walla to 



live, and five years later he settled three miles 
east from Valentine, or where Valentine now 
stands. He soon had the government land 
transformed to a fertile farm and his domain 
is now six hundred acres of fertile grain land 
and nine hundred acres of pasture land. 

In 1873 Mr. Shreffler married Josephine 
Purcell, and four children have been born to 
them: Daisy, Lloyd M., deceased, Albert S., 
and Carrie. On September 24, 1903, Mr. 
Shreffler was called to mourn the death of his 
beloved wife, who had been a faithful helpmeet 
and companion to him for more than thirty 
years. She was a lady who had many friends 
and her demise was universally and deeply 
mourned. 

Mr. Shreffler has won his way to success, 
having started in life with nothing but his hands 
and courage. He was in Walla Walla when it 
was but a government post and he camped 
where Spokane now stands where there was 
not a house there. He is well known among 
the pioneers of the northwest, and especially in 
Montana. He carried mail in Montana when 
he was obliged to hide in the brush in the day 
time and travel at night on account of hostile 
Indians. During the Nez Perces war he was 
in Butte, and was one of a company organ- 
ized to drive out Joseph and his band, but 
General Howard sent them word either to 
come into his command or disband and go home 
and they did the latter. Had General Howard 
allowed these hardy miners to go forth doubt- 
less Joseph would have surrendered much 
quicker than he did. 



JOHN L. STEMBER resides one and 
one-half miles west from Alpowa, where he 
owns an estate 2.820 acres, which is de- 
voted to pasture and grain. It was the sec- 
ond place settled here and was the headquarters 
for the toll road from Walla Walla to Lewis- 
ton. Mr. Stember gave his attention largely 



6i8 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



to raising stock, in which enterpirse he has met 
with abundant success, and has at the present 
time large bands of horses and cattle, all of 
which are well bred and valuable. He is one of 
the leading citizens in Garfield county and has 
clone much to build up the same, having been 
always a public-minded and progressive man. 

John L. Stember was born in Cass county, 
Illinois, on January 17, 1857, the son of Bern- 
hardt and Annie Stember, natives of Germany. 
They came to the United States when young 
and the father settled on a farm in Iowa for a 
time, then in the early 50's went to California 
to seek his fortune. In this he was well fav- 
ored and returned with an abundance of money 
to purchase the valuable estate in Illinois. That 
remained the family home until our subject 
was twelve years of age, when they moved to 
Kansas. He secured his education in these two 
places and in 1882 came to Washington. He 
decided that the territory now embraced in 
Garfield county was the proper place to locate, 
and accordingly bought a small piece of land. 

To this he added until he has the 
estate mentioned which bears the marks of 
the skillful and thrifty owner. House, barns, 
corrals, fences, machinery, and in fact every 
thing that could be used to advantage are sup- 
plied and Mr. Stember has the distinction of 
being one of the best stockmen in the country. 
His success is the direct result of his industry and 
wisdom and he may well take pride in the success 
he has achieved. Very few men in the county 
have been more successful in handling large 
enterprises and accumulating wealth than has 
the subject of this article. Yet this accumula- 
ation and possession have not made him sordid 
and contracted, but he is known as a liberal 
man, always looking forward for the improve- 
ment of his own estate and the county in gen- 
eral. It is very important to note that Mr. 
Stember has secured more prizes at the Idaho 
Interstate and Garfield county fairs than any 
other stock grower in this county. 

In 1886 occurred the marriage of Mr. 



Stember and Miss Amelia Zabel. The wife 
was born in Wisconsin and moved to Kansas 
with her parents when a child. Her father, 
Frederick Zabel, is a native of Germany and 
came to Wisconsin when a young man. Later 
he went to Kansas and is a prominent and in- 
fluential citizen, having gained considerable 
wealth during his life. He married Miss 
Louisa Zabel, also a native of Germany. To 
Mr. and Mrs. Stember five children have been 
born, Lena M., Katie S., Herbert R., Alta V., 
Ralph E. 



AMARICUS M. HAYS is one of the 
well known farmers and stockmen residing 
about five miles southeast from Mayview post- 
office. He owns an estate of two hundred and 
forty-eight acres, which is well improved and 
cultivated. He is a man whose labors have 
shown marked industry and who is to be 
commended on the success he has gained, since 
he came to the country with no means what- 
ever and is now one of the well to do citizens. 
Having traveled over various portions of the 
United States, he has gained a great fund of 
experience which has proved invaluable to him 
in his labors in later life. He was born in 
Smith county, Texas, near Tyler, on October 
20, 1856. His father, William Hays, was 
born in Overton county, Texas, and moved 
with his parents to Illinois at the age of three. 
Later, they went to Barry county, Missouri, 
where he secured a homestead and married 
Miss Ann G. Landerdale, a native of Tennes- 
see. She came with her parents to Alabama 
when a child, and there grew up and received 
a good education. Her marriage occurred in 
1854. In 1846, the father went to Texas, and 
there engaged in farming. When the Civil 
War broke out he desired to enlist in the union 
army, but the rabidness of the people forbade 
that and soon their hatred run to such a degree 
that they threw Mr. Hays into prison and kept 
him there for two years. He bore these in- 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



619 



suits and injustices patiently, being a good man 
and finally was released and lived to see the 
day when the principles for which he suffered 
were established in this nation. He and his 
wife were the parents of twenty-seven children. 
Our subject had very poor opportunity for 
a good education as there were no free schools 
in Texas until 1869, however, by personal dili- 
gence and constant care, he was enabled to 
augment the six months' training which he 
had received by such knowledge of practical 
and general topics that has made him a well 
informed man. In 1868, he moved to south- 
western Washington, and there engaged in 
farming for a number of years. He returned 
to Texas in 1874 and was occupied as a cow 
boy for a number of years. In 1883, he came to 
Whatcom and worked for wages up and down 
the coast. It was 1890, when Mr. Hays lo- 
cated in Garfield county and selected the place 
where we find him at the present time. 

Mr. Hays married, and to him and his wife 
seven , children have been born, William C. 
John G, Robert A., Margie A., Flossie D., G. 
Richard, and Vinati. 

Mr. Hays is a member of the I. O. O. F, 
the W. W. and the Rebekahs. 

He is a man of excellent ability and has 
manifested great tenacity and adaptability in 
his career, which has been fraught with many 
hardships. He is a pioneer in different sec- 
tions and has shown that sturdiness and de- 
termination which characterize the true front- 
tiersman and he is to be commended upon the 
labor he has done, both in forwarding his own 
enterprises and materially assisting to build 
up the country. He is a loyal and patriotic 
citizen and one of the stanch men of Garfield 
county. 



JOHN MITCHELL is one of the stirring 
and progressive sons of Erin, and has led the 
life of a pioneer as well as being one of the 
brave defenders of the stars and stripes in the 



days of treason's attacks on this fair nation. 
He now resides about three miles northeast 
from Peola, on a very choice estate of four 
hundred acres of fertile land. He was born in 
Ireland, the son of Alex and Mattie (Mc- 
Cahie) Mitchell, both natives of the Emerald 
Isles, where they remained until their death. 
In 1858, with his young wife, Mr. Mitchell 
bade farewell to the home country and his 
loved ones and sailed away to Philadelphia. 
For two years that was his home. During 
this time, he enlisted in the Eighty-first Penn- 
sylvania Infantry, and gave three years of 
most arduous and trying service for the 
country of his adoption. A portion of this 
time, he was under Burnside, and fought dur- 
ing the struggle of Fredericksburg, also was 
in the battle of the Second Bull Run and as- 
sisted bravely to defend the stars and stripes 
during those three awful days at Gettysburg. 
During all these trying services, Mr. Mitchell 
showed himself a man of fortitude and princi- 
ple. He never shrank from the most danger- 
ous and difficult attacks and made a record of 
which he and his family may justly be proud. 
In 1865, about three weeks after Lincoln's 
untimely death, Mr. Mitchell was honorably 
discharged, and he went forth to the civilian's 
life knowing that he had assisted materially 
to save the land and preserve the government.- 
After the war, he went to work in a blast fur- 
nace and wrought in various places in Penn- 
sylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Missouri, until 
1876, then journeyed west to the Golden 
State and made his way through Oregon to 
Washington. In what is now known as Gar- 
field county, he found a location that suited 
him in every respect and he took a homestead. 
To this he has added by purchase until he has 
four hundred acres as mentioned above. This 
has been Mr. Mitchell's home since the cen- 
tennial year and he has given his time and 
talent to the improvement and cultivation of 
his estate. He has never forgotten to be 
greatly interested in political matters and the 



620 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



affairs of the country that he fought to save 
and is an enthusiastic expounder of those prin- 
ciples which he believes to be for the welfare 
of the country. In addition to his land and 
other improvements, he has about one hundred 
head of cattle and thirty or more horses. 

Before leaving Ireland in 1857, he married 
Miss Jane Kelso, who was born there in 1824. 
Her father, John Kelso, was born in 1780 and 
there married Miss Hester McCaughey, a na- 
tive of the same country, and the date of his 
birth is 1791. They came to America and in 
Philadelphia Mrs. Kelso was called to meet the 
angel of death. In 1882, her husband fol- 
lowed from their home in the Quaker City. 

To Mr. Mitchell and his wife one child has 
been born, Alexander, now living, and three 
boys and one girl deceased. Alexander is the 
3 r oungest and Philadelphia is his native heath 
and 1866, the date of his birth. In 1883, he 
came west and is now engaged in handling his 
father's farm. He is a young man of excellent 
standing and is known as one of tne substantial 
citizens of Garfield county. Mr. Mitchell is 
now privileged to pass the golden years of his 
life in quiet retirement from the more active 
and arduous duties of his life, and in the enjoy- 
ment of that goodly competence which his 
industry and wisdom have provided in ample 
measure. 



JOHN 0. FITZSIMMONS, who resides 
about seven miles east from Pataha, is one of 
the leading farmers of southeastern Washing- 
ton, and has done a lion's share in pioneer 
work, in the various localities where he has 
lived. Being a man of adventurous spirit 
and unacquainted with fear, he has roamed 
through the western settlements and has been 
in most of the sections where the wilds were 
being penetrated with the eager steps of the 
miner and pioneer. Finally the fertility of 
what is now Garfield county attracted him and 
he made permanent settlement and has since 



devoted himself to the opening and cultivation 
of a fine farm. His estate is eight hundred 
acres, all in a high state of cultivation and pro- 
ductive of generous returns. Mr. Fitzsim- 
mons is known as one of the leading men of 
the county and has hosts of friends. He was 
born in Mahaska county, Iowa, on July 30, 
1852, the son of Patrick W. and Harriet 
(Ellsworth) Fitzsimmons, who are mentioned 
more particularly in the biography of Charles 
W. Fitzsimmons. Our subject removed to 
Kansas with his father when a lad and there 
grew up amid the lively scenes of the border 
troubles and has the satisfaction of knowing 
that he never knew what it was to be afraid. 
He received his education from the schools of 
that day and made the best of his opportunities 
and when arrived at manhood's estate, he went 
on west further and in 1873, we see him in 
Colorado, where he spent some time in the 
saw mills, and then made his way to various 
other camps in the west. After traveling and 
experiencing adventures in various sections of 
the west where his desire to see the country and 
know its worth led him, he finally lighted on 
Washington and soon was decided that this was 
the spot to locate in and accordingly Garfield 
county has today one of her prominent citizens. 
Before Washington was a state Mr. Fitzsim- 
mons was a commissioner of Garfield county 
and he was a first-class officer. He has always 
taken a keen interest in the politics of the coun- 
try and is at the county conventions; 1882 was 
the year when our subject made permanent lo- 
cation in this county and he at once bought a 
farm. Soon he added by purchase until he has 
now one of the large farms of the section, ag- 
gregating about eight hundred acres. It is well 
equipped and is a valuable place and a lovely 
home. 

Mr. Fitzsimmons married Miss Amanda 
Warren, a native of Lawrence county, Missouri, 
where she was reared and educated. She came 
west in 1886. Her parents are Cyrus and 
Amelia (Hartune) Warren, natives of Vir- 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



621 



ginia and Germany respectively. The father 
was a prominent and well educated man. The 
mother came to Ohio with her parents when a 
child, and in 1885 to Washington and here re- 
mained until her death. To Mr. and Mrs. Fitz- 
simmons the following named children have 
been born : Jennie, Dora B., John O., Bessie G, 
Winnie M., George O., Goldie B. and Lester. 



DUDLEY P. KIDWELL resides about 
one mile north from Peola and enjoys the dis- 
tinction of being one of the sturdy pinoneers 
who assisted to open up the now prosperous 
county of Garfield. He was born in Tennessee 
on April 7, 1836, the son of Joshua and Jenny 
(Mays) Kidwell, natives of Tennessee. The 
mother died in Arkansas and the father in 
Washington. Our subject spent his early days 
in Tennessee, and in 1848 went to Arkansas and 
engaged in farming until 1861, in which year 
he went to Missouri. After that he returned 
to Arkansas and enlisted in the First Arkansas 
Cavalry and served eighteen months with dis- 
tinction, being in some very important engage- 
ments and seeing much arduous and trying ser- 
vice. Receiving then his honorable discharge 
he went back to the farm and remained for four 
years, then he crossed the plains to southeast- 
ern Washington and settled on a homestead in 
the territory now embraced in Garfield county. 
Later on he bought another quarter section and 
he has the estate of one-half section today. The 
same has been improved and is fertile land 
which yields bountiful crops annually and Mr. 
Kidwell has come to be one of the pros- 
perous men of this portion of the county. In 
addition to general farming he gives attention 
to raising cattle, horses and hogs and has al- 
ways been very successful in stock breeding. 

In Arkansas, in 1880, Mr. Kidwell mar- 
ried Miss Mary J. Jeffers, who was born in 
Tennessee and is now deceased. To this union 
six children have been born, named as follows : 



Luke, aged twenty-two; Joseph, eighteen; Ara, 
seventeen; Lily, sixteen; Jessie, fourteen, and 
Zebulon, thirteen. 



S. A. McGUIRE is a typical frontiersman 
and has had a long experience in that life. Born 
in the west, or what was frontier at that time,, 
he has followed and led the wave of civilization 
to the Pacific coast, and has been instrumental 
in opening much country to the settlement of 
those who came later. A man of strong nature 
and fearless, he has been undaunted by the 
dangers and trials which beset the pioneer and 
has so conducted himself that he has both ob- 
tained a good success and also has won the 
friendship of many, in fact, all who know him. 
At the present time he is residing about ten 
miles east from Pomeroy, on the Alpowa ridge^ 
where he located in the later seventies. 

S. A. McGuire was born in Iowa, on Feb- 
ruary 8, 1846, son of J. G. and Martha (Kirk-- 
patrick) McGuire. The father was a native of 
the old Blue Grass state and pioneered to Iowa 
when a young man. He came to California in 
1 85 1, later returned to Iowa and in 1862 
threaded the plains a second time, on this oc- 
casion bringing his family with him. He lo- 
cated in the Walla Walla country and there re- 
sides now. The mother was taken away from 
her loved ones in Iowa by death when our sub- 
ject was a young man. In Iowa S. A. was edu- 
cated and reared and there learned the art of the 
farmer. In 1862 he crossed the plains and set- 
tled with his father on a ranch near Walla 
Walla. The next year he took up the arduous 
life of the freighter, transporting goods from 
Walla Walla to the various mining camps of 
the northwest. Oxen were the animals used 
and the work was exceedingly dangerous on ac- 
count of the Indians. In 1864 he went to the 
Mormon Basin mining camps of Oregon and 
the next year took up freighting again, from 



622 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



Umatilla to Boise basin and Idaho City. Then 
from Kelton, Utah, to Boise, Idaho, then from 
Toana, Nevada, to Pioche, Nevada. This try- 
ing occupation was followed until 1876 and 
then he turned his attention to farming. In 
1879 he left his location adjacent to Walla 
Walla and settled where we now find him, in 
Garfield county. He secured his first land by 
government right and has since added by pur- 
chase until he has a good farm. He has his 
place well cultivated and improved and is one 
of the leading farmers of the community. 

At Pomeroy Mr. McGuire married Miss 
Alcinda Sweeney, a native of Iowa. She 
came to the coast in 1864, was educated in Ore- 
gon and later located in Washington. To this 
union three children have been born, Laura, 
Andy and Lily. In great contrast to the days 
of freighting, when the canopy of heaven was 
one's covering and the music of the wild ani- 
mals his entertainment, except when the wily 
savage stealthily sought his life, in great con- 
tract to that, we say, is the beautiful home place 
of our subject. His is one of the finest resi- 
dences in the county and everything is provided 
to make the place comfortable and valuable. 
When Mr. McGuire came across the plains the 
Indians were hostile and many were the un- 
fortunate immigrants who fell before their 
treacherous savagery. Our subject and his 
train were allowed by Providence to make the 
journey in safety, however, and he only saw 
where the bloodshed had occurred. When the 
Nez Perces war was on here he was in the midst 
of the hostilities, but did not have any wounds 
or receive any damage to property. He has 
the distinction of taking the first grain for ship- 
ment to the wharf at the mouth of the Alpowa 
creek. 



WILLIAM H. BRUNTON is one of Gar- 
field county's successful farmers. He has been 
greatly favored in handling stock and stands 
today one of the leading men of his portion of 



the county. He is to be classed with the early 
pioneers of southeastern Washington and cer- 
tainly has done commendable labor in 
building up the country and in opening it for 
civilization. He has shown himself possessed 
of excellent ability while upright principles 
have always been evident in his walk. 

William H. Brunton was born in Missouri 
on November 11, 1859. He is the son of 
Josiah and Sarah Brunton. The father was 
born in Pennsylvania in 181 1, moved to In- 
diana, then to Ohio, and later to Illinois, after 
which he went to Missouri. He soon re- 
turned to Illinois and there died 
on March 3, 1899. The mother was 
born in Ohio about 1830. She was with her 
husband in the various moves made. Her peo- 
ple were prominent in the Black Hawk war. 
When six months of age, our subject was 
taken by his parents from his native state to 
Illinois, where he received his education in the 
common schools. In 1878 he put into action 
a plan that he had long cherished, that of com- 
ing west, and Walla Walla was the objective 
point of his journey. For two years he la- 
bored in various portions of southeastern 
Washington and finally pre-empted forty acres 
near his present location, which is three miles 
northwest from Peola. Later he sold this and 
bought a section, where he now resides. To this 
has been added one hundred and sixty acres, 
which gives him a choice estate of eight hun- 
dred acres all told. The same is provided with 
all the necessary improvements and is conduct- 
ed in a manner that indicates Mr. Brunton to 
be a first-class and thrifty farmer. Besides 
other property he has about forty head of well- 
bred cattle and twenty valuable horses. Mr. 
Brunton is recognized as one of the influential 
and leading men of the country. He has the 
following brothers : Edward, Burris and Levi. 

At Pataha flat in 1886 Mr. Brunton mar- 
ried Miss Margaret Lewis, who was born in 
Walla Walla county in 1868. Her father, 
Reese Lewis, was born in Kentucky in 1829. 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



623 



He married Mary Jane Rodman, who was born 
in Iowa, and died in Washington in 1886. To 
Mr. Brunton and his esteemed wife two chil- 
dren have been born : Fred, aged eleven ; Loura, 
aged six. 

Our subject is a member of the United 
Brotherhood and is a man always interested in 
the progress and welfare of the community. 



WILLIAM LAMBIE. Any one passing 
through Garfield county would be struck with 
the magnificent estate owned by the gentleman 
whose name is mentioned above. The care and 
wisdom displayed in laying it out and the good 
taste manifested in locating and arranging the 
buildings and the thrift evident in every detail, 
furnish a striking object lesson descriptive of 
the proprietor, and because it will be interesting 
to every one we append an epitome of his ca- 
reer. 

William Lambie was born near Glascow, 
Scotland, on March 15, 1846, and has come 
from strong and prominent families of Scotia's 
most substantial people of purest blood, and is 
possessed of that tenacity and firmness of pur- 
pose characteristic of this well-known nation. 
Our subject has always manifested those noble 
and enviable traits that both give success in the 
financial world and win friends. Mr. Lambie's 
father, John Lambie, was a native of Scotland 
also and a very wealthy and prominent farmer, 
who took marked interest in the public affairs 
and held many responsible offices. The mother, 
Margaret (Bryson) Lambie, came from an 
equally distinguished family and was an hon- 
orable woman, having many friends. The first 
twenty years of our subject's life were spent in 
assisting his father on the estate and gaining 
an education. Then he went to New Zealand 
and began life for himself. For four years he 
was occupied in that far away land in farming, 
then, it being 1871, he came to the United 
States, landing first in San Francisco. A few 



months he spent in investigating the coast re- 
gions then the same year came to Walla Walla. 
About six months were employed in working 
for wages, then he sought out a location for 
himself and decided to establish himself on Cow 
creek. Here he started in stock raising and re- 
mained until 1877, when he sold the property 
and located a homestead, pre-emption and tim- 
ber culture, where we now find him, about one 
mile north from Mayview. Since then Mr. 
Lambie has added by purchase until he has an 
estate of twenty-six hundred acres, over one- 
third of which is valuable grain land and in a 
high state of cultivation. The place is admir- 
ably adapted for general farming and stock 
raising and Mr. Lambie has wisely improved 
it to be one of the best estates in southeastern 
Washington. He pays especial attention to 
breeding fine Clydesdale horses and has about 
two hundred valuable animals on hand all of 
the time. His farm is one of the best to be 
found in this part of the state and his barn is 
the largest in Garfield county. All other im- 
provements needed has been amply provided 
and the estate is one of the most comfortable 
and enjoyable rural abodes to be found in the 
west. Everything is kept in excellent shape 
and Mr. Lambie is known far and near as one 
of the most careful and wise men of the county. 
On January 28, 1880, occurred the marriage 
of Mr: Lambie and Emma A. Clark, a native 
of Decatur, Illinois. She came with her par- 
ents, Hazen and Rosanna (Hess) Clark, to 
California when a child and was there edu- 
cated. Her father was born near Concord, 
New Hampshire, and when arrived at man- 
hood's estate, moved to Illinois. In the early 
seventies he brought his family to California 
and there engaged in farming. His ancestors 
came to the New World in the Mayflower and 
have always been stanch and patriotic Ameri- 
cans. The mother was born in Chillicothe, 
Ohio. Her ancestors were Pennsylvania Dutch 
and Quakers and are substantial people. Her 
grandfather was a veteran of the civil war and 



624 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



the war of 1812. Her father was a merchant. 
To Mr. and Mrs. Lambie one child, John H., 
has been born, the date being September 27, 
1882. In 1903 he was married to Grace 
N. Jackson, and is residing on the farm with 
his father. The beginning of his education was 
gained in the district schools in Garfield county 
and then completed at Pullman College. His 
wife was born in Greentown, Indiana, on Feb- 
ruary 8, 1884, and came to this vicinity with 
her parents when a child. Mr. Lambie is one 
of the wealthy and respected men of Garfield 
county and is well known all over southeastern 
Washington. He is to be commended upon 
the fact that though starting without any means 
and being beset by -all the hardships incident to 
those pioneer days and then by the difficulties 
that attended the panic since, still he has pros- 
pered and has steadily gone forward until he 
has arrived at the prominence and wealth where 
he is today. 



SIDNEY W. DRESSER is without doubt 
one of the very first settlers in the territory 
now embraced in Garfield county. He threaded 
the wilds of this country as a genuine frontiers- 
man, and without roads or assistance sought 
out the place where he now resides and took it 
as a homestead. The place is located about 
five miles west from where Alpowa now stands. 
Since those early days Mr. Dresser has given 
his attention entirely to stock raising and fruit 
growing and is well-to-do and prosperous. He 
is highly respected by all who know him, he 
being now a venerable man and worthy the 
esteem of all. 

Sidney W. Dresser was born in Berkshire 
county, Massachusetts, on November, 30, 1827, 
the son of John B. and Nacy (Tucker) Dresser, 
both natives of Massachusetts. The Dresser 
family is prominent and renowned in Amerv- 
can history and were among the very first of 
the Pilgrims to land on the bleak New England 
coast. Among the early records of the family 



is to be mentioned the records of the town of 
Rowley, Massachusetts. John Dresser is there 
stated as one of the twenty men who bought 
the township of Rowley from the Boston Bay 
colony in 1638, only eighteen years after the 
Mayflower landed. Six hundred and twenty 
men formed the colony under the leadership of 
Reverend Ezekiel Rogers and established 
themselves in Rowley township. During the 
Revolution the Dresser family formed a com- 
pany, every member of which was one of the 
Dresser family. They fought with distinction 
throughout that entire struggle and some mem- 
bers of the family were prominent in military 
circles. The family was also well known and 
distinguished themselves in the war of 18 12. 
The father of our subject was of the fifth gener- 
ation born on American soil. Long before there 
was a United States the Dressers were loyal 
and patriotic Americans. Our subject's father 
followed the blacksmith trade and was a noted 
mechanic and toolmaker of his day. 

Sidney was educated in the public and 
private schools of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, 
and learned the carpenter trade. After fin- 
ishing his apprenticeship he went to Philadel- 
phia and worked in a car foundry. He also, 
followed his trade in New York city and then 
spent some years in Colt's Armory at Hartford, 
Connecticut, during the war. After the war 
he followed contracting and building in the 
east until 1877 and then journeyed to the Pa- 
cific coast. Two years after that, it being 1879, 
Mr. Dresser located where we now find him 
residing. For twenty-five years Sidney W. 
Dresser has been known as one of the stanch, 
capable and faithful men of southeastern Wash- 
ington, and during these years he has formed 
for himself a reputation, unsullied and untar- 
nished. 

In 1863 Mr. Dresser married Miss Han- 
nah E. Finney, a native of Watertown, New 
York. For over forty years they journeyed' 
along life's way together and, although not 
blessed by the advent of any children, they- 





Mrs. Sidney W. Dresser 



Sidney W. Dresser 





Mrs. William R. Parlet 



William R. Parlet 





Mrs. Richard E. Largent 



Richard E. Largent 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



625 



learned to make much of the joys of life and 
lived secure in the esteem and love of their wide 
circle of friends. On January 24, 1904, Mrs. 
Dresser was called away by death and her re- 
mains sleep in the Pomeroy cemetery. 



WILLIAM R. PARLET. It is very pleas- 
ant to see those who have borne the burden 
and heat of the day in opening the vast front- 
iers of the west now enjoying the reward of 
their labors in the competence which they have 
wrought out with willing and industrious 
hands. Among that worthy number in Gar- 
field county we are constrained to mention the 
gentleman whose name stands at the head of 
this sketch, and who is well and favorably known 
in southeastern Washington, where he has so 
lived for over a quarter of a century that he 
has won friends from all quarters and has 
shown his ability to successfully wage the bat- 
tle of life and gain from shy fortune her smiles 
and bounties. 

William R. Parlet was born in Ohio, on 
June 21, 1852, the son of Moses and Rebecca 
(Headley) Parlet, also natives of Ohio. The 
father had three brothers in the Civil war and 
was a strong union man himself. He movea 
with his family to Iowa in early days and there 
was a prominent farmer. The mother came 
from a leading Kentucky family and her an- 
cestors participated in the early American 
wars. Our subject was educated in the com- 
mon schools of Iowa and then went to work 
for the Black Diamond Coal Company as pros- 
pector and miner. Then he married and went 
to farming in Iowa. This occupation continued 
for three years and then he determined to sat- 
isfy his desire to see the west. He prepared 
for the journey and in 1878 made his way to 
Walla Walla, bringing his family eight months 
later. After looking the country over he set- 
tled to farming there and continued it for three 
years. In 1881 he came to the territory now 
embraced in Garfield county and bought a place 

40 



near Columbia Centre. Four years we find 
him there diligently tilling the soil and improv- 
ing the farm. As a true pioneer, he displayed 
fortitude and industry with great adaptability, 
which is the indispensible quality of those who 
would be real pathfinders. In 1885 Mr. Par- 
let removed to a farm in the Deadman country 
and there rented for six years. Then he pur- 
chased the farm he was renting and since then 
has improved it in a marked degree. The es- 
tate is about six hundred acres and is one of 
the very choice ones of the county. It is all 
good land, fertile and well watered and pro- 
duces annually magnificent crops of cereals. 
Bright and sparkling springs abound on the 
farm and other natural advantages have com- 
bined to make it very valuable. Mr. Parlet 
has erected commodious and good buildings 
and added other improvements as needed, until 
it is one of the best up-to-date farms in the 
county. Beautiful shade trees, handsome 
grounds, orchards and other things combine 
to make it first-class. Mr. Parlet erected a fine 
residence in Pomeroy, where he dwells at the 
present time, and rents his lands. He has ac- 
cumulated a sufficient fortune to justify him 
in retiring from the ardous labors of the farm, 
where he has so long wrought, to the enjoy- 
ment of the good things of life which justly 
belong to those who have won the battle and 
have served the country well. 

In 1875 Mr. Parlet married Miss Ella Yeo- 
man, who was born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. 
Her parents, Richard and Fanny (Ax-tel) Yeo- 
man, were early settlers of Wisconsin, and she 
was born on the frontier where the Indian chil- 
dren were her playmates. The father was 
born in England, and the mother in Ohio. Mr. 
and Mrs. Parlet have five children, named as 
follows: Ola L., Mrs. Beatrice Porter, Fay I., 
Mrs. Fanny C. Dyke and Valentine. Mr. Par- 
let started in life with no means and has won 
his way to his present enviable position by vir- 
tue of his wise management and his industry 
while during his entire career he has so con- 



626 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



ducted himself that today he has a reputation 
unsullied and clean, and the good will of all 
who may have the pleasure of his acquaintance. 
He is one of the leading citizens of the country 
and has always taken a lively interest in po- 
litical matters and the welfare of the country. 
He has ever labored for better roads, better 
educational facilities and for all things that 
tend to improve or better the condition of the 
country. 



RICHARD E. LARGENT. Notwithstand- 
ing the fact that Mr. Largent has been living 
at his present place but a short time still he 
has made it one of the choice homes of the 
country and is so thoroughly identified with 
the interests of the country and its improve- 
ments that he is entitled to be represented 
among the pioneers, which also, in fact, he is, 
since he is a native of the Occident and has 
dwelt in the west for many years. He was 
born in Yamhill county, Oregon, on June 22, 
1863. His father, John L., was raised in Illi- 
nois. He started across the plains with an 
emigrant train, but owing to dissatisfaction he 
and two others left the train. They were forced 
to abandon their teams, and the rest of the 
journey, incredible as it may seem, was ac- 
complished on foot, without carrying any food 
or bedding. The only thing Mr. Largent car- 
ried was a shotgun and some ammunition, 
which provided them with sufficient food for 
each day. In clue time he arrived in Yamhill 
county, Oregon, after performing one of the 
most remarkable feat known to any pilgrim 
crossing the desert plains. This was in 1849, 
and one of the three is still living in the Grande 
Ronde valley, Oregon. He soon began pros- 
pecting after arriving in the west, then took a 
donation claim in the Yamhill country, went to 
the Idaho mines, when discovered, and was one 
of the first to assist in opening them up. In 
1 87 1 he came to Columbia county and settled 
on what is known as Webfoot flat, where he 



remained until his death in 1875. The year in 
which he made his remarkable trip across the 
country was in 1849, an d for over twenty-five 
years thereafter he was a stalwart pioneer, en- 
gaged in the common labor of subduing the 
wilderness and opening up the country. He 
married Miss Annie Matheney, who had 
crossed the plains in the early fifties. Our sub- 
ject received his education in the pioneer 
schools of Yamhill county, Oregon, and Co- 
lumbia county, Washington. When he had ar- 
rived at manhood's estate, he commenced farm- 
ing and raising stock for himself and contin- 
ued in various localities until 1900, when he 
came to where we find him at the present time, 
about two miles west from Gould City. He owns 
a section and a half of good land and devotes 
his labors to general farming and stock rais- 
ing. He has made his place a good one and has 
as a result of his labors in the past years a com- 
fortable fortune. 

In 1888 Mr. Largent married Miss Mary 
F. Ingram, who was born in Clackamas county, 
Oregon, and came to Dayton with her parents 
when eight years of age. She was educated in 
the public schools of Dayton and knew her 
husband many years before marrying him. 
Her parents were Henry and Sarah (Gilliam) 
Ingram, natives of Illinois, who crossed the 
plains in the early fifties to Oregon and then 
settled in Dayton, Washington, in 1872. ' To 
our subject and his estimable wife six children 
have been born, whose names are given below : 
Edith, Ethel, Altha, Lawrence W., Lester I. 
and Edward E. 

Mr. Largent is deserving of much com- 
mendation for the success he has achieved since 
he started in life without any means and has 
now come to be one of the wealthy men in 
Garfield county. 



CHARLES HEINZERLING is one of the 
leading business men of Garfield county and 
deserves to be mentioned as one especially sue- 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



627 



cessful in building up the country during his 
many years of residence here. He was born in 
Germany in 1855, the son of Patoles and Mar-" 
guerita (Rimmenschnider) Heinzerling, born 
in Germany in 1802 and 18 12 respectively. 
They came to the United States in 1869 and 
settled in Michigan. Later they moved to 
Ohio, where the father died in 1872. The 
mother died in Michigan in 1878. Our sub- 
ject received his schooling in Germany and 
when fourteen came to the United States with 
his parents. He worked on the farm until 
1878, then went to San Luis Obispo county, 
California. There he purchased eighty acres 
of land and opened a dairy business, which he 
conducted until 1886. In that year we find 
him in southeastern Washington, where he soon 
bought a quarter section of land, which has been 
increased until he now has an entire section of 
choice wheat land. The same is productive of 
excellent returns annually and shows a master's 
hand in its management. In addition to this 
Mr. Heinzerling is operating a milk ranch, 
and butcher business in Pomeroy, wherein he is 
very successful. He also is one of the leading 
stockmen of the country. The farm is supplied 
with all improvements necessary, while in town 
Mr. Heinzerling has a fine residence. In early 
days he was instrumental in opening a school, 
which is still running. 

In February, 1881, while in California, 
Mr. Heinzerling married Miss Jennie V. Kent, 
who was born in Oregon on July 18, 1864. 
Her father, Charles Kent, was born in Iowa in 
1834 and followed farming. He married Miss 
Eliza Gillis, born in Missouri in 1840, and died 
in San Bernardino, California, November 20, 
1902. To our subject and his wife four chil- 
dren have been born : Charles W., aged twenty- 
two; Henry O., aged twenty; Amelia, eighteen, 
and Shelbin, six. 

Mr. Heinzerling started in life without any 
means whatever and is now one of the wealthy 
men of his section. He has gained the entire 



amount through his own worthy efforts and is 
to be commended upon the excellent success he 
has attained. 

Mr. Heinzerling has just completed a seven- 
room house in Pomeroy which is modern in 
every respect ; this is built as an investment and 
for rental purposes. 



ELMER A. START was born in Water- 
ville, Vermont, on May 13, 1865. From the 
waters of the Atlantic to the Pacific coast Mr. 
Start has traveled and is thoroughly convinced 
that there is no better section than where he 
now resides. His farm of three hundred and 
twenty acres, which is one of the choice farms 
of Garfield county, lies about two miles west 
from Mayview. By his skill and industry the 
same has been brought to a high state of culti- 
vation and is one of the most productive pieces 
of land about. 

Mr. Start's parents, A. A. and Helen P. 
(Cutler) Start, were natives of Bakersfield, 
Vermont asd Massachusetts respectively. The 
father was a veteran of the civil war and his 
cousin, Charles Start, was a commissioned 
lieutenant in that conflict and is now chief jus- 
tice in the state of Minnesota. The mother had 
three brothers in the rebellion and one of them, 
Samuel, enlisted to fight the Sioux Indians 
after the war was over and in this capacity was 
killed. In 1867 our subject was brought by 
his parents to Aspinwall, Nebraska, whence 
they soon moved to Auburn, Iowa. Later we find 
them in Cottonwood, county, Minnesota, and 
in the last two states mentioned Elmer received 
his education from the public schools. When 
twenty years of age he leased land for himself 
and tilled it in connection with his father's 
farm. In 1890 Mr. Start came to the state of 
Washington and was. several years occupied in 
traveling to various parts of the northwest. 
Finally, in 1894, he started to farming, rent- 



628 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



ing land first. Then he homesteaded a quarter 
and has purchased as much more and has given 
his entire attention to its improvement and cul- 
tivation. Mr. Start has shown excellent wis- 
dom in his labors and his place is a reflection 
of this in every detail. 

During the years of his stay in this county 
he has won many friends and his standing is of 
the best. When Mr. Start began to do for him- 
self he had no capital whatever. Now he is one 
of the wealthy men of his county and has gained 
his entire holding by effort of his own industry 
and wise management. He has the following 
named brothers and sisters: Gilman C, an ab- 
stracter and insurance man of Pomeroy; Her- 
bert E., operating a fruit farm; Mrs. Luella 
Lovering, in Seattle; Mabel C, a teacher 
in Seattle, and Mary A., a stenographer, in the 
same city. 

Thus far is life Mr. Start has never seen fit 
to depart from the life of the celibatarian and 
is evidently quite content with its joys and 
pleasures. 



JOHN D. TYRREL, who is dealing in 
books and leading literature, is well known in 
Pomeroy, and has held important positions 
here, ever to the satisfaction of the people. He 
was born in North Carolina, on September 10, 
1834, the son of James and Amy (Hutchin- 
son) Tyrrel, also natives of North Carolina. 
The father followed farming and died in 1839. 
The mother's ancestor's were from France and 
she died in 1882. Our subject was early left 
without the care of a father, and as soon as fif- 
teen he was forced to begin the responsible 
work of caring for himself entirely. His fath- 
er's father had left the entire estate to a brother 
of our subject's father, and thus young Tyrrel 
was without the help of a dollar from relatives. 
He gained what education he could in his early 
days and has always been a close reader and 
student. For the first years of his life he 
worked on the farm and later was successful in 



a financial way by selling wood to the soldiers 
during the Civil War. In 1864 he went to Mis- 
souri, and the next year we find him in Illinois, 
where he farmed until 1875. In that year he 
gratified a long-cherished desire to see the west, 
and journeyed to California. Five years were 
spent in tilling the soil of the Golden State, and 
then he came to the vicinity of Pomeroy. Here 
he farmed for seven years, then rented his 
place and retired to Pomeroy, where he started 
a grocery and continued in that business until 
1894, when he received appointment from Pres- 
ident Cleveland to the postmastership of Pom- 
eroy. For four years he held that office, giving 
satisfaction to all patrons, and then gave way 
to an aspirant of the other party. Since that 
time Mr. Tyrrel has dealt in books and has the 
agency of several excellent lines of publications, 
which he handles constantly. 

In 1876 Mr. Tyrrel married Elizabeth 
J. Greene, who was born in Zanesville, Ohio, in 
1 83 1. Her parents were William E. and Mary 
(Means) Ellis. The father was born in Vir- 
ginia on February 3, 1799, served as a judge 
and died in 1874. The mother was born in 
Virginia in 1804 and died in 1831. Mrs. 
Tyrrel's brothers and sisters are named as fol- 
lows : J. M. and J. J. Mrs. Tyrrel is a cousin, 
of Stonewall Jackson and her family is one of 
prominence. Mr. Tyrrel is a strong Democrat, 
of the Jeffersonian type, and takes a prominent: 
part in political matters. He is influential in 
party circles and served with distinction on the 
state central committee of the Democratic, 
party. He is a member of the F. & A. M. 



LEROY JOHNSON, a prosperous farmer 
of Garfield county, residing about ten miles 
southwest from Pomeroy, was born in High- 
land county, Ohio, and has passed an eventful 
life of activity and worthy labors. His father, 
James P. Johnson, was born in Ohio, in 1806, 
and there wrought until his death in 1893. Our 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



629 



subject's grandfather, Ashley Johnson, enlisted 
to fight in the Revolution when a lad of fifteen. 
He had an uncle, General Clark, who also did 
service for his country in that struggle. The 
mother of our subject was Lydia (Kinzer) 
Johnson, and she, too, was born in Highland 
-county and there remained until her death. 
Leroy was reared and educated in Ohio and at 
the time of the Civil War he enlisted for six 
months in the Sixtieth Ohio Infantry. After 
a brilliant service in that capacity for the spec- 
ified time, he enlisted as artificer in the Eleventh 
Ohio Cavalry and for three years followed the 
fortunes of war. Upon his honorable discharge 
he returned to his early home, whence, in 1867, 
hie went to Missouri. That was the scene of his 
labors until 1875, an d then he determined to see 
the west. The journey to the Pacific coast was 
made without special incident or accident or 
trouble, and after proper invesigation he de- 
cided that the place where he now lives was his 
■choice and there he located. Since that time, 
in all the long years of the formative period of 
the great state of Washington, Mr. Johnson 
hias labored patiently and faithfully to do his 
part and it is the faithful performance of the 
part alloted to the individual that makes the 
•crowning success of the great improvements 
achieved in this state. Mr. Johnson is known 
as one of the leading and good men of this part 
of the county and he certainly is deserving of 
the generous esteem accorded to him by all. 

On February 12, 1852, in the Buckeye 
State, Mr. Johnson married Miss Sara J. 
Wright, who was a native Ohioan, born Janu- 
ary 10, 1830. She was a noble woman and led 
a life of devotion to her husband and family, 
succeeding well in bringing up her children in 
the path of morality and uprightness. She died 
on October 16, 1884, leaving a husband and 
the following named children : Jasper, born Oc- 
tober 1, 1852; Elizabeth S., born May 6, 1855; 
Eliza E., born August 12, 1857, and James W., 
born January 31, 1862. 

Leroy Johnson is closely related to some of 



the well known men of letters and of promi- 
nence in other walks of life. Albert Sydney 
Johnson is a member of the family on his grand- 
father's side of the house. Joseph E. Johnson 
was also a close relative of our subject's 
grandmother. Grandfather Johnson, of our 
subject, on his father's side, descended from the 
Earl of Shaftsbury. This noted personage 
had two daughters, who married Johnson broth- 
ers, and in this line came the world-renowned 
poet, Cowper. The Earl of Shaftsbury men- 
tioned was Charles Ashley. Our subject had 
the following named uncles on his father's 
side: Jephtha, Ashley and Daniel. Mr. John- 
son is a member of the G A. R. and is well liked 
by all. He is now privileged to enjoy the well- 
earned competence his industry has provided, 
secure in the favor of his friends and the love 
of his children. 



WENDLIN NIEBEL is one of Garfield 
county's most prosperous and thrifty farmers, 
and resides about four miles northwest from 
Pomeroy, in what is known as Milton Gulch, 
where he owns one section of good land. A 
beautiful mountain stream courses through the 
estate and he has a very fine residence adjacent, 
which is surrounded by all conveniences and 
improvements needed on a fine stock and grain 
farm. Mr. Niebel may be considered one of the 
pioneers of this country and has seen the land 
transferred from a wild prairie without roads, 
fences and inhabitants, to one of the fertile re- 
gions of the great state of Washington. In all 
this labor he has taken a worthy part and has 
assisted very materially in bringing it about. 

Wendlin Niebel was born in Germany in 
1848, and his parents, George and Mary (Roll) 
Niebel, were also natives of Germany, where 
they died. They were farmers. Our subject 
was educated in the common schools, then 
worked in a stone quarry until drafted into the 
regular army. Soon after that he left the army 



630 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



and came to America. When he landed in New 
York he had two dollars and fifty cents. Two 
dallors of this was paid for a supper and he 
slept on the floor for two nights in Castle 
Garden and then was taken to Warten Is- 
land, where had the privilege of laboring for 
his board for six weeks, and Mr. Niebel remarks 
that the board was very scanty at that. Finally 
a friend loaned him twenty-seven dollars and 
seventy-five cents, which purchased a ticket to 
Iowa. After one year's labor on a farm he 
went back to Pittsburg and wrought in the 
foundry there for two and one-half years. 
Again we find him in western Iowa, where he 
tilled the soil for five years. Then he went to 
the western portion of the state and farmed for 
himself for eight years. In 1881 he sold out 
and came to Washington, settling on a home- 
stead of which he purchased the relinquishment 
for six hundred dollars. Later he bought a 
quarter section for four hundred dollars and 
then nearly three hundred acres for three thou- 
sand dollars, which makes him altogether one 
section. In adition to the improvements men- 
tioned he has all machinery and accoutrements 
needed on the farm besides over fifty horses 
and cattle. Everything is thrifty and all the 
details of the farm and stock business are looked 
after with untiring zeal that points to the se- 
cret of Mr. Niebel's success. He has two 
brothers, August and Bruno, who are living in 
Pittsburg. 

On May 27, 1877, in Iowa, Mr. Niebel mar- 
ried Miss Lizzie Miller, who was born in Iowa 
in i860. She was the daughter of William and 
Fanny (Hicks) Miller, natives of New York, 
where also they were married. Later they 
moved to Iowa and died in 1896. Mrs. Niebel 
has one brother, George, who owns one thou- 
sand acres of very choice land near by and 
which is croped to wheat. He made consider- 
able money in freighting during the early days 
and bought land during the grasshopper raid. 

To Mr. and Mrs. Niebel the following chil- 
dren have been born : Ernest, Mrs. Mary 



Slaybangs, Eustina, Elva and Oscar. Ernest 
is studying in the Pullman Agricultural College 
and is one of the best known and leading stu- 
dents of that institution. He has just com- 
pleted the course in electrical engineering and 
graduated in the class of 1904. He has com- 
pleted everything in the college curriculum that 
pertains to that science and gives promise of 
being one of the leading electricians in the west. 



HUGH A. MALONE. Garfield county is 
favored with many wealthy farmers — men who 
have gained their present holding by virtue of 
their industry and careful management of the 
resources of this favored section. Among these 
people we are constrained to mention the gen- 
tleman whose name appears above, and cer- 
tainly he is to be classed as one of the produc- 
ers of the county and a pioneer of this section 
of the northwest. 

Hugh A. Malone was born in Austin, 
Texas, on December 15, 1853. His father, 
John T. Malone, was a native of Indiana and 
went to Texas in 1852, settling on what was 
known as a Spanish grant. In i860 he moved 
to Iowa and there remained for years. Then 
he prepared to carry out a determination long 
cherished by him, namely, to see the northwest. 
Accordingly we find him threading his way 
across the plains in one of the trains of the day, 
bringing his family and belongings with him. 
In due time they landed in Walla Walla and 
wintered. The next year, it being 1865, they 
went to Oregon, locating six miles west of Cor- 
vallis, and the father was one of the founders 
of the Philomath College. In 1869 they went 
to Linn county, and thence to Walla Walla 
county, Washington. That was the family 
home for thirteen years. In 1882 they sought 
out a location in the territory now embraced in 
Garfield county and opened up a farm. Here, 
in January, 1903, the father passed away. He 
had married Miss Hulda Robinson, a native 





Mrs. Hugn A. Malone 



Hugn A. Malone 




Valentine Store and Postomce 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



631 



of Missouri, who died when our subject was 
an infant. Hugh A. accompanied his father on 
the journeys that we have mentioned and to- 
gether they sought out their locations in Gar- 
field county. His present home is in the vi- 
cinity of Valentine and it is the place that he 
selected when he first came to this country. He 
owns three hundred and twenty acres of choice 
wheat land which he has placed in a high state 
of cultivation and improved with everything 
that could be desired on a first-class farm. Mr. 
Malone's residence is one of the finest in the 
entire county and he justly takes pride in his 
beautiful and valuable estate, with its buildings 
and improvements. In addition to general farm- 
ing he handles some stock and is prosperous 
and wealthy. It is much to his credit to know 
that he started in life without means and has 
gained his present possession by virtue of his 
industry and skill. Mr. Malone knows well 
what the deprivations and hardships of a pio- 
neer are, being experienced in the panic that 
came really before the pioneers were well es- 
tablished, causing much trouble and suffering 
for them. However, he prospered and has 
reaped the due reward of his labors. 

In 1900 Mr. Malone was elected as com- 
missioner of this county and holds that import- 
ant office still, having given entire satisfaction 
to his constituency. 

In 1877 Mr. Malone married Miss Phoebe 
Davis and to them the following children were 
born : Cyrus A., Nora, Claude, deceased, Harry, 
Bertie, Hulda, Maude and Merle, twins, Phi- 
lena, Ella and Phoebe. 

Mr. Malone is a member of the W. W. and 
a highly respected man. 



ALPHONSO S. VALLEN is the post- 
master at Valentine, in Garfield county, and is 
one of the pioneers of the county. He is 
also conducting a fine general merchandise 
establishment in Valentine and his neat store, 
well-stocked and excellently conducted, testi- 



fies of his business ability, as does also his first- 
class success in financial matters. 

Alphonso S. Vallen was born in Quebec, 
Canada, the son of Antoine and Sophia (Rob- 
ert) Vallen, natives of Canada. After complet- 
ing his primary training in the common schools 
he finished his education in Maryville College, 
at Maryville, Canada. At the age of sixteen 
he left school to do for himself, and his first 
employment was as salesman in a general store. 
In 1879 h e came to Salem, Oregon, and one 
year later travelled to Walla Walla, whence in a 
short time he came on to Garfield county. He 
selected government land, where he now lives, 
and gave his attention to farming and also 
raised some stock. He was among the very 
first settlers in this section and knows well the 
hardships and adversities of a pioneer life. 
Later he bought more land and now has a 
choice estate of four hundred and sixty acres, 
two hundred acres of which are in a high state 
of cultivation. The balance is pasture. Suc- 
cess rewarded the careful efforts of Mr. Vallen 
and in 1901 he opened a small store near his 
farm. He soon had a fine patronage and he has 
kept increasing his stock until at the present 
time he has a large and well assorted stock of 
all kinds of goods needed in this vicinity. Mr. 
Vallen saw that a postoffice was needed in this 
locality and, accordingly, soon after opening 
his store, took the steps to get one established 
and has succeeded, being now postmaster. He 
has given universal satisfaction in this capac- 
ity and is a man of real worth and integrity. 

Mr. Vallen has been a man of extended ex- 
perience in pioneer life and has shown himself 
capable, both in that capacity as well as in busi- 
ness matters. He is possessed of a good stock 
of grit and pluck, and consequently held on 
through the hard times of opening the country 
as well as during the panic of the nineties and 
he has won the meed due to faithfully and wisely 
bestowed industry. He believes there is no 
country superior to Washington and is satis- 
fied to make this his future home. 



632 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



JAMES P. WATSON has spent over 
twenty-five years in Garfield county and owing 
to his care and industry, although he landed 
here with no means he is now one of the wealthy 
men of the section and has won the best of 
standing from all who know him while he has 
been engaged industriously in making a for- 
tune that he now possesses. This shows con- 
clusively that Mr. Watson has had a care for 
the better part of life and has not been subject 
to the sordidness of mere money-making. He 
was born in England on December 31, 1855, 
the son of Porter and Susan (Talbot) Watson, 
natives of England. James P. was educated in 
the schools of the native land and in 1871 came 
thence to America. He soon settled in Kansas 
and there studied some, after which he took 
land and later sold it, and in 1875 came to the 
west. He cast about for some time and in 1877 
came to what is now Garfield county. He soon 
selected a place and in 1878 filed on the land 
where he now dwells. He has added by pur- 
chase since until his estate is nearly one thou- 
sand acres. It is admirably adapted for general 
farming and stock raising, and Mr. Watson is 
a man of sufficient skill to have made the most 
of it. He has an ideal home, one of the choic- 
est in this whole county, and his taste and 
thrift are evident in every detail of the pleasant 
and valuable place. He has a mind well stored 
with knowledge, being a close and careful ob- 
server and an extensive reader. He has sur- 
rounded himself with those things which are 
edifying and uplifting, being assured that the 
beautiful plays a large part in making things 
enjoyable to a mortal. 

In 1880 Mr. Watson married Miss Emma 
I. Perkins, a native of Oregon. Her father, 
John N. Perkins, was a physician and a philan- 
thropist, his calling being admirably adapted 
for that gracious work. He was born in Ohio, 
crossed the plains in 1851, and located in Ore- 
gon. In 1878 he came to the vicinity of Pom- 
eroy, or where Pomeroy is now located. His 
grandfather, Thomas Perkins, was a, veteran 



of the Revolution. Mrs. Watson's mother was 
Derisa A. Matsler before her marriage. She 
was born in Ohio, and accompanied her hus*- 
band across the plains and was a great help to 
him in his profession and charity work. She 
had three brothers, George, David and John, 
in the Civil War. To Mr. and Mrs. Watson 
ten children have been born, named below : 
Charles E., Alva N., Inez D., Elsie I., James 
A., William C, Edna E., John P., Joseph F. 
and Iva N. 

Mr. Watson is looked up to in the county 
as a man of wisdom and integrity, and the fact 
that he has won financial success demonstrates 
his ability, while his raising a choice family 
and so conducting his ways that he has a repu- 
tation unsullied and clean, shows his integrity 
and worth. His children are all following the 
steps of their parents, and are worthy members 
of society. 



CHRIS BROCKMAN. Some of the 
United States' best citizens are those who have 
been born in the fatherland. Among that num- 
ber we may mention the gentleman whose 
name appears above and who has demonstrated 
beyond doubt his ability as a capable farmer 
and his loyalty as a first-class citizen. He re- 
sides about four miles southwest from Pom- 
eroy, on a choice estate of eight hundred acres, 
all of which has been gained by his own labors 
and business enterprise. 

Chris Brockman was born in Germany in 
1856, the son of Conrad and Maggie (Toeder) 
Brockman, natives also of Germany. The 
father was born in 18 19 and the mother in 
1 82 1. They were married in 1847, an d the 
mother died in 1870. The father came to Iowa 
in 1872 and is still living. Our subject at- 
tended school until fourteen years of age and 
was then apprenticed to learn the tailor trade. 
When sixteen he came to Iowa with his father, 
and there remained until 1877. In that year 
he journeyed west to California, and for four 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



£>33 



years was engaged in the manufacture of wine 
in the Golden State. In 1881 he came to Co- 
lumbia county and pre-empted a quarter sec- 
tion. At this time his total capital was five 
hundred dollars, and he bestowed it with wis- 
dom, and soon sold his place for two thousand 
dollars. 

He bought a half section of school land in 
1893 and six years later bought another quar- 
ter section. In 1902 he bought a half section 
more, which completes his estate of eight hun- 
dred acres. He has the entire place in a high 
state of cultivation and has made his farm one 
of the models ones of the country. His resi- 
dence is beautifully situated and surrounded 
with fruit and shade trees, while other improve- 
ments of various kinds are in evidence. Mr. 
Brockman handles some stock in addition to 
general farming and is known as one of .the 
wealthy men of the country. 

In 1885 Mr. Brockman married Miss Lena 
Baden, who was born in Germany in 1867. Her 
parents are Christopher and Annie (Schmidt) 
Baden, natives of Germany, where the mother 
died in 1891. The father came to Washington 
in 1893, an< l returned to his native country two 
years later. After that he came again to Wash- 
ington and was called to pass the river of death 
in 1 90 1. To Mr. and Mrs. Brockman five 
children have been born : Fritz, aged seventeen ; 
Julius, aged sixteen; Willie, aged thirteen; Al- 
vina, aged three, and Christopher T. 

Mr. Brockman has one brother, William, 
and one sister, Mrs. Maggie Kursel. He is a 
member of the W. W. and a progressive and 
substantial man. 



JOSEPH O. MILES resides about two 
miles west from Mayview postoffice where he 
is handling an estate of seventeen hundred 
acres, part of which belongs to himself and the 
balance he rents. He was born in Lamoille coun- 
ty, Vermont, in 1847, the son °f Stephen and 
Susan (Bickford) Miles, natives of Connecticut 



and Vermont respectively. The father came to 
Vermont with his parents when a boy and there 
grew up a prominent and wealthy farmer. 
The mother of our subject came from a family 
of pioneers and patriots, her father, Henry 
Bickford, being a veteran of the War of 1812. 
Joseph was educated in the common schools of 
Vermont during the first sixteen years of his 
life, and then, on January 4, 1863, enlisted in 
Company K, Eighth Vermont Infantry, to 
fight for the stars and stripes. He participated 
in the Red river expedition and was then trans- 
ferred to the Army of the Potomac. He was 
with Sheridan in the Shenandoah raid and was 
then transferred to General Hancock's First 
Veteran Corps, where he served until July 9, 
1865, when he was honorably discharged. After 
the war Mr. Miles came to Wabasha county, 
Minnesota, arriving there in 1865. For a time 
he labored for wages and then engaged in 
farming for himself. His labors continued 
there until 1888, when he moved to the west, 
locating in southeastern Washington. Since 
that time he has been most of the time in Gar- 
field county and now is numbered with the 
prosperous farmers of this section. 

In 1872 Mr. Miles married Miss Elvira 
Proctor, a native of Wisconsin. To them two 
children have been born, Fred and Susie. 

Mr. Miles is a member of the G. A. R. and 
a man who takes a lively interest in political 
matters and local affairs. He is esteemed in the 
community where he lives and has shown him- 
self to be a good and substantial man. 



JOHN WALDHER is a thrifty and well- 
to-do farmer of Garfield county and has done 
his share in building up and improving the 
country to its present prosperous conditions. 
Like many of our most substantial citizens, he 
came from the fatherland, having been born in 
Germany in 1872. His parents, John and 
Crescence Waldher, were also natives of Ger- 
many. The father was born in 1834, and fol- 



634 



HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY. 



lowed farming" in Germany until he came to 
Minnesota. In 1884 he came to Garfield county 
and in 1897 he returned to Germany on a visit 
and there died on November 22, 1897. The 
mother was born in 1844 and is now residing 
in Pomeroy, "Washington. For three years John 
attended school in Germany and then came 
with his parents to the United States, where 
he completed his education. As soon as he ar- 
rived at manhood's estate he began laboring 
for himself and in 1898 had sufficient money 
accumulated to warrant him in purchasing a 
quarter section of land, where he resides at the 
present time. Shortly afterward he purchased 
twenty acres and has improved the place in 
first-class shape. He has a large house beauti- 
fully located and surrounded with all conveni- 
ences that are needed. He handles some stock 
but devotes most of his time to the cultivation 
of his farm. 



In political matters Mr. Waldher is a Dem- 
ocrat, while in church affiliation he and his 
wife belong to the Catholic denomination. 

At Pomeroy on November 7, 1893, Mr. 
Waldher married Miss Augusta Rubencer, who 
was born in the state of Washington in 1878. 
Her father, Lewis Rubencer, was born in Ger- 
many, and came to America in 1869, making 
settlement in Wisconsin. In 1878 he journeyed 
west to Pomeroy and there resides at the present 
time. He married Johannah Richel, who was 
born in Germany in 1856, and came to this 
country in 1869. She was married in 1878 and 
is still living. Mr. Waldher has the following 
brothers and sisters : Peter, Joe, Mike, Louis 
and Mrs. Mary Stevens. To our subject and 
his wife four children have been born: Lizzie, 
Mary, John and Tony, aged ten, six, four and 
two, respectively. 



PART V 

HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY 



CHAPTER I 



PASSING EVENTS— 1806 TO 1878. 



The word Asotin was, originally, the Nez 
Perce word Has-shu-tin, meaning an eel, be- 
cause that species of fish abound in Asotin 
creek. With the usual ambition to correct the 
pronunciation of Indian words this later be- 
came Hassotin, by which name it was known 
until the late 70's. Then it became known as 
Assotin. We have two obsolete formations of 
the word besides those mentioned, Sotin and 
Ashoti. From old residents and the public 
prints we get both the words Assotin and Sotin, 
as the name of a section of the country lying 
in this county. Mr. A. F. Beall, who did an 
extensive line of surveying in that district in 
the early days, said that the true orthography 
in the Indian dialect, or patois, was Ashoti. 
But in 1883, when the county was organized, 
the word became Asotin. Thereafter the word 
was spelled with one s in all cases except the 
townsite of Assotin City — the old town — but 
by an act of the Territorial legislature of 1886 
this, Asotin, was made the official spelling of 
that townsite. This name was first applied to the 
creek and has since been used in naming the 
town and county. Thus much for the genesis 
of the word "Asotin." 

As was the case with a large portion of the 



interior country of the northwest, the first 
white men to gaze upon the territory now com- 
prising Asotin county were the members of the 
Lewis and Clark exploring expedition, who 
made that memorable and historical trip in 
1804-6. In the fall of 1805, when westward 
bound, the Lewis and Clark explorers arrived 
at the junction of two great rivers, Snake and 
Clearwater. Here on the bank of the latter 
stream they established a camp- There has 
been in the past some contention concerning the 
exact location of the temporary home of these 
pioneer white men, but one tradition at least 
fixes the spot near the western border of the old 
Lindsay farm, in the Clearwater addition to 
Lewistown. Old settlers remember an ancient 
fort on the high, bank of' the Clearwater, near 
the Harrington sawmill site. This historic and 
picturesque structure was well preserved until 
white men began cultivating the soil in the 
early 6o's. This fort was circular in outline, 
and was subdivided into five compartments. 
The partitions were,' quarter circles, opening 
into a central court by narrow passages. The 
main entrance to the fort was by way of a cut 
in the lofty river banks ; this led from the wat- 
ers to a point well inside the walls of this castle 



6 3 6 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



in the wilderness. The rampait and partitions 
were constructed of earth, and were in height 
about six feet. This fort was the first struc- 
ture erected by white men in the entire Lewis- 
ton valley. It is the testimony of Robert 
Bracken that the place where the Lewis and 
Clark expedition camped and made a barter 
with the Asotin tribe of Indians for provisions 
was pointed out to him by some Indians 
twenty-two years ago. 

In the account of Captain B. L. E. Bonne- 
ville's trip to this vicinity there are some state- 
ments that might profitably be taken cum grano 
salis. The assertion that they dined on buffalo 
meat is probably incorrect, as there were no 
buffalo west of the Rocky Mountains. The 
account also conveys the idea that all Indians 
possessed firearms, which is extremely doubtful. 
The same may be said of the statement that 
the Indians habitually used pocket handker- 
chiefs and gloves. 

It was in 1 83 1 that Captain Bonneville ap- 
plied for a two years' leave of absence from 
the United States army that he might "explore 
the country to the Rocky Mountains and be- 
3 r ond. with a view of ascertaining the nature 
and character of the several tribes of Indians 
inhabiting these regions ; the trade which might 
be profitably carried on with them ;qualityof the 
soil, productions, minerals, natural history, cli- 
mate, geography, topography, as well as ge- 
ology of the various parts of the country with- 
in the limits of the territories of the United 
States between our frontier and the Pacific." 
The request was granted. While Bonneville 
was informed that the government would be at 
no expense in fitting out the expedition, he was 
instructed that he must provide himself with 
suitable instruments and maps, and that he was 
to "note particularly the number of warriors 
that might be in each tribe of natives that may 
be met with, their alliances with other tribes, 
and their relative position as to state of peace 
or war; their manner of making war, mode of 
subsisting themselves during a state of war and 



a state of peace; their arms and the effect of 
them; whether they act on foot or on horse- 
back ; in short, every information useful to the 
government." 

It might seem that a government which de- 
manded such valuable services ought to have 
been willing to make some pecuniary returns, or 
at least, pay all the expenses. But it so chanced 
that Captain Bonneville was compelled to se- 
cure financial aid elsewhere. During the winter 
an association was formed in New York which 
furnished the necessary means, and on May 1, 
1832, the expedition set out, the party number- 
ing no men. 

They took with them in wagons a large 
quantity of suitable trading goods to be used 
in traffic with the Indians in the basins of the 
Colorado and Columbia rivers. Bonneville 
himself went as far west as Walla Walla. Other 
members of his expedition entered the valleys 
of the Humboldt. Sacramento and Colorado 
rivers, but they were unable to compete with 
the experienced Hudson's Bay and Missouri 
companies and the enterprise proved a financial 
failure. This expedition derives its chief im- 
portance from the fact that it forms the basic 
structure of one of Washington Irving's most 
fascinating works, which "in language more 
thrilling and varied than romance, has pictured 
the trapper's life, its dangers, its exciting pleas- 
ures, the bitter rivalry of competing traders, 
the hostility of the savages," presenting a pic- 
ture of the fur trade which will preserve to 
later posterity, something of the charm and 
fascination of that wild, weird traffic. 

December 25, 1833, Captain Bonneville and 
three men left Portneuf, on the upper Snake 
river, on their memorable trip to old Fort 
Walla Walla. In a direction trending westerly 
they traversed a course parallel with the Snake, 
maintaining their general position several miles 
south of that river until they won their way to 
American Falls, and several days later to Fish 
Falls. Through a narrow, itortuous crevice 
they descended to the banks of the river, which 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



637 



they traveled downward, continuing on the 
left bank. January 13, 1834, the party, foot- 
sore and exhausted, arrived at the mouth of 
Powder river. Here they discovered that their 
proposed route up Gum creek was impractica- 
ble. Consequently they continued down Snake 
river to the entrance of the gloomy canyon. 
On the following day they ascended a lofty 
mountain looming in front of them, and from 
its summit obtained a magnificent view of all 
the heaven piercing peaks of the Imnaha, and 
the turbulent waters of Snake river tumbling 
over rocks and dashing madly down precipit- 
ous precipices. Having feasted their vision 
upon these inspiring and picturesque scenes 
they descended into the beautiful valley of the 
Grande Ronde. 

All of the following day they continued 
prospecting in the hope of lighting upon a bet- 
ter and more feasible route. Then they turned 
toward the Snake river, which they reached 
after two days' travel. Down this stream the 
little party pursued its way. For a short dis- 
ance and a short period their chosen route was 
comparatively easy, but at length they came to 
where the river entered the mountains through 
perpendicular walls. In 18 10 this locality had 
been named by the Hunt party Caldron Lin. 
On uncertain and dangerous bridges of ice and 
snow they were occasionally compelled to cross 
the river. For a time they traveled on a nar- 
row and slippery trail over yawning canyons 
and precipices ; at length they arrived at a point 
where the bed of the river occupied the entire 
space in the chasms with perpendicular walls; 
they could advance no farther. 

In attempting to scale the lofty mountains 
to the west a whole days was passed, but all in 
vain; they were compelled to return to their 
last camp. On the following day, January 27, 
1834, they passed up Snake river about four 
miles, and toiled all day climbing the steep 
mountain sides to the west. At night they went 
into camp on a small piece of bench land. This 
toilsome march was recumed the next morning, 



up the mountains, and after twenty-one days 
of peril, hardship and trouble, climbing up and 
down precipices and cautiously picking their 
way along precipitous mountain sides the small 
party arrived in the valley of the Imnaha. Two 
days' travel north along this stream brought 
them on to a camp of Nez Perce Indians, com- 
prising twelve families. By the venerable chief 
they were hospitably received, and he set before 
them such viands as he possessed. The party 
were voraciously hungry, almost to the starving 
point, and it is needless to say that they made 
a hearty meal. After dinner the pipe of peace 
was lighted and passed around. 

The party continued down the Imnaha 
nearly to Snake river. From thence over hills and 
gulches the next day the espied slender colmuns 
of smoke. These proceeded from a small en- 
campment of Nez Perce Indians. Greeting the 
explorers with a salute of firearms they cordially 
invited them to encamp. Yo-mus-a-wa-hi-a-cat 
was the euphonious name of the chief of this 
band. He welcomed the whites to his camp 
with the same hospitality and kindness which 
they had received from other chiefs whom they 
had encountered on their route. Yo-mus-a-wa- 
hi-a-cat urged Bonneville to remain with him 
until the following day when he would accom- 
pany him and introduce the party to all his peo- 
ple, providing food for the journey by slaught- 
ering a colt, which he gave to the half-fam- 
ished guests. 

Over a rough and broken country they trav- 
eled the next day. After going into camp the 
Indian guide of Yo-mus-a-wa-hi-a-cat departed 
on some secret mission. The next morning 
they descended into the Way-lu-wa (Grande 
Ronde) , a considerable tributary of the Snake 
river. Here they met the guide on his return 
trip, the nature of which they were soon des- 
tined to learn. In a small stream they observed 
a number of Indians bathing. The chief con- 
versed with them about the whites, of whom he 
appeared particularly proud. On the banks of 
the Way-lu-wa the explorers noticed an iso- 



6 3 8 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



lated mound covered with grass; the chief, 
with a display of emotion, said : "The big heart 
and the strong afm lie buried beneath that sod." 
It was learned that the great chief had been 
killed while pursuing a party of Shosokies who 
had stolen the village horses. 

At this juncture an Indian scout appeared 
and presented the Nez Perce chief with a 
powder horn. The latter pointed to a near-by 
hill and explained that behind it was a village 
governed by a little chief whom he had notified 
by his guide of the approach of the whites. 
This explained the secret mission of the scout 
whom they had met returning. Then the party 
doubled the point of the hill where the whole 
population of the Indian village was drawn up 
in line, arranged according to rank, and ar- 
rayed in all their barbaric finery. This village 
ivas at the junction of Joseph creek and Grande 
Ronde river, within the limits of the present 
Asotin county. The Indians discharged a sa- 
lute of fire arms which was returned by Bonne- 
ville's party. Then came forward the chiefs, 
successively, according to rank, and offered the 
hand of good fellowship until all had pledged 
their fealty and friendship. 

For the distinguished guests comfortable 
lodges were erected. They were supplied with 
food, water, and other necessities ; their horses 
cared for, and all this being adjusted they were 
conducted to the council house, where a ban- 
quet was spread, consisting of roots, elk flesh, 
fish and deer. Following this feast there was 
a prolonged "pow wow," or "big talk," some 
sentences of which were repeated at the door of 
the lodge by a crier for the benefit of the whole 
village gathered on the outside. This was a pe- 
culiar custom among the Nez Perce Indians, 
although they were, of course, ignorant of the 
fact that the same practice obtained among 
the heralds during the various knightly cam- 
paigns of the crusaders. If anything of value 
was lost, no matter how insignificant, it was 
carried by the finder to the lodge of the chief 
and proclamation was made by one of the criers 



for the owner to come and claim his property. 
Captain Bonneville, who had repeated opportu- 
nities to ascertain the true character of the Nez 
Perces, invariably spoke of them as kind and 
hospitable, scrupulously honest, remarkable for 
a strong feeling of religion and pronounced 
them one of the purest hearted people on earth. 
At this village of Way-lu-wa an Indian proved 
ownership to a horse that Bonneville had 
bought of a root digger, and which had been 
stolen from the Nez Perces. But the Indian 
owner said : "You got him fair ; you need horse 
more than I do; keep him; good horse; use 
him well." Such is but one instance of the 
considerate and generous treatment accorded 
Captain Bonneville and party in their really 
destitute condition. 

At the mouth of Joseph creek this village 
of Way-lu-wa was situated, near the mound 
on which was the Indian burial ground. 

Concerning this visit of Captain Bonne- 
ville's party in 1834, to the Indian village on 
Grande Ronde, Robert Bracken, in 1894, 
just sixty years afterward, published the fol- 
lowing in the Asotin Sentinel: 

"Among the Indians on the Grande Ronde 
river are four aged members of the tribe who 
distinctly recollect the time and the great re- 
ception the party received upon reaching this 
place, then an Indian village. (Mr. Bracken 
refers to the Indian village at the mouth of 
Joseph creek.) Three of these Indians at the 
time were about fourteen years of age. The 
fourth was born near the stream of the Im- 
naha, and is now over eighty years old, and 
shook hands with the 'bald white chief and his 
men. From the latter old Indian I gathered the 
information that at that time the three head 
chief of the Nez Perce tribe in the Snake 
river valley were Tu-kul-ku-tsut and Yo-mar- 
sa-ya-kai-kim and Nos-nu-kow-wits, the latter 
then living at the Imnaha. But there were, 
also, minor, or under chiefs, whose power ex- 
tended no further than their own villages, but 
the three above mentioned were the head men 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



^39 



to whom the 'little chiefs' always went for coun- 
sel. The Indian term for Grande Ronde river 
is Way-lu-wa, and for Joseph creek, Ananna." 

Having passed a number of days at this 
hospitable village the exploring party, accom- 
panied by the Nez Perce guide and Chief Yo- 
mus-a-wa-hi-a-cat, to do the honors of the coun- 
try, traveled down the Grande Ronde to Snake 
river. Thence they followed down the left 
bank of that stream. They encountered several 
bands of Nez Perces, to whom the whites were 
great curiosities. All the Indians gave the 
hand of friendship when introduced to the pale 
faces by the old chief. They halted on the 
bank of the Snake when a considerable distance 
down the stream, and turned out their horses 
to graze. There was a group of lodges across 
the river and from one of them the chief sum- 
moned his cousin. The latter was introduced 
by a name singularly Chinese in construction, 
Chief Ah-tsin-cow-cow. These lodges were at 
Captain John creek. Ah-tsin-cow-cow joined 
the party, contributing to the gaiety of the oc- 
casion a quantity of provisions and tobacco. 
Continuing on their way the party camped in 
the hut of a Nez Perce on Couse creek bar. 
They were here visited by a number of war- 
riors from across the river, friends of Yo-mus- 
a-wa-hi-a-cat and Ah-tsin-cow-cow. While at 
this camp a dog was accused of stealing a valu- 
able skin from the Bonneville party. On account 
of this alleged crime the animal was condemned 
and executed. He was subsequently proved 
innocent. 

On the following morning after they had 
proceeded some distance Ah-tsin-cow-cow 
dashed ahead of the voyagers and was soon lost 
to view. They were now near the villege of 
Ahshutin, over which presided Ah-posh-wye 
(Looking Glass), commonly known as the 
"Great Chief." This Indian village of Ahshu- 
tin was on the present location of Asotin. Bear- 
ing a powder horn to enable the party to re- 
spond to a salute, an Indian herald now ap- 
peared. A scene ensued on their approach to 



the village similar to that which had occurred at 
the village of the "Little Chief at the mouth 
of Joseph creek. Drawn up in line in the field 
the whole population appeared, arranged with 
due regard to rank and dignity. Salutes fol- 
lowed from firearms; then there was shaking 
of hands; and this last ceremony was partici- 
pated in by men, women and children. The 
Indians had learned that this is an indispensa- 
ble an overture of friendship among the whites 
as smoking the pipe is among the red men. 
Another banquet was prepared, at which the 
guests were introduced to all the choicest 
viands the village afforded; they were served 
with extravagant profusion. Feats of agility 
and horse races completed the entertainment 
of the day. Indeed this visit of Bonneville's 
party to Ahshutin appeared to have been the 
signal for prodigal festivity. For these white 
wanderers in the wilderness a skin lodge had 
been provided; wood and water were supplied 
and their horses and luggage cared for. When 
"Night drew her sable curtain round, ani 
pinned it with a star." they retired to seek the 
rest they so much needed. But in vain; a 
throng of visitors, eager for a smoke and "heap 
big talk*' kept them awake until the "russet 
morning" dawned in the east. 

It chanced at this time that the sixteen-year- 
old daughter of Ah-posh-wye was very ill. 
The fame of Captain Bonneville as a phys'cian 
procured him a patient for whom he prescribed, 
curing her with a vapor bath and a dose of gun- 
powder dissolved in water. With many ex- 
pressions of gratitude Ah-posh-wye invited 
Bonneville to remain with him a long t'me, 
but this could not be. It was necessary to re- 
turn to the Portneuf so soon as he had ar- 
rived at Fort Walla Walla. With one of his 
best horses Ah-posh-wye presented him, de- 
claring it made his heart glad to see his friend 
so well mounted. 

February 24, 1834, under a Nez Perce 
guide appointed by Ah-posh-wye, Bonneville 
and his party resumed their journey, passing 



640 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



through the beautiful, undulating country 
known as Lewiston Flat, to the village of Chief 
He-min-il-pilp (Red Wolf), which was on 
Alpowa creek, near where it debouches into 
Snake river. They were received with the cus- 
tomary Indian ceremonies at the village. They 
traveled west-southwest after leaving this 
point, through an attractive and fertile region; 
seven days after leaving the domain of He- 
min-il-pilp they won their way to old Fort 
Walla Walla, on the Columbia river, March 
4, 1834. 

Those who have read Washington Irving's 
fascinating book, "Bonnevi'.h's Adventures," 
will remember the valient hero's journey along 
the Snake river to Walla Walla. At one point 
he remarked the wonderful beauty and fertility 
of the country, and he then predicted, with the 
true spirit of prophecy, that sometime there 
would be farms there, and that the wilderness 
would be made, by the hand of enterprising 
pioneers, to blossom as the rose. The region 
of which this prophecy was made and which 
is so vividly described, must have been in Aso- 
tin, the corner county. 

The ministrations of Rev. H. H. Spald- 
ing, a companion missionary of the martyred 
Marcus Whitman, have become historical in 
the annals of the earliest settlement of the 
Territory of Washington. But he did not con- 
fine his efforts to spiritual matters alone. For 
the physicial welfare of both white pioneers and 
Indians he invariably manifested deep interest. 
The bringing of apple seeds to the northwest 
and the planting of the first orchard were 
brought about by him. Red Wolf planted some 
of the seeds at the mouth of Alpowa creek and 
this started the oldest orchard in this part of 
the country. 

Albert Stiffel,- who was proprietor of the 
Asotin Sentinel in 1885, visited this old or- 
chard and wrote concerning it as follows : 

"Near the family residence (of David Moh- 
ler) are a number of apple trees, the seed of 
which was brought across the plains in the year 



1836 by Rev. Spalding, a missionary whose 
name to-day is familiar to every member of the 
Nez Perce tribe. The seeds were planted in 
the spring of 1838 by Red Wolf, then a chief 
of some notoriety among the Nez Perces in- 
habiting this section of territory. The trees 
are six in number, the largest of which is six 
feet, eight inches in circumference and produced 
this season over two thousand pounds of apples, 
realizing to the owner over $50 in cash." 

It is recorded by another writer in the Aso- 
tin Sentinel that he "heard the old missionary, 
Rev. H. H. Spalding, say that he brought out 
to the coast those same identical apple seeds,, 
a few being planted on the Alpowa and the bal- 
ance on the Lapwai creek before the old mis- 
sion, and where the garrison was afterward 
located. The year named, 1837, is correct.'" 

"October 2, 1880, Sheriff Steen presented 
us with some specimens of the apples grown 
on the large trees in the old orchard at the 
mouth of the Alpowa. The apples are of fair 
size and good quality and would never be 
taken for seedlings. The tree which produced 
them has a round body and is twenty-six inches 
in diameter two feet from the ground. It is 
beginning to show some signs of decay in the 
limbs. The seed from which it sprung was 
brought from the 'states' by Rev. M. Spalding 
in 1836, and given to Red Wolf, chief of the 
Alpowas, who planted it the following year. 
This tree, therefore, is forty-three years old 
and, undoubtedly, the oldest bearing apple 
tree in the Pacific northwest. The old orchard 
has passed from the hands of the Indians who 
planted it, and is now owned by David Mohler,. 
who resides on the premises." 

Thus writes the editor of the Columbia 
Chronicle. 

December 8, 1894, the Asotin Sentinel pub- 
lished the following, reference to which has 
been made in the history of Columbia county : 

"H. H. Spalding, of Almota, presented the 
State Historical Society, at Tacoma, with the 
first mill-stone ever used in Washington. It 







The oldest orchard in Washington; seed furnished by 
Missionary Spalding and planted in the mouth or the Alpowa, 
now in Asotin county, by Red \Volr in 1838. 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



641 



was ground out of a piece of granite along in 
the 40's, and used by the Indians near Alpowa 
to grind the grain they were taught how to 
raise by Mr. Spalding's father and his col- 
league, Dr. Whitman. Alpowa. where the 
stone was used, was the home of such noted 
chiefs as Red Wolf and Timothy, and is lo- 
cated in this (Asotin) county, on the Snake 
river. The millstone was hewn out of a piece 
of gray granite, a foot thick and has a round 
hole in the center seven or eight inches in 
diameter." 

The above requires some explanation. The 
present Alpowa postoffice is in Garfield county, 
and several miles from the Snake river, on Al- 
powa creek. The writer of the article in the 
Sentinel which we have quoted, refers, doubt- 
less, to the Indian village at the mouth of Al- 
powa creek, where it empties into Snake river. 
This may, at that early day, have been called 
Alpowa, and in this event it would have been 
just within the limits of the present Asotin 
county. 

There is undisputable evidence that the 
Hudson's Bay Company had trappers in this 
country that is now Asotin county, in the early 
days. A few miles above Hansen's Ferry, on 
Los Prairie, in Wallowa county, Oregon, this 
powerful company had one of their supply sta- 
tions. And Wallowa joins Asotin county on 
the south. Y\ nen the first settlers came to the 
country a part of the stone chimney of one of 
the buildings was still standing, -but now noth- 
ing remains of either chimney or the old log 
buildings to mark the spot. Concerning this 
supply post and the dealings of he Hudson's 
Bay Company's people, a correspondent writ- 
ing from Hansen's Ferry said : 

"From 1873 to 1875 there lived in this lo- 
cality at different times several old Indians who 
had a distinct recollection of the old store, and 
had made several visits there with their par- 
ents and had seen them exchanging furs for 
such supplies as were kept in stock, which con- 
sisted of gaudy blankets, beads and trinkets. 

41 



The Hudson's Bay people had a large herd of 
horses, and one winter the snow reached such 
a depth and remained on the ground so long 
that the only thing they could get to eat was 
the bark from trees, and as a result of this 
hard winter a great many of the ponies died. 
This information was received by your corre- 
spondent from an old Hudson's Bay trapper, 
since dead, who in turn obtained it from some 
of the Indians who had dealings at the trading 
post during its existence." 

The proximity of this Oregon trading post 
to the present territory of Asotin county natur- 
ally leads to the conclusion that the trappers 
haunted the Snake and the various creeks 
in Asotin territory at this early day in search 
of beaver and other pelts. 

In 1 85 1 the territory that now comprises 
Asotin county was traversed by a party of 
white men. They were thirty is number and 
were on their way to the Nez Perce country 
to treat with that tribe for peace. It will be 
remembered that this was not long after the 
Whitman massacre. These frontiersman met 
the Indians at Lapwai, Idaho, where a treaty 
of peace was signed. There were present over 
7,000 male Indians. One of the members of 
the white party was Samuel W. Childs. who 
said that from the time they left The Dalles 
until they returned they did not see a white 
man's house. There was not a living thing in 
the Walla Walla valley, according to Mr. 
Childs, but an old lame Indian pony. 

Until the year 1858 in what are now Aso- 
tin, in Washington, and Nez Perce county, in 
Idaho, the pale faces were decidedly scarce. In 
1835 Colonel Craig and Dr. Newell came into 
this section of the country. It is the evidence 
of Mr. Robert Bracken that he was acquainted 
with both of them and had passed many a 
pleasant hour beneath their roof. Craig's 
Mountain, whose white peak may be seen from 
a lone distance derives its name from Colonel 
Craig. The Colonel, Dr. Newell and Louis 
Marengo left the city of St. Louis when mere 



642 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



boys, and journeyed west to "fight Indians and 
trap beaver." They joined the forces of the 
Hudson's Bay Company; but soon discovered 
that the life of the trapper was not a bed of 
roses ; on the contrary decidedly irksome. Soon 
afterward they struck out for themselves. 
Louis Marengo, of whom the reader of this 
history has learned something in the portion 
devoted "to Columbia county, settled upon a 
piece of land on the Tucanon, near where the 
village of Marengo now stands. Dr. Newell 
was Indian agent at Lapwai late in the 6o's. 
Where now stands the city of Lewiston the 
doctor located a farm, but for some reason 
abandoned it. Colonel Craig settled on a farm 
on Lapwai creek in the late 30's, and for thirty- 
seven years continued to reside there. While 
this has no direct bearing on the history of 
Asotin county, it serves to show that at a very 
early date white men had visited and actually 
settled in this interior country. 

The territory that is now Asotin county was 
at one time a part of an Indian reservation. In 
1857 what was known as the Whitman treaty 
was put in force. This made an Indian reser- 
vation of a large territory, the western boun- 
dary of which was half way between Alpowa 
and Pataha, and consequently all of the pres- 
ent Asotin county and a part of what is now 
Idaho was included in the limits. Perin Whit- 
man was interpreter at the time this treaty was 
made with die Indians, and was for many years 
afterward. Negotiations for a new treaty were 
begun in 1862 and completed the following 
year, which set the west line of the reservation 
about seven miles east of Lewiston, Idaho. 
While this later treaty left the Asotin country 
outside of the reservation, the country for sev- 
eral years thereafter was practically Indian ter- 
ritory. Only a few adventurous spirits at- 
tempted to make settlement in the country in 
the sixties and the Indians roamed at will. 
Every winter, owing to the milder climate, dur- 
ing the early 6o's and up to 1868, not less than 
600 natives made their homes on Asotin creek. 



Here they would pass the winter fishing and 
hunting, and during the summer months would 
take up their place of abode in other portions 
of the country. 

The oft-times told campaign and defeat of 
Colonel E. J. Steptoe in the spring of 1858 has 
to do with the history of Asotin county. An 
account of this disaster is given in the state his- 
tory prefixed to this work, but there is some- 
thing of local interest here that has not been 
told. The defeat of the United States troops 
occurred in what is now Whitman county, but 
it was an Indian living in what is now Asotin 
county who saved the command from utter an- 
nihilation ; it was from Asotin county that the 
command entered the territory of the actual 
fighting; and it was back into Asotin county 
that the sorely harassed and defeated troops 
found refuge and safety. 

May 6, 1858, Colonel Steptoe left Fort 
Walla Walla on the expedition to the northern 
country, with five company officers, 152 en- 
listed men, about 30 civilians and a large pack 
train. It was their intention to cross Snake 
river at the mouth of Alpowa creek, where 
lived Timothy and his band of friendly Nez 
Perce Indians. On their third days' march the 
mouth of Alpowa creek was reached. Upon 
the approach of*the troops a band of Palouse 
Indians on the other side of the river was seen 
to retreat. Timothy had some of his young 
warriors ferry Steptoe' s command across the 
Snake. 

John McBean had been engaged as chief 
interpreter and guide. He was a half breed, 
whose father was an old Hudson's Bay Com- 
pany's man, and had been chief factor at old 
Fort Walla Walla, the company's post, on the 
Columbia. McBean backed out and refused to 
go farther, as he declared it was unsafe for the 
troops to advance, the Indians being in an ugly 
mood. Timothy was engaged to act as guide 
and two other Indians volunteered. These 
were Levi, who served as scout for General 
Howard in the Joseph uprising, nearly twenty 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



643 



years later, and a nephew of Timothy, Shinica- 
to-chit-skin, meaning a blanket made of geese 
feathers. It is not our province to give in de- 
tail the result of this expedition, it having been 
exhaustively treated before, except to say that 
the troops were set upon by the hostile tribes 
and that the command was saved from 
total annihiliation only through the efforts of 
Timothy. 

Those who participated in this unfortunate 
campaign never failed to speak a good word for 
"Old Timothy," the Nez Perce chief, and the 
heroic part he assumed in saving the command 
from destruction. Here is the story of the 
crossing of Snake river near the mouth of the 
Alpowa, on the retreat, as told by Thomas B. 
Beall, who was chief pack master under Colonel 
Steptoe during the campaign, as related in the 
Lewiston (Idaho) Teller in April, 1889. The 
story commences while the troops were still in 
the vicinity of Steptoe Butte : 

"As our ammunition was nearly expended, 
the colonel called a counsel of officers just be- 
fore sundown. I do not think there were two 
rounds of ammunition to the man. Our condi- 
tion was desperate, indeed, for our nearest point 
of supply was Walla Walla, and the Snake 
river between us and that place. I now want 
to say something in regard to our faithful ally, 
Timothy, 'known to many of us as 'Old Tim- 
oty.' He told Colonel Steptoe that the com- 
mand seemed to be completely surrounded, but 
he would try to find a way to escape. In about 
an hour he returned and reported that he could 
get the command through if they could climb 
a steep hill at a point which had been left un- 
guarded. The colonel could not do otherwise 
and he placed the command under the leader- 
ship of this faithful friend. We built fresh 
camp fires and left the most of our horses pick- 
eted so as to deceive the enemy. About nine 
o'clock p. m., we slowly left our camp under the 
guidance of Old Timothy. We marched all 
night and all day, passed down the Steptoe 
canyon, and camped on the bank of Snake 



river, opposite the mouth of the Alpowa. 
Here old Timothy showed his kindness again. 
He told Colonel Steptoe that the men were 
tired and he would have his young men stand 
guard. The next morning he gave us plenty 
of fresh salmon and what other things he had 
to spare. Now this Indian never received any 
pay for services rendered to the government, 
no; not even was he thanked for them. If any 
one deserves a pension for services rendered 
to the government, I think this faithful old 
Indian does." 

The march was forced throughout the night 
of May 1 7th, and continued during the day fol- 
lowing until 1 1 o'clock on the second night, 
when Snake river was readied, opposite where 
the Alpowa flows in. The distance covered 
was between 80 and 90 miles, and the troops 
were worn out with the rapid traveling, follow- 
ing so closely on the desperate engagement. 
Camp was at once made. Fatigue was not the 
least of their hardships, for when the stores 
were abandoned only a half dozen pack animals 
were loaded and not all of these carried provis- 
ions, consisting mainly of hardtack. The long 
march jaded the men and horses, but all were 
hungry. They were provided abundantly with 
such supplies as the Indians had and of which 
salmon was an article served the men in large 
quantities. Appreciating the condition of these 
troops and knowing their strength would be 
taxed to renew their retreat on the following 
morning, Timothy allayed the fears of Colonel 
Steptoe, who anticipated a night attack by the 
hostiles, by offering to furnish a force from 
among his people to stand guard. The chief 
placed forty of his young men on picket duty 
around the camp and in scouting over the coun- 
try. After all the members of the expedition 
had enjoyed a night of uninterrupted rest the 
Indians ferried them over the river. No hos- 
tiles had ventured near the river and the march 
was resumed. 

Speaking of this Nez Perce chief, Timothy, 
who lived at the mouth of the Alpowa, Rev. 



644 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



H. K. Hines, D. D., in his history of Wash- 
ington (1893) said: 

"This Indian, en passant, is worthy of a 
brief notice. He was a man, with a square, 
open, benignant countenance, who had never 
faltered in his friendship to the whites. Under 
the missionary labors of Mr. Spalding at Lap- 
awai, not far away from Timothy's home, he 
had embraced the Christian faith, and was the 
first Indian to be propounded for membership 
in the Presbyterian church under Mr. Spald- 
ing's labors. He was a sincere, honest, unaf- 
fected man, securing the confidence of all who 
knew him, and living a sober, industrious and 
Christian life. In later years the writer knew 
him well, and has often sat with him on the 
ground under the shade of one of the great 
apple trees on the Alpowa creek, whose seed 
was planted by Mr. Spalding in 1837, near the 
tepee of the then youthful Timothy, and con- 
versed with him of the men and the times of 
which he now writes. Not more than a decade 
ago his white soul passed into the eternity of 
the good." 

Dr. Kuykendall, who was pretty well ac- 
quainted with the history of the northwestern 
Indians, furnished to the East IVashingtonian 
of Pomeroy, the following sketch of old chief 
Timothy, who died at his home on the Alpowa, 
in June, 1890: 

"The death of old Timothy, the aged In- 
dian chief, at the mouth of the Alpowa, re- 
moves from among us a prominent character 
in the history of the northwest. Although a 
red man, and springing from a savage race, 
he had many of the noblest attributes of 
humanity. He was always the white man's 
friend and when the red hand of murder was 
lifted and the incendiary torch was lighted 
Timothy always stood forth to stay the arm of 
the destroyer. Timothy and his little band have 
lived at the mouth of the Alpowa for more 
than three- fourths of a century ; that is known, 
and perhaps their ancestors for many hundreds 
of years before. The missionary Spalding ' 



planted them an orchard about 1837, when Red 
Wolf was a Nez Perce chief. Some of the old 
trees remain yet. Ever since the settlement of 
this country Timothy has been the friend of 
the whites. He and a number of his band were- 
early converts to Christianity, and have lived 
lives that might shame many a white brother. 
During one of the Indian wars Old Timothy- 
fitted out a number of volunteers from among 
his own people and sent them to aid the whites 
against the hostiles. For this act of loyalty 
and friendship toward our own people he never- 
received any compensation. Even the ponies: 
that the Indian volunteers lost in the fighting 
were never paid for. In 1858, thirty-two years, 
ago, last month, Colonel Steptoe's command 
were whipped out by the savage hordes and: 
driven from the Palouse and northern country 
toward Snake river. The colonel beat a hasty 
retreat, following down the deep gorge, known- 
today as Steptoe's canyon. When they 
reached Snake river, opposite the mouth 
of the Alpowa, their horses were jaded 
and the men exhausted. Had it not been 
for the friendly help of Timothy and his people 
in crossing them over they would have all been 
butchered by the blood-thirsty savages. The 
history of the relation of the red men to the- 
whites on the North American continent af- 
fords no brighter page than that which records; 
the friendship and loyalty of Old Timothy. 
Though wrapped in the skin of a savage he had 
the heart of a nobleman." 

Much has been written concerning the good 
deeds of Timothy, but little has been said of 
Te-ma, his wife, who undoubtedly exerted a 
great influence for good as did her husband. 
The following in regard to Te-ma, written by 
Newton Gibbs, is of historical interest : 

"The name of Timothy's wife, Te-ma, lit- 
erally interpreted, means one who writes. This 
woman was, so far as known, the last of the- 
tribe that remembered the visit of Lewis and 
Clark in 1805-6. She manifested great interest 
in the white people which was inspired by the: 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



645 



memory of these men. She is said to have 
learned to speak and write English from some 
of her people who had been taught by their 
■early visitors during their sojourn in the Lew- 
iston valley. This education gave the child 
her name and influenced her life as well. The 
influence of Te-ma aided, no doubt, in making 
Timothy the great man that he became. 

"The influence of Te-ma was the cause of 
/giving the name of Alpowa to her home. The 
word Alpowa means in the significance of its 
application to the place, a Sunday-like rest, or 
a place to enjoy a Christian peacefulness. The 
influence which gave the name to Te-ma's 
home extended to every member of the Nez 
Perce tribe, and this influence had much to do 
with making them the most civilized of all the 
American aborigines when the white men first 
■came in contact with them. History records 
the good deeds of no truer heroine in the world 
than good, old Te-ma. 

"Timothy and Te-ma rest side by side on 
a knoll near their old home, Alpowa (Sunday), 
which their good deeds made. This name is a 
monument which will stand forever. How- 
ever, as these good Indians received no manner 
of reward from public or private sources while 
they lived, their act of heroism should be pre- 
served in marble so that all may know the sig- 
nificance of the name Alpowa and future gen- 
erations may be reminded of the deeds of Tim- 
othy and Te-ma, the lowly hero and heroine of 
the western aborigines." 

The first white men, with the exception of 
early explorers and missionaries, who came to 
the Asotin county territory were gold seekers, 
or those who came because of gold discoveries. 
Stock raisers found a ready market for their 
produce in the mining camps. The trail 
through the Asotin country was one of the 
direct routes to the mines of Idaho. The first 
white settler in Asotin county was one Sam 
Smith. He "squatted" on the place which, for 
many years later in the history of the county, 
was known as the fruit farm of D. H. Mohler, 



near the confluence of Alpowa creek and Snake 
river. This was in the vicinity of Old Tim- 
othy's tribe. Smith arrived there June 10, 
1 86 1. He owned a small stock of goods and, 
also, a sort of a hotel for the accommodation 
of travelers passing to and from the Orofino 
mines. Although Smith remained there only 
a short time his was the first business enterprise 
in what at present is Asotin county. 

The second settler in this part of the coun- 
try was D. S. King. He set his stakes in, and 
lived on, what is now known as the Andrew E. 
Lee place, on the Alpowa. This, however, was 
not within the present limits of Asotin, being 
just across the line in Garfield county. But 
King and his place became so closely identified 
with the pioneer settlers of Asotin county that 
mention should here be made of his settlement. 
The house was a famous and familiar hostelry 
for the miners in those days, on their way to or 
from the famed gold fields of Idaho. The place 
was a stage station on the line between Lewis- 
ton and Walla Walla. The log building which 
he here erected at this early day on many occa- 
sions sheltered the miner who had made his 
"stake," and not infrequently the one who was 
discouraged, footsore and "busted." 

By Colonel Craig and others Pearcy's ferry 
was established in 1861. It was in the autumn 
of that year that the Florence and Elk City 
mines in Idaho, were discovered, and became 
powerful factors in inducing many people to 
pass through the present territory of Asotin 
county on their way to this famous mining 
country. And it was the discovery of the 
mines already referred to that brought the next 
permanent settler to the country. This was 
Robert Bracken — still a resident of Asotin 
county — the oldest of the old settlers. April 
16, 1862, Mr. Bracken located a place at a 
point eight miles below the present site of 
Asotin. Here he engaged in stock raising to 
supply the local markets — the busy mining 
camps. He had left California in the autumn 
of 1 86 1 in company with a number of prospec- 



646 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



tors, and directed his steps toward the upper 
country. Arriving at the mouth of the Alpowa, 
he wintered in that neighborhood. To the 
depth of twenty-eight inches the snow fell that 
winter, and for ninety days remained on the 
ground. Out of one band of 800 over 200 
mules and horses were lost. The following 
spring Mr. Bracken began prospecting in 
Idaho. Concerning the condition of the coun- 
try when he came here in 1862 Mr. Bracken 
says : 

"When I first settled in Asotin county my 
nearest neighbor on the south was living in 
Grande Ronde valley, Oregon, one hundred 
and fifty miles from me. At Anatone there 
was a saw mill which sawed lumber in summer 
and every fall shut down until warm weather 
came around again. Starr & Atwood, the pro- 
prietors, lived in Portland. They operated the 
mill four years and each spring hired a new 
crew. With the exception of the ferryman liv- 
ing near the Alpowa. my nearest neighbor on 
the north was about the same distance from 
me as the one on the south. Both east and west 
I had neighbors nearer, so you will see people 
in those days lived some distance apart and 
didn't do much visiting." 

In the fall of 1862 Starr & Atwood erected, 
from the first lumber 'sawed, a building for 
storing goods at the place now occupied by E. 
Baumeister's store in Asotin. This was the 
first frame building erected in the county. 

In 1862 Dr. Simmons came to the country 
and "farmed" a piece of land six miles below 
Asotin, on Snake river, near where Clarkston 
now stands. "Doc" was a* successful rancher; 
however, he sold his place and inprovements to 
John Greenfield, who afterward, for nineteen 
years, conducted a horse ranch on the property. 
Simmons and his partner, Ben Jones, subse- 
quently went to Montana. One night Jones 
was called from a saloon by four men, shot and 
killed. Simmons left the premises by a rear 
door which was the last ever seen or heard of 



him by his Asotin acquaintances. It is pre- 
sumed that he, too, was done to death by the 
same parties who had assassinated Jones. 

During the summer of 1862 the first saw- 
mill in the county was erected. It was located 
on a farm, later the property of D. W. Pink- 
ham, about one mile south of Anatone. This 
mill was owned by Starr & Atwood. By ox 
teams the lumber was hauled to Snake river 
and thence rafted to Lewiston, Idaho; here it 
was sold for $85 per thousand feet. Until the 
summer of 1867 lumber remained at that price, 
when it dropped to $30. At this latter figure 
the proprietors of the mill thought it would not 
pay to cut lumber, and accordingly they closed 
it down. The steam fixtures and other ma- 
chinery were sold and conveyed to Pine creek, 
Umatilla county, Oregon. The mill frame was 
disposed of for $50; but before the purchase 
price was paid it was destroyed by fire caused by 
a party of- Indians, who had camped near by. 
Subsequently Mr. Atwood put in a claim for 
his property that had been destroyed and re- 
ceived from the government $250. June 23, 
1900, the Asotin Sentinel published the follow- 
ing : 

"Mr. Henry Leland, assistant secretary and 
traveling correspondent of the Washington 
State Historical Society, visited our city last 
Monday for the first time since he was a lad 
in the employ of the milling company, of which 
his father, Alonzo Leland, was a member, and 
whose plant was located at the edge of the tim- 
ber on what is now known as the Pinkham 
ranch. The lumber was hauled by ox teams to 
the present site of Asotin, and young Leland 
was stationed here in a tent to keep tab on the 
lumber which was put into a raft and floated 
down the Snake river. Not a house had been 
built except one of boards by old Chief Jonah, • 
which he vacated after a few weeks' occupancy,, 
choosing instead to live in his tepee." 

In the fall of 1862 two trappers, whose 
names are not known, built a cabin on the south 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



647 



fork of Asotin creek and made their home there 
for a time. This cabin remained standing until 
about 1 88 1. 

From 1863 to 1866 placer mining was pros- 
ecuted along the bars of Snake river ; but it was 
discovered that pay dirt was far too shallow 
to be worked with profit, and the claims, one by 
one, were abandoned. Upon these sites now 
stand some of the best orchards in the county ; 
the trees are each year laden with rich, yellow 
plums and lucious peaches, to say nothing of 
toothsome, mellow apples. 

Asotin county has passed through a number 
of more or less exciting mining experiences. 
The first burst forth in 1865, and was really the 
most sensational of the many. The point where 
it was alleged gold might be picked up "by the 
bucketful," was the bar where Shovel creek 
flows into Snake river. This Shovel creek is a 
small, insignificant stream, coursing above the 
Grande Ronde river, and just within the border 
of Asotin county. The story of this wild ex- 
citement which resulted in a stampede is thus 
related by Robert Bracken, who was then, as he 
is now, engaged in the stock business : 

"It was in January, 1865, a party of pros- 
pectors came to my camp and repeated a story 
that in i860 — one year before gold was known 
to exist in any part of this county — three min- 
ers came down Snake river in their canoes and 
camped for the night on the Shovel creek bar. 
One of their number, the following morning, 
after some little prospecting, found the pay 
streak from which they shoveled out half a pail 
of gold in a very short time. They were out of 
provisions, which, of course, is a very common 
thing for miners, so they hid their find, only 
keeping out sufficient to. purchase supplies for 
which they went to Walla Walla. While there, 
the story goes, one of the men died, the second 
was killed and the third turned up missing one 
morning. 

"The location of the creek where gold was 
found by the shovelful was made known by one 
of the men to an intimate friend, and he in turn 



told the 'yarn' to others, and as each one told it 
the story grew bigger. I informed the party of 
prospectors who came to my camp that the 
whole story was a canard and that they were 
being misled, but they wouldn't be satisfied until 
they had prospected the stream and come back 
convinced that if such an immense amount of 
gold did exist in that locality it must have sud- 
denly sunk below bedrock. The stream after- 
wards was known as Shovel creek and has since 
retained that name. But to this day there are 
men who believe that gold exists in such quan- 
tities on the stream mentioned, for as late as 
the summer of 1893 I came across three pros- 
pectors hunting through the hills for some hid- 
den treasure. They related the same old tale 
to me, only somewhat more glittering, but they 
would not be satisfied, so I pointed out the 
course for them to Shovel creek, and after 
three weeks of hard work they came back 
wiser men. 

"The same story caused Bill Cussick to lose 
his life in Grande Ronde river in the spring of 
1865. Bill struck Lewiston in the spring of 
1863, and in company with another man went 
to mining on Almota bar, but had some dif- 
ficulty with the Indians living there at that 
time and thought it best to leave. In 1864 Cus- 
sick, Frank Bennett and Jim McCormick 
mined on the bar at Alpowa creek until 1865, 
when the Shovel creek excitement broke out. 
Jim Cussick and Frank Bennett both joined 
in the stampede that followed. They went in 
the first crowd that left Lewiston. The party 
must have numbered forty men, with 
their pack animals. When they reached 
Starr & Atwoods sawmill, one mile 
from where Anatone now is, they bought lum- 
ber and dragged it down over the trails to 
Grande Ronde river with ropes tied to their 
saddle horns. They built a large boat and the 
entire party crossed the river and camped a 
short distance below Joseph creek. They came 
near having trouble with the Indians camped 
there, but Tim Rebusco, who headed the party 



648 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



of miners, made peace. The miners camped 
here two days, and one day Cussick attempted 
to swim the river with his horse and was 
drowned. His horse was found with the herd 
next morning - , but Cussick was never seen after- 
ward. The trails leading to Shovel creek were 
lined with miners. They came down from Sal- 
mon river and it was a perfect stampede. I had 
a very god idea of what the result of the trip 
would be. I was in Lewiston when they came 
back and a worse sold party of men I never saw 
before or since. Actually they didn't find ground 
that would pay twentyfive cents a day to the 
man.'" 

There is nothing new under the sun. The 
scheme of carrying water from Asotin creek to 
the flat opposite Lewiston, which has been ac- 
complished in recent years, and which has ad- 
ded so much to the prosperity of Asotin county, 
was first planned so early as 1865. At that 
time the plan was evolved, not for irrigation, 
but for mining purposes. Concerning this Rob- 
ert Bracken has written : 

"A man by the name of Gillman, who kept 
a saloon in Lewiston in 1863. first proposed the 
scheme. In 1865 two surveys were made for 
the then proposed ditch. Water was to be taken 
from the creek at the farm now owned by the 
Oakes Brothers, twelve or thirteen miles from 
the mouth of the stream. Gillman tried to in- 
terest men with means, but in this he was 
unsuccessful because the expense of building 
figured up more than the ground would pay to 
mine. 

"In 1866-7 Gillman employed Jack Oliver 
to do some work on the ditch. Jack's camp was 
located on the land now included in Jerry Ma- 
guire's farm. He worked seven weeks 
and one evening received orders from 
the Indians to leave, which request 
was at once complied with. At this 
time there were over 900 Indians camped 
in the vicinity where Oliver was at work. The 
cause that led to Jack being compelled to leave 
was for killing a couple of dogs, the property 



of one of the Indians. Upon one occasion when 
Jack came in from work he found the dogs in 
possession of his tent and fighting over a side of 
bacon. Jack swore vengeance and upon a sec- 
ond visit the dogs were killed. For this act 
Oliver had to pack up and leave. 

"In the spring of 1867 Gillman furnished 
the means for another survey for a ditch that 
would cover the greater part of Lewiston flat. 
The survey located the head of the ditch on 
Asotin creek, a short distance below where Lick 
Fork empties into the stream. The ditch line 
kept along the Asotin creek bluffs and came out 
on the table land north of William Hopwood's 
farm. The survey made the length of the ditch 
twenty-eight miles. Twice as much land would 
have been under the ditch as the one that was 
surveyed before, while the cost of construction 
was not much greater. Again capital was 
sought, but as before no one was found to in- 
vest in a mining proposition in those days that 
required such an outlay of money when there 
were better properties that could be worked 
profitably at less cost." 

In March, 1896, an interesting conversation 
occurred betwen Mr. Robert Bracken and a 
gentleman well known in Asotin county. The 
subject of their colloquy turned upon the se- 
vere winters experienced in earlier days in this 
western country, and which one now occasion- 
ally reads about. Mr. Bracken said that in 
1865 he saw ice over ten feet deep on still water 
in Snake river. The other gentleman gave 
every indication of doubting this assertion. 
Still it is true, nevertheless, and December 14, 
1865, the snow in the Snake river valley was 
eighteen inches deep. Two days after a warm 
chinook wind got up; the snow disappeared 
rapidly from the points and ridges. Then fol- 
lowed the freeze; the water that had spread 
out over the ice already formed along the river, 
froze, and layer after layer of new ice were 
added until it had attained the thickness above 
mentioned. The current of the Snake kept the 
channel clear of ice. Theodore Schank about 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



649 



this time occupied a buoy ferry six miles be- 
low Asotin. On the following 18th of Febru- 
ary there was a break in the winter. On the 
upper river a thaw set in ; the water rose rap- 
idly. When the immense mass of ice along the 
shore line broke loose and went tumbling out, 
the ferry went along with it, the cable, buoys, 
boat and skiff were forever lost. 

The winter of 1861-2 was the severest ever 
•experienced in the Asotin section of the coun- 
try; that of 1865-6 came next in severity. And 
this is the testimony of all the oldest Indians in 
the vicinity. 

Among the earliest settlers coming into the 
territory, subsequently Asotin county, was 
Jerry Maguire, in 1867. At first he settled 
upon a piece of ground which is at present the 
upper portion of the town of Asotin. Soon 
afterward he moved up on Asotin creek a short 
distance, where his family at present re- 
sides. This was in 1868. At that period 
Mr. Maguire possessed quite a large band of 
.horses, some 300 in number. During the min- 
ing excitement in that locality he followed the 
business of packing betwen the different camps. 
Later he directed his attention strictly to stock 
raising. In 1868 came another pioneer, a man 
named Thomas Broncho, but who was gener- 
ally known as Rebusco. He located upon land 
which in later years became the property of 
James Thornton, about six miles up Asotin 
creek. He cultivated vegetables, which found 
a ready market at good prices in Lewiston, the 
outfitting point for the mining camps. At about 
the same time D. M. White settled at the mouth 
of the Alpowa. 

During the year 1869 there appeared along 
the banks of the creek quite an important addi- 
tion in the way of numbers to the local settle- 
ment. It should be borne in mind that at this 
period all the rich farming country lying to the 
south of that creek was uninhabited except by 
Indians. It was a hunter's paradise — the hab- 
itat of all large game found west of the Rocky 
mountains — and the feeding ground for hun- 



dreds of Indian ponies, as well as large herds 
of cattle belonging to stockmen. And all this 
country laid unoccupied by white men until 
1877. In the winter of 1868-9 three more set- 
tlers found residences along the "creek" — No- 
ble Henry, Gad and William Hopwood. In 
1874 Gad Hopwood disposed of his property to 
James Hopwood and removed from the coun- 
try. Another 1869 settler was Samuel War- 
ren. 

The first frame barn erected in what is now 
Asotin county, was put up by an Indian, Tom 
Hi, better known as "California Tom," was the 
dusky red man entitled to this honor. He had 
been in the country some time previous operat- 
ing pack trains and working at different places, 
but in the spring of 1869 he settled on a place 
on Asotin creek and developed into a rancher. 
For the first few years after locating he kept 
ahead of the whites along the line of improve- 
ments. The frame building which he erected 
was a barn and the carpenter work was clone by 
one Garry, who combined the qualifications of 
preacher and a carpenter. 

The exact period of the location in this por- 
tion of Washington Territory of T. M. E. 
Schank is a trifle obscure. Mr. Robert 
Bracken says 1870; the Asotin Sentinel states 
that it was in 1872 or 1873. He settled upon 
the present site of Asotin, then a great resort 
for the Indians, and during the first few years 
of his residence he was engaged in the stock 
business, but with indifferent success. Of this 
early pioneer the Asotin Sentinel, in 1885, 
said : 

"Mr. T. M. E. Schank was born in Chris- 
tiana, Norway, and emigrated to this country 
about 1.852, and engaged in the harness and 
saddlery business in New York City. About 
the year 1854 he. in company with others, left 
for South America, Mr. Schank locating at 
Buenaventura, United States of Colombia, 
where he embarked in business. One year after 
his arrival there he departed for California, 
where he was successfully engaged in mining 



6;o 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



for a number of years, from where he drifted 
into the Puget Sound country, where he engaged 
in business of different kinds. During the min- 
ing excitement of i860, Mr. Schank went to 
Lewiston, Idaho, and opened a harness and 
saddlery shop and did a thriving trade." In 
1865 Air. Schank purchased from Mr. Thomp- 
son the well known ferry across Snake river. 
This ferry had been built in 1861 by Messrs. 
Jake Shults. Col. Craige and Robie, later pass- 
ing into the hands of Mr. Thompson. 

In 1870 a few more settlers located along 
Asotin creek. Charles Lyon settled at the 
mouth of Charlie Fork, so named in his honor. 
In the fall of the year Thomas P. Page also set- 
tled on Charlie Fork. George B. Fancher and 
family also came in 1870. Mrs. Fancher was 
the first white woman who lived in what is now 
Asotin county. During the winter of 1870-1 
the Fanchers lived on the "Andy Lee place." 
Then Mr. Fancher sold out to one Veres, more 
familiarly known as "Kentuck." A man by 
the name of Cooper was also a settler on the 
south fork of the "creek," about two years, 
coming there in 1870. The first white child 
born in the county was the son of Mr. and Airs. 
James Hopwood, born in 1874. As already 
stated James Hopwood, the elder, came to the 
creek in 1874. and bought out Gad Hopwood, 
becoming a permanent settler. In 1875 Lige 
Jones came and settled on the creek in the 
autumn of that year. One of the earliest set- 
tlers was David Mohler, who located at the 
mouth of the Alpowa in 1876, or possibly ear- 
lier. 

Previous to the Xez Perce outbreak of 1877 
the Indians and whites were on the most 
friendly terms, and even the former were held 
in the highest regard on account of their hon- 
esty and integrity. Not one of Chief Timothy's 
Indians went on the warpath ; but many of the 
Asotins donned Avar paint and feathers and 
joined Chief Joseph's hostiles. The removal of 
that portion of the tribe living south of Grande 
Ronde river to Lapwai agency dissatisfied the 



Indians and, urged on by sympathizing mem- 
bers of the tribe living on Salmon river, they 
united forces and started out to rob, burn and 
murder. While the hostiles did not cross 
Snake river in the Nez Perce outbreak of 1877, 
the few settlers in the country that is now 
Asotin county, naturally became alarmed. Two 
or three who had taken up their residence 
in the Anatone country became panic stricken 
and left. The twelve or fifteen settlers 
who were then living on Asotin creek did 
not evacuate the country, but made prepara- 
tions to defend their homes should occasion de- 
mand it. At Jerry Maguire's place, only a 
short distance up the creek, the house was con- 
verted into a fort, as was, also, the residence 
of William Hopwood. Loop holes were cut in 
the log structures and everything put in readi- 
ness against a possible attack from the red- 
skins. At these houses the settlers gathered 
and formulated their plans. But, as stated, no 
hostiles entered the county and the settlers were 
not called upon to defend themselves. 

While a few pioneers had located on Asotin 
creek in the 6o's and early 70's, the remainder 
of what is now Asotin county was practically 
unsettled until 1877. That year a number of 
settlers took up their residences and built them- 
selves cabins on Asotin Flat in the vicinity of 
the present location of Anatone. Among the 
earliest of these were Joel Matheney and fam- 
ily. But before they had time to found a home 
the flames of the Nez Perce war broke luridly 
forth. Mr. Matheney was compelled to remove 
his family to the settlements, not through any 
direct attack upon them, but fear of a possible 
contingency. In the spring of 1877 Andrew 
M. Robinson had come to the country. He, 
too, was driven out, but returned the year fol- 
lowing and lived on his place near Anatone 
until his death, April 20, 1897. After these 
threatening hostiles had been driven away, dur- 
ing the summer of 1877, there were a number 
came to the "flat'' and succeeded in establish- 
ing homes for themselves ; although no women 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



651 



were found on the "flat" that year. Among 
the first to arrive was Dan Pinkham. In Sep- 
tember a party of three, J. C. Packwood, his 
father-in-law, G. W. Lewis, and his brother- 
in-law, J. H. Pierce, located land near the pres- 
ent site of Anatone. That same fall came John 
Dill, John Carter, Elial and John Dodson, 
father and son, John Hawes and Mr. Stimson. 
Some of these brought in stock and nearly all 
came prepared to cultivate the soil — sufficient 
of it, at least, to supply their own simple and 
primitive necessities. At the head of Couse 
creek, in the spring of 1877 J oe l Matheney set- 
tled upon a quarter section of land. Later the 
property passed into the hands of J. N. Bog- 
gan. Matheney was followed by John Carter 
and D. W. Pinkham. Here the latter contin- 
ued to reside until his death, January 30, 1893. 
He was the pioneer settler on Asotin prairie; 
a member of the Society of Friends, or 
Quakers, retaining his membership throughout 
his life. Others flocked in and the country 
adjacent was now rapidly being settled up 
and the straggling log buildings be- 
gan to cluster closer together. In. that part of 
the county now known as Cloverland there set- 
tled in 1877 Alexander Sumpter, Harvey 
Wormsley, J. D. Swain, Hubbard Petty and 
Brad Hodges. 

Of course in the early settlement of such 
a comparative wilderness many were the hard- 
ships and deprivations of life. It is needless to 
say that these were endured with that true grit 
and indomitable perseverance of which all 
pioneers are possessed. But as the country be- 
came older these people "grew up" with it ; to- 
day a majority of them are the solid men of 
Asotin county. May 11, 1878, E. O. H. pub- 
lished the following in the Columbia Chronicle, 
of Dayton : 

"Ed. Clironiclc: The Asotin to the Aso- 
tins has been the cry. Not only this, but every- 
where. Each little valley and tributary stream 
to the northward is daily being visited by 
hcmeseekers. What is the matter? The fact 



is Washington Territory is being made known. 
It is noised abroad as the land of grub — they 
are coming, the young, the old ; our thorough- 
fares are crowded to their utmost capacity. 

"Quite different from the days of yore 
when 'Eureka !' was the cry, and the wanderer 
after seeking for treasures in the land of gold 
turned back to his boyhood's home. To-day the 
stranger comes not looking for fabled ingots of 
gold, but with his flocks, and perhaps his oldest 
son ; riding upon a sulky plow he is seen hunt- 
ing a permanent home. Then welcome the 
tired renter to a new home ; welcome him to the 
wild lands of the west. He is, certainly quali- 
fied, as he rests beneath his own cabin roof to 
enjoy 'Home, Sweet Home.' He who lays the 
foundation to health and home; struggles to 
develop the resources of his country, is he who 
lays the corner-stone of a nation and holds the 
key to its vital existence. 

% if * >r= ^ ^ 

"Yesterday I crossed the Asotin, and where 
a few short weeks in the past I traced little 
signs of immigration, I beheld cabins of the 
pioneer and saw a new made road up the moun- 
tain side. The tall trees now bow their heads 
to the settler's ax while the wild deer retreat 
toward the summit. Seated at this time on a 
high peak which overlooks this broad domain, 
the Grande Ronde, Clearwater and Asotin can 
be seen emptying their waters into the Snake 
river, which, winding away to the westward, 
the eye can follow until it is lost in the blue 
horizon. Myriads of hills roll like the waves 
of the sea, all clad in their green garb and 
bathed in the mellow sunlight of spring, they 
smile uninterruptedly, save when the broken 
shadows of the clouds drift across their arched 
surface. All this as far as the power of vision 
extends is dotted on either slope by little settle- 
ments — thrifty young towns in places in a pros- 
perous condition — and we can realize as it were 
in the briefest of time that that which was an 
unclaimed wilderness on yesterday, to-day be- 
comes the, home of many thousands. Then look 



652 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



forward to the time when rising prosperity 
will jostle through crowded cities — cities with 
temples of science and costly works of art ; 
when the steepest hillsides of Columbia county 
•shall be blooming gardens."' 

J. C. George, writing to the Columbia 
Chronicle from Mountain Farm in the Asotin 
valley, on June 17, 1878, said: "On the 12th 
day of last September there was not a living 
soul in the valley, but now they number about 
400. Immigration still continues to come in, 
and there is still room for more. We invite im- 
migration to this beautiful valley." 

May 11, 1878, in the Columbia Chronicle 
Surveyor A. T. Beall had the following ran- 
dom notes : 

"On the road from Schank's Ferry on the 
Snake river to the boundary line between Ore- 
gon and Washington Territory : Commenced 
the survey of the road on the 25th of February, 
1878. The road is one of vast importance to 
Columbia county and will in time become one 
of the most important thoroughfares in East- 
ern Washington, being much shorter for immi- 
grants passing through to Wallowa and Grande 
Ronde valleys to this section of the country 
than by the way of Walla Walla. The road 
winds along the bank of Snake river as far as 
the mouth of the Ashoti, or Assotin creek; 
thence up an easy grade to the table land north 
of the Blue Mountain, passing through thous- 
ands of acres of rich, arable land which will 
produce excellent grain and now affords good 
pasturage twenty-three miles from Lewiston, 
I. T., or from the ferry we entered the timber 
and then down a small stream a distance of 
eight miles we come to the Grande Ronde river 
which river we crossed and proceeded down to 
another creek up which creek we found an easy 
grade to the boundary line. Owing to the 
depth of snow and bad weather we had to make 
two surveys of the road, twenty-three days in 
all it required to survey the road to the Grande 
Ronde. It would be a wise act of our county 
commissioners not to grant any license to par- 



ties who may wish to make any part of this 
road a toll road, or in constructing a toll bridge 
across the river, but aid in opening a road 
through to the boundary line. There are a few 
settlers who have taken up unsurveyed land 
in the timber who are very desirous to have 
that country sectioned." 

The initial Fourth of July celebration in 
the present Asotin territory was held in 1878. 
These exercises were in a grove near the base 
of the mountain and adjacent to Mr. Bean's 
saw mill. Although the clay was raw, cold and 
stormy there was present a large assemblage. 
The celebration was in charge of the following 
citizens : 

Committee on Ground — Messrs. Lee Bloyd, 
Sangster, Sherman, Heiby, Mcintosh, E. 
Phips. 

Committee on Music — Mesdames Harris, 
Scott, Robinson. 

Committee on Table — Mesdames Whiton, 
Waltrip, Packwood, Kelly and Mr. Kelly. 

Rumors of depredations by Bannock In- 
dians in Umatilla county, Oregon, coupled with 
the fear that at any time the Asotin country 
might be invaded, exercised a disquieting effect 
on the settlers in the fertile and productive 
farming country in which is now situated the 
town of Anatone. This was during the sum- 
mer of 1878. Scores of baseless rumors were 
circulated. One of them was that hostiles were 
then en route to annihilate all the settlers. Ever 
and anon a terrified rider would appear in the 
settlement disseminating the information that 
they had sighted bands of painted savages only 
a short distance away. One had seen a band 
of 30 Indians riding toward the settlement. In- 
vestigation proved this party of alleged red 
skins to be neither more nor less than a herd of 
cayuses owned by a neighboring rancher being 
driven to water. Another rider came tearing 
into the settlement bearing the startling intelli- 
gence that he had witnessed a large party of 
Indians swimming in a lake and quite near by. 
This canard created no little consternation until 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



653 



it was pointed out by some of the cooler ones 
that there was no lake in that vicinity. 

Many of the more timid ones made prepar- 
ations to leave the country, their stock and 
homes, and repair for safety to some of the 
larger towns of the country. A few of them 
did so. But the more courageous and resolute 
decided to remain on the ground and construct 
a fort, or rather stockade, for the protection of 
their families and property. Although, as 
stated, a few had departed for Walla Walla, 
Dayton and other points, it was related by a 
correspondent of the Columbia Chronicle, July 
13, 1878, that fully nine-tenths of all the set- 
tlers remained, and work was immediately 
commenced on the stockade. The location se- 
lected was on John Carter's place, one-half 
mile west of Anatone. This defense was com- 
pleted within two days, all the settlers cheer- 



fully joining in the work of construction. A 
trench about four feet deep was first excavated ; 
then timber was cut, the logs used being six- 
teen feet in length ; a double row of these posts- 
were placed in the trench in an upright posi- 
tion. Thus a stockade 100 feet square was 
finished. A diagram of this structure is here 
appended, showing that, though rude, the little 
fortification was constructed with some regard 
to military science, especially the bastions at 
the four corners of the fort. Twenty stands of 
rifles were procured and for a few days most 
of the people in the vicinity passed their time 
within the protecting walls of the stockade. 
While no Indians appeared the fort served a 
useful purpose in preventing many settlers 
from leaving the country, which would have 
proved disastrous for most of them. The fort 
was left standing until 1891. 











NORTH 










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00 feet 












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K 












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Door 




SOUTH 


DIAGRAM OF STOCKADE NEAR ANATONE 








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CHAPTER II 



PASSING EVENTS— 1878 TO 1905. 



A correspondent from the Asotin country 
writing- to the Columbia Chronicle under date 
April 5, 1879, stated that there were between 
150 and 200 families in that vicinity. He also 
said that saw and flouring mills were crying 
necessities; and that a large dry goods store 
would be liberally supported. There had been 
threshed that season only about 10,000 bushels 
of wheat. This grain had yielded from 25 to 
2,3 bushels per acre. Such were the primitive 
industrial conditions of the Asotin country at 
the dawn of the year 1880. 

One of the finest of the many fine and fer- 
tile prairies in Washington is that lying be- 
tween Aostin creek and the Snake river. It 
is known as "Asotin Flat." Yet in the spring 
of 1880 the entire history of its settlement and 
development covered less than two years. Such 
pioneers as were there, however, were intelli- 
gent, thrifty and industrious. At that period 
all this territory was embraced in Columbia 
county. The years 1880, 1881 and 1882 were 
not notable for a rapid increase of population 
in the Asotin country. The reverse had been 
the case between 1878 and 1880. Still, a new 
comer dropped in on the community occasion- 
ally, and none was leaving. But in 1883 there 
was a marked revival in the industrial condi- 
tions of the country. That year a correspond- 
ent of the Chronicle visited the famous Asotin 
Flat, and here he "found large fields of waving 
grain, showing the growth and importance of 
an energetic class of citizens ; where three years 
ago the coyote dug his hole unscared, this yeaf 
will ship many thousands of bushels of wheat 
and other grains."' 



At this period Asotin was a portion of Gar- 
field county. The question of county division 
first assumed a nebulous form about June, 
1883. Soon after this, petitions were in active 
circulation throughout that part of Garfield 
county which was later set off as Asotin county, 
praying for a division of the territory and the 
consequent setting off of a new county in the 
extreme southeastern portion of Washington 
Territory. The town of Assotin City promptly 
became a prospective candidate for the capital 
of the new county. Indeed, this was the focal 
point of the division agitation. It was argued 
by Assotin City people that the distance to 
Pomeroy was so great, and the roads so poor, 
that the present limitations of the county in- 
flicted a hardship on Asotin citizens. In reply 
to a question submitted to Alexander Sumpter, 
of Assotin City, by the Columbia Chronicle re- 
specting the probability of division he stated 
that "under certain restrictions the people of 
the Asotin country were nearly unanimous for 
division, but some local differences would first 
have to be adjusted." 

At a meeting held in September, 1883, a 
petition for division was drafted. It was a 
heart-to-heart talk, and it appeared that all mis- 
understandings had been quashed. The initial 
steps toward the formation of the new county 
were taken by the people in the Theon country 
and the first meeting- was held at Theon. Fol- 
lowing this action Mr. Jackson O'Keefe, of 
Assotin City, repaired to Olympia during the 
legislative session of 1883, and worked suc- 
cessfully in the interest of a bill creating a new 
county. He carried with him a voluminously 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



655 



signed petition; two others were in circulation 
throughout the county. The bill to create Aso- 
tin county was introduced by Representative 
Clark in the house on October 12, 1883. Fol- 
lowing is the journal record : 

House, October 13, 1883 — House bill 26, 
to organize the county of Asot'n was reported 
back by the committee with a recommendation 
that the name of Asotin as a county be changed 
to Lincoln. The report was adopted and the 
bill ordered engrossed. 

House, October 15 — House bill 26 to create 
and organize the county of Lincoln was taken 
up and passed. Landrum voting no. 

Council, October 16, 1883 — House bill 26 
to create county of Lincoln read twice and re- 
ferred to the delegation from Garfield county. 

Council, October 18 — House bill 26 to or- 
ganize the county of Lincoln was discussed, one 
of the amendments adopted being to strike out 
the* name of "Lincoln" and call the county 
"Asotin." 

Council. October 20 — Council bill 26 to 
create and organize the county of Asotin 
passed. 

October 26, 1883, the Asotin Spirit said: 

"The bill for division of Garfield county 
passed the council and became a law on the 19th 
inst. (This was incorrect, as the law did not 
become operative until approved by the gov- 
ernor on October 27th. The people of this 
part of the county will hail the news with de- 
light. No more will we be compelled to climb 
the Alpowai hill and trudge across the country 
for the sake of paying our taxes at Pomeroy. 
* * * * Assotin is the name of the new 
county (The spelling of the word in the bill 
was Asotin) and the temporary location of the 
county seat is left to the judgment of the com- 
missioners to choose between Assotin City and 
Asotin, and can be moved at the next general 
election by a two-thirds vote of the county. 
The news was not confirmed here until Tues- 
day evening, October 23d. Early Wednesday 
morning a crowd assembled at Mr. Schank's 



new store building and the flag was brought 
out. As the national emblem was run up the 
pole three hearty cheers for Assotin county 
went up from the hearts as well as from the 
throats of the assembly. 

"And now that the efforts of this people 
have been crowned with success, so far as divis- 
ion and temporary location of county seat are 
concerned, we should not allow ourselves to be 
lulled into a masterly inactivity, and deceive 
ourselves with the idea that nothing more is to 
be done, for as sure as we do what we have 
done will be undone." 

We have alluded to the efforts of Mr. 
O'Keefe at Olympia in his successful efforts to 
secure the passage of a bill creating this new 
county. Mr. W. H. Reed was also present at 
Olympia and assisted in getting the bill 
through. D. T. "Welch was also very active at 
home and to him more, perhaps, than to any- 
one else, was due the credit for the formation 
of the new county. 

Following is the text of the organic act 
creating Asotin county : 

An act to create and organize the county of Asotin : 
Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislative As- 
sembly of the Territory of Washington: That all 
that portion of Garfield county situated within Wash- 
ington Territory, and included within the following 
limits, be, and the same shall be constituted and known 
as the County of Asotin, viz : Commencing at a point 
in the channel of Snake river on the township line 
between ranges forty-four (44) and - forty-five (45) ; 
thence running south to the northwest corner of sec- 
tion thirty (30), township eleven (11) north, range 
forty-five (45), east of the Willamette meridian; thence 
west six (6) miles; south one (1) mile; west two 
(2) miles; south one (1) mile; west one (1) mile to 
the northwest corner of section three (3) in town- 
ship ten (10) north of range forty-three (43) east of 
the Willamette meridian; thence south eighteen (18) 
miles; thence west three (3) miles; then south to 
the Oregon line ; thence east on said line to the mid- 
channel, of Snake river; thence down Snake river to 
the place of beginning. 

Section 2. That J. D. Swain, John Weissenfels and 
William Critchfield are hereby appointed a board of 
commissioners, with power to appoint the remaining 
county officers to serve until the next general election 
or until their successors are elected and qualified. 



6 5 6 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



For which purpose the count}' commissioners herein 
appointed shall meet at the county seat of Asotin 
county within thirty (30) days after the approval of 
this act, and appoint the necessary officers for said 
county, and perform such other acts and things neces- 
sary for the complete organization of the county of 
Asotin. 

Section 3. That the justices of the peace and con- 
stables who are now elected as such in the precincts 
of the county of Asotin be, and the same are hereby 
declared justices of the peace and constables of the 
said county of Asotin. 

Section 4. That the county of Asotin is hereby 
united to the county of Garfield for judicial and legis- 
lative purposes. 

Section 5. That all the laws applicable to the 
county of Garfield shall be applicable to the county of 
Asotin. 

Section 6. That the county seat of the said county 
of Asotin is hereby temporarily located at Asotin, 
which in this connection shall mean the town of Asotin, 
or Asotin City, at which place it shall remain until 
located permanently elsewhere in said county by a 
majority of qualified electors thereof, and for which 
a vote shall be taken at the next general election, viz : 
on the Tuesday next following the first Monday in 
November, A. D., 1884, and the officers of election shall 
receive said vote and make return thereof to the com- 
missioners, who shall canvass the same and announce 
the result in like manner as the result of the vote 
for county officers. Provided, That if there be not a 
majority vote in favor of such location of county seat 
at any one place at such election, the qualified electors 
of the county shall continue to vote on that question 
at the next and each subsequent general election until 
some place receives such majority, and the place secur- 
ing a majority of all the votes cast shall be declared 
the permanent county seat of said Asotin county. 

Section 7. That all the taxes levied and assessed 
by the board of county commissioners of the county of 
Garfield for the year 1883, upon personal property 
within the boundaries of the said county of Asotin, 
shall be collected and paid into the treasury of said 
Garfield county for the use of said county of Garfield, 
Provided, however, That the said county of Garfield 
shall pay all the just indebtedness of said Garfield 
county, and that when such indebtedness shall be wholly 
paid and discharged, all moneys remaining in the treas- 
ury of said Garfield county, and all credits due and 
to become due said county of Garfield on the assess- 
ment roll of said year, shall be divided between said 
counties of Garfield and Asotin according to the usual 
valuation of said property of the said year: Provided 
further, That nothing in this act shall be so construed 
as to deprive the county of Asotin of its proportion 
of the tax levied for common school purposes for the 
above named year. 

Section 8. The county of Garfield shall pay to 



the county of Asotin the sum of one hundred and fifty 
dollars ($150) over and above the amount provided for 
in this act, for its interest in the public property and 
improvements. 

Section 9. The auditor of Asotin county shall 
have access to the records of Garfield county, without 
cost, for the purpose of transcribing and indexing such 
portions of the records of property as belongs to Aso- 
tin county, and his certificate of the correctness thereof 
shall have the same force and effect as if made by the 
auditor of Garfield county. It is hereby provided, how- 
ever, that nothing in this act shall permit the record 
books of Garfield county to be removed from the office 
of its auditor. 

Section 10. The salaries of the county officers of 
Asotin county shall be as follows, viz : Auditor, four 
hundred dollars ($400) per annum ; treasurer, three 
hundred dollars ($300) per annum; probate judge, 
one hundred and fifty dollars ($150) per annum; school 
superintendent forty dollars ($40) per annum ; county 
commissioners, four dollars ($4) per day each, while 
at work on their official duties ; and these salaries shall 
be their full compensation from the county treasury, 
and be in lieu of all other fees from the county. 

Section II. All acts and parts of acts in conflict 
with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed. 

Section 12. This act shall take effect and be in 
force from and after its passage and approval. 

Approved October 27, 1883. 

At the time Asotin county was organized 
the population was quite limited, not exceeding,, 
perhaps 1,000 people. But the enthusiasm of 
the Asotin Spirit let it to exult as follows : "We. 
have about eight townships of good agricult- 
ural land, a small part only of which is under 
cultivation; land, some of which has produced. 
this year twenty-five bushels to the acre of good 
wheat, without rain from sowing; land in. 
which the properties necessary for the produc- 
tion of the best quality of flour is found in the 
greatest quantity; land that will bear cultiva- 
tion with scarcely any diminution of yield for 
many years ; land that will still be going on in 
the even tenor of its way after the side hills, 
around Dayton are worn out and turned out 
to the commons." 

Monday, November 12, 1883, Asotin coun-. 
ty came into actual official existence. On that 
date J. D. Swain, John Weissenfels and Wil- 
liam Critchfield, the county commissioners. 







Snake River, looking north from Asotin 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



657 



named in the enabling act, assembled in the 
new store of T. M. E. Schank, in Asotin, and 
formally organized as an official board. Hav- 
ing taken the oaths of office John Weissenfels 
was elected chairman. On the 14th the board 
for the first time met for the transaction of 
business. J. E. Bushell was made clerk pro 
tern. Naturally the organization of the new 
county incited a scramble for the location of 
the county offices. Four different points were 
sprung and bidding became quite spirited. 
Alexander Sumpter offered his store free of 
rent for one year ; also fuel, lights, tables, desks 
and safe. D. B. Pettijohn offered his hall free 
of rent for one year. S. T. Jones agreed to 
provide free fuel ; T. M. E. Schank offered his 
dwelling free of rent to the county for one 
year. All the offers were on condition that the 
buildings be used exclusively for county pur- 
poses. The day closed with no awards. Early 
the following morning Mr. Schank appeared 
with a new bid offering his dwelling in Asotin, 
including fuel, lights, desks, table and safe free 
of cost to the county. D. B. Pettijohn stated 
that provided the county offices were located 
in the new dwelling of Mr. Schank he would 
accept the appointment of treasurer and turn 
his salary ($300) back to the county treasury. 
In a like spirit of emulation and patriotic citi- 
zenship W. H. Wood said that if the county 
offices were placed in Mr. Schank's dwelling 
he would accept the appointment of auditor and 
turn his salary ($400) back into the county 
treasury. Under such strong inducements the 
proposition of Mr. Schank was accepted. The 
raison d'etre of these remarkable concessions 
was simply a struggle between the old town of 
Assotin City and the new town of Asotin for 
the honor of being the actual county seat. The 
new town won; but it was, after all. in the 
nature of a compromise, as the final location 
was about midway between the two towns. 

The first jurors selected from Asotin, for 
the district court of Garfield and Asotin coun- 
ties, were chosen by the county commissioners 

42 



February 4, 1884. They were: Grand jurors 
—A. J. Sherrod, Solomon Haworth, Nicholas 
Flershinger, James Forgey, Wilson Ward and 
W. E. Benedict. Petit jurors — James Bog- 
gan, Jackson O'Keefe, Benjamin Tuttle, B. 
Hodges, Duncan Mcintosh, George Kinear, T. 
E. Flynn and Charles Richards. 

The new Asotin county's first tax levy was 
18^4 mills. It was divided as follows: Terri- 
torial, 2 x / 2 mills; Territorial penitentiary fund, 
34 mill ; county, 8 mills ; school, 5 mills ; road 
and bridge, 1 mill ; road property, 2 mills. 

Friday, May 9, 1884, the upper portion of 
Asotin Flat was visited by a storm accompa- 
nied by cyclonic effects. There were at this 
time few houses in the path of the tornado, but 
considerable damage was done to fencing. It 
was described as resembling a funnel with the 
small end to the ground. It was first witnessed 
near the ranch of Mr. Robinson. Traveling 
east it crossed the main road to Anatone. It 
passed near the ranch of Chet Shumaker, and 
while on the line of his fence hundreds of rails 
were in the air at one time. In repairing the 
fence five hundred new rails were required to 
replace those splintered in bits. Large boul- 
ders lying on the prairie were dislodged from 
their beds. Stock was so roughly handled that 
many cattle bled at the nose. A severe hail 
storm passed along at the same time, on the 
outskirts of the main disturbance, causing con- 
siderable damage to gardens. 

The industrial conditions of Asotin county 
in 1884 are thus described by the editor of the 
Pomeroy Republican : 

"The rapid development of the southeastern 
portion of Washington Territory is nowhere 
more apparent than in Asotin county. Almost 
all the public land has been taken up, and the 
broad, level expanse of the Lewiston and Aso- 
tin flats are now thickly dotted over with fine 
farms, every one of which is substantially 
fenced and other permanent inprovements upon 
them. The extremely southeastern portion of 
the county is peculiarly adapted to stock rais- 



6s8 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



ing, being divided up into deep gulches and 
steep hills, covered with abundant crops of 
bunch grass, while most of the gulches afford 
fine streams of cool running water. The farms 
extend from the flats well up into the wooded 
hills, and the higher up toward the mountains 
the richer the lands appear to be. The wheat 
and other crops throughout the county, al- 
though there has not been much rain this 
spring, look beautiful and promise a fine yield." 

The Walla Walla Watchman, of the same 
year, supplemented the above with the fol- 
lowing : 

"There are postoffices and supply points on 
the 'fiat,' as it is generally termed, one at Ana- 
tone, and the other at Theon, with tri-weekly 
mail and stage to Lewiston. This section has 
made rapid improvement during the last two 
years, and now has the appearance of a pros- 
perous farming community. Grain of all kinds 
is doing well and even timber planted only last 
year upon soil that was said to be too dry to 
raise anything has a very thrifty growth and 



looks healthv. 



A gradual slope 



takes us to one of the finest bodies of timber 
east of the mountains. Messrs. Bean & Farish 
have had a saw mill in operation here for sev- 
eral years, and besides furnishing lumber for 
home demands have rafted large quantities to 
different points on Snake river. The lumber 
manufactured in this district brings the highest 
price in the market, being of a clearer and finer 
quality than any other." 

The assessment for Asotin county for 1884 
(the first one) was as follows : Real estate, 
$137,676; improvements, $40,211; personal 
property, $227,021; total, $404,908. The 
number of acres of deeded land was 42,918; 
the number of acres in cultivation, 5,532. 

Asotin county would have stood out unique 
in the history of Washington had it been de- 
prived of the exhilaration of a county seat con- 
test. But this was destined not to be. She 
has had one and one only. At the first general 



election following organization the struggle be- 
gan between Asotin and Theon. The latter 
place was seriously handicapped in this contest 
by being unable to secure water in sufficient 
quantity. The townsite owner was D. T. 
Welch, and he made strenuous efforts to over- 
come the obstacle. Two wells were sunk; 
water was obtained in both, but in quantities 
so small as to be practically worthless. Then 
Mr. Welch proposed to install a system of 
water works, bringing the water from Mill 
creek. It did not eventuate. The failure to 
secure water was fatal to the hopes of Theon. 
It was the point most successfully urged 
against Theon by the people of Asotin during 
the campaign. 

New interest was added to the struggle in 
October by the entrance into the lists, as a con- 
testant, of Anatone. This was under the fos- 
tering care and auspices of Mr. Charles Isecke. . 
The principal objection urged against Asotin 
was its remoteness from the geographical cen- 
ter of the county, lying, as it does, on the Snake 
river, the extreme eastern boundary. The con- 
test became a battle royal — a triangular duel. 
That the towns of Asotin and Assotin City 
were working in harmony for the county seat 
was made evident by the following card pub- 
lished a short time before the general election : 
"We, residents or property owners in the 
town of Assotin City do pledge our faith to the 
voters of this county that the town of Assotin 
City is not, and will not become, a contestant 
for the county seat at the approaching election, 
and we caution the voters against bogus tickets 
having written or printed thereon the name of 
Assotin City, and any such tickets will not be 
produced or circulated by any of us, or our 
friends, directly or indirectly, with our consent 
or procurement. I. R. Snodderly, R. A. Case, 
E. Mounce, C. D. Flemming, Fred Ernst, 
Jacob Moser, Jackson O'Keefe, David Mc- 
Alpin, Alex Sumpter, Jr." 

The general election was held November 4, 



HISTORY OF ASOTIX COUXTY, 



659 



1884. Asotin won by a plurality of 271. The 
vote of the different precincts on the question 
Avas : 

Asotin. Theon. 

Asotin precinct 195 2 

Cottonwood precinct 71 81 

Grande Ronde precinct 28 22 

Lake precinct 53 1 

Pleasant precinct 30 o 

Totals 377 106 

1 
Anatone received one vote and Assotin City 
two votes. Charles Isecke assured the writer 
that he did not cast the one vote for Anatone. 
The winter of 1884-5 was unusually severe 
in southeastern Washington. In many por- 
tions of the Territory the loss of stock was 
heavy, and to this loss Asotin county contrib- 
uted a quota of about 30 head of cattle. 

January 16, 1885. saw the county officials 
removed to their new quarters in the building 
owned by Dr. Dennison, in Asotin, and form- 
erly occupied by Messrs. Warm & Mitchell. 
Here the officials determined to remain until 
they could see their way clear to erect buildings 
on the county lots. The same month witnessed 
a stringency in the local money market. But 
little cash was received at the office of the coun- 
ty treasurer, and many people found them- 
selves on the delinquent tax list with ten per 
cent added to their burdens. The finances of 
ihe county were, also, in bad shape. It was as- 
serted by the most pessimistic that there was 
not money sufficient to meet the Territorial 
tax. Deputy sheriffs were busy in attempts to 
wrest money from those who had it not. As 
the Columbia Chronicle described the situation, 
"Property must be sold for taxes if buyers are 
to be found, and if not then the county of Aso- 
tin will have to collapse." To this the Asotin 
Sentinel made answer: "Our total county in- 
debtedness is $2,662.22; not so bad for a bad 
year. Stay with the county and you are bound 
to win. Our county people must all stand to- 



gether in these hard times and help one an- 
other out. Just now we are having a hard pull ; 
many of our best citizens are pushed for 
money; some of our most active, energetic and 
progressive men have encumbered themselves 
in their endeavors to assist their neighbors. 
We are all more or less in debt owing to the 
low price of wheat last year."' 

The total assessment for Asotin county in 
1885 footed tip $467,736. an increase of nearly 
$40,000 over that of the year before. There 
were 367 persons on the poll tax list. There 
were under cultivation 13,297 acres of land; 
2.700 head of cattle; 3,622 horses; 1,284 hogs 
and ten thousand sheep. For the same year 
the county census showed a population of 
1,514. Of this number there were 454 males 
and 180 females above the age of 21 ; 861 sin- 
gle persons; 546 married. The total number 
of females was 655 ; males, 859. For the 1885 
crop there were over 300,000'bushels of wheat; 
100,000 bushels of barley and over 50 tons of 
fruit. 

The territorial legislative session of 1886 
created a district court for Asotin county. Pre- 
vious to this a court had been held jointly with 
Garfield county, with sessions at Pomeroy. 

The spring of 1886 was accentuated by 
considerable excitement concerning the move- 
ments and depredations of a gang of alleged 
stock thieves said to be plying their nefarious 
vocation in Asotin and Garfield counties. While 
many absurd and exaggerated rumors were 
in the air, it is quite certain that a number of 
cattle and horses had been driven into the hills 
and subsequently shipped away by parties who 
had no claim upon them. Added to this there 
were reports to the same effect from Xez Perce 
and Idaho 'counties, Idaho Territory. Several 
strange men were arrested who could give no 
satisfactory account of themselves, and the ex- 
citement increased in intensity. Sheriff Stan- 
nus, of Xez Perce county, and Sheriff Hosier, 
of Columbia county, took a hand in the affair 
and proceeded to investigate the conditions. 



66o 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY 



Then followed the organization and departure 
for the open country of an exceedingly loud- 
voiced and demonstrative vigilance committee 
who declared their intention of holding a 
"neck-tie social" in the near future. Nothing 
was heard from them for several days. Then 
came in the report to Asotin and Pomeroy that 
from two to four men had been captured and 
lynched. The fact that these alleged victims 
came into Asotin and Pomeroy and declared 
emphatically that they had not been hanged — 
that the account of their death was greatly ex- 
aggerated — did much to shake the faith of the 
entire community in any reports emanating 
from the scene of the vigilantes' exploits. As 
illustrative of the conflicting and confusing na- 
ture of these reports we publish two extracts 
from the Columbia Chronicle, of Dayton. The 
first is dated May 15, 1886; the second 
May 22d : 

"J. H. Hosier received a letter from one of 
the horse thieves who was captured by the vig- 
ilantes on Salmon river last week, and who is 
now confined in the Lewiston jail, stating that 
they were surrounded by the vigilantes and 
after a sharp fight were compelled to surren- 
der. That four of the captured party were exe- 
cuted, one taken to Assotin City and one to 
Lewiston. The up-country people are becom- 
ing tired of having their stock meddled with 
and are determined to put a stop to it." 

Here follows the second edition : 

"From Sheriff Hosier, who recently made 
a trip to Asotin county for the purpose of in- 
vestigating the report of the hanging of horse 
thieves in that vicinity, we learn that such a 
report is without foundation and nothing can 
be learned as to its origin." 

The Nez Perce News summed up the case, 
under date June 1st, as follows: 

"All sorts of absurd stories have been 
told of the doings of the Asotin crowd who 
went out on a hanging expedition the other 
day. There were too many blowhards in the 



gang to do effective work, and all the killing 
they did was with their mouths. One of their 
reputed victims passed through town the. 
other day with two navy pistols and blood in 
his eye, and announced his intention of going 
over to Asotin and cleaning out the yahoo 
crowd at the drop of the hat. Frank Cham- 
bers, also reported hanged by the same gang,, 
showed upon our streets Lewiston, last week, 
the liveliest corpse we have seen in twenty 
years. The first principle of a vigilance com- 
mittee is silence, and unless the boys learn to 
keep their mouths shut there will be some first- 
class funerals among them pretty soon. It is 
getting to be dangerous work to call a man a 
horse thief in these parts without strong evi- 
dence." 

To conclude this episode in the history of 
Asotin county it is sufficient to state that, un- 
doubtedly, a number of cattle were stolen ; a 
vigilance committee was organized ; they went 
in ostentatious pursuit of the thieves, but no 
one was hanged, and the good name of the 
county not in the least tarnished by lynch law.. 
When the local option law was placed on 
the statute books by the Washington Terri- 
torial legislature of 1886, permitting each 
voting precinct to decide whether or not in- 
toxicating liquors should be sold, nearly every 
precinct in the Territory voted on the question. 
In Asotin county the precincts of Asotin, Cot- 
tonwood, Grande Ronde and Pleasant asked 
for and obtained the right to decide by their 
ballots this question. The campaign here, as 
in other parts of the territory, was spirited 
and in Asotin precinct the contest was very- 
close. The official vote was : 

For Pro. Against Pro.. 

Asotin precinct 69 70 

Cottonwood precinct jj 27 

Grande Ronde precinct. 12 21 

Pleasant precinct 15 6 



173 



124 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



66 1 



This election was held June 28, 1886. At 
the same time was submitted to the voters of 
the county the proposition to build or not to 
build a county jail and a vault. The result 
was favorable to the building of the jail, but 
not the vault. The vote of the different pre- 
cincts was : 



For 
jail 

Asotin precinct 109 

Grande Ronde precinct . . 21 
Cottenwood precinct .... 81 

Lake precinct 21 

Pleasant precinct 8 

Totals 240 



No 


For 


No 


jail 


vault 


vault 


14 


7 


in 





1 


1 


2-7 


8 


99 


9 


10 


20 


14 





22 



64 



26 



252 



At the close of the year 1886 there were in 
the county about 224,000 acres of land upon 
which settlement had been made, and of this 
18,600 acres were improved. The value of 
these farms was estimated at $394,784; live 
stock, $200,356. The value of the farm pro- 
ductions for the year was placed at $183,000. 
The year had been unusually dry and crops 
were correspondingly light. According to the 
census there were in the county, April 1st, 
4,963 horses; 3,553 cattle; 11,022 sheep and 
2,248 hogs. The value was estimated : 
Horses, $98,260; cattle, $71,060; sheep, 
$22,060; hogs, $8,992. Total, $200,356. May 
1st the county indebtedness, above cash in the, 
treasury, was $6,851.70. Warrants sold at 
from 91 to 94 cents on the dollar. Taxes levied 
for the year were $11,498.23. 

Asotin county has not a mile of railway 
within its boundaries. In days past a railroad 
was considered an absolute necessity to the 
prosperity of the country and several efforts 
have been made to have a road built into the 
county. In 1888, the year that witnessed so 
much railroad building in the northwest, it 
seemed probable that one would penetrate 
this county, but it did not. August 3, 1888, 
the Asotin Sentinel said: 

"Day seems about to dawn over Asotin 



county, and our isolated situation a thing of 
the past. Earnest efforts are being made to 
reach Lewiston by the Northern Pacific rail- 
road management. Also the Oregon Railroad 
& Navigation Company seem to realize the 
fact that our people will not forever rest con- 
tented under the old order of things. A rail- 
road to Lewiston means a branch to Asotin 
as sure as fate. Nor do we care whether it 
comes that way or not, for report says that 
a party has been spying out the land from the 
direction of Dayton, by way of Columbia Cen- 
ter, and entering the canyon by way of a long 
gulch which is said to afford an easy grade. 
The shortest line to seaboard with all the com- 
petition possible is the remedy for all our past 
troubles. We earnestly believe that before the 
next crop is ready to ship the cars will be at 
our doors ready to receive it. Then good bye 
to the boats; they are entirely too slow for 
this age, although a pleasant way to travel 
when one has abundant leisure." 

Periodically since the date the above was 
written there have been spasmodic efforts to 
secure the much needed transportation facili- 
ties and it is quite evident that the people of 
Asotin county will never relax these efforts 
until they result in fruition. 

Passing over the years 1886, 1887 and 
1888, which were lean ones in the southeast- 
ern portion of Washington Territory, and 
were laden with business depression, we ar- 
rive at 1889 only to encounter a partial crop 
failure and consequent discouragement of 
many farmers. Still the Asotin Sentinel pa- 
triotically strove to dispel the gloom, and was 
moved to say : 

"The stock interests of Asotin county are 
a source of wealth, and seemingly the princi- 
pal industry, one season with another. Horses 
by the thousand have been driven out or 
shipped east for a market this season, and yet 
there are plenty left for all purposes. Cattle 
and hogs are weekly moving toward Spokane . 
Falls to supply the butchers there. The par- 



662 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



tial loss of the wheat crop does not leave us in 
as bad a condition as some other points of the 
state where less attention is paid to live stock. 
Our farmers are somewhat imbued with the 
old granger doctrine of 'selling more on the 
hoof and less in the half bushel,' which to us 
seems like a motto containing some good 
sense." 

In 1889 there had been a decrease in the 
population of 185 since 1887, and a gain in 
property valuation of $2y,S2>6 over the pre- 
vious year. The loss of population was 
largely due to failures of stock ranges and 
migration to better ones. The total valuation 
of all property assessed was $610,023. The 
population was 1,477. 

The following statistical table for 1890 will 
afford some interesting comparisons between 
that year and the present : 

Number of acres of land assessed 94,634 

Number of acres of land improved.... 21,693 

Assessed valuation of real estate $291,886 

Assessed valuation of improvements.... 95.7/0 

Assessed valuation of personal property. 261,928 

Total assessed valuation $649,584 

Increase over previous year 33.795 

The State Board of Equalization raised the 
assessed valuation to $804,889. The popula- 
tion for 1890 had increased to 1,580. 

In October, 1890, there was a proposition 
before the people to bond the county in the 
sum of $25,000. There were a number of co- 
gent reasons for this step. There had been 
extraordinary expenses for a few murder 
trials. A number of new and expensive 
roadways had been constructed and improve- 
ments made on old ones. Added to this were 
numerous incidental expenses all tending to 
throw the county into debt. The question re- 
solved itself into two lines of action ; to largely 
increase the rate of taxation or issue bonds 
bearing a low rate of interest, which, it was 
argued, could be profitably negotiated. The 
bond proposition found favor in the eyes of 



the people by a vote of 159 to 77. The elec- 
tion was held November 4, 1890, and we ap- 
pend the result by precincts : 



For 
bonds. 

Asotin 70 

Grande Ronde 29 

Pleasant 6 

Lake 11 

Theon 25 

Anatone 18 

Total 159 



Against 

bonds. 

17 

9 
10 

5 
20 
16 



77 



These bonds were sold in May, 1891, to the 
Washington Loan & Trust Company of Walla 
Walla. They bore six per cent, interest and 
an additional ^ of one per cent, for commis- 
sion. By reason of the bonding of so many 
counties and enterprises at this time this was 
the best rate that could be secured. By the 
sale of these bonds the entire indebtedness of 
Asotin county was wiped out. 

The storm of July 3, 1891, was one of the 
severest ever experienced in Asotin county, or 
its immediate vicinity. It came on with sur- 
prising suddenness. For three days the 
weather, while not radically hot, had been 
warm and dry. On the evening of the date 
above named clouds piled up in the southwest, 
subsequently developing into a wind, rain and 
hail storm of magnificent proportion. Luck- 
ily the hail belt was narrow, but it beat down 
some fifty acres of grain belonging to T. E. 
Flinn ; thirty acres for Bert Delapp and 
twenty acres for J. S. Bay. The White 
brothers estimated their loss at $400; J. M. 
Clift and a few others were injured to some 
extent. The rain extended over a large scope 
of country and an immense volume of water 
was precipitated into Asotin creek, doing con- 
siderable damage. The greatest volume of 
flood passed down Conner gulch into Alpowa 
creek. The fine orchard of D. H. Mohler was 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



66 3 



injured to the amount of $1,500, and there 
were a number of other losses in the same 
neighborhood. The Asotin Sentinel stated 
that while many met with loss the gain was in 
favor of the county, as thousands of acres of 
late sown grain received great benefit. 

February 10, 1892, a "chinook" wind swept 
over Asotin county which created no little 
havoc. The rapidly melting snow converted 
small branches into creeks ; creeks into roaring 
torrents. The Alpowa gained the highest 
stage ever known to white men. It was re- 
ported to the Sentinel that a body of water 
twenty-five feet high came roaring down the 
canyon, carrying everything before it. A 
fruit orchard near the toll gate suffered se- 
verely; the orchard of Andrew Lee was badly 
"damaged by the freshet. The wagon road 
was completely washed away in places ; it 
became necessary to employ workmen to clear 
away the rocks and debris in order that the 
stage might resume business. During the 
height of the flood mail and passengers were 
carried by way of Peola. The roar of this tor- 
rent was distinctly heard four miles up Snake 
river. 

The census of July, 1892, gave Asotin 
county a population of 1,713; 147 foreigners; 
957 males; 756 females. The assessment was 
$663,558. The number of live stock: Horses, 
5,173; cattle, 5,604; sheep, 4,65 7 ; hogs, 

i,39 2 - 

During the "hard times" period, 1893-6, 

Asotin county, of course, suffered from the 
effects of the depression and business gener- 
ally was at a standstill. Yet, conditions here 
were not so bad as they were in many other 
counties in the state. It had the advantage of 
being an excellent stock-raising country. 
When the price of grain sank too low to en- 
able one to grow it with a living profit, the in- 
dustry of stock raising took precedence and 
the shipment of cattle, horses, hogs and sheep 
was sufficient to supply the people with the 
necessities of life. Such shipments were prin- 



cipally made to Spokane, Seattle and Port- 
land. Thus, while some of the more pessimis- 
tic citizens of Asotin county will tell you that 
everything went to the dogs during the four 
years of financial depression, they, in fact did 
not 'know the meaning of the term "hard 
times" as compared with those who resided in 
counties devoted exclusively to agriculture. 

During the year 1893 an enterprise was un- 
dertaken which promised most favorable re- 
sults. It was an irrigation scheme by which 
the farming lands of the county were to be 
placed under water. The company which un- 
dertook to execute this work was the Oregon- 
Washington Irrigation Company, having 
headquarters at Tacoma. Mr. A. B. Tutton 
was the local manager of the affair. The an- 
nounced plan was to collect water by a system 
of reservoirs at the base of the Blue Moun- 
tains, where great volumes of water were to 
be stored and from there conveyed to the agri- 
cultural districts by a canal. The immediate 
result of this proposed enterprise, in the spring 
of 1893, was a stronger one in the real estate 
market. There was universal anticipation of 
better times. A correspondent writing from 
Asotin county at that period said : 

"Farms which were heretofore considered 
worthless are now held at high figures, while 
every foot of vacant land is being taken up 
rapidly." 

For several weeks during the spring of 
1893 surveyors were at work on the proposed 
enterprise; then, in the month of May, all 
operations were suddenly suspended. It was 
announced that the cost of construction of 
the company's proposed system was more than 
had been at first estimated, and it was deemed 
not feasible to continue the work. Subse- 
quently the work of surveying was resumed, 
and many weeks were passed in a thorough 
examination of the country from which it was 
proposed to take the water. September 29, 
1893, tne Asotin Sentinel said: 

"There have been many inquiries this week 



66 4 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY 



in regard to vacant land in this county. This 
is due to active preparation that is being made 
to commence construction work on the irriga- 
tion ditch early next spring. There are still 
some choice lands in various parts of this 
county that have been deserted by former oc- 
cupants on account of drouth, that can now be 
had merely by entering a contest, the cost of 
which will be but trifling. The land is of little 
value at present, but when water is once sup- 
plied it will be worth considerable, much of it 
being perfectly level and with good deep soil." 
In the spring of 1895 the Oregon-Washing- 
ton Irrigating Company again considered the 
construction of the irrigation canal, but asked 
a bonus of the people of Asotin county. They 
said that if the citizens would raise a bonus, 
or subsidy, of $2,500 by the first of May, 
1895, me company would complete the per- 
manent survey and also take contracts for 
water and right of way, the contract for water 
to be on the three-year plan. April 10th the 
citizens of the county met in mass meeting at 
Asotin to consider the proposition. There 
were over 100 present. The proposition was 
rejected. The company was unmercifully 
scored. The dominant sentiment was that 
when the people should conclude to engage in 
running surveys for irrigating ditches, they 
would go a step further and construct and 
operate the system themselves. They passed 
this resolution : 

"Resolved, That the people of Asotin 
county, in mass meeting assembled, absolutely 
refuse to take any steps toward raising a sub- 
sidy for survey of irrigating ditch as asked by 
the Oregon-Washington Irrigation Company." 
Another resolution was passed to the ef- 
fect that the people of Asotin county were not 
opposed to the system of irrigation, but were 
anxious to purchase water rights and would 
do so whenever the company was prepared to 
deliver the water. 

The financial depression which at this time 
pervaded the country was, doubtless, the fatal 



obstacle that prevented the full fruition of the 
scheme. It was not until 1895 that all hope 
of such a consummation was abandoned. 

In March, 1893, what was known as the 
Myers case became a casus cclcbrc. As gleaned 
from residents and .local publications the facts 
appear to be as follows : Wednesday night, 
March 15th, soon after 11 o'clock, the City 
"Hotel and the saloon of John Shaver, in Aso- 
tin, were burned. In this fire Frank Sherry 
was burned to death. Several others had nar- 
row escapes from the flames. From the first 
this fire was supposed to have been the work 
of an incendiary. The death of Sherry re- 
sulted in the only legal execution that ever 
took place because of a crime committed in 
Asotin county. Following is the verdict of 
the coroner's jury: 

"State of Washington, County of Asotin. 
In the matter of the inquisition upon the body 
of Frank Sherry, deceased. 

"We, the undersigned, the jurors sum- 
moned to appear before J. D. Swain, Justice 
of the Peace of Asotin County, said state, on 
the 1 6th day of March, 1893, to inquire into 
the cause of the death of a person found 
burned to death in the town of Asotin, having 
been duly sworn according to law, and having 
made such inquisition, after inspecting the 
body, and hearing the testimony adduced, 
upon our oath, each and all of us do say that 
we find the name of the deceased to be Frank 
Sherry, a resident of this county ; that he came 
to his death by suffocation and burning in a 
building known as the City Hotel, on the night 
of the 15th of March, 1893, ar >d we, the jury, 
further find and believe that the origin of 
said fire was incendiary by person or persons 
unknown. All of which we duly certify by 
this inquisition in writing by us signed this 
1 6th day of March, 1893. H. E. Benedict, 
foreman; S. T. Jones, J. W. Green, J. O'Keefe, 
James H. Burger, Benjamin Ayers." 

The following is the account of the Colum- 
bia Chronicle, of Dayton, Columbia county, 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



665 



of the subsequent proceedings in the line of 
avenging- the death of Sherry : 

"Thursday evening March 23d, Leo Wal- 
ton, deputy sheriff of Asotin county, arrived 
in this city having in charge Charles E. Myers, 
who is under arrest charged with the burning 
of the Asotin hotel, in which Frank Sherry 
lost his life. Myers' wife from whom he has 
been separated for some four weeks, was pro- 
prietress of the hotel and it is charged that 
Myers set fire to the building to destroy her 
and a man of whom he was jealous. 

"Myers lives on a farm 15 miles from Aso- 
tin, where he was found when arrested. He 
was given a preliminary hearing at Asotin and 
bound over in the sum of $5,000. As there 
was none present who would go on his bond 
he was taken to jail. He had been there but a 
short time when it was learned that a mob 
•consisting of the neighbors of the late Frank 
Sherry was being organized and would kill 
Myers on sight. The sheriff of Asotin county, 
not caring to take any chances of standing off 
a mob, had Myers taken to Lewiston for safe 
keeping. The mob followed, when Myers was 
taken to Uniontown, and finally to this city 
(Dayton), where it is considered that he is 
safe. Parties from Asotin say that there is 
some strong circumstantial evidence against 
Myers. Soon after the hotel was found to be 
on fire a horse was heard going out of town. 
There were two bridges to cross, and the clat- 
ter of the horse's feet was plainly heard. The 
following morning the footprints of the horse 
were found and traced for several miles in the 
■direction of Myers' ranch. Jerry McGuire, 
who lives three miles from Asotin, heard a 
horseman pass his house twice during the 
night. 

"Another circumstance is that a syrup can 
in which Myers usually kept coal oil, was 
found back of the burned building, and that 
said can was missing from the ranch ; that coal 
oil was found on Myers' saddle ; that the horse 
tracks tally exactly with those of the horse that 



Myers usually rides. Myers is a man who is 
said to be usually quiet and does not drink to 
excess. Several years ago he killed a man 
named Stimson, who had induced his wife to 
leave him. The brief circumstances of the 
murder of Stimson are that Stimson and Mrs. 
Myers passed Myers' ranch one day on their 
way to visit Mrs. Myers' people. In passing 
the place they saw Myers and waved their 
handkerchiefs at him. Myers took very little 
notice of them, but on returning in the even- 
ing they repeated the insult, whereupon Myers 
got his gun and killed Stimson. After a long 
trial, which cost the county $5,000, Myers was 
acquitted, as he at that time had the sympathy 
of the entire neighborhood. 

"Since the burning of the Asotin hotel in 
which Frank Sherry was cremated and ' from 
which George Gibson narrowly escaped, being 
badly burned about the face and hands, the in- 
dignation of the Asotin citizens runs high. 
There have been rumors to the effect that the 
mob will come to Dayton, but it is to be hoped 
that they will let the law take its course." 

In Asotin the tragedy created a profound 
sensation and aroused a most hostile spirit 
toward Myers. Fearing an attack upon the 
jail the prisoner was removed to a place of 
concealment, after dark, where he was kept 
until morning, when he was carried to Dayton 
by Deputy Sheriff Walton, to be placed in jail 
until April 10th, when court would convene at 
Asotin. March 31st, the Asotin Sentinel said: 
"The reports published in some of the news- 
papers about a plan to lynch Myers on the 
night of the 21st inst, are greatly exagger- 
ated, and to a certain extent untrue. Whatever 
may have been the intention of the eight men 
who came to town on horseback after dark 
that evening, it was made known to no one. 
There was no talk of lynching and no threats 
made to burn the prisoner at the stake by a 
mob of 30 or more men. The party left town 
in as quiet and orderly a manner as they came 
in, and the next morning found them attend- 



666 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY 



ing to their duties on the farm, and not pursu- 
ing a fleeing officer with his prisoner, as news- 
paper reports say. The people of Asotin 
county propose to give Myers a fair and im- 
partial trial and there need be no fear that 
an attempt will be made upon the life of the 
prisoner when he is brought back here for trial, 
but that the law will take its course." 

Early in July. 1893, Myers was tried, con- 
victed and sentenced to be hanged, in the su- 
perior court of Asotin county, Judge R. F. 
Sturdevant presiding. The members of the 
jury were : J. E. T. Combs, James Edeburn, 
William McYey. R. H. Vannausdle, R. A. 
Campbell, M. Kling. William Jones, James 
McLeod. Winfield Harryman, Joseph Bilyeu, 
Robert Pruett and F. Simpson. 

Myers appealed his case to the supreme 
court, secured a stay of proceedings and early 
in 1894 was granted a new trial. This came 
before the court in April, 1894, in Asotin 
county. Myers' attorney secured a change of 
venue to Garfield county because of alleged 
prejudice against the defendant. June 13th 
he was a second time found guilty, and the 
second time sentenced to be hanged. Another 
appeal was taken to the supreme court, but the 
decision of the superior court of Garfield 
county was confirmed. Three petitions for 
executive clemency were circulated and pre- 
sented to the governor, but they proved un- 
availing. Myers was executed at Pomeroy, 
Garfield county, September 30, 1895, an ac ~ 
count of which will be found in the History of 
Garfield county. 

During the spring of 1894, all the streams 
in Asotin county, and there are many of them, 
overflowed their banks and no little damage 
was done the ranches in the vicinity. In Snake 
river the highest stage of water was reached 
of which there is any record. At Asotin the 
river and creek combined forming a miniature 
sea, gaining a height three feet above the rec- 
ord of 1887. Monday night, June 4th, .the 
highest stage was reached, after which the 



water rapidly subsided. Considerable damage 
ws done to the warehouse of Jack O'Keefe, 
and the stage road between Asotin and Lewis- 
ton was overflowed in a number of places. 

In August of this year swarms of grass- 
hoppers appeared in this section of the coun- 
try. The pests did irreparable damage to a 
number of orchards. Many of the. trees were 
stripped of their foliage, leaving the fruit 
without protection from the blistening sun. 
Spring sown grain, also, suffered. Yet, on the 
whole, this visitation of what is known as the 
Colorado locust, was as nothing as compared 
with the ravages of grasshoppers in Kansas, 
Nebraska, Minnesota and the Dakotas in early 
days. Industrial conditions of the county in 
1894 are shown by the following statistics: 

Number of acres of land 111,312 

Number of acres improved 26,480 

Value of lands $271,329 

Value of improvements 92,206 

Value of town lots 34-965 

Value of improvements on town lots. 22,102 

Total value of real estate and imp. . . 420,602 

Personal Property. 

4,842 horses, value $ 90,531 

6,244 cattle, value 73.949 

2,977 sheep, value 2,977 

1,854 hogs, value 3,614 

369 wagons, value 10,278 

Total personal property $243,787 

Exemptions 96,969 

Total assessment personal property. . 146,818 

At the session of the board of county com- 
missioners held July 2, 1894, initial steps were 
taken for the building of a court house. The 
commissioners decided to submit to the voters 
at the general election in November the ques- 
tion of levying a special tax for the purpose of 
erecting the structure. It was estimated that 
a suitable building could be put up for $900, 
thus saving the county nearly $300 a year in 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



667 



rent and expenses. But at the election, held 
November 6th, the special levy was defeated 
by a vote of 128 to 37. 

In 1895 the assessed valuation of real es- 
tate was $379,660; improvements on same, 
$81,914; personal property, $104,459. The 
total assessable property, outside of exemp- 
tions, was $584,033, being $16,613 over that 
of the previous year. 

The month of August, 1896, was accentu- 
ated by the lynching of Frank Viles, a Nez 
Perce half-breed desperado. Tuesday, Au- 
gust 18th, Miss Olive Richardson, a highly re- 
spected young lady, residing at Enterprise, 
Oregon, who had been visiting friends at Lap- 
wai, was returning to her home in Oregon on 
horseback. Having reached a secluded spot 
about four miles below Asotin, she was over- 
taken by the half-breed, dragged from her 
horse, and after a desperate struggle, out- 
raged. The lecherous scoundrel then fled and 
Miss Richardson made her way to Asotin 
where she related her pitiful story. Viles 
was arrested and the girl identified him as her 
assailant. 

Vengeance was summary and sudden. Be- 
tween eleven and twelve o'clock the same night 
Deputy Sheriff Ginsbach went to the Asotin 
jail, in which Viles was confined, to retire. 
When within a short distance of the jail yard 
a number of men who had been concealed be- 
hind a wheat rack suddenly surprised him, 
jerked his hat down over his face and pin- 
ioned his arms behind his back. Deputy Gins- 
bach thus relates his experience : 

"One of the men then took my lantern from 
my hand and while the other two were holding 
me they told me to make no noise or they 
would murder me. I couldn't tell whether 
they were all masked, but know that one was, 
because by looking sideways from under my 
hat I saw that the fellow had a white handker- 
chief tied over his face. The keys to the jail 
were next demanded and one of the men 
reached into my pocket and took them out. 



Two or three of the men then threw me 
upon the ground and held my arms and legs 
down. I did not see any other men around. 
Next I heard Viles, the half-breed yell — that 
is, I suppose it was him. Then one of the men 
who was holding me down whispered to his 
companion, "let's take him around on the 
other side of the building," meaning Cay- 
wood's carpenter shop, and said something 
about "so he won't hear anything," or words 
to that effect. I was kept standing in a cor- 
ner facing the building with the two men hold- 
ing me, perhaps fifteen or twenty minutes, 
when someone came running back and re- 
turned the keys to my pocket. One of the 
men holding me said, "you stay here fifteen 
or twenty minutes or we'll kill you," and then 
they left. After they got out of hearing I 
started for the jail. I found my lantern where 
I was first halted. I lighted the lantern and 
proceeded to the jail. The door of the jail 
yard was unlocked but closed: Inside the jail 
yard I found the lifeless body of Viles hang- 
ing. The jail fence leans in somewhat, and 
the body was hanging a foot away from it. 
The rope was thrown over the top of the 
twelve-foot board fence and fastened on the 
outside to an old woodrack that the men had 
moved to the place. Next I went and aroused 
the sheriff and in company with Squire Swain 
and Dr. Fulton we cut the body down and 
removed it to a room." 

Dean Smith, a prisoner in the jail related 
what occurred in the building as follows : 

"The first thing I knew I heard parties talk- 
ing at the outer gate. Next they came in the 
enclosure, unlocked the jail door and stepped 
inside. Two men came in first ; one had a rope 
in his hand. A third followed, holding a' lan- 
tern dimly lighted. I started to raise up 
when the man with the rope stepped to the side 
of my bed and said. 'Smith, you lie still' My 
bed was made down on the floor in the corri- 
dor, and I could see what was going on inside 
the cell where the half-breed was. Two of 



•668 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



the men then entered the cell, the one holding: 
the lantern remaining in the corridor. The 
man having the rope jumped upon Viles and 
after several attempts got the rope over the 
half-breed's head. Viles told him he would 
go out, and then gave a couple of loud yells. 
He then told the men they were choking him 
to death. They had quite a struggle inside 
and one man spoke to the other saying, 'help 
me.' They then picked Viles up bodily and 
carried him out into the jail yard. After they 
were outside Viles yelled two or three times ; 
then everything was quiet. The men that en- 
tered the jail wore handkerchiefs over their 
faces. The last time Viles yelled I heard one 
■of the men say, 'pull the rope.' ' 

Neither the deputy sheriff nor Smith recog- 
nized any of the men by their voices. It was 
thought that the party did not number more 
than seven or eight. They were determined, 
and did their work so quietly that residents in 
the neighborhood of the jail did not know 
what had transpired during the night until in- 
formed by the officers the morning following. 
Sheriff Wormell stated that he had not antic- 
ipated anything of the kind. No blame was 
attached to him or his deputy. The sheriff 
stated further that about ten o'clock that night 
he received word that Jack Allen, a notor- 
iously bad Indian and a companion of Viles, 
was drunk and making threats against the 
lives of some of the citizens. In company with 
bis deputy and a private citizen he went down 
town and arrested the disorderly redskin at 
an Indian camp on Asotin creek, and locked 
him up. At that time the saloons and busi- 
ness houses were closed and no one was seen 
on the streets. Shortly after twelve o'clock 
he received word of the lynching. Viles had a 
wife and two children living near Genesee,- 
Idaho. The wife was a Flathead half-breed. 
Viles was about 28 years of age. He had 
figured on several occasions in the courts of 
Idaho for crimes committed. His friends 
claimed the body. An inquest was deemed un- 



necessary, as from the sworn statements of 
Deputy Sheriff Ginsbach and Smith, given 
above, there was no doubt about how Viles 
came to his death. 

The lynching of Viles was followed by an 
Indian scare. Saturday, August 22(1, reports 
were received at Asotin that some of the In- 
dians on the reservation were planning to 
avenge the death of the half-bred. For sev- 
eral nights armed guards did picket duty about 
the town of Asotin. Yet the better element 
among the Indians approved the hanging. 
Rather misty and unconfirmed news was 
wafted up from Wallowa county, Oregon, to 
the effect that Indians were seeking the life 
of Miss Richardson. These reports appear to 
have originated from the fact that a party of 
Nez Perce and Umatilla; Indians was camped 
near Wallowa lake, engaged in a grand car- 
ouse, horse racing, gambling and drinking. A 
reliable and trustworthy reservation Indian 
passed through Asotin directly from this camp. 
He stated that to his personal knowledge the 
bacchanalian red skins had fifteen gallons of 
whisky among them. The panic among Aso- 
tin citizens: soon subsided. 

While other counties in Washington have 
suffered immense losses by fire, it appears to 
have been the fate of the citizens of Asotin to 
be sorely tried by untimely and voluminous 
deluges of water. Thursday afternoon, May 
20, 1897, the valley of Asotin creek, the gar- 
den spot of the county, was the scene of deso- 
lation, ruin and destruction. While a gentle 
shower was falling in Asotin, and the sun was 
shining in other portions of the county, a ter- 
rific cloud burst occurred in the mountains at 
the head of the tributary branches of Asotin 
creek. A solid column of water, fifteen feet 
in height then passed down into the valley 
sweeping everything from its path, destroying 
homes and farms; drowning stock and leaving 
ruin in its wake. Five wagon bridges span- 
ning the Asotin were soon dancing in the 
water like corks in a mill race. One span 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



669- 



alone remained near Asotin Park. The roar 
of this rushing torrent was heard for a dis- 
tance of fully five miles. Trees, timbers, fenc- 
ing and all manner of debris were swept for- 
ward by the impetuous stream, and the farms 
along the low lands were plastered with mud 
and sand, and dotted with huge boulders 
brought on the bosom of the strong current 
from other districts. 

No human lives were lost, which seems 
miraculous; but some narrow escapes are re- 
corded. Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Green were in 
their orchard on the banks of the stream. Mr. 
Green, who caught the dull intonation of the 
oncoming torrent, remarked to his wife that 
it sounded strangely like a cloud burst. Still, 
the sun was shining brightly; no signs of a 
storm visible, and Mrs. Green smiled at the 
idea of connecting the terrors of a cloud 
burst with the pleasant, peaceful scene around 
them. Yet within sixty seconds the huge, tow- 
ering, threatening wave was in sight. Fear 
rooted Mrs. Green to the spot. She couldn't 
run, and her husband making a rush grasped 
her just as the water swept them both from 
their feet and tumbled them into the seething, 
boiling stream. Holding his wife with one 
hand he seized a tree with the other, thus sav- 
ing their lives before they had encountered the 
main body of water which followed fast upon 
the heels of the first advance. Had it caught 
them nothing could have rescued them from 
death. 

There were little children at the Lee Will- 
iams school in the Hopwood district. The 
building stood near the treacherous creek. The 
teacher noticed that the water was rising, 
slowly, to be sure, but steadily, stealthily 
creeping up to the house. So he wisely dis- 
missed the school and told the little ones to go 
up on the hillside. A few objected, as at that 
point it was raining, but at last they all re- 
luctantly followed his lead. Gaining the top 
of the hill they turned to behold their school 



house tossed about on the angry waters like 
an ocean derelict. 

An Asotin creek correspondent of the 
Sentinel came into town late in the evening. 
From his lips it was learned that one could 
scarcely imagine the ruin that had been 
wrought. From the village of Grand Junc- 
tion up for a distance of twelve miles there 
was scarcely a building left standing. Both 
humble and costly cottages had been com- 
pletely demolished. All of the few building 
left standing were partially wrecked. Many 
would have to be torn down and rebuilt. Gar- 
dens were washed away and orchards ruined. 
Not a piece of property for a distance of fif- 
teen miles along Asotin creek escaped injury. 
It was on the north side of the stream that the 
cloud burst struck, on the divide between 
Charlie Fork and Conner gulch. The latter 
debouches into Alpowa creek. The water caus- 
ing the damage along Asotin creek came pour- 
ing down Charlie Fork, Dry and Palmer 
gulches. That which swept down Conner 
gulch did irreparable damage to the "Mohler 
orchard" and other property in that locality. 
A farmer on his way homeward had just 
driven on to a bridge. He saw the huge, ap- 
proaching wave, and, leaping from his wagon, 
ran back. Just in time ! He stood there to 
witness the bridge swept out and with it his. 
team and wagon. The animals, however, 
struggled loose from the harness and reached 
the shore alive. The houses of Robert Camp- 
bell, Dill Brothers, Thornton Powell, James 
Thornton, Michael Thornton, William Hop- 
wood, the Pitchford residence, William Flor- 
ence, E. Jones, W. W. Smith and Frank 
Palmer were demolished, many of them swept 
away leaving no sign of a< habitation. The 
residence of George Warfield was left stand- 
ing, yet so seriously damaged that he was 
compelled to rebuild it. John Knight's house,, 
at Grand Junction, a large frame building re- 
cently completed, was washed from its founda- 



6yO 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



tion and turned completely around. One end 
of the barn of E. Dodson was destroyed. 
James Morrow's barn was swept away, and 
with it a hack, wag-on, and harness. The fam- 
ily of County Commissioner Downen were 
cleaning house. Much of their furniture was 
laid out under the shade trees. So suddenly 
swept down the water that everything was 
carried away. The barn of John Meador was 
washed from its foundation and deposited in 
the road. Trash, rubbish and lumber were 
scattered throughout his orchard. 

The orchard and garden of David Morrow 
was washed over leaving a deposit of earth, 
gravel and trash. The flume conveying water 
to Vineland was damaged near the headgate. 
Dr. Fulton's horse, which was loose in an en- 
closure at the rear of the doctor's residence, 
was swept down stream and landed in Edward 
Baumeister's yard, safe and sound. B. R. 
Howard was compelled to cut the ropes of his 
ferry and swing his boat around to save it 
from being carried away by the wreckage 
bursting out of Asotin creek into Snake river. 
Besides losing his house, buildings and all his 
personal property, Thornton Powell lost, also, 
a sum of money amounting to $250 aside 
from valuable papers. 

Friday morning a subscription paper was 
circulated in Asotin to secure money to pur- 
chase eatables and clothing for the women and 
children of families left comparatively desti- 
tute. It met with a generous response at the 
hands of the good citizens of Asotin. The 
people of Pomeroy contributed a load of sup- 
plies, merchandise and clothing. The citizens 
and merchants of Lewiston showed their lib- 
erality by a cash donation of $206 and $100 in 
merchandise, besides a lot of clothing. The 
relief committee who had charge of the distri- 
bution of the funds and supplies that came 
from Lewiston and Pomeroy were Messrs. H. 
E. Benedict, Charles Isecke, G. W. Bailey, 
Sheriff Kinnear and T. E. Flinn. 



Had this disaster occurred at any time 
during the night the destruction of life would 
have been fearful, as nearly every house 
washed away was owned and occupied by 
people with small children and whose escape 
would have been cut off. The desolate scene of 
this flood was visited during the week by quite 
a number of people. The section where the 
greatest damage was wrought embraces a lin- 
eal distance of about ten miles, lying between 
the village of Grand Junction nd Dry Gulch. 

Friday, June 25th, the valley of Asotin 
creek was the scene of another flood. Late in 
the afternoon of that day two storm clouds 
were observed approaching each other from 
nearly opposite directions. As they came to- 
gether lightening bolts shot from one to the 
other and the resultant roar of heaven's artil- 
lery was the heaviest that had ever been known 
in that locality. The precipitation was not 
like rain; the water poured down in solid 
sheets; each side gulch tributary to the creek 
became a maddened torrent. Fencing that had 
been erected and improvements that had been 
made since the last overflow were swept away. 
Gardens were destroyed and many orchards 
received additional damage. Marion Mahan's 
ranch at the mouth of Dry gulch was deluged 
with water and immense damage inflicted. 
This flood completely wrecked the residence of 
John Knight, besides carrying away some of 
his furniture. A new bridge spanning Asotin 
creek was swept clown the swollen, turbulent 
stream. The barns of Charles Isecke and J. 
D. Swain, the former containing harness, 
buggy, family carriage and horse, were swept 
away. The horse managed to swim out and 
gained the bank alive. County Commissioner 
Downen and his family were confined to an 
elevated spot of ground with the raging waters 
surrounding them. In their house the water 
was ankle deep. Following a slight subsidence 
of the flood the family was rescued from its 
perilous position. 




"""^-fr^"^,*^ 



* ■ 4 " ; ' 










A point on the irrigation flume, the enterprise which made Clarkston 




Asotin Prairie, looking south from Asotin 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



671 



Taken "by and large," to employ a nautical 
term, the year 1897 was one of the most pros- 
perous in the county's history. It was the be- 
o-innine of the end of hard times that for four 
depressing years had held the county in its 
grip. For this undoubted prosperity there 
were a number of reasons. Chief among them 
was the successful irrigation scheme and con- 
sequent immigration to the Vineland tract. 
The crops were abundant and prices higher. 
With the opening of mining operations in 
Idaho many of the necessary supplies were 
purchased in Asotin county. New enterprises 
were originated and actively pushed forward. 
The Asotin Sentinel said : 

"The wheat harvest in this county is about 
half completed, but only a small percentage of 
the crop has been hauled. The total yield of 
the county will be greater than expected and 
will overreach all estimates made earlier in the 
season. The hay harvest is the largest and 
best that has been gathered in a number of 
years. Large sums are coming into the 
county from the sale of orchard and dairy 
products. Cattle command a higher figure, 
than they did a year ago ; sheep almost doubled 
in price ; the horse market is advancing, and a 
scene of general prosperity prevails. The big 
crop and good prices will lift many a mort- 
gage from Asotin county farms, and it is pre- 
dicted that the close of the year will witness 
the county in better shape and its people in 
better circumstances than ever before." 

The total assessed valuation of the county 
for 1897 was $823,648, an increase of $226,- 
022 over that of the previous year. 

The season of 1898 was a replica of the 
previous one. The county was blessed with 
bumper crops of grain and fruit, and the stock 
industry was active. The cattle sales from 
January to November, including beef cattle and 
feeders, amounted to $91,000; hogs, $20,000'; 
sheep, $17,500; wool clip, $10,000; making a 
total of $138,500 from the stock interests 
alone. This does not include the increase of 



cattle, which will be 75 per cent; hogs, 100 per 
cent, and sheep the same. Barley sales 
amounted to $10,000 besides what is retained 
for feeding purposes, which takes the place of 
oats, very little of the latter being produced in 
this county. The farmers will sell this year 
$150,000 worth of wheat and from the 
orchards about $15,000 worth of fruit has been 
sold. To the above figures $10,000 more 
should be added as the proceeds of the dairy 
and poultry industries. The amounts given 
only represent actual transactions and do not 
include that which is held for home consump- 
tion. It is estimated that in 1898 Asotin county 
produced: 150,000 bushels of wheat, 100,000 
bushels of barley and rye, 2,000 bushels of 
oats, 5,000 bushels of corn, 10,000 bushels of 
potatoes, 5,000 bushels of apples, 1,000 bushels 
of plums and prunes, 1,000 bushels of peaches, 
1,000 bushels of pears, 20 bushels of peanuts, 
10 bushels of English walnuts, 7,500 tons of 
hay, 109,500 pounds of butter and cheese, 
40,000 pounds of wool, 100 pounds of tobacco, 
500 ounces of gold dust, 1,000,000 feet of lum- 
ber, 5,000 cords of wood, 500 dozen chickens, 
10,000 dozen eggs, 5,000 head of sheep, 8,000 
head of hogs, 5,000 head of cattle, 2,000 head 
of horses. 

The total assessed valuation for 1898, as 
equalized, was $873,890. In this year, too, the 
question of building a court house became a 
live issue. Plans were drawn up and bids for 
the construction of a court house and vault 
were advertised for. The citizens of Asotin 
contributed $1,108 toward the cost of the 
structure. June nth, 1899, the contract was 
let to C. W. Cay wood for $3,975, and the same 
year the building was erected. The total as- 
sessed valuation for 1898 rose to $909,741. but 
this was cut down by the state board of equali- 
zation to $753,377. In October, 1899, the 
Asotin Sentinel said: 

"The survey of township 7, north range 
45 ; townships 6 and 7 north, range 47, all east 
of the Willamette meridian, in Asotin county, 



672 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



has at last been accepted at the general land 
office. The plat was filed at Walla Walla De- 
cember 4, 1899, an d on and after that date the 
land embraced in those townships will be sub- 
ject to homestead entry. Persons who settled 
on this ldnd prior to the date of the filing of the 
plats will be allowed 90 days from that date to 
make entry en the land settled upon. 

"Although the Grande Ronde river which 
passes through the townships is meandered, set- 
tlers will be allowed to take on both sides of 
the stream. In making final proof residence 
will date from time of actual settlement. Many 
have lived on lands embraced in this survey 
more than five years and can therefore make 
final proof immediately. The acceptance of 
the survey is regarded very thankfully by the 
people of this county ; for it gives the settlers 
a chance to own the lands on which many have 
lived for years and made valuable improve- 
ments, and it puts over 50,000 acres of land in 
a position where it may become subject to tax- 
ation and a source of revenue to the county." 
According to the United States census of 
1890 the population of Asotin county was 
1,580. At the taking of the census of 1900 the 
population had increased to 3,366. This was 
divided among the various precincts as fol- 
lows: Vineland, 1,175; Asotin. 774; Hansen's 
Ferry, 318; Anatone, 286; Lake, 245; Theon, 
244; Grande Ronde, 173; Pleasant, 87; Ely, 
64. The estimated population for 1905 is 
about 6,000. 

The years 1900 and 1901 witnessed a large 
immigration to Asotin county. During five 
months of 1900 there were 8,000 acres of gov- 
ernment land filed upon. This was followed 
during the first five months of 1901 by entries 
of 10,000 acres of farming, and 2.000 acres of 
coal land in the Grande Ronde country. True, 
this was not all first-class agricultural land, but 
all of it provided excellent pasturage, and its 
entry proved that settlement of the county was 
rapidly progressing. The assessment valuation 
of 190 1, as equalized by the board of county 



commissioners was: Real estate and improve- 
ments, $897,830 ; personal property, $380,882 ; 
total, $1,278,712. This was an increase of 
$60,639 over that of 1900. The real estate and 
improvements in 1902 were assessed at $940,- 
563, and the personal property at $287,434. 

In January, 1903, the following petition 
was circulated, signed and forwarded to the 
legislature at Olympia : 

"We, the bona fide settlers of the fractional 
part of township 6, range 42, in Garfield coun- 
ty, resolve that it is the unanimous wish of the 
people of this part of Garfield county known as 
the isolated portion thereof, in so far that all 
passable travel by road is positively cut off with 
all highway facilities ; a matter of impossibility 
in the future as regards convenience and com- 
munication in reaching Pomeroy, the county 
seat ; and we, the undersigned do sincerely pray 
that you will use all legitimate means in your 
power in securing the annexation of this frac- 
tional part of township 6, of Garfield county, 
to that of Asotin county, Washington." 

Following this a meeting of citizens was 
held at the court house in Pomeroy, the avowed 
object of which was to determine whether a 
protest should be entered against the proposed 
annexation to Asotin county of a "tract of 
mountainous country in the southern part of 
Garfield county." While it was true that a 
few people in the district proposed to be an- 
nexed were in favor of the plan, in order that 
they might transact county business at the more 
accessible point of Asotin instead of Pomeroy, 
nothing resulted from the agitation ; the cov- 
eted strip of country was not added to Asotin 
county. 

The personal property assessment for 1903 
was $562,316, an increase of $274,882 over the 
previous year. The total assessed value of the 
real estate and improvements was $986,054, 
making a total of $1,548,370, an increase of 
$453,447 over the previous year. 

For the second time in its history Asotin 
county, in 1903, was the scene of a lynching. 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



673 



It was a dastardly crime for which the mur- 
derer paid the penalty with his life, and the 
gruesome story is thus graphically related by 
the Asotin Sentinel, of date August 8th : 

Within the past week Asotin county has been the 
scene of one of the most horrible crimes ever com- 
mitted in this or any other state, and a happy home 
has been deprived of one of its dearest treasures, a 
bright little daughter, and made to undergo inex- 
pressible suffering, all on account of the foul and 
murderous acts of a fiendish and most inhuman brute 
of a man. Words can never be made to tell the 
agonies that this innocent child passed through before 
her life was crushed out by that cold-blooded and 
desperate monster. 

It was about seven o'clock last Sunday evening, 
(August 2d), that the people of Asotin were informed 
over the telephone that Mabel Richards, the 12-year- 
old daughter of Sheriff and Mrs. Richards, of this 
city, was lost in the mountains back of Anatone, near 
where the family had been camping for several weeks, 
in the vicinity of Farrish's saw mill. Mr. Richards had 
just returned three or four hours before from an offi- 
cial trip to California, and on receipt of the sad news 
hastened with all possible speed to the section where the 
child was reported to have been last seen. By the time 
he reached Anatone hundreds of others had joined in 
the search, and every man in Asotin who could find 
a mode of conveyance departed at various hours of 
the night to lend what assistance they could in en- 
deavoring to find the little girl. The search was kept 
up all night and until about half past two o'clock in 
the afternoon of Monday, when Al Craige, James Ross 
and other gentlemen found the object of their search- 
but most horrible to relate, in cold death. Little Mabel 
had been foully murdered. 

At about 9:30 o'clock Sunday morning Mrs. 
Richards and three children got ready to attend Sun- 
day school at the Kelly school house, about a mile 
and a half from where they were encamped. Mabel, 
being all ready and anxious to start, secured permis- 
sion of her mother to start out on foot, expecting to be 
overtaken by the rest of the family before she had 
proceeded very far, when she, too, would get into the 
buggy. But she was never again seen alive by her 
family. Not finding her there upon their arrival, 
Mrs. Richards didn't think but what the child would 
soon be coming along — and that she had simply loitered 
along the way in usual childish glee, perhaps gathering 
a few flowers. After an hour or so, and Mabel had 
still put in no appearance, Mrs Richards became 
alarmed and went back to camp, thinking, possibly, the 
child had for some cause or other returned. Being 
again disappointed the alarm was given and circum- 
stances made known, and a general search instituted, 

43 



which resulted in the child being found Monday after- 
noon, as already stated. Who the murderer was no- 
body knew ; but a terrible crime had been committed, 
and the searchers were so wrought up that a more 
determined effort than ever was made to ascertain the 
guilty man, and if found, to deal out speedy justice 
without waiting for the convening of court. 

Coroner Merchant, at Asotin, was at once notified 
and together with Prosecuting Attorney Halsey and 
Dr. Fulton departed for Asotin to hold the inquest — 
reaching there about seven o'clock. In the meantime 
Justice J. N. Boggan had sworn in a coroner's jury, 
comprising the following men : Frank Body, John 
Burke, Benjamin Fields, T. P. Goodin, A. A. Wormell 
and J. A. Howard, for the purpose of making a care- 
ful examination of the grounds and surroundings, and 
to move the body to Anatone before night-fall, where 
the inquest could be conducted more satisfactorily. 
Upon the arrival of Coroner Merchant the jury al- 
ready sworn in was accepted, and the inquest was be- 
gun about nine o'clock. 

Up to this time but little hope was entertained that 
the guilty party would be found, although William 
Hamilton had been arrested as a suspect, as he was 
known to have gone over the same road Sunday morn- 
ing on his way to a huckleberry patch. Notwithstand- 
ing he protested that he knew nothing of the whole 
affair and had not seen the girl, he was kept in cus- 
tody and used as a witness at the inquest. 

The inquest was begun at nine o'clock and the 
examination of witnesses continued until about 2 130 
a. m., when all were excluded from the room except 
the Hamilton boy and the two deputy sheriffs. These 
three remained with the jury and coroner and prose- 
cutor. Prior to the dismissal of the large gathering 
nothing had come out in the evidence that would seem 
to fasten the guilt on Hamilton in this instance, but 
through mere accident one or two of the jurymen 
learned that the suspected man had attempted criminal 
assault on the eight-year-old step daughter of his 
brother, only about two weeks before, but failing of 
his purpose the matter had been kept quiet. Learning 
this it was thought more could be accomplished by 
having the remainder of the gathering disperse, and so 
it proved. Hamilton was then put to the test, and 
after prolonged questioning and cross-questioning he 
finally weakened and about five o'clock in the morning 
confessed to committing the awful crime. In substance 
Hamilton's .confession was as follows : 

He met the little girl in the road at a point where 
it makes a considerable curve. He said "good morn- 
ing," to which he received a similar reply ; inquired as 
to where she might be going and was told to Sunday 
school. Hamilton then got off his horse and went up 
to the child, put his arms around her and kissed her, 
then placing both arms around her carried her into a 
brush thicket about seventy-five feet from the road. 
He stated the girl tried to scream, but could make 



674 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



a noise no louder than a chicken. She then protested 
that she wanted him to leave her alone ; that she might 
go on to Sunday school. Failing to accomplish his 
villainous object, he made the frightened child promise 
not to tell on him, or say anything about what had 
happened. She promised, so the fiend said, but he did 
not believe her. He choked her insensible as she lay 
on the ground, and then picking up a dead pine sapling 
about ten feet long, struck her two deadly blows on the 
right and left forehead, after which, with one of his 
feet he turned her over and struck her another blow on 
the back of the head. In this condition he left her and 
proceeded to the berry patch, and gathering a basket of 
berries returned home. On his arrival he met a couple 
of boys who told him that Mabel Richards was lost, and 
he so informed his mother. In making this confession 
he showed no emotion whatever, but told his story in a 
blood-curdling manner. 

Having heard this horrible confession the coroner 
adjourned court to meet at Asotin at ten o'clock, Wed- 
nesday morning, August 5th, for the purpose of ren- 
dering a verdict. So soon as adjournment was taken 
the self-confessed criminal was taken to Asotin by 
Deputy Sheriffs Hazeltine and Grounds, placed in jail, 
and a number of guards thrown around the jail and 
jail enclosure. The object of adjourning the jury to 
Asotin without having brought in a verdict was for 
the purpose of getting the prisoner away from Anatone 
before it was known, for fear of lynching or burning 
at the stake. And although he reached Asotin safely, 
the fact that a confession had been made had leaked 
out and spread rapidly all over the country, and so 
incensed had the people become that before the middle 
of the afternoon people began to arrive in town in 
large numbers from various parts of the county, even 
Clarkston people turning out by the score, while resi- 
dents of Lewiston, in Nez Perce county, Idaho, con- 
tinued to arrive as long as a conveyance could be ob- 
tained ; by dark there were fully five or six hundred 
strangers in town who, although quiet in their conver- 
sations and actions, nevertheless showed a determina- 
tion in their general demeanor suggesting that there 
was no law that could mete out justice so swift and 
sure as they. 

There was no noise ; no boisterousness of any kind. 
Everything moved along slowly and quietly as though 
some of the cooler heads had reached a conclusion, and 
only awaited a certain time for putting some undertaking 
into action. Of this there seemed to be no doubt; 
and when about 11 o'clock a hundred or more men 
from the Anatone country were reported to be approach- 
ing the town, it was then presumed, on their arrival, 
whatever was to be done would soon happen. And so 
it did. 

The remainder of this story can be told in a few 
words. At about 12:15 a. m., Wednesday morning, 
August 5th, a squad of sixteen masked men marched 



to the county jail, and although an effort was made 
to resist their undertaking, the guards were soon over- 
powered and tied ; the keys obtained and an entrance to 
the jail yard secured. At this point in the program a 
shot was fired, evidently intended as a signal for a re- 
serve force, for no sooner done than a hundred ad- 
ditional masked men marched with rapid pace to the 
jail. The prisoner was soon secured, and being held 
in such a manner as to prevent outcry, was marched 
about two blocks down Fillmore street to the corner 
of First, followed by hundreds of citizens of Asotin 
and elsewhere. Here the prisoner again went over 
the confession which he had recited at Anatone, and at 
the county jail, after which a rope was hastily adjusted 
around his neck and his body drawn about four feet 
in the air by passing the rope over an electric light guy 
wire. When life was known to be extinct the loose 
end of the rope was tied to the large pole near by 
and the lifeless form of the child murderer left sus- 
pended in the air. The whole proceeding lasted about 
twenty minutes, and the only noise heard at any time 
was just before the maskers departed, when they gave 
a series of loud cheers as an evidence of being satis>- 
fied with the success of their undertaking — happy in 
knowing the the slayer of an innocent child could no 
more run at large and that the murder of little Mabel 
Richards had, so far as public sentiment was con- 
cerned, been speedily avenged without the aid of court 
or jury. 

Between 1 -.30 and 2 o'clock the coroner, being noti- 
fied, went to the scene, cut the dead man down and 
took the remains to the county jail. Wednesday morn- 
ing they were claimed by the father and all arrange- 
ments for burial made. The body was kept at the jail 
Wednesday and Wednesday night and interment had 
Thursday morning in the Asotin cemetery. The ver- 
dict of the jury that held the inquest at Anatone was 
rendered Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock (after 
Hamilton had been hanged) and found that Mabel 
Richards had been foully and willfully murdered, and 
that William Hamilton was guilty of committing the 
deed. Wednesday evening another jury was summoned 
and an inquest held over the remains of William Ham- 
ilton. The jurymen were John Dodson, V. V. Florence, 
W. H.' Smith, James Morrisey, Charles McVey and 
Taylor Trent, and their verdict was that the deceased 
had come to his death through strangulation by a rope 
having been placed around his neck and his body hung 
to an electric light guy wire by a party of masked men 
unknown to them. 



Although large crops had been the rule for 
several years the one of 1904 was a record 
breaker. An estimate of the crop of wheat 
and barley of the Lewiston Flat, the forks of 




Asotin, county seat of Asotin county 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



675 



the Asotin, the Asotin-Anatone Flat, and the 
Montgomery and Weissenfels ridges was 450,- 
000 bushels. At the prevailing prices this crop 
turned in about $300,000. Estimating the pop- 
ulation of the county at 5,500 this meant a cash 
increase of about $55 for every man, woman 
and child in the county. This alone was from 
the grain crop of the most thickly settled por- 
tions of the county and did not include the 
Grouse, Peola and Alpowa grain sections. The 
assessed valuation of Asotin county for the 
year 1904, according to the figures of the coun- 
ty assessor was : Real estate and improve- 
ments, $1,157,005; personal property, $454,- 
370; total, $1,611,375. The number of acres 
assessed was 151,945. The number of acres 
improved, 32,745. The items of personal 
property and the assessed valuation is as fol- 
lows : 3,418 horses, $65,851; 7,517 cattle, 
$85,570; 42,094 sheep, $77,245; 2,864 hogs, 
$5457; 555 wagons, $13,190; 178 sewing ma- 
chines, $1,425 ; 284 watches and clocks, $1,160; 
115 organs and pianos, $6,920; household fur- 
niture, $18,865; °ffi ce furniture, $1,380; farm- 
ing implements, $12,137; firearms, $720; 
boats, $815; goods and merchandise, $55,520; 



manufactured articles, $15,080; money in 
banks, $23,750; money on hand or on deposit, 
$14,600; bonds and stocks, $4,435; notes, ac- 
counts and warrants, $22,835 ! improvements 
on lands held under laws of the United States, 
and school lands, $7,280; farm products as- 
sessed, $4,925 ; stock and shares of insurance 
companies, $375 ; water mains, $7,790 ; tele- 
phones, $1,655; a ^ other articles, $5,065. 
Total $454,370. 

And in this condition we leave Asotin coun- 
ty at the beginning of the year 1905. Coming 
into existence as a county organization a num- 
ber of years too soon, it was a desperate strug- 
gle to maintain the county's existence. But the 
people of the corner county, never doubting the 
ultimate prosperity of their country, struggled 
against great odds, and have now realized the 
success which they knew would come. Asotin 
county is one of the richest in natural resources 
in the state of Washington, and is now past the 
experimental stage. It is prosperous and in the 
best condition it has been in its entire history. 
But it will improve, and an Asotin county his- 
tory written twenty years hence would tell of 
wonderful development from 1905 to 1924. 



CHAPTER III 



CITIES AND TOWNS. 



There are but two centers of population in 
Asotin county — at Asotin and Vineland — 
Clarkston. The place first named, the county 
seat, has a population of about 1 ,000, while the 
latter has between 1,800 and 2,000. The re- 
maining 2,000 or more people are scattered 
throughout the farming and stock-raising sec- 
tions. Besides these there are nine other post- 
offices in the county, viz: Anatone, Clover- 
land, Theon, Hansen Ferry, Bly, Craige, Dodd, 
Silcott and Zindell. We will first direct our 
attention to 



ASOTIN. 

Snake river, trending upward from the 
south bends sharply to the west for a distance 
of about one and one-half miles; thence re- 
suming its northerly course it leaves a bar from 
one-fourth to one-half mile in width, with a 
frontage to the north and quite a gentle slope 
toward the river, all above extreme high water 
mark. At the point where the Snake river 
turns north the Asotin creek forms with it a 
confluence, coming in from the southwest. This 



6/6 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY 



is a lively mountain stream with sufficient 
water power to drive any number of mills or 
factories, and provide an ample water system 
for a city of many thousands of inhabitants. 
Here, on this bar, on the south side of Asotin 
creek lies the town of Asotin, the capital of the 
county. It is a beautiful, picturesque and at- 
tractive little city, at an altitude of 758.77 feet 
above the sea's level, and is surrounded by all 
the essentials that are required to make an in- 
dustrious and progressive people happy. 

Many years ago, where now is to be found 
this prosperous mingling of people, following 
various pursuits of life, stood but one lone 
cabin in the wilderness, not far from the mouth 
of Asotin creek. Little dreamed the builder of 
that humble "shack" that he was taking the 
initial step in the settling and building up of 
so thrifty a community and the future capital 
of Asotin county — not in existence at that 
period — but forming a portion of the territory 
of Walla Walla county. The bar, which is the 
site of Asotin, contains about 300 acres. It is 
a most favorable location, being the gateway 
to the river; affording an excellent shipping 
point for a level plateau of farming lands about 
twenty miles square. This plateau is so fenced 
in by the Snake river bluff's and those of Asotin 
creek that ranchers in the locality could not get 
to and from the river with their grain and stock 
for shipment, and their store goods for house- 
hold use and farm work at any other point. 
Thus, everything that goes in or out of that 
twenty miles square of farming country must 
pass directly through the town of x\sotin. 

If there is any town in the country that can 
boast of its climate it is Asotin. Here the mer- 
cury will not reach the zero mark oftener than 
once in ten years. The coldest weather that 
Asotin experienced during the winter of 1903 
was fourteen degrees below freezing, and ice 
never was thick enough to permit the small boy 
to indulge in skating to exceed three or four 
days. Many families ate Christmas dinner with 
their dining room doors open to the weather. 



Attractive features of Asotin are its ideal 
streets — never dusty, never muddy. They re- 
quire no paving; no attention beyond grading 
and covering with a coarse sand found adjoin- 
ing the town. They are as perfect as any good 
bicycle paths in the city of Tacoma celebrated 
for its roadways. Writing from Asotin a cor- 
respondent of the Lewiston Teller said : 

"The perpetual sunshine, fertile soil and an 
abundance of water come as near meeting the 
natural wants of man as can be expected in any 
land of homes. The location of Asotin sug- 
gests rest from the world's worry. The little 
mountain stream sings and dances, but it is not 
the noise of labor. It is the natural lullaby of 
home. Asotin is a retreat in the everlasting 
hills, and Snake river, a traffic way of com- 
merce, is at hand, but Asotin will ever be re- 
tired behind the hills, a place of rest."' 

The bar upon which the town is built is 
almost entirely occupied by houses, and all is 
now known as Asotin. But in the early his- 
tory it was the site of two distinct towns; one 
on the upper end of the bar; the other on the 
extreme lower portion. Between these twin 
towns there was, at one period, bitter rivalry. 
The town at the upper end of the bar was As- 
sotin City ; at the lower end was plain Asotin. 
But now it is all Asotin — all is merged — and 
the bar, at one time thought to be large enough 
for two cities will, at the present rate of pro- 
gress the town is making not be large enough 
for one. 

The older of these two towns was Assotin 
City (with the double s until the Territorial 
legislature changed the orthography in 1886). 
The townsite was laid out in April, 1878, by 
Alexander Sumpter. It was not until the sum- 
mer of 1880, however, that a town made its 
appearance. The plat was not filed until July 
22d of that year. This was then in Columbia 
county ; the plat was filed by O. C. White, audi- 
tor, by J. T. Burns, deputy. Alexander Sump- 
ter and his wife, Lydia E. Sumpter, made the- 
dedication. The townsite consisted of six. 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



677 



blocks lying along Snake river. One street ran 
parallel to the river and was named Main 
street. There were four streets at right angles 
with this, First, Second, Third and Fourth. A 
postofhce was established in July, 1880; Mr. 
Sumpter became postmaster. Little was ac- 
complished in the way of town building in 
1880; but the following year a number of im- 
provements were made. A flouring mill was 
built in the vicinity by L. O. Stimson and 
Frank Curtis; a ferry across Snake river was 
put in by J. J. Kanawyer in October ; a ware- 
house was erected by Alexander Sumpter and 
Jackson O'Keefe, the only shipping outlet in 
the whole Asotin country. Coming up to the 
year 1882 we find that quite a thriving little 
town had sprung up at Assotin City. The town 
in that year consisted of a flouring mill, general 
store, livery stable, blacksmith shop, warehouse, 
postoffice, ferry and a school house where Miss 
Blanche Marsilliot taught a part of the year 
with nearly twenty-five scholars. 

Now leaving Assotin City, at this time at 
its zenith, let us consider the town of Asotin. 
We find that the townsite was surveyed at 
about the same time as Assotin City. In the 
spring of 1878 A. T. Beall, of Dayton, sur- 
veyor of Columbia county, was engaged in sur- 
veying a wagon road through the eastern part 
■of Columbia, now Asotin, county, and having 
completed his work he surveyed the townsite of 
Asotin. In his notes in regard to this trip, pub- 
lished in the Columbia Chronicle, of Dayton, 
May 11, 1878, Mr .Beall said: 

"Returning we surveyed and laid out the 
town of Asotin for Mr. Schank. He intends 
putting up a grist mill and warehouse. This 
town may, in time, become an important place 
on Snake river." 

The plat of this second townsite on Asotin 
bar was filed in the office of the auditor of Co- 
lumbia county November 10, 1881, by T. M. E. 
Schank, William H. Reed, Louise D. Reed and 
Alexander Reed. It comprised fifteen blocks 
and is located on section 16, township 10, north 



range 46 east. Additions to the townsite have 
been platted as follows : 

Schank & Reed's first addition was platted 
December 30, 1882, by T. M. E. Schank and 
William H. Reed. Other additions platted 
were: Baumeister's addition, January 11, 
1899; O'Keefe's addition, June 26, 1899; W. 
J. Cleman's addition, July 14, 1902. 

In the early spring of 1882 all that there 
was in the present business portion of Asotin 
was Theodore Schank's cabin. It was not until 
December of 1882 that the townsite of Asotin 
was platted and determination made to build a 
town at this point. This platting of 1882 was an 
addition to the original town and the above is 
sometimes confounded with the original town- 
site. It was after this platting that Asotin be- 
gan to be a town. Messrs. Schank and Reed 
were the promoters, and by the time the sur- 
veyor had completed his labors, it was very 
noticable, from the way people began to gather 
here, eager to locate and engage in some kind 
of business, that the promoters had made no 
mistake in point of location and that Asotin was 
bound to be a place of considerable importance. 

Writing May 26, 1883, an Asotin corre- 
spondent of the Columbia Chronicle says : 

"Thinking that a few items from this part 
of the country would not be uninteresting to 
many of your readers, I give what news I have 
been able to glean and also our prospects as a 
people and the probability of building up a 
thriving little town at this place. And taking 
up the last item first, that is, the prospect for a 
thriving town, we think there is everything to 
encourage us. In the first place it is the natural 
and only outlet to a large scope of country 
known as "Asotin Flats." This land is being 
rapidly settled up by practical farmers, and al- 
ready in some places thousands of acres are 
fenced, broken and planted; good houses and 
improvements are to be found on nearly every 
farm, and to a person from the states it looks 
like the lanes and prairies of Illinois. This land 
is said to be as productive as any in the Terri- 



678 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



tory, and thousands of bushels of grain will be 
harvested this fall. 

"Thus we have a good, solid foundation and 
backing for a town, viz : A first-class agricult- 
ural country behind it. In the next place we 
have some as enterprising and practical busi- 
ness men as can be found in any community. 
Among others I would make special mention of 
Mr. Alexander Sumpter, Jr., Mr. J. O'Keefe, 
Mr. Friedman, J. Moser, Mr. T. M. E. Schank 
and D. B. Pettijohn, formerly of Dayton. The 
latter gentleman has invested largely in town 
property and is preparing to put up a dwelling 
and business house, purposing to go into the 
agricultural and mechanical implement busi- 
ness. Part of his stock of goods is already on 
the ground and more arriving daily. Steam- 
boats land at the warehouse here and as soon 
as the business of the town will justify they 
propose to make regular trips between this 
place and Riparia. The steamer John Gates, of 
the Oregon Railroad & Navigation Company, 
came up last week and took off a load of wheat. 
Thus you see we have all the necessary require- 
ments to make a town, and as soon as capital 
notices the many natural advantages of Asotin 
there is no doubt but that great developments 
will be made here. Crops never looked better 
than at the present time. Wheat is all in and 
a great portion of it up. Messrs. Braden & 
Curtis are renovating and improving their mill. 
They will put in another run of burrs and make 
other important improvements, and promise to 
soon be ready and fully able to make first-class 
flour." 

After the platting of the addition to Asotin, 
in December, 1882, and when it appeared prob- 
able that the town of the vicinity was to be 
Asotin, all new business enterprises located in 
the new town, Assotin City became stagnant. 
During the summer and fall of 1883 several 
new projects were installed in Asotin, not the 
least being the newspaper. In the advertising 
columns of the first few numbers of the Asotin 

\ 



Spirit, in the fall of 1883, we find the following 
local business houses represented : 

Asotin Hotel, A. J. Allen, proprietor; Pet- 
tijohn & McAlpin, general store; Asotin city 
saloon, Jacob Moser, proprietor; Dr. W. H. 
Wood ; Asotin flouring mills, F. Curtis and L. 
G. Braden, proprietors; S. S. Rogers, real es- 
tate; Wann & Mitchell, general merchandise. 

The town continued to grow steadily and in 
October, 1883, through a special act of the Ter- 
ritorial legislature the county of Asotin was cut 
off from Garfield and the town of Asotin named 
as the county seat. This bit of good 
fortune gave the place a little unexpected prom- 
inence, although time has demonstrated that a 
more acceptable point could not have been 
chosen, with the object of serving the people 
from all parts of the county to the best advan- 
tage. When Asotin was named as the tem- 
porary capital of the new county, the Asotin 
Spirit proffered the following advice to the 
people of the little town : 

"Two years ago Pataha City was a place of 
much greater pretentions than we. They had 
their time of rejoicing over a similar state of 
affairs as ours at this time. They, too, had 
'gained the day' and secured the temporary lo- 
cation. Now, taking Pataha for an example 
unto those who have our destinies in their hands 
we say : Be vigilant, for we are not out of the 
woods by a half section. Sharp eyes will be 
watching us from now until the next election, 
and their owners will not be slow to take ad- 
vantage of any mistakes we fall into. Work 
should be the order of the day, and never let 
up till we have a fixed fact for an uncertainty."' 

During the fall of 1883, when the new 
county was formed and Asotin named as the 
countyseat, the town took on considerable life. 
New business houses were started and buildings 
were erected at a cost to exceed $15,000. This 
is not nn exorbitant figure for a year's im- 
provements in a town at the present day, but 
it proved the nucleus of a steady growth, which 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



679 



has resulted in the building up of a fine little 
city at the mouth of Asotin creek. The im- 
provements for the year 1883 and the cost were 
as follows : 

Sumpter & Shaw, store and hall, $800; 
Sumpter & Hall, barn and shed, $200; John 
Flock, dwelling, $300; D. McAlpin, dwelling, 
$300; T. M. E. Schank, store, $800; T. M. E. 
Schank, dwelling, $1,000; D. B. Pettijohn, 
dwelling, $500; D. B. Pettijohn, store, $1,000; 
S. T. Jones, dwelling, $600; S. T. Jones, barn, 
$75; A. J. Allen, hotel, $1,000; A. J. Allen, 
store, $250; A. J. Allen, office, $75 ; A. J. Al- 
len, barn $75 ; O. W. McAlpin, dwelling, $150; 
W. H. Fordyce, dwelling, $200 ; T. T. Shetzle, 
dwelling and barn, $500; Mr. Meador, dwell- 
ing $300; Curtis & Braden, mill, $7,000; E. 
Alcorn, dwelling, $200. These buildings were 
mostly cheap structures and covered a great 
deal more ground than the figures would in- 
dicate. 

The material progress of Asotin during the 
winter of 1883-4 was somewhat checked by the 
prevalence of diptheria. There were many 
cases and several deaths. Schools and public 
gatherings were closed indefinitely. As is usual 
in epidemics of this disease the town was 
shunned and business interests suffered. 

In the pring of 1884 Asotin again resumed 
the onward march of progress toward the goal 
of prosperity. At that time the county offices 
were located about midway between Assotin 
City and Asotin. The two towns were about 
half a mile apart. Asotin then contained a 
number of neat and attractive residences, two 
hotels, a store or two — Wann & Mitchell doing 
the bulk of the mercantile business — a black- 
smith shop, saloon, grist mill, feed stable, ware- 
house, ferry and newspaper, the Spirit. A trav- 
eler writing to the Walla Walla Watchman of 
May 16, 1884, among other things has this to 
say concerning Asotin : 

"Asotin with one s, and Assotin City with 
two, are names of two embryo towns situate 
above Lewiston on the Washington Territory 



side. It is, one or both of them, the countyseat 
of Asotin county, and the official headquarters 
are situated midway between the two business 
points. There is at present a good business 
done here, and should the two places grow, as 
there is no doubt they will, unity of interests 
if not of feeling should unite them under one 
name and do away with town rivalry.". 

Here are some of the good words said of 
the town of Asotin in the spring of 1884 by 
papers in different parts of the country: 

Walla Walla Journal: Probably no town in 
the territory has brighter prospects than Aso- 
tin. That it will become a large and flourish- 
ing place in a few years is inevitable because 
of its situation. 

Northzvest (New York City) : A good place 
for enterprising business men searching for a 
location. The town is growing rapidly. 

Yakima Record : Asotin is growing rapidly, 
and will, no doubt, become a place of consider- 
able importance. 

Portland Oregonian : Asotin is the most 
rapidly growing town on Snake river. 

Notwithstanding the dull times and scar- 
city of money during the year 1884, Asotin and 
the smaller town of Assotin City (which two 
places shortly afterward became one town), 
made some improvements that year. Among 
other buildings erected were the Baptist church, 
midway between the two towns ; a two-story 
residence by M. B. Mitchell ; a residence by A. 
J. Allen, and residence by Jacob Moser. Dur- 
ing 1884 there were about $10,000 worth of 
lots sold in Asotin, and there were a few left, 
but not many. 

The first fire of consequence to occur in 
Asotin was on Saturday evening, February 13, 
1886. At that time the Pioneer Hotel, owned 
by Mrs. Lile ; the saloon of Justus & Clemans ; 
and the law office of George W. Bailey were 
destroyed, the first two properties named by 
fire ; the last was torn down to stay the pro- 
gress of the flames. The losses were : 

Mrs. Lile, $1,200; Justus & Clemans, 



68o 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



$1,600; George W. Bailey, $300. There was 
no insurance on any of the property destroyed. 
The flames raged fiercely and only by the 
hardest kind of work on the part of the citi- 
zens was the entire business part of the town 
saved. Several merchants removed the greater 
part of their stocks of goods from the build- 
ings threatened and small losses were sus- 
tained on this account. So far the escape of 
Asotin from disastrous conflagrations has 
been miraculous. The fire mentioned above 
was the worst in point of property loss that 
has ever visited the town. They have no fire 
protection, nor did they ever have. 

February 3, 1886, a bill was introduced in 
the Territorial council to change the spelling 
of Assotin City to Asotin. Following is the 
text of the measure : 

"An act to change the name of the town of 
Assotin City, in Asotin county, to Asotin. 

"Be is enacted by the legislative assembly 
of the Territory of Washington : 

"Section 1. That the name of the town of 
Assotin City, in Asotin county, be, and the 
same is hereby changed to Asotin. 

"Section 2. This act to take effect and be 
in force from and after its passage and ap- 
proval. 

"Approved February 4. 1886." 

In April, 1886, a correspondent of the 
Walla Walla Journal said : 

"The townsite warfare that has marred 
local progress in times past will probably soon 
be adjusted by the operation of natural causes. 
The region of country back of, and naturally 
tributary to the almost adjoining rival towns 
(Asotin and Assotin City), is capable of pro- 
ducing as much wheat as is marketed at any 
of our largest shipping points. This fact will, 
probably, throw in a population sufficient to 
fill the intervening space between the towns. 
A sale of lots of the estate of T. M. E. 
Schank demonstrated that sagacious business 
men have a faith that impelled them to invest 



at healthy prices in either town or between 
them." 

In 1887 the last business house of the old 
Assotin City was moved to the later town of 
Asotin, and all pretense of strife was done 
away with. During the spring and summer 
of 1886 about a dozen new buildings had 
been erected in Asotin. The growth of the 
town was slow but sure, and there was no fall- 
ing back. 

Friday evening. May 25, 1888, the citizens 
of Asotin met in Baumeister's hall for the pur- 
pose of making arrangements for the incor- 
poration of Asotin, and a committee was ap- 
pointed for the purpose of forming the boun- 
dary lines and drafting and circulating the 
proper petition for the property owners to 
sign. The papers incorporating the town of 
Asotin were subsequently filed with the clerk 
of court Tuesday, June 19th. The documents 
were signed by Judge Langford June 15th. 
The order of the judge incorporating the town 
named D. Talbott, J. N. Rice, H. C. Fulton, 
E. Baumeister and William J. Clemans a board 
of trustees. The gentlemen met for the first 
time Saturday evening, June 24, 1888, at the 
law office of George W. Bailey, and there qual- 
ified before E. L. Routh, clerk of the district 
court. D. Talbott was elected chairman and 
L. J. Dittemore was appointed clerk pro tern. 
The following gentlemen were then named for 
the offices of the new . town : Al Short, city 
marshal; E. L. Routh, city clerk; William 
Rogers, assessor, J. O'Keefe, treasurer; G. W. 
Bailey, corporation counsel ; P. C. Brown, 
street commissioner and N. Ausman, town 
justice. 

The next meeting was held Tuesday, June 
26th. A number of committees were named 
to look after the various branches of munici- 
pal business and an ordinance was passed fix- 
ing the price of liquor licenses at $400. 

In the summer of 1888 we find that Asotin 
contained the following business houses : two 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



68 1 



general merchandise stores (also carrying ag- 
ricultural machinery), one drug store, three 
hotels, two livery, feed and sale stables, one 
blacksmith shop, one butcher shop, one flour- 
ing mill, one boot and shoe shop, one harness 
and saddle shop, one saloon, one millinery 
store, two dressmaking establishments, one 
Chinese wash house, one newspaper, two ware- 
houses. The professions were represented by 
one doctor, one lawyer, one minister. It was 
a prosperous little place of perhaps about 200 
people. Nearly all the grain raised in the 
county was shipped from this point, it being 
the head of navigation on Snake river. 

The first city election was held Monday, 
April 1, 1889, when the following gentlemen 
were elected to fill the positions of trustees for 
the succeeding year : J. K. Rice, D. J. Wann, 
I. H. Bingham, M. B. Mitchell and James 
Michie. 

But this first incorporation was destined to 
come to naught. February 13, 1890, the state 
supreme court handed down a decision which 
in effect made null and void all town incor- 
porations in the state which had been incor- 
porated in Territorial days by order of the dis- 
trict court. This included the Asotin incor- 
poration. When the town first began its cor- 
porate existence there were some who doubted 
the wisdom of the action, but the trial had 
•convinced all that it was for the best. When 
it was found that the incorporation was void 
the citizens at once set about to reincorporate. 
At a meeting of the board of county commis- 
sioners, May 29, 1890, the citizens presented 
a petition asking for incorporation under state 
laws. This petition was granted by the com- 
missioners the following day, setting June 
2 1st as the date for holding a special election 
to vote on the proposition and select town of- 
ficers. I. S. Waldrip was appointed inspector 
and Charles Isecke and N. Ausman judges of 
the election. On the date mentioned the vot- 
ers of Asotin met to select candidates for the 
municipal election, when the town should be 



reincorporated June 21st. The candidates 
selected were : Mayor, Charles Isecke ; council- 
men, H. E. Benedict, E. Baumeister, N. Aus- 
man, R. Ruddy and L. B. Howard ; treasurer, 
J. O'Keefe. At the election only one vote was 
cast against incorporation, showing that the 
people believed in the necessity of the move- 
ment. Thirty-four votes were cast. The 
officers elected were the same as above named 
with the exception that J. A. Campbell was 
chosen councilman in the place of L. B. 
Howard. 

The census of 1890 gave Asotin a popula- 
tion of 200; that of 1892, 244. 

The first steps toward providing Asotin 
with fire protection were taken December 22, 
1893, but they were laggard steps. A mass 
meeting was held at Baumeister's hall. E. 
Baumeister was chairman and Elmer Waldrip, 
secretary. A membership of thirty was prom- 
ised, but no organization was perfected and 
the town has never had fire protection. 

During the years of the "hard times" — 
1893-6 — Asotin did not grow and made but 
little history. In short it remained at a stand- 
still until about 1898 or 1899. 

The opening of the war with Spain, in 
1898, was the incentive for the organization 
of a military company in Asotin. It was 
prepared and anxious to enter the service 
should an opportunity present itself. This 
company was organized May 16th. J .W. 
King was elected drill master. Following is 
the roster : 

Edward Baumeister, F. H. Waldrip, L. 
W. Tate, M. H. Tate, Stewart Leonard, Char- 
les Brantner, A. W. Chapman, A. R. Powell, 
C. W. Caywood, P. W. Dodson, M. T. John- 
son, James D. Carter, F. W. Werschied, J. H. 
Tate, O. T. Green, J. S. Meador, O. C. Mont- 
gomery, D. S. Bingham, W. C. Cooper, 
George Ausman, Joseph W. King, J. A. Os- 
theimer, Charles Carroll, Lee Williams and J. 
W. Jones. 

This company found no chance to enlist, 



682 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



but a number of them joined C company, of 
Pomeroy, and were mustered into the service. 
They were : George Ausman, O. T. Green, 
Millard Johnson, Charles Brantner, A. W. 
Chapman, Charles Jackson, Oscar Montgom- 
ery, Charles Heller, James Chapman, Bert 
Dodd, L. Feise, Harry King, Leonard Tate, 
Harry Tate and Perry Barnes. 

With the spring of 1899 dawned a new 
era in Asotin county. There were many new 
enterprises and settlement of the town was 
rapid. One of the important events of this 
year was the purchase of the Asotin townsite 
from the Reeds by the Asotin Land & Water 
Company. The incorporating trustees were 
Charles Isecke, Wesley Steel, William Far- 
rish and W. L. Cook, of Asotin, and Edward 
Pearey. of Lewiston. At this time the town 
had gained a population of something less 
than 500. Many more new buildings were 
erected in Asotin during the first six months 
of 1899. Scarcity of timber for a time served 
as a serious handicap to building operations, 
but this difficulty was finally overcome. The 
platting of the additional 80 acres into one 
and two acre lots, together with the subse- 
quent high line ditch marked a new era in the 
progress of Asotin. 

During the year 1899 there was expended 
in the city of Asotin $59,100 in improvements, 
a splendid showing for a town of less than 500 
population. Some of the largest items of this 
list were : Electric Light Company, new ma- 
chinery, etc., $12,000; county court house and. 
fixtures, $6,000 ; Asotin Land Company, ditch 
and flume. $5,000; Eli Bolick, residence and 
warehouse. $3,000; Presbyterian church and 
furnishings, $2,500. 

In 1900 the population of Asotin, according 
to the United States census, had risen to 470. 
Among the prominent happenings of this 
year the erection of the first brick building in 
the town ; the establishment of a bank, the 
first in the town's history, and the installing of 



a brick kiln. All in all, most substantial 
progress was made during the three years 
preceding November, 1901. It is estimated 
that the improvements for the period mention- 
ed cost between $125,000 and $150,000. 
During the year 1903 the improvements in 
Asotin amounted to $51,223.25, according to 
a list prepared by the Sentinel. January 2, 
1904, the Sentinel said: 

"In looking back over the past year there is 
nothing in the growth of Asotin to be de- 
plored. Building operations have been quite 
active. Many new residences have been erect- 
ed; one new brick business block helps to 
beautify our main street; a new ward school 
house became a necessity, and a stone county 
jail is now under construction. To this add 
nearly two miles of sidewalk. * * * 
Many new people have located among us, and 
so far as is known none is dissatisfied. 
Prompted by a desire to know the actual pop- 
ulation of Asotin without resorting to any of 
the customary methods generally used in pro- 
ducing such results, the Sentinel this week, as- 
sisted by Professor J. B. Jones, made a house 
to house canvass in order that an absolutely 
correct canvass of the town might be arrived 
at. Many towns estimate their census by al- 
lowing five inmates to every house; others 
compute the population by multiplying the to- 
tal school enrollment by two and one-half; 
some by three and still others go so far as to 
use five to reach a satisfactory estimate. No 
such methods, however, were used; and it af- 
fords much pleasure to state that our trouble 
in making the canvass was rewarded when, on 
adding tip, we found that Asotin's population 
was 1,065. How does that sound and look 
as compared! with the federal census which in 
June, 1900, gave Asotin the credit of possess- 
ing 470 people? To advance from that num- 
ber in two and one-half years to 1,065 cer ~ 
tainly indicates that things have been moving 
during that time; and that we have increased 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



683 



121 per cent, in just 30 months. Of course 
this isn't a great deal to boast of, but when we 
look around and note that we are distancing 
many places throughout the Inland Empire in 
our onward progress, it is only natural to feel 
a little proud after all. If the same proposition 
of increase can be maintained for a few years 
more, the next federal census will not look so 
bad in print." 

There are other localities that possibly can 
boast of a greater number of churches than 
Asotin, but, as the Sentinel said in 1903, "as 
yet there seems to be no need of more churches 
than the town now has." The congregations 
represented are the Methodist, Presbyterian, 
Baptist, United Brethren and Christian. All 
have large and comfortable places of worship 
except the Christian denomination. The 
Presbyterian people own neat and pleasant 
parsonages. Regular pastors are employed 
the year round and each Sabbath they are 
greeted by large audiences. 

Asotin at the present time is represented by 
the following fraternal orders : Riverside 
Lodge, No. 41, I. O. O. F. ; Asotin Encamp- 
ment, No. 38, I. O. O. F. ; Asotin Camp, No. 
356, Woodmen of the World; Asotin Circle 
No. 215, Women of Woodcraft; J. J. Lewis 
Post, No. 37, G. A. R. ; Shiloh Camp, No. 35, 
Sons of Veterans; Woman's Relief Corps; 
Asotin Camp, No. 5525, Modern Woodmen of 
America; Welcome Rebekah Lodge, No. 71, 
I. O. O. F. ; Stootki Tribe, No. 54, I. O. R. M. ; 
Asotin Assembly, No. 152, United Artisans. 
Here are the histories of the lodges : 
The temperance sentiment was quite 
strong in Asotin in the early days, and the 
first lodge organized in the town was the Inde- 
pendent Order of Good Templars. These 
were the officers chosen : W. C. T., M. B. 
Mitchell; W. V. T., Miss Effie Fordyce; W. 
S., C. B. McAlpin; W. F. S„ J. D. Wann; W. 
T., Mrs. Emma Curran ; W. M., J. D. Lile; 
W. D. M., Miss Dora Despain; W. C, Rev. I. 
R. Snodderly; W. I. G, J. L. Vinson; W. O. 



G., Frank A. Curtis ; W. R. H. S., Miss Etta 
Snodderly; W. L. H. S., Henry Ausman ; P. 
W. C. T., Abile Goble; L. D., D. B. Pettijohn; 

D. D., Rev. I. R. Snodderly. This order re- 
mained in existence for several years, but fin- 
ally fell into a state of disorganization. 

The dispensation for instituting Riverside 
Lodge, No. 41, I. O. O. F., was received in 
February, 1886. It was instituted Wednes- 
day, March 10th, with nine charter members, 
by District Deputy Grand Master H. E. Ben- 
edict, assisted by attending brothers from Hope 
Lodge, No. 30, I. O. O. F., of Anatone, and 
also from Lewiston Lodge, No. 8, of Lewiston, 
Idaho. Six members were initiated into the 
order the same evening. The officers of the 
new lodge, who were duly installed in office by 
the district deputy grand master were as fol- 
lows : C. M. Poor, N. G. ; H. C. Fulton, V. G. ; 
G. W. Bailey, R. S. ; D. J. Wann, treasurer; 

E. Baumeister, R. S. N. G. ; J. L. Vinson, W. ; 
A. Pierstof, C. ; Jackson O'Keefe, I. G. ; C. G. 
Morey, R. S. V. G. 

With the exception of the Good Templars, 
this was the first lodge instituted in Asotin. 
It is still in existence and most of the pioneers 
of the locality are members and regard it 
highly. 

Another order established soon after, and 
one in which the citizens took considerable 
pride, was the J. J. Lewis Post, No. 37, G. A. 
R., organized in October, 1887. 

Shiloh Camp, No. 35, Sons of Veterans, 
was mustered in May 28, 1892. April 30, 
1896, the camp disbanded and the charter 
was surrendered. It was reorganized Feb. 1, 
1903, with twenty charter members. The 
first officers under the 1892 organization were: 
Alonzo Hutsinpiller, captain; William Cleft, 
first lieutenant; Lee Smith, second lieutenant; 
George Ausman, first sergeant; Amos Dodson, 
quartermaster sergeant. In addition to these 
officers the charter members were Otto Green, 
Albert Dodson, F. H. Waldrip, J. T. Welch, 
A. J. Steel and W. C. Reeves. 



684 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



Welcome Rebekah Lodge, No. 71, was or- 
ganized in Asotin, February 26, 1895. It be- 
gan with a membership of 36. Tbe follow- 
ing named were accompanied by tbeir wives : 
D. J. Wann, B. R. Howard, Charles Isecke, S. 
T. Jones, Elmer Waldrip, M. J. Garrison, L. 
B. Howard, George W. Bailey, M. B. Mit- 
chell, E. Baumeister, W. A. Barker, W. B. 
Clift. Aside from these there were : Mrs. 
Melinda Pierstorf, Miss Carrie Ausman, Miss 
Grace Toops, Miss Maud Wann, James Chap- 
man, Leo Walton, W. R. Caywood, E. C. 
Means, J. B. Jones. H. E. Benedict, B. C. 
Montgomery and Albert Dodson. 

Asotin Camp, Woodmen of the World, was 
organized March 6, 1897, with tbe following 
officers : Henry Liebenau, Past Council Com- 
mander; J. B. Jones, Council Commander; M. 
J. Garrison, Advisor Lieutenant ; Elmer 
Waldrip, clerk; George W. Bailey, banker; 
George W. Kinnear, escort; Otto Green, 
watchman; S. G. Brantner, sentry; Lee Will- 
iams, first manager; Daniel Wann, second 
manager; Charles Caywood, third manager; 
Dr. H. C. Fulton and L. Woodruff, camp 
physicians. 

Asotin Camp, No. 5525, Modern Wood- 
men of America, was instituted May 26, 1898, 
with the following officers: A. Marshall, V. 
C. ; E. L. Routh, W. A. ; L. W. Tate, B. ; M. 
T. Johnson, C. ; William Wamsley, E. ; C. 
Vance, C. F. ; J. H. Tate, W. ; E. Taylor, S. ; 
Dr. L. Woodruff, C. P.; F. Werschaid, Rev. 
I. R. Snodderly and C. S. Pitt, managers. 

Asotin Circle, No. 215, Women of Wood- 
craft, was organized with the following offi- 
cers : Elmer Waldrip, advisor; Minnie Wood- 
ruff, magician ; Samuel Becker, P. G. M. ; W. 
L. Cook, clerk; Elmer E. Sage, attendant; 
Anna Hinkson, I. S. ; Carrie E. Critchfield, G. 
N. ; Clara Garrison, banker ; Mary Brantner, 
captain of guards; Mary Jones, O. S. ; Olive 
Sage, A. P. Powell and L. Woodruff, mana- 
gers ; L. Woodruff, physician. 



Asotin Assembly, No. 152, United Artis- 
ans, was instituted on April 5, 1899. 

The Woman's Relief Corps was organized 
September 30, 1903. 

Asotin Encampment No. 38, I. O. O. F., 
was instituted May 30, 1902. The Charter 
members were Elmer Waldrip, D. H. Mc- 
Kenzie, Peter Gunkel, E. Baumeister and Al- 
bert Stiff el. Of these only the two last named 
are now members. 

The following tribute to Asotin was writ- 
ten by Robert Raymond, and published in the 
Sentinel of February 24, 1900: 

In a quiet little corner where the hills and river meet, 
Lies the village of Asotin, snugly nestled at their feet ; 
Where the birds are ever flitting in and out each shady 

nook, 
And warbling forth their music to the babbling of the 

brook. 

When the trees in gentle springtime take on their robe 
of green, 

And the ever blooming roses round each doorway may 
be seen ; 

And the fragrant blossoms falling like snowflakes 
through the air, 

And the birds among the branches making music every- 
where. 

And when the summer sun has lent to us his golden 

rays, 
And nature, in her loveliness, has lengthened out the 

days — 
Then the golden fruit in clusters hangs on each tree 

overhead, 
And the berries blush beneath them within their leafy 

bed; 

It is then the small boy takes his rod and seeks the 

shady pool, 
Where the speckled trout are found within the waters 

cool; 
No happier mortal ever strolled beneath the sun's bright 

gleam 
Than these same small barefooted boys, afishing in the 

stream. 

And when the summer is ended and the leaves upon the 

trees 
Have turned to gold and move at will in the gentle 

autumn breeze ; 
We look upon the picture painted, at the close of day, 
And our village in her autumn robes is as beautiful 

as May. 



HISTORY OF ASOTIX COUNTY. 



685 



ClARKSTON VlNELAND. 

In this chapter covering the towns of Aso- 
tin county, we purpose to write the history of 
"Clarkston — Yineland," While, in reality, 
there is no such officially recognized place as 
Clarkston — Vineland, there is a Clarkston and 
there is a Yineland. The latter is an irrigated 
tract consisting of about 3,000 acres, laid out 
in small tracts and thickly settled. Streets 
run through the place and some of them are 
lined with sidewalks. One mile square of this 
territory is an incorporated town — Clarkston. 
In time, possibly before this volume is taken 
from the press, all of Vineland will have been 
included within the corporate limits of Clarks- 
ton. That is why we write of Clarkston — 
Yineland. The genesis of Vineland is thus 
described by the Clarkston Republican of date 
January 5, 1901 : 

"The Lewiston Water & Power Company, 
now the Lewiston — Clarkston Company, have 
taken water from Asotin creek through 20 
miles of ditch and flume, and made fruitful a 
large body of land in this country, now known 
as Vineland, at an expense of over $100,000. 
Hence, what was four years ago a barren 
waste, known then as 'Jawbone Flat,' which 
was a fitting tribute, for 'Jawbone' is a west- 
ern phrase for without means, is now dotted 
with beautiful homes of many prosperous peo- 
ple. As its name implies, it is, indeed, a 
'vineland.' This land has been laid; out in 
tracts of from one to twenty acres and is being 
sold at reasonable figures and on easy terms 
which enables anyone who so desires to engage 
in the profitable business of fruit growing 
with very little capital and on a scale that will 
suit his circumstances, and build for himself 
a useful as well as an ornamental home. So 
rapidly are the people taking hold of this prop- 
osition and availing themselves of the oppor- 
tunity that the whole site, 3.500 acres, bears 
a marked resemblance to a thrify town." 

In 1903 the population of Clarkston — 



Yineland numbered about 2,200. Lewiston,. 
Idaho, had about 5.500 and the country tribu- 
tary to these two points about 75,000. The 
elevation of Clarkston — Vineland is 740 feet 
above sea level. Clarkston was named in 
honor of Captain Clark, while the town of 
Lewiston, just across the river, in Idaho, was 
named in honor of Captain Lewis, the two 
leaders of the famous Lewis and Clark ex- 
pedition which passed through the country in 
1804-6. At present the chief industry of 
Vineland is fruit raising. LTider irrigation 
her rich alluvial soil will raise anything, in- 
cluding the highest grades of vegetables, while 
fruits, from the most delicately flavored Eu- 
ropean grape to the hardy apple, attain their 
highest state of perfection. One unacquaint- 
ed with conditions obtaining here, can hardly 
realize the great gain in these products during 
the past six years. Tree planting did not 
commence until 1897, and only small ship- 
ments of berries and vegetables were made un- 
til the year 1900. Since then shipments have 
much more than doubled each season. 

The scheme of irrigating "Jawbone Flat," 
the accomplishment of which has made Clarks- 
ton and Vineland possible, was first conceived 
as early as 1893. The following appeared in 
the Sentinel, of Asotin, December 22d of that 
year, and was written by the Lewiston Flat 
correspondent to that paper : 

"It was announced during the week that a 
movement is on foot to irrigate the lower por- 
tion of the flat, otherwise known as 'Jawbone 
Flat.' The promoters of the enterprise are 
the. owners of considerable land here who all 
live in Lewiston. The object is to take the 
water out of Asotin creek, five miles up from 
its mouth, and thence connect it by canal and 
flume along the hillside to the bench land 
along Snake river and to this locality. No in- 
strumental survey of the ditch line has yet been 
made, so its exact length and cost cannot be 
given. It is believed, however, that it will not 
be over twelve miles in length. A civil en- 



686 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY 



gineer who has had considerable experience in 
this kind of work, made an optical survey of 
the proposed route of the canal and he believes 
the plan can be accomplished at a cost not ex- 
ceeding $75,000. Four miles of flume will be 
necessary along the Asotin creek bluffs. A 
water right was filed last Thursday. It is es- 
timated that about 2.000 acres of semi-arid 
land will be made productive if the plan of ir- 
rigation is carried out. Under existing con- 
ditions the land is of comparatively little ben- 
efit to its owners." 

It was about the year 1 895 that one of the 
head engineers of the Northern Pacific Rail- 
way Company, then making a careful survey 
of this portion of the west for the most feas- 
ible routes for extensions of their lines, had 
his attention attracted to the present sites 
of Vineland and Clarkston. This engineer 
of whom we speak, readily foresaw the large 
amount of money it would require to develop, 
irrigate and place this wonderfully fertile and 
advantageously located tract of land on the 
market. First in his mind came the name of 
Mr. E. H. Libby, to whose generous and in- 
domitable energy is due the wonderful success 
of Clarkston — Vineland. He was quick to 
perceive the grand opportunities here pre- 
sented, and as quickly did he put in action his 
great capacity for organization and promo- 
tion, resulting in the forming of the Lewiston 
Water & Power Company, the personnel of 
which contained some of the best known gen- 
tlemen and capitalists of Boston, Massachu- 
setts, headed by Charles Francis Adams, a 
direct descendant of John Quincy Adams, and 
late president of the Union Pacific Railroad 
Company. A survey of a large irrigating 
canal, eighteen miles long, and costing $300,- 
000, was immediately begun. Near the close 
of the summer of 1896 it was placing water 
upon land that previous to this was almost 
valueless, but which subsequently sold for $1,- 
000 an acre. The capital stock of this com- 



pany was placed at $100,000, divided into one 
thousand shares of $100 each. The incor- 
porators were: H. E. Libby, of Yakima; C. 
C. Van Arsdil, Dr. J. B. Morris, of Lewiston ; 
George W. Bailey and William Farrish, of 
Asotin. By this company 2,500 acres of the 
land were owned. The real estate was pur- 
chased from Edward Pearcy, E. J. . Warner, 
William Caldwell, S. Wildenthaler, Joseph 
Alexander, Chris Weisberger, D. S. Dent, 
John Aubin, and a tract along Snake river was 
bought from the New England Mortgage Se- 
curity Company. The price paid for the 
lands ranged from $20 to $25 per acre. Vine- 
land was platted April 16, 1896, by the Lewis- 
ton Water & Power Company, by Edgar H. 
Libby, president. At this time only a few 
blocks were platted, but many others have 
since been added until now about 3,000 acres 
are included in the site. 

The original townsite of Clarkston was 
platted under the name of Lewiston by the 
Lewiston Water & Power Company, August 
10, 1896, and was that portion extending from 
the Boulevard to Eighth street, and from Elm 
to Chestnut streets. The name was changed 
to Clarkston by special act of the legislature in 
1 90 1. The bill passed the senate February 
13, 1 90 1 ; the house on February 28th, and 
was approved by the governor March 1, 1901. 

During the summer and fall of 1896 sev- 
eral tracts of fruit land in Vineland were sold, 
and homes began to make their appearance -in 
different parts of the flat. Irrigated tracts 
were rapidly disposed of; improvements were 
made so fast as material could be procured. 
The Lewiston Water & Power Company in 
September, 1896, had men and teams employ- 
ed grading the streets and alleys of the new 
townsite, and constructing distributing lateral 
ditches on these lands. A petition was for- 
warded to Washington, D. C, asking for the 
establishment of a postoffice and daily mail, 
and recommending Mr. James for postmaster. 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



687 



At this time two or three stores were in pro- 
cess of erection, as well as numerous resi- 
dences. Still, there were only 15 resident peo- 
ple in Vineland in 1896. But in 1897 the 
march of improvement was greatly acceler- 
ated. A two-story hotel and two-story busi- 
ness block were erected. The public school 
had an enrollment of 40 pupils. Parties from 
other states were arriving - daily, and nearly all 
of them purchased small tracts of land for 
homes. 

Canal construction began March 15, 1896; 
water first reached Vineland, July 18th of the 
same year. October 14th there were three 
buildings and lumber for nearly a dozen more 
on the ground. April 10th, 1897, there were 
70 dwellings and business houses, and as 
many more contracted for the next six months. 
Several parties who had paid $100, were of- 
fered $140 and $150 per acre for land. They 
refused to sell for less than $200. Hundreds 
of acres were set out to fruit trees. Concord 
was the name of the postoffice established in 
Vineland in 1897. February 7, 1903, the 
Clarkston Republican printed the following: 

The year of our Lord, 1902, saw, practically, the 
sixth birthday of Vineland and Clarkston. What is 
now a large area of happy homes, in 1897 was a desert 
waste, the range of the coyote and jack rabbit and dis- 
respectfully known as "Jawbone Flat." In that year 
the eye of genius and the strength of capital were 
turned in this direction and from the waste places has 
sprung into wealth and beauty this wonderful 

" — map of busy life, 

Its fluctuations and vast concerns." 

Three years before 1897 President Libby saw what 
might be done here in a few years with financial back- 
ing. He is a scholarly man. As soon as he saw this 
soil he knew and understood its component parts and 
knew that it needed only the inspiring force of water 
to make it the most productive soil on earth. Like 
Moses in the desert he struck the rock and the fountains 
burst forth. In 1896 Vineland and Clarkston were at 
zero. In 1903 a wealthy population of over 2,000 souls, 
with every modern convenience of water, electric light, 
etc., occupies the land. The first few years of life in 
Vineland were years of anxiety for both management 
and people, but that destiny which hedges about favor- 
ite location was concentrating the seen and unseen 



forces until now, in the year of our Lord, 1903, Clarks- 
ton — Vineland is a place. It is a place on the maps ; 
is the commercial key to an environment unequaled 
by any undeveloped section in all America. It is a 
place and the natural, radial center and outlet for vast 
industries that are awakening into life on every hand. 

The growth of Vineland during the year 
1898 was rapid. June 21, 1899, only 28 
months after the land was placed on the mar- 
ket, the Lewiston Water & Power Company 
signed sale contract No. 410. 

No sooner had this great canal been com- 
pleted than plans for a fine steel wagon bridge 
to unite Clarkston — Vineland, Washington, 
with the city of Lewiston, Idaho, were under 
way. This bridge was completed in the sum- 
mer of 1899. A few facts connected with the 
building of this magnificent structure may 
prove of interest. The original franchise was 
granted to E. H. Libby by the city of Lewis- 
ton, May 18, 1896. Construction began De- 
cember 15, 1898; the bridge was open for 
traffic June 24, 1899; the total cost was $110,- 
000. The length of the bridge is 1,700 feet; 
weight of steel in the fabric, 636 tons; total 
weight of bridge, including piers and abut- 
ments, 10,100,000 pounds, or about 5,050 
tons. It required 624 gallons of paint to cover 
this bridge once over. There are 200,000 
feet of lumber in the floor and rails. 

Articles of incorporation of the Lewiston 
— Concord Bridge Company were filed No- 
vember 26, 1897, in the office of the auditor of 
Asotin county. The incorporators were E. 
H. Libby and George W. Bailey. The cap- 
ital stock was $100,000, divided into 1,000 
shares of the value of $100 each ; identical 
with the capital of the Lewiston Water & Pow- 
er Company. The contract for the buildings of 
the bridge was let October 26, 1898, to cost 
$110,000. This bridge was chartered by a 
special act of congress approved February 15, 
1898, and a permit was issued by the secretary 
of war August 24th. 

Concord, the first name given Clarkston, 



688 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



was from Concord, Massachusetts, where re- 
sided many of the stockholders of the Lewis- 
ton-Clarkston Company. A petition contain- 
ing 264 names of citizens of Vineland, was 
forwarded to Washington, D. C, asking the 
postmaster-general for a change of name. 
This petition was accompanied by a strong en- 
dorsement from United States Senator George 
Turner, of Spokane. It was contended that 
the name Concord was entirely too classical, 
too aesthetic and too romantic for a commer- 
cial town such as was being projected at 
Clarkston — Vineland. The authorities at 
Washington announced the change in name 
of the Concord postoffice to take effect January 
1, 1900. The name substituted in lieu of Con- 
cord was Clarkston, in compliance with the pe- 
tition. 

There was more building activity in this 
section of the state in November, 1899, than 
there had been in any other period of its his- 
tory. Population was increasing at the rate 
of a score a week. A correspondent of the 
Sentinel deemed it safe to estimate these im- 
provements for the year at $100,000 expended 
on buildings. December 30, 1899, the Asotin 
Sentinel said : "The growth of Vineland and 
its newly named town of Clarkston, continues 
to be a marvel to all visitors. Some 1,500 
people, 300 to 400 residences and business 
buildings, orchards and vineyards, already be- 
ginning to bear the finest of fruits, graded and 
graveled streets, over a mile of plank side- 
walks, a $t 10,000 steel bridge — all these are 
the growth of less than four years' time." 

Early in 1900 the matter of incorporation 
was up for consideration, but intense opposi- 
tion to the scheme at that time caused the pro- 
moters to drop the matter, though it is claim- 
ed that the signatures of the sixty voters nec- 
essary for action by the county board could 
have been secured easily. Finally a petition 
was presented to the board of county commis- 
sioners asking for the incorporation of Clarks- 
ton as a city of the third class, and to include 



all of Vineland. As it is necessary that a 
place shall have a population of 1,500 to in- 
corporate as a third class city, the commis- 
sioners appointed F. E. Brown and W. T. 
Fansler to take a census of the place. There 
appears to have been considerable opposition 
to incorporation at this time, and no further 
official action was taken in the matter until 
later. At the opening of 1900 Vineland 
claimed a population of 1,500. December 29, 
1900, the Asotin Sentinel said: 

''The Vineland record for 1900 is worth 
reading. More than 20,000 fruit trees have 
been set this fall, and the local nurserymen 
could not fill all orders, many of which had to 
go over until spring* Over $100,000 has 
been put into building improvements, includ- 
ing something over $50,000 in new residences. 
There are now five schools in session under 
skilled instructors. Church organizations, 
having their own houses of worship in Vine- 
land, now include the Methodist, Christian, 
Presbyterian, and Adventists, and the Episco- 
palians are erecting an attractive structure in 
the Spanish style of architecture. Although 
Vineland, including Clarkston, is only four 
years old, it already has as much population as 
Lewiston had when its settlement began." 

In June, 1901, times had materially 
changed in Clarkston since the attempts to in- 
corporate in 1900, and in the summer of 1901 
action was taken to bring about the incorpora- 
tion of the town. A meeting of the business 
men was held Monday, June 17th, when the 
matter was discussed freely. The issue hav- 
ing been gone into thoroughly it was decided 
to again petition the board of county commis- 
sioners to call an election for the purpose of 
deciding whether or not the town of Clarkston 
should be incorporated. The proposed boun- 
daries of the town included about a square 
mile of territory — only a part of Vineland. 
The population of the proposed incorporation 
was about 400. Accordingly the citizens asked 
to be incorporated as a town of the fourth 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



689 



class. The board acted favorably on the peti- 
tion and named Monday, July 29th, as the date 
for holding- the special election. To the peti- 
tion there were 71 signers. 

Just previous to the election it was desired 
to amend the lines of the proposed corporate 
limits, and the election called for July 29th, 
was permitted to go by default, so far as those 
favoring incorporation were concerned. A 
larger vote was cast than was anticipated, the 
total being 54, of which 38 were against in- 
corporation and 16 in favor. This error in 
the lines caused the electors favoring incorpor- 
ation to abstain from voting; a number who 
really favored incorporation voting against the 
present proposition. 

In October, 1901, the Clarkston postoffice 
showed an increase for the year of about 33 
per cent., and for the quarter of approximate- 
ly 50 per cent. The Clarkston school district 
claimed an attendance of 333 ; every seat in the 
new school building was filled. The past 
twelve months had seen 85 buildings erected in 
Clarkston and Vineland. It was estimated 
that there were something over 2,000 people in 
the latter place. 

In April, 1902, a canvass of Vineland and 
Clarkston revealed a population of very nearly 
2,000 residents. Public sentiment was strong- 
ly in favor of incorporation — of incorporating 
the whole of Vineland as a city of the third 
class. The following petition was addressed 
to the board of county commissioners : 

"To the Honorable, the Board of Commis- 
sioners for Asotin county, State of Washing- 
ton: We, the undersigned, qualified electors 
of said county, residing within the limits of 
the proposed incorporation and described as 
follows, to-wit: Such portion of sections 16, 
17, 19, 20, 21, 28, 29, 30, 32 and 33, township 
11 north, and such portions of the north half 
of sections 4 and 5 in township 10 north, 
range 46 E. W., as lie east and north, that is 
below and including the right-of-way to the 
main canal of the Lewiston Water & Power 
44 



Company, being the territory or lands includ- 
ed and known as Vineland and Clarkston, in 
Asotin county, Washington. The number of 
inhabitants herein described as nearly as may 
be, are 1,700, and we, the said petitioners, pray 
that the same may be incorporated as a city of 
the third class to be known as the city of 
Clarkston, and hereby petition your honorable 
body to order an election for the above pur- 
pose as provided by statute. Dated at Clarks- 
ton, Washington, April 2, 1902." 

The special election was held Saturday,. 
May 24th, resulting in the defeat of this prop- 
osition by a vote of 109 to 90. Foiled in the 
plan to incorporate the whole of Vineland as 
a city of the third class, the citizens in the bus- 
iness portion of the territory again reverted to 
the scheme to incorporate within the one mile- 
square limit, and as a town of the fourth class. 
At once a petition was thrown into lively cir- 
culation ; over 70 names were secured asking 
the commissioners to again grant an election. 
It was set for August 2, 1902. There was- 
polled a moderate vote resulting as follows : 

For incorporation, 45 ; against incorpora- 
tion, 31. 

For Mayor — Alexander Robinson, 44; F. 
G. Morrison, 22. 

For Treasurer — L. S. Lahm, ^y ; J. P, 
Goetchius, 2j. 

The city council consisted of George S. 
Bailey, C. S. Whitford, A. S. Burnett, V. An- 
derson and S. J. Roberts and all were elected 
without opposition. 

The Clarkston town council met for the 
first time Friday, August 22d, and merely 
effected a temporary organization. On the 
26th they reconvened ; the other officers elect-- 
ed were : William Porter, clerk ; Robert F. 
Klein, marshal; Elmer E. Halsey, city attor- 
ney. 

In 1902 the temperance question came to 
the front in a lively manner. To understand 
the full significance of this issue it should be 
known that previous to the incorporation of 



690 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



Clarkston a clause in all deeds to lands sold by 
the irrigation company stipulated that no li- 
quor should be sold on the property, and that, 
upon a violation of this clause the land should 
revert to the company. When liquor was sold 
the company assumed the position that it was 
then an incorporated town and the voters 
could decide for themselves whether or not they 
should have saloons. No land has ever been 
forfeited under the temperance clause in the 
deeds. Some of the citizens of Clarkston, 
however, circulated a petition addressed to the 
city council asking that no license be granted 
lo saloon keepers. To this the mayor and 
council replied in an open letter : 

"Clarkston, September 10, 1902. 

"To the Public : — With due regard to the 
petitioners of Vineland against granting sa- 
loon license, the council of Clarkston in grant- 
ing the same did so after a thorough canvass 
of the voters within the incorporated limits of 
the town. They are satisfied that if it was left 
to a vote that a large majority would vote for 
granting license. We find that some one who 
signed the petition ag'ainst granting license are 
willing to sign a petition for a license. A ma- 
jority of the people of Vineland refused to in- 
corporate the whole flat. Now that Clarkston 
has incorporated as a city of the fourth class, 
and a majority have elected their choice for 
councilmen, we feel that the council has a right 
to use its own judgment in the management of 
the same. Your recourse is the ballot box ; not 
the boycott. (Signed) : Alexander Robin-, 
son, Mayor; A. S. Burnett, George S. Bailey, 
V. Anderson, C. S. Whitford." 

The first municipal election in Clarkston 
was held in December, 1902. Considerable 
interest was manifested in the result. The 
question at issue was whether the old council 
should be endorsed or a new one substituted. 
Mayor Robinson and a majority of the old 
council were re-elected, Robinson winning 
over Goetchius by a vote of 57 to 42. There 
were 101 votes polled. For councilman Bailey 



received 58 votes ; Anderson, 58 ; Ramsey, 58 ; 
Halligus, 52 ; Whitford, 56. Defeated can- 
didates for the council received votes as fol- 
lows : Burnett, 47 ; Leech, 45 ; Conway, 43 ; 
Crouch, 41 ; Hepler, 40. For city treasurer, 
L. S. Lahm had no opposition. 

In 1902 Clarkston — Vineland made its 
first great advance step. The aggregate ex- 
penditures for homes reached the figure of 
$100,000; this sum scattered over the area em- 
bracing Clarkston and Vineland signified 100 
homes built during the year, costing on an 
average $1,000 each. This year the Episcopal 
rectory, an elegant structure, was erected at a 
cost of about $3,500. It occupies a sitely lo- 
cation opposite the park and commands general 
attention. E. Bradford built a fine home on 
The Boulevard costing about $3,000. E. R. 
Windus' expenditures on his place for the year 
footed up close to $5,000, nearly all of which is 
represented in his elegant home. Mrs. Dor- 
othea Larson invested $2,000 in her new home. 
The Valley Lumber Company expended $2,- 
000 in improvements. The expenditures of 
the Fair Association came to the same figure. 
N. C. Busby's residence cost $2,000. The 
Presbyterian manse touched close to $1,600. 
The Bank of Clarkston cost, when completed, 
$1,800. R. B. Crouch paid $2,500 for his 
store building. Among numerous others were 
the following: 

F. M. Hinkly, residence, $1,500; A. J. 
Garver, brick residence, $2,500; G. W. Crock- 
er, residence, $2,500 ; Captain H. E. Farns- 
worth, residence, $3,000; W. W. Herrick, res- 
idence, $2,400; T. J. Graham, home, $1,500; 
J. A. Lathrop, home, $2,000; C. B. Irwin, bus- 
iness block, $1,500; R. A. Langford, home, 
$1,500; Mrs. E. Dye, home, $1,500; Robert 
Klein, home, $r,200; A. Strand, home, $1,200; 
E. Curtis, home, $1,200; I. N. Cunningham, 
home, $1,200; Frank Caswell, home, $1,200; 
H. J. Husbey, home, $1,400; B. J. Roper, 
home, $1,000; E. Peters, home, $1,000; F. 
Wickes, cottage, $1,000; Mrs. Kroutinger, 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



691 



cottage, $1,000; J. Willison, brick store build- 
ing, $1,000; Oscar Olson, home, $1,000; J. Ol- 
son, home $1,000; William Herdt, cottage, 
$1,000; C. C. Olney, cottage, $1,000; J. W. 
Stephens, cottage, $1,000. 

During the year 1902 the population in- 
creased 25 per cent. ; railroad traffic, 34 per 
cent. ; use of telephone, 66 per cent. ; increase 
of postal receipts, 36 per cent. ; an increase of 
20 per cent, of children of school age ; wheat 
crop, 30 per cent.; fruit crop, 25 per cent.; 
bank resources, 40 per cent. 

The assessed valuation of Vineland prop- 
erty for the year 1903, as taken by the county 
assessor, was: Personal property, $114,272; 
improvements, $41,380; money, $23,687. To- 
tal, $179,339- This is exclusive of real es- 
tate. The item of "money" alone showed 
the wonderful improvement in the finances of 
the country. The year previous, in the whole 
county, only $3,888 in money was assessed. 

October 16, 1903, the Clarkston Fruit 
Growers' Association practically closed its 
business for the season. Its books presented 
some interesting figures and furnished a finan- 
cial report most encouraging to the planters 
of Vineland. This was the association's first 
season ; the book showed shipments as follows : 
100 boxes peaches; 800 boxes cherries; 2,000 
crates strawberries; 1,200 crates blackberries, 
dewberries, etc. ; 400 crates plums and prunes ; 
200 boxes cucumbers; 4 cars potatoes; 150 
boxes beans; 200 crates cantaloupes; 100 
crates watermelons; 400 boxes pears; 800 
crates grapes. At the time this report was 
made the association was still shipping daily 
from 30 to 50 crates of nectarines, apricots, 
pears, tomatoes, pumpkins, and squashes. 
Among the prominent individual shippers 
were A. S. Butterfield, 2,800 boxes of peaches; 
Schissler, 1,700 boxes of peaches; Henrichs, 
1,300 boxes. The largest shipper through the 
association of all varieties of fruits and vege- 
tables was E. R. Windus. 

The municipal election of December 8, 



1903, resulted in the re-election of the old city 
government, with the exception of Mayor Rob- 
inson, who had died while filling the office. 
Those elected were: F. E. Brown, mayor; 
L. S. Lahm, treasurer; S. T. Ramsey, C. S. 
Whitford, A. S. Burnett, V. Anderson and A. 
J. Wood, councilmen. 

Today, in Vineland, land is worth from 
$600 per acre for unimproved to $1,500 per 
acre for improved land, and the young or- 
chards are not yet at the age of their best pro- 
duction. All of the immediate vicinity of 
Vineland is highly cultivated and improved. 
Elegant residences have been built; beautiful 
lawns and orchards adorn the entire tract ; it 
is one of the richest spots of land in the north- 
west, and susceptible of still higher production. 
In 1903 the total fruit crop from this small 
area amounted to 100 car loads. In 1904 a 
committee from the Commercial Association 
estimated that the fruit crop would amount to 
230 cars, besides many tons reserved for 
borne consumption. This land is too valuable 
to be utilized for the growing of alfalfa and 
other feed crops. By averaging the returns 
made we find that Vineland soil will produce 
per acre : 

Lowest average Best average 



Strawberries 


$200 


$400 


Raspberries 


225 


500 


Blackberries 


175 


300 


Cherries 


300 


600 


Peaches 


450 


500 



Under date Lewiston, Idaho, December 7, 
1904, the following was published: 

"County Recorder Lydon yesterday re- 
ceived from Sam PL Nichols, secretary of the 
state of Washington, a copy of the articles of 
incorporation of the Lewiston-Clarkston Com- 
pany. The company has a capitalization of 
$2,000,000, divided into $100 shares, and the 
board of trustees has power to increase the 
capitalization to $3,000,000. The Company 
owns the irrigated lands in Clarkston. 



692 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



"The trustees of the company, together 
with the amount of stock held by each, are: 
Grafton St. L. Abbott, Concord, Massachu- 
setts, 1,000 shares; Charles F. Adams, Lin- 
coln, Massachusetts, 2,000 shares; William 
H. Bowker, Concord, Massachusetts, 2,000 
shares; George W. Bailey, Asotin, Washing- 
ton, 48 shares; E. H. Libby, Clarkston, Wash- 
ington, 2,486 shares ; Elbert Wheeler, Nashua, 
New Hampshire, 2,568 shares ; William 
Wheeler, Concord, Massachusetts, 2,496 
shares ; E. H. Libby, as trustee, 7,392 shares." 

This is the company that has made Clark- 
ston. 

The field of religious work in Vineland 
is an active one. Nearly all denominations 
are represented, and the Presbyterians, Epis- 
copalians, Methodists, Christians and Chris- 
tian Adventists, have fine church buildings. 
Some of them, also, have fine parsonages. The 
Roman Catholics, also, have a large church 
nearing completion. 

Of the fraternal orders the following are 
represented, all of them being in a prosperous 
condition and growing rapidly : I. O. O. F. 
and its auxiliary, the Rebekahs; Modern 
Woodmen and Royal Neighbors ; Woodmen 
of the World and Woman's Circle; the Ar- 
tisans, Masons, and John M. Palmer post, 
G. A. R. 

Vineland's first lodge was the W. O. W., 
Concord Lodge, organized April 23, 1898, 
with a membership of 20. The officers were : 
J. M. Justus, C. C. ; Professor R. A. Lang- 
ford, A. L. ; Charles L. Swain, clerk ; Henry 
Janes, banker ; C. C. Greg, escort ; L. C. 
Harris, watchman ; William Jamison, sentry. 
C. C. Chaffee, G. N. Davis and A. L. Rain- 
water, managers. 

ANATONE. 

This town is situated about eighteen miles 
south of Asotin, on the Asotin-Wallowa coun- 
ty road. It lies in the heart of a fine farming 



and stock-raising country, where crops of every 
farm product native to the temperate zone may 
be grown without irrigation. It is the third 
town in size in the county. It is an excellent 
trading point, not only supplying the farming 
country surrounding it, but also furnishing a 
large amount of supplies to the Snake river 
and Imnaha mining districts. At the present 
time the following lines of business are repre- 
sented : Two large general mercantile stores, 
one hotel, one restaurant, two saw mills, two 
blacksmith shops, one livery stable, one drug 
store, one butcher shop and a barber shop. 
Possessing a delightful summer climate, Ana- 
tone is converted into a summer resort during 
the warm weather by many people from the 
valley towns of Asotin, Clarkston and Lewis- 
ton. It lies in the border of the woods that 
fringe the Blue Mountains. During the day- 
time Anatone has a valley, in the night a moun- 
tain climate. No well directed effort has ever 
been made to convert Anatone into a town. 
All the businesses have been inaugurated from 
a sense of real need. The country around it is, 
therefore, ahead of the town and may, pos- 
sibly, pull it to the front. Besides having a 
daily stage service from Asotin, there is a mail 
route from this point to Zindel and Bly in. 
Asotin county; also to Hansen Ferry, and an- 
other route to points in Wallowa county, Ore- 
gon. The place first came into existence about 
twenty-five years ago and was the second, or 
first permanent, trading point established in 
Asotin county. At that period the "town" con- 
sisted of a small log house, which served as. 
dwelling, store and postoffice. Mail was car- 
ried on horseback from Lewiston, Idaho, three 
times a week. 

The first "business house" in Anatone — 
and the first in the county except Smith's, at 
the mouth of the Alpowa — was established 
early in 1878. A man named Daniel Mclvor, 
who had taken a claim in the Anatone country, 
had put up a cabin and opened a "store." This 
primitive emporium carried only a few of the 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



693 



necessities of life ; an invoice showing- that the 
principal stock in trade consisted of a keg of 
whiskey and a butt of tobacco. At that per- 
iod there were not over 25 or 30 families in 
the country, and this "store" made their trips 
to Lewiston less frequent. In June of the 
same year Charles Isecke purchased Mr. Mc- 
Ivor-'s total interests, consisting of the "store," 
horses, wagons, etc., for $800. Included in 
the bill of sale was transportation for Mr. Mc- 
Ivor, wife and daughter, to Walla Walla. A 
postomce was established the same year — the 
first in the county. November 9, 1901, the 
Asotin Sentinel published the following: 

"During the past week the first store ever 
built in Asotin county (should be the second 
one), has been torn down and the logs from 
the ancient landmark have been moved to Aso- 
tin by W. J. Clemans, and used in constructing 
a large corral in his big pasture west of town. 
This old log store building was built at Ana- 
tone in 1878 by a man named Mclvor, but be- 
fore it was fully completed it was purchased 
by Charles Isecke, who finished the building 
and used it for more than two years for mer- 
cantile purposes. His business grew so rap- 
idly that it soon became necessary to build a 
larger structure for store purposes, and since 
moving the merchandise from it, it was used 
for a number of years as a warehouse. For a 
long period it has been the property of W. J. 
Clemans, and not having any further use for it 
he has torn it down, as stated, and converted it 
into a corral." 

Thus we see that Charles Isecke began bus- 
iness at Anatone in June, 1878. Soon after 
this he was appointed postmaster. Anatone 
is therefore the oldest trading point in the 
county. It was sparsely settled at the time of 
Mr. Isecke's arrival. He did his own freight- 
ing, bringing his goods from Dayton, a dis- 
tance of nearly eighty miles. Five years later 
immigration began pouring into this section. 
To supply the demand Mr. Isecke erected a 
larger building, subsequently twice enlarged 



during the few succeeding years. The ori- 
ginal small stock of goods was increased along 
the lines of general merchandise. In 1889 he 
disposed of his business interests in Anatone, 
after eleven years' residence, to W. J. Clemans. 
There appears to be good reason for be- 
lieving that Anatone is an Indian word ; and 
it may have been, as has been suggested, the 
name of a Nez Perce squaw. No less an "au- 
thority than Robert Bracken says that prior to 
1877 what is now known as Ten Mile creek 
was called Anatone creek, and among the In- 
dians the stream is yet known by that name. 
Mr. Isecke is positive that Anatone takes its 
name from a squaw who lived in the vicinity 
of where the little town now stands. How- 
ever, there is another version, for which we 
are by no means prepared to vouch. Mr. J. C. 
Packwood, who came to the Asotin Flat coun- 
try in September, 1877, and who has since 
made his home on the flat gives us the follow- 
ing in regard to the naming of the place. When 
the store had been established there and it was 
proposed to have a postoffice, a public meet- 
ing- of the settlers was held to select a suitable 
name. Most of the ranchers were present. 
Someone suggested the name "Smithville," in 
honor of an elderly settler named Smith, but 
the name did not awaken the wildest enthus- 
iasm, and was not altogether satisfactory. 
The name Anatone was proposed by John Dill, 
one of the early pioneers who had considerable 
influence and standing among his neighbors. 
Mr. Dill was an Irishman and spoke with a 
brogue. It has been said that- when replying" 
to a call to suggest a name for the frontier 
town he had arisen and said that "Any town" 
would suit him, and that the place was im- 
mediately christened Anatone. This, Mr. 
Packwood states, was not the fact, however, 
but that the name Anatone, a city in Greece, 
was suggested by Mr. Dill and it was forth- 
with accepted. It is not clear, however, that 
there is a city named Anatone in Greece, at 
least it is not placed on any of the Century 



694 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



Atlases, and the preponderance of evidence is 
in favor of the theory of Mr. Bracken. 

In the earlier days Anatone was the trading 
point for the Montgomery and Weissenfels 
ridges ; the Grande Ronde country and, also, 
the country adjacent on the west, and a good 
portion of the Lake district. To the west and 
south was a vast stretch of valuable timber 
land, and to the southwest an excellent agricul- 
tural district. In the spring of 1884 we find 
that Anatone consisted of a dwelling house 
and store combined, the property of Charles 
Isecke. Here he supplied the wants of the 
hungry traveler and his neighbors with the 
necessities of life, from a needle to a pitch- 
fork and from a silk dress pattern to hardware. 

Seldom has an early trading point failed to 
develop into a town of some importance. Yet, 
lor some unexplained cause Anatone has re- 
mained stationary. In 1888 a blacksmith shop 
conducted by Frank Taplin, and Isecke's store 
comprised the bulk of the business of the place. 
In March, 1893, Mr. Clemans was making ar- 
rangements to lay out and plat a townsite. It 
was the opinion of the Sentinel that "Anatone 
is situated sufficiently far away from Asotin, 
the principal town of the county, to insure for 
it a. good growth and a prosperity which will 
redound to the good of its immediate sur- 
roundings." In December, 1894, Anatone 
had a first-class outfitting store, a feed mill 
and a blacksmith shop. 

Thursday night, April 30th, 1896, Anatone 
was visited by a destructive fire, and it was 
certain she had far too little to lose much. The 
general store of W. J. Clemans, his dwelling 
and warehouse, with all the contents were con- 
sumed by flames, entailing a loss of nearly 
$7,000. The store building was 42 feet long, 
with a hall overhead, and was stocked with a 
general assortment of goods generally found 
in a well-established country store. The resi- 
dence portion was "L" shaped and attached 
to the rear of the store. For a period of anx- 
ious uncertainty the large barn and cattle 



sheds across the road were in imminent dan- 
ger. The family and two employees were 
nearly suffocated by heat and smoke, barely 
escaping with their lives. The stock and 
building were fully insured. 

January 26, 1901, the townsite of Anatone 
was platted by W. J. Clemans, Edith M. Cle- 
mans, Pauline Bradley and James A. Brad- 
ley. The new townsite comprised four 
blocks. At the present writing it is a small 
village containing about 100 people. 

Hope Lodge, No. 30, I. O. O. F., was or- 
ganized at Anatone in April, 1884 — the first 
secret society organization in Asotin county. 
H. E. Benedict was N. G., and Charles Isecke 
was recording secretary. The lodge is still in 
existence. Zenith Rebekah Lodge, No. 73, 
was instituted April 26, 1895, with a mem- 
bership of 23. The first officers were: Misses 
Grace Toops, N. G., Lillian Clemans, R. S. ; 
Pearl Toops, F. S. ; Hattie Barnes, conductor ; 
Mesdames May Clemans, V. G. ; Ida Sangster, 
treasurer; S. Whiton, chaplain; Messrs. J. L. 
Chapman, R. S. N. G. ; Robert Sangster, L. S. 
N. G. ; A. L. Toops, R. S. V. G. ; H. A. Whit- 
on, L. S. V. G.; Kenneth Mcintosh, O. G. ; 
E. W. Lane, I. G. ; W. J. Clemans, P. G. 

Anatone Camp, No. 424, Woodmen of the 
World, was instituted March 1, 1898, with 28 
members. The first officers were : John B. 
Bell, C. C. ; W. T. Farrish, A. L. ; Chris Hal- 
verson, clerk; George Garrison, banker; Char- 
les Whiton, escort; Martin Zindell, watchman; 
J. E. Millsaps, sentry ; Robert Sangster, H. A. 
Whiton and G. E. Farnham, managers. 

A lodge of the Modern Woodmen of 
America was instituted April 21, 1898, with 
25 members. The first officers were: E. H. 
Warren, V. C. ; W. T. Farrish, W. A. ; J. N. 
Boggan, banker ; Berry Clemans, clerk ; F. H. 
Benson, E. ; J. W. Jones, W. ; H. L. McMil- 
lan, S. ; George Appleford, A. Drumm and 
James Ross, manager ; Joseph Bilyeu, C. F. ; 
L. Woodruff, physician. 

Evergreen Lodge, Royal Neighbors, was 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



695 



organized February 23, 1899, with 21 charter 
members. The officers were: Mesdames E. 
H. Warren, oracle; Hallie B. Robison, re- 
corder; J. M. Ross, receiver; Letitia Jones, 
chancellor; Abner Drumm, outer sentinel; 
Elmer Luce, inner sentinel ; Misses Lou For- 
gey, vice oracle; Jessie Clift, marshal; A. 
Drumm, manager. 

THEON. 

This at present is simply a postoffice on the 
Asotin-Anatone stage line, fourteen miles 
south of Asotin. Here is the store of James 
M. Benson, who is also postmaster. There are 
a blacksmith shop, a good school and a church 
about a mile and a half distant. Yet in earlier 
days Theon was a rival of Asotin and aspired, 
through D. T. Welch, its proprietor, to become 
the county seat. Theon derives its name from 
.its founder, Daniel Theon Welch. In June, 
1880, he opened a store here. In 1882 there 
were in Theon, aside from the proprietor, only 
David West, since deceased, and his family. 
Mr. West was appointed postmaster in Sep- 
tember, 1880. The first heard of Theon in 
print was on July 17, 1880, when a corre- 
spondent of the Columbia Chronicle, of Day- 
ton, gave notice as follows that there was such 
a place : 

"Seventy-eight male citizens above the age 
of 21 years have petitioned for a postoffice at 
this place, where they will all receive their mail 
when it is established. The good people of 
Theon celebrated on the fifth of July by a 
meeting in the daytime, with music, speeches 
and a dinner, and a grand ball in the evening, 
attended by about 120 persons. They had a 
royal time, all enjoying themselves hugely." 

In the fall of 1883 we find the following 
business houses of Theon represented in the 
advertising columns of the Asotin Spirit : D. 
T. Welch, notary public and general merchan- 
dise dealer; M. I. West, dealer in queensware, 
tinware, glassware and hardware ; F. E. Scott, 



dealer in whiskies, wines, cigars, oysters, can- 
dies, medicines and toilet articles. March 15, 
1884, the Asotin Spirit said: 

"We are informed that the town of Theon 
has been laid out, consisting of twelve blocks, 
streets 60 by 80 feet wide, and that Mr. 
Welch intends adopting a very liberal policy, 
as one-half of the lots are to be given away 
for the improving. Two whole blocks are re- 
served for the use of the county and county 
buildings. The chances are that Theon will 
prove a formidable rival to Asotin City in the 
county seat contest this fall." 

The town of Theon was platted May 15, 
1884, by D. T. Welch. 

The failure of Theon to secure the county 
seat, a story of which contest will be found in 
the county history, was exceedingly disas- 
trous to the prospects of the little struggling 
town. What Theon might have achieved 
had it been given this honor, can be only con- 
jectured. Having lost the contest the town 
came to a standstill, but it was not destined to_ 
be effaced from the map. The Asotin Sentinel 
said, January 29, 1896: 

"Fifteen miles from Asotin, in a south- 
westerly direction, is the village of Theon. A 
store, blacksmith shop, feed stable, boarding 
house and several private residences comprise 
the town. It has, also, its house of worship 
where once a month the people from the sur- 
rounding country assemble to listen to the 
kindly words of the pastor. The townsite of 
40 acres which was surveyed into town lots by 
D. T. Welch, is favorably situated on a broad 
and level plain, surrounded by a productive 
farming country. Theon is also the distribut- 
ing point for all mail en route to Lake and 
Peola. The Good Templars have a lodge 
here with a membership of 40." 

Theon at this time consists of a postoffice 
and a small store, both conducted by J. M. 
Benson, and a blacksmith shop by T. Howell. 
The postoffice was discontinued in December, 
1892, the assigned reason being that the office 



696 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



was not sufficiently patronized. But in 1899 
a lengthy petition was presented to the depart- 
ment at Washington asking for the re-estab- 
lishment of the office. Over seventy signa- 
tures were attached. This re-establishment 
was effected in July, 1899, and the same year 
the store was reopened, which had been dis- 
continued during the "hard times." 

CLOVERLAND. 

In Central Asotin county, in the middle 
8o's, a few settlers selected homes. To ac- 
commodate them, in 1886, a postoffice was es- 
tablished named Lake. J. D. Williams was 
postmaster. It continued in existence until 
November, 1888, when it was discontinued. 
It was re-established in 1892 and continued to 
supply the people of what is now known as 
the Cloverland country until 1904. 

Now, in what was then known as the Lake 
country, is a fine irrigated tract — Cloverland 
— and a little town is springing up in what 
was in the early days considered one of the 
poorest sections of Asotin county. Cloverland 
is about twelve miles from Asotin ; has an al- 
titude of about 1,500 to 1,600 feet, and is es- 
pecially adapted to the raising of the very high- 
est quality of fruit — particularly apples, cher- 
ries, pears and prunes, in fact the land is 
adapted to all kinds of fruits, vegetables and 
grasses, with the exception of the extremely 
early and more tender varieties. 

Cloverland was platted March 11, 1902, 
by the Asotin Land & Irrigation Company, by 
George H. Kester, president, and Jackson 
O'Keefe, secretary. Since then the company 
has platted a number of additions. January 3, 
1903, the Asotin Sentinel said : 

"Not quite a year ago the townsite and tract 
of fruit land known as Cloverland, was put 
on the market. The opening price of the land 
was $30 per acre, and sales were made rapidly ; 
later the price of lots was advanced to $40 per 
acre, and at the present time there have been 



between 600 and 700 acres disposed of. Of 
this amount about half of it has already been 
impoved and planted to apple orchards, and 
something like twenty houses have gone up, 
with one store and hall and a splendid school 
house in addition." 

The price of land has since been advanced 
to $45 and $50 per acre. In January, 1904, 
the postoffice at Lake was again discontinued. 
It was only a short distance from the Clover- 
land office, which is on the main traveled road 
and far more accessible. Nearly all the busi- 
ness of that section was done through the Clov- 
erland office and the discontinuance of the 
Lake office caused but little inconvenience. 
Aside from numerous residences erected in the 
fall of 1902 and spring of 1903, Cloverland 
had a good general store, postoffice, black- 
smith shop and a most substantial school 
building. At present there is great activity 
in the vicinity and all enterprises indicate con- 
siderable future advancement. Where this 
thriving settlement now is, before the irriga- 
tion scheme was in successful operation, there 
was nothing but a barren country. Now thou- 
sands of acres have been fenced in and put 
under cultivation, and several hundred acres 
are planted to apple orchards. 

SILCOTT. 

This is a country postoffice just within the 
boundary lines of Asotin county, on Snake 
river, near the mouth of the Alpowa. In 
earlier days, Silcott was quite a flourishing 
little village. The Silcott of today is a coun- 
try postoffice and store conducted by Clif. M. 
Wilson. It has a daily mail and stage, being 
the eastern terminus of a route between that 
point and Pomeroy. The postoffice has re- 
cently been re-established, and was among 
the first postoffices in Asotin county. In the 
early days Silcott, named in honor of John 
Silcott, a pioneer settler, was more than a 
country postoffice, and the name was, also, 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



697 



that of a flourishing little village located on 
the historic ground at the mouth of Alpowa 
■creek. Here it was that the Indian chief, Red 
Wolf, lived and planted the first orchard in 
the Territory of Washington. This was in 
1837. Here too, it was, that the Indian chief, 
Timothy, the white man's friend, lived and 
rendered such valuable aid to the United 
States troops under Colonel Steptoe in 1858; 
and here it was that the first trading post in 
the county was established, in 1861, by Sam 
Smith. It was also, here in 1882, during the 
•county seat fight in Garfield county, that an 
effort was made to found a town — Alpowa 
City — to become an aspirant for county seat 
distinction. E. D. Miner came to the place 
and laid oue a townsite for W. S. Newland. 
But the filing of the plat was the nearest ap- 
proach made toward the desired end. 

In 1885 several houses, the general mer- 
chandise store of R. P. Reynolds, flouring 
mill, saloon and a warehouse with a capacity 
of 100,000 bushels, comprised the town of 
Silcott. During this season (1885) over 
.35.000 bushels of wheat were" shipped from 
Silcott. Here, also, was White's ferry. It 
was a station for the stages plying between 
Lewiston and Pomeroy. One-half mile north 
from here, down Snake river, was the flour- 
ing mill and warehouse of Woodworth & 
White. Near the store was a tract of forty 
acres platted into town lots and owned by W. 
S. Newland, of Pomeroy. The townsite was 
Alpowa City. In front of the store, and on the 
opposite side of the road was a tract of 160 
acres, claimed by Chief Timothy. On sev- 
eral occasions he had been offered a snug sum 
for this site, but under the United States In- 
dian laws Timothy could not obtain title to the 
land until the expiration of 25 years from the 
date of settlement.. This, of course, prevented 
him disposing of the property. Adjoining 
the ranch of Timothy was a fine garden spot 
containing a neat cottage which belonged to 
Mr. Woodworth, one of the partners inter- 



ested in the flouring mill. This mill was a 
two and one-half story frame structure, and 
was outfitted with the most improved pattern 
of machinery. This mill was operated by 
water power, which was obtained from Al- 
powa creek through a flume three-fourths of 
a mile in length. 

Originally Silcott was known as Alpowa 
City. The plat of this latter place was filed 
for record' April 10, 1882, by William S. New- 
land and Sarah C. Newland, his wife. The 
townsite consisted of twenty blocks. In 1885 
Alpowa City became Silcott and such it has 
since remained. In 1886 the postmaster at 
Silcott was Seth Reynolds. 

Wednesday evening, July 7, 1886, the 
flouring mill of Woodworth & White, at Sil- 
cott, together with all the machinery was to- 
tally consumed by fire. The flames were dis- 
covered about 9 o'clock by some of the inhabi- 
tants of the place; but already they had gained 
such headway that it was impossible to remove 
anything from the doomed building. Then 
the citizens turned their attention toward the 
tenement house near by, which was with great 
difficulty saved from destruction. The build- 
ing and machinery were valued at $20,000, on 
which there was only a light insurance. The 
origin of this fire remained unknown. 

During the late 8o's Silcott, practically, 
passed out of existence. But it is again en- 
titled to a place on the map on account of the 
postoffice of that name. 

ROGERSBURG. 

In 1904 the Lewiston Morning Tribune 
said : 

"Plats of the new town of Rogersburg 
have been filed with the auditor of Asotin 
county. It is located: at the junction of the 
Grande Ronde and Snake rivers, where a fine 
townsite has been secured and surveyed. The 
proprietor of the new town is G. A. Rogers, of 
Asotin, who, in company with his brother, has 



698 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



large mining and landed interests in that sec- 
tion. It is reported that a number of lots in 
Rogersburg have been sold, and that a store 
and hotel will be put up and conducted there 
this year. The mouth of the Grande Ronde 
has long been looked upon as one of the best 
locations for a trading point in the Snake and 
Clearwater valleys. The building and opera- 
tion of the Mountain Gem by the Lewiston 
Navigation Company is regarded as chiefly 
instrumental in opening up this section." 



OTHER PLACES. 

Bly is a country postoffice in the extreme 
southeastern part of the county, about 32 miles 



due south of Asotin. The postoffice is named 
in honor of its postmaster, Joseph Bly. 

Craige is, also, a country postoffice in the 
southeastern part of the county near Snake 
river. It is 20 miles south of Asotin. Clare 
Lathrop is postmaster. 

Dodd comprises a postoffice and boat land- 
ing on Snake river, 12 miles above Asotin. 
There are two warehouses at the landing. A. 
M. Martin is postmaster. The office was es- 
tablished in the summer of 1898. 

Hansen Ferry is a postoffice at the ferry of 
that name, across the Grande Ronde river, 32 
miles southwest of Asotin. 

Zindell, another country postoffice, is near 
the mouth of the Grande Ronde river, 20 miles 
south of Asotin. M. W. Zindell is postmaster. 



CHAPTER IV 



DESCRIPTIVE. 



The area of Asotin county, as given by the 
report of the State Bureau of Statistics, is 640 
square miles. It is the smallest political divis- 
ion in Eastern Washington ; in the entire state 
there are only four smaller: Island, Kitsap, 
San Juan and Wahkiakum. Asotin county's 
greatest length from north to south is 28 miles ; 
from east to west 22 1-2 miles. It is about 
one-half the size of the state of Rhode Island. 
Its southern line is joined by Wallowa county 
in Oregon, and its eastern borders join Nez 
Perce county, Idaho, with the great and mighty 
Snake river, having its source in the Yellow- 
stone National Park, flowing directly between, 
thus forming the dividing line. In reaching 
the northeastern corner of the county the Snake 
is joined by the Clearwater river, and changes 
its course in an almost westerly direction, and 
thereby forms the dividing line on the north be- 
tween Whitman and Asotin counties. 



The general topography of the county is 
level ; but in the southern portion a spur of the 
Blue Mountains furnishes an abundance of 
timber. The county is divided by Asotin creek 
which, together with Snake river, forming 
the eastern boundary, provides an abundance 
of water for the purposes of irrigation. The 
lands may be classified as follows : farm, graz- 
ing, fruit, timber and mineral lands. The 
topography of the county may be aptly com- 
pared to half of a wagon wheel — the numerous 
ridges forming the spokes ; the town of Asotin 
the hub. Therefore, while Asotin is on the ex- 
treme edge of the county, it becomes, practical- 
ly, the center. The ridges, although narrow at 
the junction, widen out and incline gradually 
for a distance of 20 miles — to the timber belt 
— at which point they average 15 miles wide, 
of level, fertile land, divided by canyons 
through which course sparkling trout streams. 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



699 



The county is divided by Grande Ronde 
river, and by Alpowa, Asotin, George and Ten 
Mile creeks, into three distinct sections. First : 
The valleys of these streams, with their numer- 
ous tributaries, which are narrow. Second; 
The flats, or plateaus, extending from the sum- 
mits of these hills along Snake river, at an ele- 
vation of about 1,000 to 1,500 feet, back a dis- 
tance of nearly twenty miles to the timber dis- 
tricts at the base of the Blue Mountains. Third : 
The Blue Mountain spur extending across the 
southern portion of the county. The spaces 
between the canyons are level land suitable for 
agricultural purposes; there is no sage brush 
in this locality. 

Extending back from Snake river for a dis- 
tance of 15 to 20 miles the general topography 
of the county is a broad prairie, with the ex- 
ception of the country bordering the mountain 
streams which is considerably broken, and 
forming what is termed "ridges," which have a 
width of one or two miles and in length in some 
instances exceeding ten miles. The hillsides 
bordering the streams, like the prairie land, in 
the country's native state were covered with 
bunch grass affording abundance of pasturage 
for horses and cattle. The slopes and valleys 
from the very earliest knowledge of the coun- 
try were famous as the best grazing lands and 
they also afforded excellent protection to stock 
during the winter season. Now the greater 
portion of the lands is devoted to agricultural 
pursuits, although stock-raising is still one of 
the industries of the county, and a prominent 
one. 

Farms, meadows, orchards and gardens, 
embraced within a range of altitude from 700 
to 4,000 feet above sea level, are cultivated by 
the people of the county. The varying alti- 
tudes afford a varying harvest time ; from May 
until November. Natural grasses afford a 
rotation of crops for even the herds upon the 
ranges. The wandering cattle may feed upon 
the first growth of succulent bunch grass in 
January ; then follow the changing season to 



different altitudes, continuing to find new 
green grass on the slopes and in 'the glades un- 
til December. And so with cultivated crops; 
the first harvest of fruit begins in May ; straw- 
berries, for example, may be gathered in moun- 
tain slopes in August. This condition holds 
good with other crops ; not only are the seasons 
of their prime qualities prolonged, but the 
range of varieties is increased by these varying 
conditions of climate. 

A more minute examination of the topog- 
raphy of Asotin county shows that everywhere 
the incline toward the Snake river is sharp, and 
the descent rapid. All of the tributaries of 
this stream have falls of from 25 to 100 feet 
to the mile. There is no stagnant water; no 
malaria. As a whole the county is exception- 
ally well watered, as there are about a dozen 
distinct and well-defined creeks having their 
heads in the Blue Mountains, a spur of which 
penetrates the southwestern portion of the 
county. These streams are fed by the mountain 
snows which do not pass away until the early 
summer, and thousands of cool, refreshing 
springs, thus insuring an abundance of water 
for stock and domestic purposes. Right here 
it may not be out. of place to state that these 
mountain streams all abound in trout. 

The Grande Ronde is the only stream in 
the county worthy of the distinction of the 
name of "river." Amid the lofty peaks of the 
Blue Mountains it rises ; follows a tortuous, tu- 
multuous course of 150 miles in a general north 
easterly direction, and tumbles into the Snake 
river a few miles north of the southern line of 
the county. Flowing with great velocity, and 
over a rocky channel, navigation is of course, 
impossible, although small boats have been tak- 
en up the stream a considerable distance. The 
Wallowa, Menatchie and Joseph creeks are the 
principal tributaries. The first named is wholly 
in Oregon. The Menatchie and Joseph creek, 
debouche into the Grande Ronde within the 
limits of Asotin county. By the French trap- 
pers of the Hudson's Bay Company the Grande 



700 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



Ronde was named, although Washington Irv- 
ing's "Bonneville" gives the name as "Way- 
lee-way", at the time of Captain Bonneville's 
visit in 1834. 

Mill, Kowsh and Ten Mile creeks are small 
and frequently dry during the summer months. 
They trend in a northeasterly direction through 
deep, continuous gorges, to Snake river. 
Mill Creek enters Ten Mile ten miles 
above the mouth of the stream ; Ten Mile 
enters Snake river five miles above Aso- 
tin and Kowsh twelve miles above Asotin. The 
Nez Perce Indians named Kowsh creek. This 
was because of the abundance of "bread root," 
known as kowsh, which grew along its banks, 
frequently this is corrupted by Cowse or Cow by 
the settlers. It is not unlikely that before many 
years this stream will be known as Cow creek ; 
it is now generally recognized by the maps and 
settlers as Couse creek. Mill creek, the furth- 
est to the south, was so named because Starr 
& Atwood built on its banks a saw mill in the 
winter of 1862-3. It was the first mill erected 
within the limits of what later became Asotin 
county. As stated in the County History of 
this work, Ten Mile was known to the In- 
dians as Anatone creek. It was named Ten 
Mile subsequently to settlement of the county 
by the whites. 

The largest, most rapid creek in the county 
is the Asotin. In the Blue Mountains it has 
its course and trends in a generally easterly di- 
rection, reaching Snake river at Asotin, having 
danced over a distance of forty miles. From 
'its source to its mouth it is a superior water 
power. Steep are its banks and terraced, ac- 
cessible to wagons at only a few points. A na- 
tural barrier is formed by the entire canyon 
between the country to the south, and the rest 
of the county. The south fork and George 
creek, are its only tributaries of importance. 
George creek joins it about three miles from 
its mouth, and is christened from the given 
name of its earliest settler, George Penny. The 
south fork enters the stream about 15 miles 



above Asotin. For a distance of fifteen miles 
Asotin creek courses its way through what is 
called a canyon, which varies in width from 200 
to 500 feet. 

There is a stretch of country about four 
miles wide and sixteen in length lying two 
miles south of Asotin. It is known as Asotin 
prairie. This strip lies between George and 
Ten Mile creeks ; on either side of these streams 
are broad and fertile reaches of country, sepa- 
rated from the main prairie by the canyons 
through which flow George and Ten Mile 
creeks. The first to be settled in Asotin coun- 
ty was this country, by those desiring to make 
permanent homes ; the pioneers coming so early 
as 1875-6. To win his way to this well known 
and productive section the traveler, on leaving 
Asotin, will follow a zig-zag road up a hill- 
side until the plateau above is gained. From 
this coign of vantage his vision will embrace the 
broad expanse of country in every direction, 
outlined by the Blue Moutains on one side of 
the river ; on the other by the shaggy, snow-cap- 
ped peaks of the Salmon river range. He will 
gaze on Snake river winding its sinuous way 
onward — like the reptile it personifies — until 
lost to view in the high, precipitous bluff's; he 
will see at the foot of the plateau the bustling 
village of Asotin, and six miles down the river 
Vineland and Lewiston, all combining to form 
a grand and picturesque scene — a panoramic 
display first-hand from the wonderful art stores 
of Dame Nature, the effect somewhat height- 
ened by the artificial contributions of man in 
the shape of city and village. 

Cloverland is the pretty, suggestive name 
given to a splendid, newly irrigated tract of 
land in Asotin county. It is about twelve miles 
from Asotin and includes three thousand acres 
of the best land in the northwest. This prop- 
erty was platted and put on the market in ten 
and twenty-acre orchard home parcels or lots; 
since then nearly a thousand acres have been 
disposed of to people who appreciate the value 
of land that can be irrigated. The soil of Gov- 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



701 



eiiand is a dark loam deposited upon a sub- 
soil of clay. This loam is from three to six 
feet in depth, and holds today the humus mat- 
ter of centuries that has been deposited by an- 
nual crops of grass that were left to rot and 
build this soil fold by fold. The impervious 
subsoil has held this element of fertility, as it 
holds the artificial and natural water supply. 
The elevation of from 1,500 feet to 1,800 feet, 
as it is on the slope from the river to the moun- 
tain, which reaches 5,000 feet in a distance of 
twenty miles, influences the climate of Clover- 
land very advantageously. The Asotin Land & 
Irrigation Company own the riparian rights of 
George creek, a beautiful mountain stream that 
is fed by melting snow till late in the summer 
and by perpetual springs all the year round. 
Perhaps the brightest promise for the maxi- 
mum income from an orchard garden home in 
Cloverland is the winter apple. It has been dis- 
covered that one of the best winter apples in 
the world can be grown on the bench lands of 
the district of Cloverland. A combination of 
color, flavor and keeping qualities has been dem- 
onstrated to obtain in the product of this dis- 
tinct fruit belt. It has been acknowledged that 
only irrigation was necessary to produce the 
perfect winter apple at the elevation of from 
1,500 to 2,000 feet along the bluffs of the Snake 
river,' or its tributaries, in the vicinity of Lew- 
iston, Idaho, or Asotin, Washington. 

Grouse is a postoffice located in the north- 
eastern part of Oregon, just a quarter of a mile 
from the Washington state line. But there is, 
also, a tract known as the Grouse country with- 
in the limits of Asotin county. It is the garden 
spot of quite a large, and exceedingly produc- 
tive area. On the north and northwest it is 
surrounded by the Blue Mountains ; on the 
east and northeast by the Menatchie canyon, 
and on the southeast by the Grande Ronde river 
There is no valley of importance that is, or 
could be better situated than the section known 
as the Grouse Flats. From an agricultural 
view point, the day will never be when the 



farmers will have to resort to irrigation as a 
means of production. Wheat, rye, oats and 
barley grow in great profusion throughout this 
entire section. Timothy, blue grass, brome 
grass, clover, orchard grass, millet, buckwheat 
and the like yield abundantly. Indian corn, 
Kaffir corn and sugar corn are sure crops here 
at all times. Strawberries, raspberries, goose- 
berries, blackberries, dewberries, huckleberries, 
and berries of all kinds have proven to do ex- 
ceptionally well at all times. The facilities for 
stock raising are all that could be desired in any 
country. In every sense of the word it is a. 
natural stock country. 

The Montgomery and Weissenfels "ridges" 
are contiguous ; in every respect similar and ca- 
pable of producing the same character of di- 
versified crops. By some the claim has been 
strenuously urged that the Montgomery ridge 
is, in the nature of its soil, the richest portion 
of Asotin county. But whether this be true 
or not the fact remains that all owners of Aso- 
tin county soil appear fully satisfied with their 
possessions. Both Montgomery and Weissen- 
fels ridges are considerably smaller than the 
section known as the Asotin-Anatone Flat. But 
annually they materially assist in swelling the 
total output of the county. 

What is true of this section is likewise true 
of the Theon country, only three miles from 
Anatone, and comprising a portion of the same 
plateau. In this portion of the country reside 
many of the county's largest and wealthiest 
farmers, their ranches directly tributary to 
Theon. The Hansen Ferry country, and other 
sections known as Bly and Zindel, are almost 
exclusively devoted to the raising of stock. 
Here fruit, reaches perfection ; the people easily 
supply the largest demand. No county can 
grow finer grain or timothy, yet, owing to the- 
. distance from market little of the grain is 
threshed ; nearly all of it is converted into feed 
for cattle and hogs. On quite an extensive- 
scale is the stock business carried in this locali- 
ty, and it is increasing yearly. Aside from each* 



7Q2 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN .COUNTY. 



person's individual possessions there is a large 
area of government land available for grazing 
purposes. 

The portions of the county named "Peola" 
and "Lewiston Flat" are quite similar to that 
of Cloverland so far as qualities of soil are con- 
cerned. Much of the Peola country is rough, 
rugged and hilly, presenting an irregular sur- 
face, although there is a considerable area of 
excellent farming land which with practical 
cultivation will produce fifty bushels of barley 
and thirty bushels of wheat to the acre. Al- 
though the growing season is too brief for the 
cultivation of corn, except on the bottom lands 
along the creeks, fruit and vegetables do fairly 
well. Like the rest of the county the Peola sec- 
tion is well watered. So far no drilling has 
been done; fifty feet is the greatest depth that 
any one has had to dig for water. 

The climate of the valleys of Asotin coun- 
ty and that of the uplands, or plateaus, is quite 
dissimilar. In the valleys the winters are no- 
tably mild with but little snow and only an oc- 
casional cold day, the temperature seldom fall- 
ing below zero. Than in these valleys a more 
delightful climate from October to July can- 
not be found. It is quite warm and dry dur- 
ing a short period in the summer. The uplands 
and mountain districts are visited by heavier 
snow storms, and the atmosphere is consider- 
ably cooler, similar to the climate of Missouri. 
Here the entire summer season is cool and 
agreeable affording within an hour's drive a 
perfect retreat from the oppressive heat at times 
prevailing in the valleys. The mean annual 
temperature of the county is about 50 degrees ; 
the rainfall from 14 to 24 inches. The precipita- 
tion is in the form of gentle showers and they 
generally come when particularly desirable. As 
a whole the climate of Asotin county, owing to 
its local geographical features and lesser alti- 
tude, is much warmer in winter than that of the 
more northerly neighboring counties. D. T. 
Welch, one of the pioneers of the county, pays 
this tribute to the climate of his town, Asotin : I 



"After a residence of over 40 years on the 
Pacific coast, 15 years of which were passed 
in California, and being well acquainted with 
the climate from near Los Angeles, California, 
to Puget Sound, I pronounce the climate of 
Asotin the best I have ever known." 

May 7, 1886, the Asotin Sentinel published 
the following : 

"Our winters are of short duration and not 
as severe as those of the middle and eastern 
states. The mercury seldom drops below zero. 
The fall of snow generally begins the latter 
part of December, but seldom covers the ground 
to any considerable depth, nor for any length 
of time before it fast melts away before the 
warm chinook winds which frequently take off 
the snow in a single night. Spring is early and 
its warm showers frequent. Last February our 
farmers were busy plowing and putting in 
grain." 

In 1903 the Sentinel said : 

"When one is asked as to the time of year, 
when the little city of Asotin is to be seen at 
its best, it is invariably found necessary to 
enumerate several phases of picturesque Asotin 
life, varying as they do with the changing sea- 
sons. An answer also depends much upon taste 
of the questioner, if the desire be to please the 
taste of the interrogated party if merely a per- 
sonal opinion is requested. To the man from 
the frigid regions of North Dakota, our winter 
months would probably offer the greatest 
charm. Here he could find a climate combin- 
ing the best features of the invigorating article 
of his own state, with the much vaunted mild- 
ness of California, for we have neither of the 
extremes Here may be found just frost enough 
to keep active within him the snap and energy 
which characterizes him from the man from the 
south. On the other hand our short winters 
are of such a degree of mildness as to furnish 
a pleasing and comfortable contrast to those of 
the east, to say nothing of its beneficial qual- 
ities, if the new comer be troubled with pulmon- 
ary or kindred ailments. If the questioner be 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



703 



a man from the south, where the monotony of 
perpetual sunshine carries with it the redeeming 
features of perpetual green fields and flowers, 
he would undoubtedly be told to come here dur- 
ing the latter part of March or, early April, 
climb the Anatone hill south of town and be- 
hold the flower beds of blossoms waving in bil- 
lows of intermingling colors at his feet. Here 
he would find a greater beauty than has inspired 
many a poet in his own native land, and health- 
fulness of which they have said so little. 

"To the stranger, no matter from what state 
or county, our, late spring and summer months 
possess many advantages not found elsewhere. 
As naturally, apparently, as for the night to 
follow day, does our cool and refreshing tem- 
perature follow the setting of the sun, insur- 
ing restful, invigorating sleep. Added to this 
happy state we have a variety of fruits and ber- 
ries such as few climates can boast of. Our 
close proximity to the mountains affords a 
grand opportunity for an outing, or fishing, 
hunting or berrying — these being not among 
the least of its enjoyments. That refrain, "The 
melancholy days have come," has no applica- 
tion to our autumn months. Warm sunshine, 
with an occasional shower and green fields, are 
not conducive to melancholia. And so we 
could go on in setting forth the glories of a 
climate in the lower altitudes of this section of 
the inland west. 

"So much has been said in praise of Asotin 
county's climate, mild and equitable, that the 
stranger, should he happen to be an eastern man 
would naturally suppose that such a thing as 
cold weather in any part of our county is un- 
known. Or to tell him that within a radius of 
twenty miles we could suit the most fastidious 
crank from Jamaica to Scotland, would be to 
call forth from our listener a look of incredul- 
ous scorn. Yet truth must out no matter what 
the risk may be. Here in the town of Asotin, or 
in and around Clarkston one may work out 
doors in winter in his shirt sleeves while around 
the thriving little business town of Anatone one 



might enjoy a sleigh ride any day in the winter 
months. It is this diversity of climate that 
gives us such a diversity of products. The fin- 
est of cereals from our higher altitudes, the fin- 
est of fruits from the lower ones, plenty of tim- 
ber for fuel and lumber from the more moun- 
tainous localities and undeveloped minerals in 
our hills, give us a range of products that few 
counties can boast of. What more could one 
want?" 

To the sportsman Asotin county affords un- 
limited opportunities for enjoyment. The 
streams abound in trout and salmon. The broad 
and level prairie is the feeding ground for flocks 
of prairie chickens; grouse and pheasants are 
found in the timbered sections. In the early 
clays of the county's history the mountains in 
the southern part was the habitat of deer, elk, 
mountain sheep and the different spec ; es of 
bear. And at present they are far from being 
exterminated. The creeks and rivers are feed- 
ing places in the summer months for large 
flocks of geese, brant and ducks. 

The spur of the Blue Mountains, forming 
the western and southern boundary lines, is 
covered with heavy forests of tamarack, fir and 
pine; the lumber coming from this district 
commanding the highest market price. Bord- 
ering the streams are heavy growths of alder, 
birch and poplar. The report of the State 
Bureau of Statistics for 1903 gives the follow- 
ing figures: Total number of feet standing 
timber on the Blue Mountains, 80,000,000; 
square miles of timber, 105; square miles of 
timber cut, 6; square miles of timber, burned, 
none. 

It has been said with all the^significance of 
an axiom, that "anything that is put into the 
ground in Asotin county, and properly culti- 
vated will yield well." Nearly two-thirds of the 
county's acreage is level, or comparatively so, 
and of a tillable character ; while the remainder 
is more or less hilly and mountainous, the great- 
er portion of which is covered with fine timber. 
These latter lands are ideal for the raising of. 



704 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



stock, using the mountain lands in the summer, 
where cattle are afforded ample shade and an 
abundance of pure water, and the lower, hills 
and sloping hill-sides during the fall and winter 
months. When properly and faithfully tilled 
by the industrious husbandman there is nothing 
in cereals, grasses and fruits that the soil of 
Asotin county will not produce, and in abund- 
ant quantities. The greater portion of the land 
under cultivation, however, is devoted to the 
raising of wheat, barley, timothy and wheat hay 
with some rye and oats. The average yield of 
wheat throughout the county for the year 1902, 
can conservatively be estimated at thirty bush- 
els to the acre, although there were numerous 
fields that went well above forty bushels. One 
instance was reported where the Canadian Hy- 
brid variety yielded better than fifty bushels, 
and the Little Club went as high as 46 bushels 
to the acre. Just how much barley can be pro- 
duced to the acre is hard to say ; but in this, 
too, it is hardly likely that there are many sec- 
tions of the great west, or anywhere else, that 
will excel Asotin county in its barley produc- 
tion. The 1902 crop, in all parts of the county, 
yielded from 60 to 80 bushels to the acre, mostly 
spring sown, hay cut either from timothy or 
wheat, carried an average yield of from three 
to five tons to the acre ; while rye and oats did 
equally well, although but little acreage is given 
over to the growing of oats. 

Asotin has gained such a reputation as an 
irrigation county, that the impression might 
obtain among outside parties that all the lands 
require irrigation to produce. So far from this 
being the case there is only a small portion of 
the county that has, or needs, water artificially 
spread upon its lands. The Snake river for a 
distance of some forty miles, forms the bound- 
ary of the county and is down deep in the earth 
being little more than 700 feet above tidewater. 
This stream, with its several tributaries in the 
county, with similiar deep valleys, appears to 
be below the line of sufficient rains to raise 
crops, while the table lands, lying from 1,000 



to 2,000 feet higher have, with rarely an excep- 
tional year, moisture sufficient for all purposes.. 
Despite the fact that Asotin county is con- 
sidered a splendid stock country, and will ere- 
long become a great producer and shipper of 
fruit, the chief industry at the present time 
is the growing and shipping of wheat. Not to 
exceed one-third of the grain grown here is 
shipped out. One-third is retained for the feed- 
ing of stock and seeding purposes, and another 
third is converted into hay. Still, under these 
conditions, there were shipped out of the county 
in 1902, via the Oregon Railway & Navigation 
Company's boats, including 50,000 bushels con- 
sumed by the Asotin mill, something close to- 
the following figures : From Asotin, 200,000 
bushels of wheat; Couse creek, 30,000; Ten 
Mile, 15,000; Clarkston, 25,000; and Silcott, 
50,000 bushels, or a total of about 370,000. 
bushels. 

Experience has taught Asotin county peo- 
ple that straight farming is not to be relied up- 
on ; and much of this industry has become di- 
versified, proving far more profitable. Besides 
cultivating grain many raise hogs and cattle, 
and are able to dispose of several hundred dol- 
lars' worth each spring and fall ; and when the 
price of grain is down it can frequently be turn- 
ed into better, money by feeding it to stock. 
Seldom, if ever, are both the grain and stock 
markets stagnant at the same time, so the wis- 
dom of mixed farming is plainly demonstrated. 
The following article on "Practical Irriga- 
tion" was written by Mr. E. H. Libby, and 
published in the Asotin Sentinel in 1903 : 

"Any Asotin county man, any man who has 
lived in this vicinity for eight years, can an- 
swer the question 'What May Irrigation Do for 
Asotin County?' as well as I, at least for him- 
self. Know Vineland and you have the answer. 
Seven years ago a desert, supporting one lone 
old bachelor in a one-room log hut. To-day a 
community of garden-homes. Avith nearly 2,500' 
people; shipping scores of car-loads of fine 
fruit ; a flourishing manufacturing industry ;. 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



7o5 



two banks ; a newspaper ; two hotels ; a number 
of stores; electric lights; water works; plank 
sidewalks; a great steel bridge. Seven years 
ago all of Asotin county had onlv fifteen hun- 
dred people. Irrigation of only 3,000 acres has 
trebled her population, and more than doubled 
the valuation of taxable property. Irrigation 
of this small tract has lifted the county's debt; 
has raised it from the most insignificant county 
in the state to one of the most truly prosperous 
in the northwest, with low taxes and conserv- 
ative administration of its public affairs. 

"Cloverland is also answering the same 
question. Two years ago so poor and bare that 
a few cattle could hardly exist on its worthless 
acres. Today it has scores of fine orchards well 
started, a good water system, numerous homes 
being established, a postoffice, hotel, stores and 
shops, and all the evidences of growth and pros- 
perity. This present year will see as many peo- 
ple dwelling in Cloverland as were in the town 
of Asotin when Vineland was begun. I pre- 
dict the lands now selling there at $50 an acre, 
and being planted with apple trees will, within 
five years be worth $500 an acre. 

"With cheap electric power every irrigable 
bar along Snake river, in Asotin county may be 
irrigated and teem with people and prosperity. 
With a government storage reservoir in the 
Blue Mountains, all of Asotin flat may be ir- 
rigated. With all these areas under irrigation, 
instead of a total of, perhaps, 3,000 acres now 
actually cultivated with water, then over 30,000 
acres, irrigated, would increase our population 
and importance ten-fold and more. 

"Irrigation made Denver and Colorado pos- 
sible. It made the southern California of re- 
mance a fact. It made Utah prosperous. It is 
making of the old-time arid west, the puzzle of 
the eastern man, who wonders why his former 
rules and experience are of so little moment un- 
der the new conditions, a blooming garden. It 
is developing new men, new opportunities, new 
possibilities." 

The growing of fruits and vegetables re- 
45 



ceives greater attention on the low lands — in 
the valleys along the rivers and on the bars ad- 
jacent to the creeks, where plenty of water is 
to be had for irrigation purposes. Of course 
it is not wholly necessary to irrigate to grow 
either vegetables or the earlier fruits, but the 
application of water insures a more bountiful 
yield and a greater size to the products grown, 
and size amounts for much when placed on the 
market. Large, lucious, irrigated strawber- 
ries will sell for considerable more than the 
small unirrigated berry, although the flavor 
may be no better, 

Every kind of fruit, barring the orange, 
banana and lemon, may be grown on Asotin 
county soil, carrying with it that perfection of 
shape, richness and color and deliciousness of 
taste that are so essentially necessary when 
placed in competition with the fruits of the 
world in all of the aristocratic and metropoli- 
tan markets. Apples, however, and all such 
hardier fruits, can be grown in the highest state 
of perfection on the higher lands at an alti- 
tude of 1,600 to 2,000 feet. When grown at 
that altitude there are less pest and scale to con- 
tend with and the keeping quality is simply su- 
perb. In fact this character of Washington's- 
fruit — the apple — has been shipped to Liver- 
pool and London with a loss of only two per 
cent. 

As a fruit district the lands along Snake 
river have become famous. Apples, pears, 
cherries, apricots, nectarines and plums grow in 
luxuriant profusion. Grapes reach a splendid 
size and are of superior quality. Peaches ex- 
cel in quality those grown in warmer countries. 
Small fruits yield with abundance and certainty 
every year. And it is not alone along Snake 
river that the culture of fruit receives attention ; 
all portions of the county are dotted with or- 
chards. These fruits are in quantity about in 
the order named : peaches, apples, cherries, 
pears, prunes, plums, apricots, grapes, nectar- 
ines, not considering the small fruits and ber- 
ries which are also grown in large quantities. 



yo6 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



Of peaches the early and late Crawford and the 
Elberta are favorites. Of apples the Ben Davis 
Spitzenberg and White Pearmain prevail, while 
of cherries there are just two varieties, both of 
western origin, that are so superior to all oth- 
ers that little else is planted. These are the 
Bing and Royal Ann. They are both of very 
large size, of superior quality, and the best ship- 
pers in the world. Grapes are almost entirely 
of the European varieties, such as the Malaga, 
Tokay, Hamsburg and Sweetwater. They pro- 
duce more, ship better and bring a higher price 
than the softer American varietries, like the 
Concord. Delaware, etc. Almond and other 
nut-bearing trees grow well and the product 
is of excellent quality. Strawberries, blackber- 
ries and raspberries are all very profitable and 
are raised and shipped in large quantities, being 
much earlier here than in higher altitudes. 

Asotin county, or portions of it, is a county 
of "repeaters" — that is the growing of crops. 
On the lower lands four, crops of alfalfa can be 
produced annually. Strawberries and numer- 
ous other fruits will yield two crops per year — 
in May and about the first of October. 

Considering its size Asotin county ships 
considerable stock, and yet there are compara- 
tively few who devote their entire attention to 
this industry. Nearly every rancher, however, 
manages to raise a few head each year of both 
cattle and hogs. This helps to bring the aggre- 
gate number well up in the thousands. Care- 
ful inquiry as to the extent stock-raising was 
indulged in in 1902 disclosed the fact that the 
growers possessed stock in keeping with the 
following figures : horses, 10,893 ! cattle, 1-5,- 
174; sheep, 30,160; hogs, 7,743. Yet, perhaps 
there is no other county in the state where ad- 
vantages for limited stock-raising are so fav- 
orable as in Asotin. The large canyon of the 
Grande Ronde river extending across the south- 
ern portion of the county, with its 30 miles of 
length and 8 of width ; provides a winter past- 
urage for the many small herds of the farmers 
living in the uplands, and the breaks of Snake 



river offer the same advantages to the ranchers 
on their brink. The winters are not much over 
six weeks long,. as a rule, and the snow rarely 
reaches the bottoms of these canyons, although 
it may be from 18 to 30 inches deep on the top 
of the hills. 

In 1903 the Asotin Sentinel, considering the 
question of mining, said : 

"Although there are ,no wealth producing 
mines in, Asotin county, it is not because there 
are no deposits worthy of development. Many 
rich and excellent properties of gold, silver and 
copper have been located for many years, but 
for the lack of proper transportation facilities 
in the districts where properties are located lit- 
tle development work has been carried on. This 
condition of affairs, however, cannot last much 
longer, for as all the great railway lines are 
sure, sooner or later, to follow the natural wa> 
ter grades in the construction of their roads, 
it is only a question of a few years at most un- 
til railway transportation will be had down the 
Snake river from Huntington. When that 
time comes the dormant wealth of our mineral 
deposits will be made to come forth. Even at 
this time private capital is about to give the 
district some relief in the nature of steamboat 
service. This will prove a great boon to the 
men who have toiled long and patiently, and im- 
mediate benefits are sure to result." 

Ever since white men located in what is 
now Asotin county placer mining has been car- 
ried on along Snake river. We have told in the 
"Passing Events" Chapters of this History of 
the stampede to Shovel creek in 1865. That 
was the beginning. Occasionally, ever since 
then, the same spirit that prompted the stam- 
pede to Shovel creek has caused placer mining 
excitements along Snake river in Asotin coun- 
ty. As a rule, however, this system of ex- 
tracting the gold in this vicinity has seldom 
amounted to a reward of more than from 25 
cents to $1.25 per day. That quartz ledges 
could be located in Asotin county was discover- 
ed in 1884 or 1885. The result was quite a 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



707 



bit of prospecting and some development work. 

In May, 1885, John Mustard, Andrew Pier- 
storf and others were at work on newly dis- 
covered silver mine near the mouth of the 
Grande Ronde river. Messrs. Mustard, Pier- 
storf, Hatley and Minzer were working what 
was called the "Grayson lead," having con- 
tracted to sink 50 feet for a half interest in the 
mine. They had already shipped a sample to 
Montana for milling and assay. But only about 
one-tenth of the rock was considered good 
enough to ship. 

Soon after this discovery several hundred 
strangers passed through Asotin on their way 
to the newly discovered Cache creek mines near 
the county line. It was stated at the time that 
there was some rock there that would assay 
from $400 to $700 to the ton. Of course this 
statement was absurd. There were quite a 
number of Dayton people in the neighborhood. 
June 5th the Asotin Sentinel said : 

"The latest news received from the mines 
in the vicinity-of Cache creek is very encourag- 
ing. Daily prospectors with pack animals pass 
through here heading in that direction. The 
owners of the Grayson have sunk a hole 22 
feet, and found as they went down that the 
vein grew richer. From other claims in the 
vicinity come the same flattering reports. A 
rich find of gold-bearing quartz was made near 
Shovel creek by a party of old prospectors 
the other day, which raised quite a ripple of ex- 
citement among the old timers. Good pros- 
pects have been discovered near the Imnaha, 
resembling in appearance Wood river ore. 
From specimens shown us, claimed to have been 
taken from the mineral belt in these districts, 
we are of the opinion that when these claims are 
once properly developed they will prove to be 
valuable property. Owing to the high stage 
of water parties bound for the mines experi- 
enced great difficulty in crossing the Grande 
Ronde. This, however, has been overcome by 
the placing of a small boat on the river. 

The same month J. H. Savage and son lo- 



cated two claims at the mouth of Grayson 
creek ; one a quartz ledge and another on a bar 
on Snake river, the latter placer diggings. The 
quartz was chloride silver. During the month 
a number of new strikes were reported, one of 
them a short distance from Cache creek. This 
contained some of the richest rock yet dis- 
covered. Work still continued on the Gray- 
son ledge, and miners and prospectors continu- 
ed to arrive daily. The general formation of 
the country in this section was a blue lime- 
stone; where the silver began a grey granite, 
the ledges trending in a northwesterly and 
northeasterly direction. This mineral belt 
included a district three miles square partly di- 
vided by Shovel creek on the north, and Gray- 
son creek on the south. In all over 30 claims 
of 1,500 feet each were staked out. According 
to the Sentinel parties from the Grande Ronde 
mining district stated that the company from 
Lewiston were in 16 feet on their claim on 
Cache creek, and had struck a ledge six feet in 
width, the ore assaying nearly $100 to the ton 
in silver, copper and a small percentage of 
nickel. Many mining claims were recorded in 
1888. A large section of country between 
Grande Ronde and Cache creek being staked 
off. This mining excitement reached its zenith 
in 1893, the year of the "hard times," and an- 
other large block of placer, claims were lo- 
cated. In April five mining locations of 20 
acres each, placer ground, were filed with the 
county auditor. These locations were on the 
Snake river bar near the place known as "Jaw- 
bone Flat." Keener interest was added to this 
excitement by a mining company from Milton, 
Oregon, which claimed to have machinery that 
would save every color of fine gold. In April 
1893 the Sentinel was led to observe: 

"The mining craze which has gradually 
worked its way up along the Columbia and 
Snake rivers has struck this section within the 
last two weeks and is now at its height. The 
people living along the river were expecting it 
for some time and were not taken unawares. 



708 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



The ones afflicted with the 'gold fever' are res- 
idents of other places, and in many instances 
pay no regard to the laws governing rights of 
property and have entered on and trespassed 
upon deeded and improved lands. 

"This week we had a call from Oregon par- 
ties and a force from the Palouse country al- 
so came in unexpectedly. Each dropped sev- 
eral dollars into the county treasury for record- 
ing claims. All the river frontage extend- 
ing from Alpowai creek to within a short dis- 
tance of Grande Ronde river is now located 
and if others come here afflicted with the fever, 
they are simply left, unless they brave the dan- 
gers of the upper Snake river canyon. People 
whose lands front on the river have suffered 
much annoyance from these outsiders within 
the past few weeks." 

In August, 1893, twelve mining claims 
were placed on record by the Asotin county 
auditor. These locations began at the county 
line and embraced all the land fronting on 
Snake river as far as Asotin, including 1,920 
acres. This did not include between 400 and 
500 acres that had been previously staked. Many 
other claims were filed subsequently. In Oc- 
tober the excitement had materially subsided, 
some little placer mining was carried on along 
the Snake river, but none of the miners was 
making a fair day's wage. They were begin- 
ning to realize what had been frequently 
pointed out to them, that gold did not exist 
in paying quantities along that stream. Clean- 
ups did not average much above 20 or 25 cents 
a day. Concerning the history of placer mining 
on Snake river Robert Bracken, who is more 
familiar with the history of the county of Aso- 
tin and its surrounding country than any other 
living man, said at the time of this feverish 
excitement : 

"There never will be machinery invented 
that will prove a paying success in gold mining 
on Snake river. The pay streak is too shallow 
and machinery would have to be; necessarily, 



moved to a different place at the close of each 
day's work in order to follow up the pay dirt. 
One man can work out a large piece of ground 
in a very short time even at the present methods 
of mining. I have time and again seen in the 
early days prospect holes sunk from 60 to 80- 
feet in depth without finding a color below a 
few feet of the surface. I mined for over one- 
year on Snake river in the early days. I had 
eight men employed and we worked four 
rockers side by side. This was on 'Jawbone- 
Flat,' seven or eight miles below the town of 
Asotin, (where Clarkston now stands). This 
talk of not being able to save this gold is all' 
a humbug. We saved every color by putting 
good, new blankets on the apron and on the bot- 
tom of the rocker. For the first three years 
after the discovery of gold on Snake river min- 
ing paid well, but since 1866 very little has- 
been made. A man undertaking to mine along 
Snake river is only wasting his time ; the gold 
is so fine that it looks to be more than there 
really is. No miner ever found a single piece 
along the river containing more than one cent 
in value. Now, I have lived on or near Snake 
river for 31 years, and, to use the eastern 
phrase, "seen the elephant from the end of 
his nose to the tip of his tail," and know what 
I am talking about. I can save every color of 
this fine gold with hydraulic sluice and rocker- 
system, but the great trouble is that gold 
does not exist along the river in sufficient 
quantities to make a decent day's wages, and an 
experienced miner who is anxious to make- 
money will always let Snake river ground 
alone. If the gold was there the difficulty of 
saving it would be easily overcome. The first 
gold discovered on Snake and Salmon rivers 
was made July 1, 1862. In the fall of that year- 
several hundred miners were on both rivers. 
The ground was easily prospected, as the first 
shovelful of dirt proves always to be the best." 
Concerning the Asotin coal fields the Senti- 
nel published the following in 1903 : 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



709 



"Over on the Grande Ronde river, about 
twenty-five miles from its mouth, lies a field 
of coal of nearly three thousand acres, accord- 
ing to scientific examinations, still in its dor- 
mant state, that will in the course of a few years 
at most prove to be a valuable resource to 
Asotin county. As yet but very little develop- 
ment work has been done — only enough to 
satisfy the promoters that a first-class quality 
of bituminous coal is to be had, when a deter- 
mined effort is made to procure it. A tunnel 
has been run nearly 300 feet and an excellent 
quality of lignite coal obtained. Every test 
that has been made from it has proven extreme- 
ly satisfactory, and men who have worked 
many years in the coal fields of Pennsylvania 
and other states assert most forcibly that coal 
exists here in paying quantities. That this 
wonderful coal field will be made to yield forth 
its black treasure before long is becoming 
more evident every day since circumstances and 
conditions are shaping themselves in such a 
manner that makes the opening up of these 
mines imperative. The smelters that are being 
erected in the Imnaha gold and copper belt, 
will constantly require a large amount of fuel 
to carry on operations in the treatment of ores, 
and it is not reasonable to believe that the men 
hack of such enterprises as these are going to 
import coal from mines that are located five 
hundred or a thousand miles distant, when it 
can be had close by — not exceeding fifty miles 
from where the smelters are being built. 

"True, the present mode of transportation 
is anything else but what it should be. for the 
successful handling and marketing of this coal 
in large quantities ; but where there is a demand 
for stuff than can be had, the men who control 
these valuable coal deposits will not long hesi- 
tate in finding a way to place their products 
within the reach of the pleople who are anxious 
to procure and willing to pay for them. Al- 
though the Grande Ronde coal fields can not be 
classed as so much available assets, it is good 



to know that they are located in Asotin county 
and not elsewhere, for in the near future they 
will mean much to eastern Washington." 

To the Clarkston Republican Newton Hibbs 
wrote as follows : 

"Very few, if any, of the citizens of Asotin 
county have a definite idea of the importance 
of the Grande Ronde coal properties as a prob- 
able home industry. The existence of a car- 
boniferous deposit in that region has been cur- 
rently reported for many years. As strange 
as it may seem not a ten foot prospect hole had 
ever been dug to determine the extent and nat- 
ure of this unusual mineral occurrence, until 
last summer, 1900. ****** The 
Grande Ronde coal is of flood-wood origin. 
The deposit is unusually thick, being as much 
as 30 feet in some exposures. The ordinary 
deteriorating influences are not present in this 
instance, owing to the thickness of the layer 
and the fact that the overlying structure is of 
lava formation. The mineral sediment which 
usually adulterates flood-wood deposits are not 
available here. The basalts of this country 
generate oils in a degree to saturate this lignite. 
This is a general characteristic of this forma- 
tion. Only true lignite deposits have been 
found between strata of basalt in other quarters 
of the world. They are highly inflammable. 
The naptha districts of Arizona have furnished 
samples of lignite like the Grande Ronde pro- 
duct which were free from mineral saturation. 
They are ideal fuels and the new coal fields of 
Montana, of which it was said recently in the 
newspapers and scientific journals that a new 
theory had been developed, are not unlike the 
Grande Ronde deposits, and analysis and explo- 
ration and experts reports have demonstrated 
the quality and quantity of the Grande Ronde 
deposits. As the quartz miner would meas- 
ure his ore, the coal measures of the Grande 
Ronde river are blocked out and there are in 
sight 100,000,000 tons. In the light of assay 
and expert reports the quality of the coal is 



yio 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



better for domestic fuel or furnace coal than 
the present commercial coal supply of this dis- 
trict." 

In September. 1901, the Spokane Public 
Land published the following : 

"Perhaps the largest body of coal that has 
been discovered in the United States in the last 
twenty years is that on the state boundary be- 
tween Washington and Oregon. This great 
body of coal land is located in Asotin county, 
Washington, and "Wallowa county, Oregon, 
and is most easy of access by way of Asotin ; 
thence by way of Anatone to Hansen's Ferry 
on the Grande Ronde river, which crosses the 
dividing line between the two states at the 
point mentioned. This body of coal crops out 
at points very close together for a distance of 
twelve miles on either side of the river and there 
are thousands of acres that have been filed on 
under the homestead laws that now show fine 
coal prospects. There are other thousands of 
acres that have been covered by local men with 
coal land declaratory statements, and still other 
land that has not been covered at all, but which 
show strong coal measures. 

"This body of coal is lignite, of fine quality, 
improves, and with depth changes to bitumin- 
ous. There are also many indications of nat- 
ural gas and oil, but no prospecting has been 
done for either oil or gas. In the coal deposits 
the local men have run several tunnels and sunk 
shafts through 20 feet of solid coal; in fact 
have found so much coal that they did not need 
to do much digging to get it. There is no 
question but that the deposit is a very large one. 
These coal measures are fifteen miles from the 
mouth of the Grande Ronde river." 

There is a fine quality of building stone in 
Asotin county. It is pure white magnesia sand 
stone, and there is a mountain of it which some 
day will be extensively used for building pur- 
poses. Enough of this stone was quarried to 
erect one building in Lewiston, one of the finest 
there, but so far this is all that has been taken 



out. 'February 6, 1891, the Spokesman Re- 
view said : 

"G. W. Morrison, secretary of the Lewis- 
ton Magnesia Stone Company, is in the city 
(Spokane). The company has recently incor- 
porated with a capital of $100,000, divided into 
1,000 shares of the par value of $100 each. 
The officers are D. M. White, president ; J. B. 
Morris, treasurer, and G. W. Morrison, sec- 
retary. 

"Mr. Morrison brought with him to this 
city 18,000 shares, all of which he sold to Spo- 
kane parties, and telegraphed to Lewiston for 
more. John Keenan, the well known stone 
contractor, bought 1,200 shares and will de- 
velop the quarry for the company and put the 
stone on the market. 

"The quarry is situated on Asotin creek, 
in Asotin county, Washington, fifteen miles 
from Lewiston. The supply of the rock is, ap- 
parently inexhaustible. The existence of this 
remarkable stone was discovered many years 
ago, but its true value was not known until le- 
cently. The stone has been used for various 
purposes for years, and a large piece is now on 
exhibition in this city, which was recently taken 
from a fireplace where it had withstood the test 
of fire for 2J years without injury. Repeated 
tests have been made in this city which show 
that the stone is fireproof and capable of with- 
standing a pressure greater than brick. It is 
almost a pure white, light in weight and when 
taken from the quarry is so soft that it can be 
sawed or cut with the greatest ease. It can 
be dressed and placed in a wall more cheaply 
than any other building stone yet discovered in 
this section." 

About the same time the Asotin Sentinel 
said : 

"Everybody has gone wild in Asotin over 
the late discovery of magnesian building stone 
at our very doors. A competent 'rock sharp' 
visiting the county at the present time would 
attract more attention than the president of the 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



711 



union. The boys are building imaginary pal- 
aces out of these discoveries and will fall hard 
should it turn out that only a guano bed was in 
sight and no market in the country for fer- 
tilizers." 

Concerning the discovery of marble in the 
county the Sentinel on November 6, 1891, 
said : 

"Mr. R. F. Beale, the stone and mineral 
expert, passed through town two weeks ago. 
Few, if any, knew his object, as his general ap- 
pearance did not indicate that he was a prospec- 
tor or capitalist. Tuesday evening of this week 
Mr. Beale returned, stating that he has for one 
year or more known of a very valuable deposit 
of fine marble, and so started to locate it at the 
advice and instruction of some parties in Spo- 
kane. After a hard and rough trip of eight 
days in company with J. C. Burke and C. C. 
Taplin, of this county, the mouth of the Grande 
Ronde was reached. Here they beheld bluffs 
of marble of the finest quality and in quantities 
to supply the world. This marble is far supe- 
rior to any other marble in America, and in 
fact it is of a better quality and finer grain than 
the Italian. 

"Mr. Beale states that the Snake river mar- 
ble has one great advantage over all others, as 
it has all the different colors from pure white 
to jet black; and also light and dark blue, 
veined and mottled. Jet black marble is found 
in but two other places in the world, and the 
new find is equal to that taken from the quar- 
ries of Egypt, and is susceptible of a high 
polish." 

Mr. Henry Landes, state geologist, re- 
ported from the Washington Geological Sur- 
vey : 

"Mr. Miles C. Moore, of Walla Walla, also 
has another granite quarry further up the 
Snake river near the mouth of the Grande 
Ronde river. The stone here is darker col- 
ored and finer grained than the stone from the 
other quarry (referring to another quarry 
owned by Mr. Moore, about 30 miles down the 



river from Lewiston, in Whitman county.) 
This stone is said to take a very high polish and 
has been used to some extent for monumental 
purposes. This quarry, however, is not very 
easily accessible on account of the fact that the 
Snake river is, practically, unnavigable above 
Asotin. At times of high water, however, 
boats have been above the quarry and some of 
the stone has been shipped from there. 

"Under the microscope thin sections of this 
granite show it to be composed principally of 
quartz, feldspar and mica. The feldspar is 
more abundant than the quartz and both the 
orthoclase and plagioclase are present. The in- 
dividual grains composing the rock vary much 
in size and range from those that are not more 
than a millimeter in diameter up to those that 
are as much as one-fourth of an inch in diame- 
ter — these being the feldspars. In ordinary 
light the quartz is almost transparent but in the 
sections examined it is not very common, at 
least not so common as the feldspar. The feld- 
spar has a clouded appearance but does not 
show the zonal structure which is so frequently 
found in this mineral. The decomposition has 
taken place among the minute seams which are 
very common in the feldspars in this granite. 
In places the sections show spots that have the 
appearance of being a collection of crushed min- 
eral fragments. The mica occurs in flakes and 
masses of varying size, and in the hand speci- 
mens occur more or less in layers giving them 
somewhat of a banded appearance. In polar- 
ized light between crossed nicols the polysyn- 
thetic twing so characteristic of plagioclase is 
well shown. In some places inclusions are 
quite noticable, and these vary considerably in 
size, but in no instance are they very large. The 
following chemical analysis shows the composi- 
tion of the granite from this locality : 

"Silicia (Si 02), 7170; ferric iron 
(Fe2 02), 1.46; ferrous (Fe o), 1.80; alu- 
mina (AI2 03). 14.54; lime (Ca o), 3.13; 
magnesia (Mg o), 0.39; water at 100 degrees 
C (H2 o) ; water above no degrees C (H2 o), 



712 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



0.92 ; alkalies and undetermined, 6.06 — 100.00. 

In the above analysis the alkalies not having 
been separated, it does not show the kinds of 
feldspars that are present nor in what propor- 
tions. In making the physical tests two-inch 
cubes of the granite were prepared by cutting 
them by hand with hammer and chisel to ap- 
proximate size, and then rubbing the faces 
smooth. These cubes were used in making 
tests of the crushing strength of this stone, and 
it ranges from 10,730 to 16,400 pounds per 
square inch, while the modulus of elasticity is 
from 1,532,000 to 5,135,000 pounds to the 
square inch. While these tests do not give a 
very high crushing strength for this granite, 
at the same time it is probably great enough for 
all practicable purposes and in fact far in ex- 
cess of the pressure to which it will ever be 
subjected in any building or structure of any 
kind. 

"Reference to table II shows the specific 
gravity to be 2.677 : tne ratio of absortion as 
shown in the same table is .36 of one per cent, 
and the percentage of pore space is .969 of one 
per cent of the total mass of the rock. The 
samples used to determine the specific gravity 
and the porosity were alternately frozen and 
thawed each day, for a period of 20 days, and 
the loss in weight carefully determined. It will 
be seen by referring to table III that the loss 
in weight of a cube weighing 1 14.417 grams 
was .043 grams, or .036 of one per cent of total 
mass of the rock. The crushing strength of the 
frozen samples was not tested to see how much 
the stone had been weakened. Samples were 
heated in the muffle to test the power of this 
granite to resist high temperature and sudden 
changes. At a temperature of 800 degrees 
F. the stone crumbled on the edges and when 
heated to 1,200 degrees F., and cooled, the 
sample emitted the peculiar ring characteristic 
of stone which has been heated to a red heat and 
the strength of the rock was, practically, gone. 
A sample was heated to 800 degrees F., and 
cooled suddenly by being plunged into cold 



water, the result being that the strength of the 
sample was almost entirely destroyed, it being 
so weak that it could be powdered between the 
fingers. The feldspar was somewhat changed 
in color, the slightly pinkish tinge which is 
found in some cases being considerably inten- 
sified." 

In respect to manufactured goods Asotin 
does not lay claim to having accomplished 
much. Industries along this line are those of 
manufacturing lumber and flour. There are two 
saw mills of a considerable capacity located at 
Anatone, one near Cloverland and two or three 
smaller mills in what is known as the Grouse 
country. There is but one flour mill in the coun- 
ty and that is located at Asotin, with a capacity 
of about fifty barrels per day. Just what the 
future will bring forth in this respect remains 
to be seen, but there are certainly openings for 
industries of various characters, such as a can- 
ning and preserve factory, creamery, pickle 
factory, etc. It takes time to bring all these 
things to a new country, but they can be had. 
While there are many things that might be 
said about Asotin county, one important point 
is that land is cheaper here than in many other 
districts in Washington. Splendid farm land 
can be purchased at from $8 to $20 per acre, 
and land, too, that will grow double the amount 
of grain of any land in Minnesota or the Da- 
kotas. Taxes are low and the county indebt- 
edness, above all assets, in 1903, did not exceed 
$20,000. It is one of the smallest counties in 
size in Wahington, but one of the greatest in 
natural resources. 

Undoubtedly flax would be a profitable crop 
in Asotin county. A few tests have been made 
and splendid returns have been obtained, but 
no special attention has ever been given that 
article to make it a leading product. Just across 
the line in Idaho, however, it is successfully 
grown and yields from fourteen to twenty 
bushels to the acre. Asotin lands are of the 
same altitude and the growth of flax could cer- 
tainly be made a leading product. The grow- 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



7i3 



ing of alfalfa is beginning to meet with con- 
siderable attention from many people who de- 
sire to secure a large quantity of feed from a 
small area of land. Of course the growth of 
this character of grass must be in the irrigated 
sections where it can have all the water desired. 
On the low lands as many as four full crops 
may be successfully grown and harvested an- 
nually, while on the higher lands two crops may 
always be raised and sometimes three. This 
grass will yield about two tons per acre each 
cutting. It serves as an excellent feed for cat- 
tle or hogs. 

There are fourteen postoffices in Asotin 
county, located at the most convenient places 



of access, with a service ranging from daily 
down to three times per week, thus insuring all 
an opportunity of keeping in constant touch 
with the great and busy outside world through 
the mediums of the daily and weekly papers. 
The four offices that have daily mail service are 
Asotin, Clarkston, Anatonej and Theon — (the 
two latter places daily except Sunday. 

There are twenty-nine public school dis- 
tricts in the county where school is maintained 
from four to nine months per year in each dis- 
trict. All are supplied with comfortable build- 
ings and considerable apparatus for the success- 
ful carrying on of profitable school work. 



CHAPTER V 



POLITICAL. 



The gradual growth of a county can, to a 
great extent, be gauged by the vote cast at its 
successive elections. At the first election in 
Asotin county, in November, 1884, less than 
500 votes were cast ; and this included the vote 
of the women, who, at that period in the his- 
tory of the Territory, enjoyed suffrage. At 
the election in November, 1904, just twenty 
years later, 1,066 votes were polled. Asotin 
county is, normally, Republican so far as na- 
tional and state issues are concerned ; and it has 
been so since its formation, with the exception 
of the period when the Populists controlled 
political affairs in the county. So far as county 
issues are concerned it has been customary to 
elect the best men, or those believed to be 
the best men, and owing to this quite a 
number of Democrats have have succeeded to 
various county offices. In early days and, in 
fact, up to recent years, salaries of Asotin 
county officials were extremely low — so insig- 
nificant indeed, that notlvnp - but the honor re- 



mained to induce a candidate to compete for 
office. Yet, despite this fact, the county has 
ever been most fortunate in the selection of re- 
liable and capable officials. There has never 
been a defaulter in the county's service ; this 
can be said of but few counties in the state. 

As has been stated in a previous chapter 
John Weissenfels, J. D. Swain and William 
Critchfield were named as commissioners for 
the new county of Asotin. Wednesday, No- 
vember 14, 1883, these gentlemen met and se- 
lected the other county officials to serve until 
their successors were elected and qualified. 
These first officers were : John L. Vinson, 
sheriff; H. Wamsley, assessor; S. S. Bennet, 
probate judge; Charle Goodwin, school super- 
intendent; J. J. Kanawyer, treasurer; Jackson 
O'Keefe, surveyer; A. J. Allen, coroner; S. T. 
Jones, sheep commissioner ; S. S. Rogers, aud- 
itor. 

Messrs. O'Keefe, Allen and Jones refused 
the proffered honors, and Messrs. M. S. Kling, 



7M 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



J. M. Robison and R. Tuttle were appointed 
to these respective offices thus left vacant. 
Other vancancies occurred before the terms ex- 
pired and officers were chosen by the commis- 
sioners for the unexpired terms, as follows : 
February 4. 1884, Adolph Schrader, surveyor; 
February 4. 1884, Miss Angie Bean, superin- 
tendent of schools. These served until their 
successors, elected in November, 1884, quali- 
fied in 1885. 

April 26. 1884. a Republican mass meeting- 
was held at Theon and D. T. Welch and D. B. 
Pettijohn were chosen to attend the district con- 
vention at Dayton. Asotin county's first Re- 
publican central committee comprised the fol- 
lowing named gentlemen from the different 
precincts named : Asotin, S. F. Bennett ; Cot- 
tonwood, D. T. "Welch ; Pleasant, A. T. Have- 
Ion; Lake, J. D. Swain; Grande Ronde, M. Mc- 
Millan. They were selected at a Republican 
mass meeting held at Asotin, Saturday, May 
31, 1884. Of this meeting M. B. Mitchell was 
chairman and R. A. Case secretary. 

The first Republican county convention held 
in Asotin county was called to order at Theon, 
August 16, 1884, to select candidates for the 
various county offices. The delegates partici- 
pating in this convention were : Cottonwood 
Precinct— D. T. Welch, B. F. Onstott, D. Mor- 
gan, M. S. Kling, James M. Smith, G. W. 
Cummings, A. S. Toops, W. E. Benedict and 
J. J. Lewis. 

Asotin Precinct — H. A. Simons, Charles 
Richards, D. J. Wann and E. A. Case. 

Grande Ronde Precinct — M. F. Galloway, 
A. M. Martin and J. E. Bushell. 

Lake Precinct — B. B. McClure, E. Jones 
and R. A. Case. 

Pleasant Precinct — A. T. Havelon. 

D. T. Welch was chairman of the conven- 
tion, J. E. Bushell, secretary, and C. Richards, 
assistant. The following were selected as a 
county central committee: D. Morgan, A. M. 
Martin, S. R. Hudson, B. B. McClure and H. 



A. Simons. The candidates for county officers 
nominated were : Charles Richards, sheriff ; D. 
J. Wann, treasurer; H. E. Benedict, auditor; 

B. F. Onstott, assessor; A. S. Toops, J. B. 
Wardwell and A. J. Sherrod, commissioners; 
A. Schrader, surveyor; Miss Angie Bean, 
school superintendent; Dr. H. C. Fulton, cor- 
oner ; W. R. Tuttle, sheep commissioner ; D. T. 
Welch, A. T. Havelon and D. Morgan, dele- 
gates to the territorial convention. 

The Democrats also held their first county 
convention at Theon. It was convened Sep- 
tember 6, and was presided over by J. H. Ro- 
mane. A. J. Weissenfels was secretary. The 
delegates participating in this convention were : 

Grande Ronde Precinct — J. S. Stone, J. A. 
Weissenfels, Jacob Flock and Charles Heiby. 

Cottonwood Precinct — Frank Huber, Wil- 
lis Ward, J. H. Romane, J. W. Newman, J. J. 
Cole and J. S. Bay. 

Asotin Precinct — J. Maguire, J. Lyle, A. 
Sumpter and W. Nixon. 

Lake Precinct — Thomas Trent, Henry 
Smith and W. C. Vick. 

Pleasant Precinct — E. H. Vinson. 

The county central committee selected 
were : Cottonwood, H. W. Ward ; Grande 
Ronde, Charles Heiby; Asotin, A. Sumpter; 
Lake, J. Copher; Pleasant, E. H. Vinson. 
These were the nominations for county officers : 
John L. Vinson, sheriff; John Embree, treas- 
urer ; John Romaine, probate judge ; John Weis- 
senfels, assessor; R. C. Ford, coroner; B. 
Maurice, surveyor; R. Patterson, sheep com- 
missioner. J. N. Boggan was later named as 
the nominee for school superintendent. The 
places for auditor and school superintendent 
were left blank. Jackson O'Keefe and I. R. 
Snodderly were selected to serve as delegates 
to the Territorial convention. 

Asotin county's initial election was in No- 
vember, 1884. The precincts and officers of 
election were as follows : 

Asotin Precinct — Jackson O'Keefe, in-* 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



715 



spector; L. M. Butler, M. B. Mitchell, judges. 

Pleasant Precinct — E. H. Vinson, inspect- 
or; J. D. Cardwell, William Holland, judges. 

Lake Precinct — W. E. Vick, inspector; E. 
P. Harlow, John R. Sargeant, judges. 

Cottonwood Precinct — a. Holm, in- 
spector; J. P. Bowyer, J. S. Bay, judges. 

Grande Ronde — J. F. Maness, inspector; J. 
S. Stone, Jacob Flock, judges. 

The election occurred November 4, 1884, 
when new county officials were elected, and the 
permanent countyseat was selected. Nearly 500 
votes were cast in the county, of which about 
eighty were cast by women. In the main the 
Republican county ticket was successful, only 
three Democrats being elected. They were one 
commissioner, sheriff and assessor. The vote 
for the different candidates was : 

For Delegate to Congress — J. M. Arm- 
strong, Rep., 266; C. S. Voorhees, Dem., 226. 

For Brigadier General — W. M. Peel, Rep., 
282 ; James McAuliff, Dem., 209. 

For Adjutant General — R. G. O'Brien, 
Rep., 282; W. E. Anderson, Dem., 208. 

For Quartermaster General — D. B. Jack- 
son, Rep., 282; Frank Hand, Dem., 209. 

For Commissary General — H. W. Living- 
ston, Rep., 281; Simon Berg, Dem., 209. 

For Joint Councilmen for Columbia, Gar- 
field and Asotin Counties — B. B. Day, Rep., 
269; C. H. Warner, Dem., 252. 

For Joint Councilman for Walla Walla, Co- 
lumbia, Garfield, Asotin, Whitman, Adams and 
Franklin Counties — I. Carson, Rep., 252 ; S. 
L. Gilbreath, Dem., 211. 

For Joint Representative Garfield and Aso- 
tin Counties — J. A. Perkins, Rep., 210; M. 
C. Harris, Dem., 193. 

For Joint Prosecuting Attorney, Columbia, 
Garfield and Asotin Counties — R. F. Sturde- 
vant. 325. 

For County Commissioners— G B. W T ard- 
well. Rep., 309; A. S. Toops, Rep., 132; A. J. 
Sherrod, Rep., 285; H. W. Ward, Dem., 268; 



Brad Hodges, Dem., 258; James Urquhart, 
Dem., 161. 

For Probate Judge — R. A. Case, Rep., 
353; John Romane, Dem., 117. 

For Auditor — H. E. Benedict, Rep., 274; 
S. S. Rogers, Ind., 167. 

For Treasurer — D. J. Wann, Rep., 293 ; J. 
A. Embree, Dem., 183. 

For Sheriff — Charles Richards, Rep., 156; 
J. L. Vinson, Dem., 328. 

For Assessor — B. F. Onstott, Rep., 193 ; J. 
A. Weissenfels, Dem., 281. 

For Coroner — J. J. Lewis, Rep., 243 ; R. C. 
Ford, Dem., 220. 

For School Superintendent — Angie Bean, 
Rep., 300; J. N. Boggan, Dem., 171. 

For Surveyor — A. Schrader, Rep., 322 ; B. 
Maurice, Dem., 166. 

For Sheep Commissioner — W. R. Tuttle, 
Rep., 235 ; R. Patterson, Dem., 192. 

For Countyseat — Asotin, 377; Theon, 106; 
majority for Asotin, 271. 

For taxing church property, 158; against, 
214. 

The Republican county convention of 1886 
met at the hall of E. Baumeister & Company, 
in Asotin, and placed a ticket in the field for 
the fall election. This was on August 27. H. 
D. Harlow was selected chairman and D. J. 
Wann, secretary. Delegates to the Territorial 
convention were R. A. Case, D. T. Welch, S. 
R. Hudson and H. E. Benedict. They were in- 
structed to cast their votes for George W. Bai- 
ley from prosecuting attorney, and for D. T. 
Welch for representative for the district. The 
county central committee selected were : H. A. 
Simons, S. R. Hudson, M. McMillan, H. D. 
Harlow and D. T. Welch. The nominees for 
office were: Al Stiff el, sheriff; R. A. Case, pro- 
bate judge ; H. E. Benedict, auditor ; G. B. 
Wardwell, J. D. Swain and M. Scully, com- 
missioners; Mrs. D. A. Mcintosh, school su- 
perintendent; D. J. Wann, treasurer; A. 
Schrader, surveyor; W. R. Tuttle, sheep com- 



716 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



missioner ; H. C. Fulton, coroner, and Henry S. 
Critchfield, assessor. 

Morey's hall, Asotin, was the scene of the 
Democratic convention. It was held Saturday, 
September 1 1. The following ticket was placed 
in nomination : A. Whiton, W. C. Vick and M. 
Scully, county commissioners ; E. L. Routh, 
sheriff; C. G. Morey, auditor; Jackson 
O'Keefe, treasurer; E. B. Lartigue, surveyor; 
J. M. Robison, coroner; J. A. Weissenfels, as- 
sessor; J. L. Vinson, probate judge; Richard 
Patterson, sheep commissioner; Mrs. S. E. 
Morril, Independent, indorsed by the con- 
vention. 

The campaign of 1886 was far from being 
exciting. About the same number of votes 
were cast as in the election of two years be- 
fore — a little less than 500. At the head of 
the ticket was C. M. Bradshaw, Republican, 
and C. S. Voorhees, Democrat, for delegates 
to congress. Mr. Bradshaw carried the county 
by a majority of twenty-three over his oppo- 
nent. The Democrats carried the county for 
the joint candidate for prosecuting attorney, 
and elected their candidates for treasurer, pro- 
bate judge, assessor and school superintendent. 
The vote : 

For Delegate to Congress — C. M. Brad- 
shaw, Rep., 251 ; C. S. Voorhees, 228. 

For Joint Councilman (Columbia, Garfield 
and Asotin Counties) — O. C. White, Rep., 
269; W. E. Ayers, Dem., 212. 

For Joint Representative (Garfield and 
Asotin Counties)- — R. A. Case, Rep., 265 ; D. 
H. Poyneer, Dem., 195. 

For Prosecuting Attorney (Garfield and 
Asotin Counties) — W. N. Noff singer, Rep., 
234; L. J. Dittemore, Dem., 235. 

For Sheriff— Al Stiffel, Rep., 280; E. L. 
Routh, Dem., 172; D. McAlpin, Inch, 28. 

For Auditor — H. E. Benedict, Rep., 359; 
C. G. Morey, Dem., 125. 

For Treasurer — D. J. Wann., Rep., 222; 
Jackson O'Keefe. Dem., 258. 



For Probate Judge — D. F. West, Rep., 
213; J. L. Vinson, Dem., 253. 

For Assessor — H. S. Critchfield, Rep., 221 ; 
J. A. Weissenfels, Dem., 252. 

For School Superintendent — Mrs. D. A. 
Mcintosh, Rep., 157; Mrs. S. E. Morrill, 
Dem., 305. 

For Coroner — H. C. Fulton, Rep., 272 ; J. 
M. Robison, Dem., 41. 

For Surveyor — A. Schrader, Rep., 256; E. 
B. Lartigue, Dem., 201. 

For Sheep Commissioner — W. R. Tuttle, 
Rep., 276; R. Patterson, Dem., 211. 

For County Commissioners — M. Scully, 
Rep., 321; J. D. Swain, Rep., 274; G. B. 
Wardwell, Rep., 287; A. Whiton, Dem., 265; 
W. C. Vick, Dem., 194. 

April 3, 1888, both the Republican and 
Democratic county central committees met at 
Asotin and selected delegates to attend the Ter- 
ritorial conventions to select delegates to the 
opposing national conventions. The Repub- 
licans selected C. M. Poor, D. T. Welch, H. A. 
Simons and Eli Cooper. The Democrats chose 
L. J. Dittemore to attend their Territorial 
convention. 

The Republican county convention assem- 
bled September 5, 1888, at Asotin. D. T. 
Welch was selected chairman and John Dill, 
secretary. Delegates to the regular Territorial 
convention were D. T. Welch, E. Baumeister, 
J. N. Rice and William E. Benedict. They were 
instructed to vote for J. B. Allen for candidate 
for delegate to congress. The county central 
committee selected were H. C. Fulton, chair- 
man ; W. E. Benedict, J. D. Swain, M. McMil- 
land and Wiggins. 

September 15 the Democrats got together 
at Asotin with S. T. Jones in the chair and E. 
L. Routh, secretary. With the exception of 
auditor, which office was left with the county 
central committee to fill, a full ticket was 
named. The following were selected members 
of the county central committee : D. Talbot, 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



7i7 



chairman; J. S. Bay, W. C. Vick, James Bog- 
gan and J. L. Vinson. 

November 6, the day of election, the woman 
suffrage law had been declared unconstitutional, 
consequently less than 300 votes were cast in 
Asotin county. The Republicans carried the 
county for the head of the ticket — delegates to 
congress — by 54 majority ; and the county for 
their candidates for joint senator and represen- 
tatives, besides electing the larger part of their 
county ticket. The Democrats elected their 
candidates for treasurer, school superintendent, 
surveyor and two commissioners. The official 
vote: 

For Delegate to Congress — John B. Allen, 
Rep., 193; Charles S. Voorhees, Dem., 139. 

For Joint Councilman (Columbia, Gar- 
field and Asotin Counties) — D. T. Welch, Rep., 
194; M. M. Godman, Dem., 131. 

For Joint Representative (Garfield and 
Asotin Counties) — W. S. Oliphant, Rep., 181 ; 
Joseph Ledgerwood, Dem., 154. 

For Sheriff— Al Stiffel, Rep., 195 ; K. Mc- 
intosh, Dem., 139. 

For Auditor — H. E. Benedict, Rep., 223, 
no opposition. 

For County Commissioners — Edward 
Knox, Rep., 218; F. Sandoll, Rep., 136; A. S. 
Toops, Rep., 142; G. W. Philips, Dem., 181; 
J. S. Stone, Dem., 135; Frank Huber, Dem., 
177. 

For Prosecuting Attorney (Garfield and 
Asotin Counties) — W. N. Noffsinger, Rep., 
209; M. F. Gose, Dem., 132. 

For Probate Judge — G. A. Rogers, Rep., 
236; J. A. Weissenfels, Dem., 99. 

For Treasurer — J. N. Rice, Rep., 155; 
Jackson O'Keefe, Dem., 176. 

For Assessor — W. R. Turtle, Rep., 220; E. 
L. Routh, Dem.,' 112. 

For School Superintendent — D. S. Jen- 
nings. Rep., 145 ; W. W. Henry, Dem., 189. 

For Surveyor — A. Schrader, Rep., 154; D. 
Carson, Dem., 172. 



For Coroner — Len Henry, Rep., 179; J. N. 
Boggan, Dem., 104. 

For Sheep Commissioner — James Fuller,- 
Rep., 157; D. A. White, Dem., 129. 

For the election of delegates to the consti- 
tutional convention in 1889 Washington was 
divided into twenty-five districts. District No. 
8 included the counties of Adams, Garfield^ 
Asotin and Franklin. Each district was re- 
quired to elect three delegates. This election 
was held May 14, 1889. ^ n Asotin county only 
188 votes were cast — about half the total vot- 
ing strength of the county. The vote of the 
county was: Elmon Scott, Rep., 99; D. Bu- 
chanan, Rep., 101; Gray, Dem., 68; S. G. 
Cosgrove, Incl, 58; F. W. D. Mays, Ind., 24. 

For the election to be held on October 1, 
1889, to adopt or reject the constitution of the 
proposed new state of Washington and to elect 
representatives to the state legislative body 
and a county clerk, which office was provided 
for in the new constitution, the Republican and 
Democratic parties of Asotin county held their 
conventions in August. The Republican con- 
vention was held at Asotin on the 29th. Dele- 
gates to the Territorial convention were : E. 
Baumeister, H. E. Benedict and M. McMillan. 
Candidates were selected as follows : Represen- 
tative, William Farrish ; clerk, John Dill. The 
Democrats convened at Asotin on the 31st, and' 
selected as their delegates to the Territorial con- 
vention I. R. Snodderly and J. L. Vinson, G. 
W. Phillips was placed in nomination for rep- 
resentative and D. W. Savage for clerk. 

The election of October 1st to select the 
first state officers, vote on the constitution, the 
location of the state capital and other questions 
brought out a trifle less than 300 votes in Aso- 
tin county. The Republican party was found 
to have a majority of forty-eight on state of- 
ficers, and they carried the county for all their 
candidates except for one of the supreme 
judges— B. L. Sharpstein. The official vote: 

For Congressman — John L. Wilson, Rep.,. 
172; T. C. Griffetts, Dem.. 124. 



7 i8 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



For Governor — Elisha P. Ferry, Rep., 171 ; 
Eugene Semple, Dem., 125. 

For Lieutenant Governor — Charles E. 
Laughton, Rep., 172; L. H. Platter, Dem., 
124. 

For Secretary of State — Allen Weir, Rep., 
172; W. H. Whittlesey, Dem., 124. 

For State Treasurer — A. A. Lindsey, Rep., 
172; M. Kaufman, Dem., 124. 

For State Auditor — T. M. Reed, Rep., 172; 
John M. Murphy, Dem., 124. 

For Attorney General — W. C. Jones, Rep., 
172; H. J. Snively, Dem., 124. 

For Superintendent of Public Instruction — 
R. B. Bryan, Rep., 170; J. H. Morgan, Dem., 
126. 

For Commissioner Public Lands — W. T. 
Forrest, Rep., 172; M. Z. Goodell, Dem., 124. 

For Supreme Judges — R. O. Dunbar, Rep., 
173; Theodore L. Styles, Rep., 143; John P. 
Hoyt, Rep., 173; T. J. Anders, Rep., 180; El- 
mon Scott, Rep., 161 ; J. B. Reavis, Dem., 124; 
W. H. White, Dem., 125; B. L. Sharpstein, 
Dem., 166; Frank Ganahl, Dem., 99; John 
Paul Judson, Dem., 124. 

For Superior Judge (Columbia, Garfield 
and Asotin Counties) — R. F. Sturdevant, Rep., 
165: M. M. Godman, Dem., 128. 

For Joint Senator (Columbia, Garfield 
and Asotin Counties) — C. G. Austin, Rep., 
164; John Brady, Dem., 129. 

For Representative^ — William ,, Farrish, 
Rep.. 212; G. W. Phillips, Dem., 84. 

For County Clerk — John Dill, Rep., 173; 
D. W. Savage, Dem.. 122. 

For the constitution, 83; against constitu- 
tion. 201. 

For woman suffrage, 97; against woman 
suffrage, 173. 

For prohibition, 113; against prohibition, 
147. 

For Location of State Capital — North Ya- 
kima, 122; Ellensburg, 167; Olympia, 5; 
Pasco, 1. 



The Republican county convention of 1890 
was held at Asotin September 20. There were 
no aspirants for the offices of prosecuting at- 
torney and coroner ; otherwise a full ticket was 
placed in nomination. Delegates to the state 
convention chosen were : E. Baumeister, 
Charles Isecke and D .T. Welch. The county 
central committee chosen were : H. C. Fulton, 
D. S. Trescott, A. H. Huntsinpiller, M. Mc- 
Millan, Al Stiffel and S. R. Hudson. 

In the campaign of 1890 the Prohibitionists 
entered the field for the first time, nominating 
an incomplete ticket. The convention was held 
at Asotin, September 25. J. L. Vinson was 
elected delegate to the joint convention which 
was later held at Pomeroy. 

To attend their state convention of 1890 
the Democrats selected F. Huber, J. N. Boggan, 
W. J. Boggan and J. H. Craig. Their county 
convention was held at Anatone, August 20. 

The Democrats met at Asotin October 4 
and placed in nomination candidates for all 
county officers except representatives, coroner 
and surveyor. The county central committee 
chosen were : Elmer Waldrip, chairman ; G. 
C. Percifull, H. W. Ward, J. S. Stone, D. Mor- 
row and E. H. Vinson. 

The election was held November 4. There 
were cast 320 votes. As usual the result was 
the election of members of both parties to the 
county offices. For the head of the ticket the 
Republicans had a plurality of 30. On the 
county ticket the Democrats elected two com- 
missioners and their candidates for treasurer 
and school superintendent. The Prohibition 
vote was not large. The official vote : 

For Congressman — John L. Wilson, Rep., 
139; Thomas Carroll, Dem., 109; Robert 
Abernathy, Pro., 18. 

For Representative — William Farrish, 
Rep., 223; John L. Vinson, Pro., 76. 

For Assessor — William Rogers, Rep., 152; 
S. T. Jones, Dem., 132; Z. K. Heinzman, 
Pro., 25. 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



719 



For Auditor — H. E. Benedict, Rep., 237. 

For Clerk— D. T. Welch, Rep., 159; El- 
mer, Waldrip, Dem., 153. 

For County Commissioner (First District) 
— Charles Isecke, Rep., 127; W. H. Smith, 
Dem., 175. 

For County Commissioner (Setond Dis- 
trict — D. F. West, Rep., 118; R. H. Vannaus- 
dle Dem., 133; James Forgy, Pro., 36. 

For County Commissioner (Third District) 
— O. Gilmore, Rep., 142 ; Frank Huber, Dem., 
140; Emory Lathrop, Pro., 19. 

For School Superintendent — D. W. Sav- 
age, Dem., 214. 

For Sheriff — James Justus, Rep., 162; 
Benjamin F. Patterson, Dem., 142. 

For Treasurer — J. N. Rice, Rep., 144; 
Jackson O'Keefe, Dem., 176. 

For Location of State Capital — Ellens- 
burg, 135; North Yakima, 88; Olympia, 57. 

For county bonds, 1 59 ; against county 
bonds, jy. 

The Democratic convention of 1892 was 
held at Asotin August 13. James Urquhart 
was chairman and John A. Weissenfels, sec- 
retary. Delegates to the state convention se- 
lected were Jackson O'Keefe, S. T. Jones, J. 
A. Weissenfels and Henry Talbott. There 
were a number of contests for the nominations 
for several of the county offices. Members 
chosen for the county central committee were : 
J. A. Weissenfels, S. T. Jones, John Dick, R. 
H. Vannausdle, J. S. Bay and Henry Talbott. 

A second convention was held by the Dem- 
ocrats October 4. This was rendered necessary 
on account of the withdrawal of several of their 
nominees. James Urquhart was chairman and 
J. A. Weissenfels, secretary. Those participat- 
ing were the same delegates as attended the 
first convention. They completed a county 
ticket. 

July 12 the Republican county central com- 
mittee met at Anatone. They selected H. C. 
Fulton, I. H. Bingham and Al Stiffel to repre- 
sent the county at the state convention. 



September 24 the Republican county con- 
vention was held at Asotin. D. F. West was 
chairman and D. S. Trescott, secretary. The 
county central committee selected were: J. W. 
Green, chairman, J. W. King, E. W. Peck, 
Daniel McGilvery, W. J. Clemans, E. W. 
Craig and D. F. West. This convention devel- 
oped considerable friction, and there were con- 
tests for nearly all the offices. The struggle for 
the nomination for sheriff was three-cornered 
and twenty ballots were required to select a 
nominee. The candidates before the convention 
were B. R. Howard, J. M. Justus and Charles 
Rice, the first named winning out. 

The election was held November 8. There 
were cast 380 votes, a gain of sixty over the 
vote of two years previous. The county was 
found to be still in the Republican column, the 
Republican presidential electors having majori- 
ties over the Democratic nominees of a trifle 
less than fifty. The Republicans also carried 
the county for their nominees for congressman, 
state and district officers. On the county ticket 
there was again a division. The Democrats 
elected the prosecuting attorney, treasurer, 
sheriff, assessor and one commissioner. The 
vote: 

For Presidential Electors— Republicans, 
194; Democrats, 148; People's party, 18; Pro- 
hibitionists, 16. 

For Congressmen^ John L. Wilson. Rep., 
183; William H. Doolittle, Rep., 172; Thomas 
Carroll, Dem., 145 ; James A. Munday, Dem., 
140; M. F. Knox, Pp., 16; J. C. Van Patten, 
Pp., 16; C. E. Newberry, Pro., 12; A. C. Dick- 
inson, Pro., 12. 

For Governor— John H. McGraw, Rep., 
183; Henry Z. Snively, Dem., 143; C. W. 
Young, Pp., 25; Roger S. Greene, Pro., 21. 

For Joint Senator (Columbia, Garfield and 
Asotin counties)— J. A. Kellogg, Rep., 169 ; U. 
Z. Ellis, Dem., 117; Ernest Hopkins, Pp., 60. 

For Superior Judge (Columbia, Garfield 
and Asotin Counties) — Robert F. Sturdevant, 
Rep., 241; J. E. Edmiston, Dem., 115. 



720 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



For Representative — William Farrish, 
Rep., 234; Matthew Scully, Dem., 135. 

For Prosecuting Attorney — G. C. Perciful, 
Dem., 155; scattering, 4. 

For Clerk— D. T. Welch, Rep., 206; 
George Pimpell, Dem., 172. 

For Auditor — H. E. Benedict, Rep., 231; 
James Urquhart, Dem., 141. 

For Treasurer — John Dill, Rep., 173; L. B. 
Howard, Dem., 202. 

For Sheriff— B. R. Howard, Rep., 156; 
John L. Wormell, Dem., 224. 

For Assessor — William Rogers, Rep., 148; 
George Kirmear, Dem., 230. 

For School Superintendent — D. .S. Jen- 
nings, Rep., 213; Albert Cook, Dem., 154. 

For Surveyor — M. S. Kling, Rep., 192; 
John C. Burke, Dem., 170. 

For County Commissioner (First Dis- 
trict) — Edward Knox, Rep., 170; W. H. 
Smith, Dem., 198. 

For County Commissioner (Second Dis- 
trict) — Robert Sangster, Rep., 218; R. H. 
Vannausdle, Dem., 147. 

For County Commissioner (Third Dis- 
trict) — Orville Gilmore, Rep., 241. 

Saturday, August 11, 1894, the Democrats 
of Asotin county met at the town of Asotin, 
L. B. Howard in the chair. Only four candi- 
dates were placed in nomination — for the offi- 
ces of treasurer, sheriff and two commissioners 
— and they were made by acclamation. Dele- 
gates elected to the state convention were : L. 
B. Howard, J. N. Boggan and John A. Camp- 
bell. The county central committee named 
were : W. A. Barker, J. N. Boggan, John 
Fine, James Morrow, Michael Flerchinger and 
H. W. Ward. 

The Republicans assembled September 6th 
with I. H. Bingham in the chair and L. N. 
Troyer, secretary. One of the resolutions 
adopted by the convention was : 

"That equal consideration should be given 
to both of the money metals, and that each 
United States dollar should be kept at the value 



of one hundred cents, whether of gold, silver 
or paper." 

The delegates to the state convention were 
D. T. Welch, William Farrish and H. E. Ben- 
edict. The county central committee selected 
were A. S. Toops, O. Gilmore, Samuel John- 
son, M. S. Kling, James Michie, D. T. Welch, 
chairman. A full ticket was placed in the field.. 
This year marked the first appearance of 
the people's party in Asotin county. The mem- 
bers of the first county central committee were :.: 
G C. Perciful, chairman, John B. Dick, A. B. 
Craig, L. K. Brown, John Weissenfels, M. 
Scully and B. B. McClure. Peter Maguire was-, 
selected to represent the county at the state 
convention. The members of this party met in. 
convention at Asotin Saturday, September 
29th. W. J. Boggan was chosen chairman: 
and B. W. Knox, secretary. The delegates to 
this initial People's Party convention were: 

Asotin Precinct — Peter Maguire, James 
Thornton, Spencer Haworth, B. W. Knox, R. 
W. Caywood, D. P. Filer. 

Pleasant Precinct — J. B. Dick and two 
proxies. 

Lake Precinct— E. W. Peck, W. T. Trent, 
J. E. Knight, J. A. Cramer. 

Theon Precinct — B. F. Onstott, H. A.. 
Whiton, G. C. Perciful. 

Anatone Precinct — J. A. Weissenfels, and 
one proxy, Frank Huber, L. K. Brown, Henry 
Schiebe. 

Grande Ronde Precinct — W. J. Boggan, J. 
H. Craig, M. McMillan. 

The convention placed a full ticket in the 
field with the exception of prosecuting attor- 
ney. A new county central committee was se- 
lected as follows : W. J. Boggan, chairman, L. 
K. Brown, secretary, H. A. Whiton, M. Mc- 
Millan, J. B. Dick, R. W. Caywood, John 
Knight. 

The election was held November 6th. Over 
400 votes were cast. 

The entrance of the People's Party into the- 
campaign changed the political complexion of 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



721 



the county. The new party developed consid- 
erable strength, and on state and national is- 
sues the candidates of that party ran even with 
those of the Republicans. The Democrats lost 
heavily to the People's Party., and were a poor 
third on national and state issues. In the coun- 
ty the Populists elected representative, assessor, 
coroner and one commissioner; the Democrats 
elected their candidates for sheriff and treas- 
urer; and the Republicans auditor, clerk, school 
superintendent and one commissioner. The 
vote : 

For Representatives in Congress — Samuel 
C. Hyde, Rep., 165; William H. Doolittle, 
Rep., 166; N. T. Caton, Dem., 52; B. F. Heus- 
ton, Dem., 51; J. C. Van Patten, P. P., 162; 
W, P. C Adams. P. P., 165. 

For Supreme Court Judges — Ralph O. 
Dunbar. Rep., 159; M. J. Gordon, Rep., 166; 
Thomas N. Allen, Dem., 57; John L. Sharp- 
stein. Dem., 67; J. M. Ready. P. P., 156; H. 
L. Forest, P. P., 160. 

For Representative — H. E. Benedict, Rep., 
192: C. G. Gibson. P. P., 210. 

For Assessor — Orville Gilmore. Rep., 
184: George Kinnear, P. P., 207. 

For Auditor — D. T. Welch, Rep., 225 ; J. 

A. Helman, P. P.. 177. 

For Clerk — Joseph W. King, Rep., 202; 
Michael Smith, P. P., 197. 

For Coroner — L. Woodruff, P. P.. 201. 

For School Superintendent — D. S. Jen- 
nings. Rep.. 218. 

For Sheriff — J. L. Wormell, Dem., 255 ; 
R. W. Cay wood, P. P.. 141. 

For Surveyor — George Burger, Rep., 201 ; 
L. K. Brown, P. P.. 169. 

For Treasurer — L. B. Howard, Dem., 247; 

B. W. Knox, P. P., 143. 

For County Commissioner, Second District 
— Robert Sangster, Rep., 73; L. F. Fine. P. 
P.. 38. 

For County Commissioner, Third District 
— C. A. Hollenbeck. Rep., 48; Henry Talbott, 
Dem., 26: Frank Huber, P. P. 64. 

46 



August i, 1896, the Republicans decided on 
an early convention. Accordingly they met at 
Asotin August 1st, when a full set of nominees 
was selected. This convention was presided 
over by W. J. Clemans, of Anatone, and John 
Bell, of the same place, was secretary. Al- 
though it was known that a majority of the 
voters of the county were in favor of the free 
silver movement, the convention passed reso- 
lutions endorsing the national Republican plat- 
form and the "clear and concise statement of 
the fundamental principles of Republicanism 
therein." 

The delegates elected to the state conven- 
tion were : E. Baumeister, William Farrish, 
W. J. Clemans, J. O. Tuttle and George W. 
Bailey. The county central committee selected 
were: James Michie, chairman; William Rog- 
ers. Secretary; H. E. Benedict, Eli Farnham, 
Nels Sherry, Robert Wilson, Charles Pitt, 
Isaac Dillon, John Bell, W. E. Benedict and B. 
W. Yeoman. 

The members of the People's Party held 
their first convention, for this year, at the 
Grand Junction school house, June 13th, and 
selected delegates to the district convention 
which was later held at Dayton. J. A. Weis- 
senfels was chairman of this convention and L. 
K. Brown, secretary. John B. Dick, of Pleas- 
ant precinct, and Frank Huber, of Anatone, 
were chosen delegates. 

The Populists who had made such a good 
showing at the previous election and who, it 
was believed, had gained strength in the two 
years succeeding, met in their second 1896 con- 
vention at Asotin Saturday, August 15th, and 
placed in nomination a full county ticket. W. 
J. Boggan, of Grande Ronde precinct, presided 
over the convention, and L. K. Brown, of An- 
atone. was secretary. There were 24 votes cast 
in the convention and there were contests for 
many of the nominations. The following 
county central committee was selected : W. J. 
Boggan, chairman; L. K. Brown, secretary; 
George Kinnear, John Dick, John Knight, 



"J22 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



John Weissenfels, A. A. Wormell, Thomas 
Craige and Perry Mallery. 

Old line Democrats were scarce in Asotin 
county in 1896, and they did not put a county 
ticket, in the field. At the election, November 
3d, there were 498 votes cast. For president 
the county was carried by the People's 
Party by a plurality of 40 votes over the Re- 
publican electors. For state officers the fusion 
candidates carried the county over the Repub- 
lican candidates by nearly as large pluralities. 
On district and county officers each party 
elected a portion of its ticket. For joint sena- 
tor the Republican candidate had a small ma- 
jority, while for representative and superior 
court judge the People's Party candidate car- 
ried the county by small majorities. The Re- 
publicans elected their candidates for clerk, 
auditor, treasurer and one commissioner; the 
People's Party elected the rest where there was 
opposition. The official vote : 

For President — Republican electors, 214; 
Democratic electors, 16; People's Party elec- 
tors, 254 ; Prohibition electors, 3 ; National 
electors, 1. 

For Congressmen — S. C. Hyde, Rep., 216; 
W. H. Doolittle, Rep.. 211; James H. Lewis, 
P. P., 252; William C. Jones, P. P., 252; C. 
A. Saylcr, Pro., 4; Martin Olson, Pro, 2; 
Charles E. Mix, Nat. 1. 

For Governor — P. C. Sullivan, Rep., 219; 
John R. Rogers, P. P., 249; R. E. Dunlap, 
Pro., 8. 

For Judge Superior Court — Columbia, 
Garfield and Asotin — R. F. Sturdevant, Rep., 
236; M. M. Godman, P. P., 237. 

. For Joint Senator — Columbia, Garfield and 
Asotin — E. Baumeister, Rep., 242; J. C. Van 
Patten, P. P., 232. 

For Representative — D. T. Welch, Rep., 
231 ; R. W. Caywood, P. P., 242. 

For Sheriff — Robert Campbell, Rep., 226; 
George W. Kinnear, P. P., 252. 

For Clerk— J. W. King. Rep., 254; C. T. 
Craige, P. P., 212. 



For Auditor — Elmer Waldrip, Rep., 283; 
J. A. Helman, P. P., 192. 

For Treasurer— W. S. Rogers, Rep., 259; 
J. A. Weissenfels, P. P., 233. 

For Attorney— Walter Brooks, Ind., 197; 
Lee Williams, P. P., 233. 

For Assessor— O. Gilmore, Rep., 216; H. 
A. Whiton, P. P., 253. 

For School Superintendent — J. B. Jones, 
Rep., 236; Hallie E. Robison, P. P., 239. 

For Surveyor — George Burger, Rep., 275. 

For Coroner— John Steel, Rep., 281. 

For Commissioner, Third District — C. A. 
Hollenback, Rep., 220; Frank Huber, P. P., 
246. 

For Commissioner, First District— Samuel 
Downen, Rep., 246; Peter Maguire, P. P., 219. 

The Democrats of Asotin county having 
lain torpid during the campaign of 1896, again 
entered the field in 1898. Theirs was the first 
convention held, and convened at Asotin June 
25th. Nearly a complete ticket was placed in 
nomination and the county central committee 
was authorized to fill any and all vacancies.. 
The members of the new county central com- 
mittee were W. A. Barker, chairman; A. T. 
Ginsbach, secretary; W. F. Fansler, N. D. 
Flerchinger, J. T. Morrow, Fred Whitney and 
James Ross. 

At Asotin, July 30th, the Republican coun- 
ty convention was held. D. T. Welch was 
chairman and J. L. Chapman, secretary. A 
complete ticket was nominated. Delegates to 
the state convention selected were : H. C. Ful- 
ton, D. T. Welch, and William Farrish. The 
county central committee comprised J. W. 
King, chairman; O. A. Janes, Henry Critch- 
field, J. L. Chapman, Robert Wilson and Eli 
Farnham. 

The Populists met in mass meeting at 
Asotin, September 7th, and selected Lee Wil- • 
liams and Frank Waldrip as delegates to the 
state convention. Their convention for nomi- 
nating candidates for county officials had been 
held September 3d, when for the first time 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



723 



fusion was attempted in Asotin county. This 
was accomplished by the Democratic nominees 
agreeing to withdraw, and the Populists de- 
clining to name candidates for auditor and 
clerk and agreeing to throw their support to 
the Democratic nominees. The county central 
committee named were: Lee Smith, W. J. 
Boggan, Frank Huber, Peter Fiker, T. J. 
Snyder, J. B. Dick, H. W. Ward and T. W. 
Enos. 

The election of November 8, 1898, dem- 
onstrated that populism was on the wane in 
Asotin county. The party carried the county 
by about 40 votes in 1896; it did not elect a 
single candidate in 1898. There were cast 
503 votes at this election, which was a gain 
over the presidential year of 1896. The Re- 
publicans carried the county by a safe plur- 
ality and elected every candidate on their 
county ticket except that for sheriff, the Dem- 
ocratic nominee being elected. The official 
vote: 

For Congressmen — Wesley L. Jones, Rep.. 
243; Frank W. Cushman, Rep., 247; James 
H. Lewis, P. P., 197; William C. Jones. 
P. P., 185; A. C. Dickinson, Pro., 8; C. L. 
Haggard, Pro., 13; Walter Waker, Soc. Lab., 
3 ; M. A. Hamilton, Soc. Lab., 2. 

For Representative — John F. Chrisman, 
Rep., 274; Peter Fiker, P. P., 191. 

For Sheriff— W. L. Cook, Rep., 160; J. 
L. Wormell, Dem., 166; James McLeod, P. 

P., i55- 

For Auditor — Elmer Waldrip, Rep., 375; 

W. A. Barker, Dem., 69. 

For Clerk— A. G. Burnette. Rep., 281 ; A. 
T. Ginstech, Dem., 160. 

For Treasurer — W. S. Rogers, Rep.. 257; 
Henry Liebenau, Dem., 43; David Powell, 
P. P., 180. 

For Assessor — M. J. Garrison, Rep., 284; 
Benjamin Flock, Dem., 88; T. W. Enos, P. P., 
105. 

For School Superintendent — J. B. Jones, 
Rep., 280; Hallie E. Robison, P. P., 192. 



For Attorney — Walter Brooks, Rep., 241 ; 
Lee Williams, P. P., 216. 

For Surveyor — Charles L. Swain, Rep., 
265 ; F. P. Mesick, P. P., 192. 

For Coroner — Charles Isecke, Rep., 359; 
scattering, 1. 

For Commissioner, First District — S. C. 
Downen, Rep., 289; Hubert Flerchinger, 
Dem., 36; R. E. Wright, P. P., 145. 

For Commissioner, Second District — 
George W. Cummings, Rep.. 330. 

The 1900 Republican county convention 
was held at Asotin, July 2d. All the proceed- 
ings were marked by a spirit of harmony. The 
delegates to the state convention who had been 
selected in March were D. T. Welch, W. J. 
Clemans, O. A. Janes, and B. W. Yeoman, W. 
J. Clemans, of Anatone, was made chairman 
and W. M. Clemenson, of Clarkston, secre- 
tary. Aside from the delegates selected iri 
March to an earlier state convention, Elmer 
Waldrip, Dr. H. C. Fulton, W. J. Clemans 
and F. G. Morrison were chosen to represent 
Asotin county at the later state convention. 
They were instructed to use their efforts for 
the nomination of E. Baumeister, of Asotin, 
for joint senator for the counties of Colum- 
bia, Garfield and Asotin, and, also, for the 
nomination of S. G. Cosgrove, of Pomeroy, 
for governor. The county central committee 
selected were: J. W. King, chairman; R. A. 
Wilson, W. W. Zindel, B. W. Yeoman, R. 
Sangster, J. A. Bradley, Robert Campbell, 
Charles Fairbanks, C. T. Cowan and George 
N. Ausman. 

July 1 6th the Democrats and Populists met 
in convention at Asotin and a harmonious fu- 
sion of the two parties resulted. A complete 
county ticket was placed in nomination. Dem- 
ocrats were named as candidates for represen- 
tative, auditor, sheriff, prosecuting attorney, 
superintendent of schools, two commissioners 
and coroner, while Populists were named for 
treasurer, clerk, assessor and surveyor. There 
was a sharp struggle for the nomination for 



724 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



the office of treasurer; otherwise there were 
few contests. W. A. Barker presided over the 
convention and T. J. Snyder was secretary. 
Fifty-two delegates participated in the pro- 
ceedings. R. W. Caywood and F. H. Waldrip 
were selected as delegates to the People's 
Party state convention, and John McMann 
and Mr. Davenport to represent the county at 
the Democratic state convention. The Demo- 
cratic county central committee named were: 
H. E. Liebenan, chairman; J. Dyas, secretary; 
Herman Whiton, F. H. Sturgill, J. S. Stone, 
E. L. Routh and C. L. Haynes. The People's 
Party county central committee were Charles 
Caywood, chairman; Lee Williams, secretary; 
Peter Maguire. Peter Fiker, Thomas Craige, 
Frank Huber, T. J. Snyder, Joseph Bly, J. B. 
Dick and M. P. Mesick. 

Nearly 800 votes were cast at the election 
held November 6, 1900. Very few straight 
tickets were voted, the "scratching" being 
more pronounced that at any other previous 
election held in the county. The county, which 
had been carried by the fusion forces in 1896, 
was now found in the Republican column, the 
Republican electors having a pluarality of about 
70. The Republican nominees for congress 
carried the county by somewhat smaller plur- 
alities. The fusion candidate for governor 
carried the county by 13, the balance of the 
state ticket being Republican by pluralities 
ranging from 37 to 70. On the district ticket 
the Republicans carried the county for joint 
senator, while the Democrats carried it for 
judge of the superior court. On the county 
and legislative tickets the fusionists elected 
sheriff, clerk and surveyor, while the Repub- 
licans secured the rest. The fusion ticket was 
officially labeled "Democratic Ticket." The 
official vote : 

For President — Republican electors, 398; 
Democratic electors, 328 ; Prohibition, 25 ; 
Socialist Labor, 1 ; Social Democrats, 5. 

For Congressmen — F. W. Cushman, Rep., 



387; W. L. Jones, Rep., 379; F. C. Robertson,. 
Dem., 321 ; J. T. Ronald, Dem., 322. 

For Governor — J. M. Frink, 350; John 
R. Rogers, Dem., 363. 

For Joint Senator — Columbia, Garfield 
and Asotin counties — E. Baumeister, Rep., 
401 ; H. M. Beach, Dem. 331. 

For Judge Superior Court — Columbia^ 
Garfield and Asotin counties — Chester F. Mil- 
ler, Rep., 359; M. M. Godman, Dem., 372. 

For Representative — John F. Chrisman,. 
Rep., 401 ; John McMann, Dem., 331. 

For Sheriff— William B. Clift, Rep., 264; 
J. L. Wormell, Dem., 473. 

For Clerk — Silas F. Bennett, Rep., 345 ;. 
W. G. Woodruff, Dem., 388. 

For Auditor— John B. Bell, Rep., 414; W. 
A. Austin, Dem., 323. 

For Treasurer — Charles S. Florence, Rep., 
402; James Parks, Dem., 328. 

For Prosecuting Attorney — Walter 
Brooks, Rep., 418; John Romain, Dem., 318. 

For Assessor — Martin J. Garrison, Rep., 
431 ; Thomas Craige, Dem., 306. 

For School Superintendent — Joshua B. 
Jones, Rep., 411 ; Mrs. Myra Roadruck, Dem., 

3 2 7- 

For Surveyor — Charles L. Swain, Rep., 
349; L. K. Brown, Dem., 385. 

For Coroner — Charles Fairbanks, Rep.,.. 
381 ; N. V. Pound, Dem., 335. 

For Commissioner, Second District — Burt. 
W. Yeoman, Rep., 365 ; T. J. Snyder, Dem., 
361. 

For Commissioner, Third District — Alex- 
ander Robinson, Rep., 366; M. A. Crippen,. 
Dem., 362. 

Monday, July 7, 1902, a Republican 
county convention was held at Asotin. Har- 
mony prevailed and all the nominations were 
made by acclamation. J. B. Jones served as 
chairman and William Porter as secretary. 
Delegates elected to the state convention were- 
D. T. Welch, M. J. Garrison, J. F. Chrisman,. 



HISTORY OF ASOTIX COUNTY 



725 



W. J. Clemans and Benjamin H. Yotaw. 
Members of the new county central commit- 
tee selected were: J. B. Jones, chairman; S. G. 
Brantner, W. R. Day, R. D. Ruckman, J. A. 
Bradley, L. A. Woodward, D. Justice. Philip 
Brown, R. A. Wilson, Ira McKenzie, W. H. 
Case and Robert Sangster. 

The Democrats assembled Saturday, July 
1 2*th. As with the Republicans the conven- 
tion was notable for harmony, and all the 
nominations were by acclamation with the ex- 
ception of the selection of one commissioner. 
A. R. Powell was chairman and Frank W. 
Xessley. secretary. The new county central 
committee were: Samuel T. Jones, chairman; 
L. K. Brown, secretary; James Morrisey, 
Frank Sturgill, M. V. Pound, William Rob- 
inson. T. J. Snyder. J. E. Knight, T. B. Hicks 
and H. A. Whiton. Delegates to the state 
convention were : A. R. Powell. R. W. Cay- 
wood, J. O'Keefe, W. T. Fansler, M. A'. 
Pound and A. B. Day. 

At the general election held November 4, 
1902. the vote was considerably lighter than 
at that of the presidential election of 1900, 
there being a vote of less than 750. The 
county was found to be still in the Republican 
column by a plurality of about 140, although 
the Democrats elected their candidates for 
clerk, surveyor, and one commissioner. Prac- 
tically, the people's party had faded from view. 
The official vote : 

For Judge Supreme Court — Hiram E. 
Hadlev. Rep.. 407: Tames B. Reavis, Dem., 
267. 

For Congressmen — W. L. Jones. Rep.. 
410: F. W. Cushman. Rep.. 423: W. E. 
Humphrey. Rep.. 403 : George F. Cotterill, 
Dem.. 268: O. R. Holcomb. Dem., 258; F. B. 
Cole Dem.. 265. 

For Representative — G. W. R. Peaslee, 
R e P- 375- Samuel Ramsey. Dem.. 347. 

For Sheriff — Robert H. Richards, Rep., 
434: A. A. Wormell. Dem.. 298. 



For Clerk — William Porter, Rep., 192; 
W. G. Woodruff, Dem., 540. 

For Auditor — John B. Bell, Rep., 519. 
For Treasurer — Charles S. Florence, Rep., 

523- 

For Prosecuting Attorney — Elmer E. 
Halsey, Rep., 482. 

For Assessor — Robert A. Wilson, Rep., 
367; James H. Morrisey, Dem., 349. 

For School Superintendent — Lillian 
Clemans, Rep., 470; James Barkley, Dem., 

255- 

For Surveyor — E. M. Clark, Rep., 332; J. 
Swain, Dem., 376. 

For Coroner— H. R. Merchant, Rep., 458. 

For Commissioner, First District — J. D. 
Swain. Rep., 331 ; Jackson O'Keefe, Dem., 
386. 

For Commissioner, Third District — C. T. 
Cowan, Rep., 382; Simon Adams, Dem., 333. 

The delegates to the Democratic state con- 
vention of 1904 were selected at a meeting of 
the county central committee April 2d. They 
were A. B. Day, S. T. Ramsey, R. W. Cay- 
wood. S. T. Jones. J. L. Wormell and T. B. 
Hicks. The Democratic nominating conven- 
tion was held, August 27th, at Asotin. A 
complete county ticket was placed in nomina- 
tion. Samuel T. Jones presided and J. N. 
Boggan was made secretary. There was an 
excellent attendance, all precincts except 
Grouse and Ely being represented. The fol- 
lowing county central committee was named : 
S. T. Jones, chairman : C. W. Hunton. sub- 
chairman; Perry Steen, A. J. Crow, C. W. 
Whiton, A. B. Day. M. A*. Pound. Henry Tal- 
bott. J. E. Knight, T. B. Hicks and Joseph 
Ely. 

The Republicans held two conventions pre- 
ceding the election of 1904. The first of 
these was on May 1st. and was for the purpose 
of selecting delegates to the state convention. 
Out of the quota of forty-three allowed there 
were thirty-eight delegates present, when 



726 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



Chairman Elmer E. Halsey called them to- 
gether. George A. Brown was made secre- 
tary. The following delegates were selected : 
George W. R. Peaslee, W. J. Clemans, George 

A. Brown, Ralph Atine and Emil Mathes. 

In view of the fact that Asotin county was 
one of the four in eastern Washington which 
gave a majority for A. E. Mead for governor 
at the election in November, the following res- 
olutions adopted unanimously at the conven- 
tion may be of interest : 

"We endorse the present Republican state 
administration and congratulate the people of 
the state on the efficient manner in which the 
affairs of the state have been conducted by it. 
We endorse the stand taken by Governor Mc- 
Bride against the railroad lobby. We think 
he should succeed himself to carry out the 
work he has begun. We favor a railroad com- 
mission, non-partisan in character, to be ap- 
pointed by the governor, and so instruct our 
delegates to the state convention to use all hon- 
orable means to secure the re-nomination of 
Governor McBride and support him as long 
as he has a reasonable chance for the nomina- 
tion, and that the delegates vote under the 
unit rule." 

The second convention was held at Asotin 
September 5th. There were present 42 dele- 
gates. Kay L. Thompson was elected chair- 
man and C. A. Lewis, secretary. At this later 
convention a strong railroad commission plank 
was adopted, and resolutions were carried en- 
dorsing the nominees for president and vice 
president ; the candidates for congress, and 
the administration of Governor McBride, but 
no mention was made of the Republican state 
ticket which had been nominated. A full 
county and legislative ticket was nominated. 
The following gentlemen were selected as 
members of the county central committee : J. 

B. Jones, chairman ; H. J. Clark, A. S. Bur- 
nett, W. R. Day, J. A. Bradley, Duncan Mc- 
intosh, S. R. Greene, A. L. McNeil, W. H. 



Case, R. A. Wilson, Martin Zindell and 
Charles Fairbanks. 

For the first time in the history of this 
county the Socialists placed a ticket in the 
field. A convention was held at Clarkston in 
August and a partial county ticket was placed 
in nomination. The nominees were : Chris- 
tian Frost, representative; O. D. Carpenter, 
sheriff ; L. W. Bishop, auditor ; H. W. Bishop, 
treasurer; A. H. Forrest, assessor; O. G. 
Breckke, commissioner. 

The Republican landslide which swept the 
country November 8, 1904, did not miss Aso- 
tin county, and with the exception of county 
treasurer every Republican on the ticket from 
president to coroner carried the county by 
large majorities. The county cast 1,066 
votes, the largest in its history, having made 
a remarkable increase over all previous elec- 
tions. The official vote : 

Presidential Electors — Samuel G. Cos- 
grove, Rep., 747; L. B. Nash, Rep., 740; 
George W. Bassett, Rep., 739; Al J. Munson, 
Rep., 742; Herman D. Crow, Rep., 744; Fred 
Thiel, Dem., 227; John J. Carney, Dem., 226; 
John Trumbull, Dem., 227 ; J. S. Darnell, 
Dem., 226; S. P. Richardson, Dem., 227. 

Outside the vote of the Republican and 
Democratic parties, there were 8 votes for the 
Socialist-Labor ticket, 33 by the Socialists, 4 
by the People's Party and 23 by Prohibi- 
tionists. 

For Congressmen — W. E. Humphrey, Re- 
publican, 675; Wesley L. Jones, rep., 6yy y 
Frank W. Cushman, Rep., 681 ; Howard 
Hathaway, Dem., 295 ; James J. Anderson, 
Dem., 296; W. T. Beck, Dem., 293. 

For Judge Supreme Court — Frank H. 
Rudkin, Rep., 658; Mark A. Fullerton, Rep.,. 
674; Alfred Bradford, Dem., 303. 

For Governor — Albert E. Mead, Rep.,. 
528; George Turner, Dem,, 469. 

For Lieutenant Governor — Charles E. 
Coon, Rep., 572; Stephen Judson, Dem., 400. 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



727 



For Secretary of State — Sam H. Nichols, 
Rep., 606; P. Hough, Dem., 356. 

For State Treasurer — George G. Mills, 
Rep., 602; George Mudgett, Dem., 367. 

For State Auditor — Charles W. Clausen, 
Rep., 608; R. Lee Purdin, Dem., 349. 

For Attorney General — John D. Atkinson, 
Rep., 605 ; Charles H. Neal, Dem., 362. 

For Commissioner Public Lands — E. W. 
Ross, Rep., 604; Van R. Pierson, Dem., 350. 

For Superintendent Public Instruction — 
R. B. Bryan, Rep., 610; Walter D. Gerard, 
Dem., 348. 

For Joint State Senator — S. S. Russell, 
Rep., 603 ; Frank Cardwell, Dem., 376. 

For Judge Superior Court — Chester F. 
Miller, Rep., 602; M. M. Godman, Dem., 

391- 

For Representative — H. C. Fulton, Rep., 
563; J. L. Wormell, Dem., 440; Christian 
Frost, Soc, 34. 

For County Auditor — Charles S. Florence, 
Rep., 695; L. W. Bishop, Soc, 50. 

For County Treasurer — Henry Howard, 



Rep., 435; W. G. Woodruff, Dem., 567; H. 
W. Bishop, Soc, 19. 

For Sheriff — R. H. Richards, Rep., 794; 
O. D. Carpenter, Soc, 32. 

For County Clerk — M. P. Shaughnessy, 
Rep., 665; A. H. Harwick, Dem., 314. 

For Prosecuting Attorney — George H. 
Rummens, Rep., 687. 

For Superintendent of Schools — Lillian 
Clemans, Rep., 565 ; Amy Shelman, Dem., 

445- 

For Assessor — Frank E. Brown, Rep., 

532; Charles Lambert, Dem., 467; A. H. For- 
rest, Soc, 25. 

For Surveyor — Jay-"Swain, Rep., 737. 

For Coroner — H. R. Merchant, Rep., 674; 
P. W. Johnson, Dem., 319. 

For Commissioner, First District — S. C. 
Downen, Rep., 621 ; August Beckman, Dem., 

375- 

For Commissioner, Second District — 

Frank Body, Rep., 578; Frank Huber, Dem., 

421. 



CHAPTER VI 



EDUCATIONAL. 



The opening of this chapter will treat of the 
public schools of Asotin county in general. 
This will be followed by the history of the 
Asotin and Clarkston schools, these places 
being the only two centers of population in the 
county. 

The first school in the territory that is now 
Asotin county was established in the autumn of 
1879. Settlers in the Anatone country, at that 
period the most densely populated portion of 
eastern Columbia county, built and maintained 
this school without assistance from the county 
or territory. The school house was on the 



present site of Anatone, and when opened was 
the only school in the county east of Pomeroy. 
Miss Angie Bean was the first teacher and the 
school began with an attendance of 15 or 20 
scholars. 

The first school in Asotin City was the sec- 
ond in the county. It was opened in 1881 and 
Miss Blanche Marsilliott was the teacher. Fol- 
lowing is a roster of her pupils : Carrie, Mary, 
Ida, Effie, Nellie and Curtis Stimpson; Celia, 
Addis, Jasper and Ulysses Kanawyer ; Nannie, 
Fanny and Nathan Sumpter ; Ida and Lillie 
Hoskins ; Wilber and Annie Hoskins ; Frank 



728 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



and Gussie Grounds ; Mary Cole, Annie Pierce, 
Verdie Pierce, Clarence King, Edith Marsil- 
liott, Mary Montgomery. 

In 1884 there were 12 school districts in the 
county. Nine of them had terms of varying 
length during the year, and there was a fair 
attendance. Such was the status of educa- 
tional affairs soon after Asotin county had 
been created. In 1886 the number of school 
districts had increased to 16 with a large at- 
tendance of scholars. The Asotin City schools 
held six months' terms ; the schools of the other 
districts having shorter terms, and generally 
during the summer months owing to the fact 
that during the winter the pupils could not at- 
tend, being widely scattered over the district 
and the distance they would have to travel 
through snow and rain was too great. The 
total receipts of school money for 1886 was 
$3,161.61. There were a sufficient number of 
resident teachers in the county possessing ex- 
cellent qualifications. 

The school report for 1901 revealed a vast 
improvement in school affairs over previous 
years. There were 1,423 children of school 
age within the limits of the county, and of 
these 1,160 were enrolled in the public schools. 
There were employed 36 teachers, and there 
were 2^ school houses with a seating capacity 
of 1,360. Such was the notable improvement 
within the period of fifteen years. In 1902 
there were 1,597 children of school age within 
the county according to the superintendent's 
report for that year, and still 23 school houses. 

At the present writing, January, 1905, 
there are 1,780 children — -910 males and 870 
females — of school age in the county, against 
1,667 f° r tne previous year. Of the 1,780 there 
are 1,525 pupils enrolled, with an average daily 
attendance of 1,087. The total days' attend- 
ance for the year was 172,166. Forty-two 
teachers were employed, against 40 for the year 
before. The total amount of teachers' wages 
paid this year was $15,165.70, against $11,- 
434.50 for the year 1903. 



The average wage 



paid male teachers was $70 per month, an in- 
crease of $5.60; average wage of lady teachers, 
$49.60 per month, an increase of $4.17 per 
month. There are 26 school houses in the 
county, or two more than for the year previous 
— five of which are log buildings and 21 frame, 
and their estimated valuation is $32,325 ; with 
an additional sum of $6,270 in furniture; 
$1,920 in apparatus, maps, etc., and $610 in 
libraries, making a total valuation of all school 
property in the county of $41,225. There are 
five first-grade certificates held by Asotin coun- 
ty teachers; 29 second grade; and 5 third 
grade certificates. The whole amount of re- 
ceipts for school purposes for the year was 
$32,870.21, against $28,819.90 for the year 
previous. The report showed that the county 
schools had made a most satisfactory gain dur- 
ing the year, and Asotin county people are 
proud of their schools. Nothing speaks better 
for a county than to be able to show a constant 
improvement in school work, and in this respect 
Asotin is keeping pace with all her sister 
counties. 

The most of these schools are rural, some- 
times called "ungraded" schools. This term 
"ungraded" will, perhaps, convey a wrong im- 
pression to people who received their schooling 
under the old system. The Asotin Sentinel of 
May 9, 1903, said: 

"All our schools are, in a measure, graded, 
inasmuch as all are working under an excellent 
manual, or course of study, issued by the state 
office of public instruction. There is also uni- 
formity of text books which aids in the working 
out of the manual instructions in a more per- 
fect manner. The advantages of this grading 
and uniformity are obvious. This is noticeable 
when compared with the old system, where 
each small rural district was a law unto itself 
as to what studies should be pursued, or what 
text books should be used. It is the aim of the 
administrative officials of the schools of Asotin 
county to unify the work, so that the problems 
of education, so nicely worked out in the so- 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



729 



called graded districts, shall have a broader 
application and reach the rural schools. In 
other words, our schools are trying to study 
toward a definite end culminating in the com- 
mon school course with eight years' work. On 
the completion of this eight years' course all 
pupils must pass a satisfactory examination be- 
fore they may enter the high schools. It is to 
be observed that this examination is not a local 
affair, but a very rigid test formulated by the 
State Board of Education. All examinations 
are held at the same time throughout the state 
under the supervision of the county superin- 
tendents. Those who satisfactorily pass are 
granted diplomas by the state superintendent 
of public instruction, which entitles the holders 
to admission to the higher schools. 

"The last four years have been of unusual 
activity in school matters in Asotin county. In 
quite a number of districts the increase in reg- 
istration has been so rapid it has taxed the in- 
genuity of the school boards to properly care 
for and accommodate it. There are now 23 
school buildings with a total seating capacity of 
1.564 pupils. The estimated value of these 
buildings, including furniture and apparatus, 
is $33,600. All the buildings constructed dur- 
ing the past three years have been good, sub- 
stantial, plain but sightly structures, that are 
ornaments to the districts in which they are 
located. It is becoming generally recognized 
among our people that it is a business proposi- 
tion to build the best they can afford, rather 
than construct a cheap, small building that re- 
quires repairing and additions almost every 
year; and then never pleasing to the sight, nor 
comfortable for the pupils. These 2^ buildings 
and districts are so distributed, and district 
lines so nearly conform to physical features, 
that any part of the county is easily accessible 
to some good school. As far as Asotin county 
is concerned no intending settler need be solici- 
tous as to his chances of becoming remote from 
a school, no matter in what section of the coun- 
ty he may cast his lot. The number of children 



between the ages of 6 and 21, residing in these 
districts in 1902 was 1,597, anc ^ the number 
enrolled in the schools was 1,338; the average 
length of term maintained was nearly six 
months, or to be exact 5.8 months. There was- 
apportioned by the county superintendent dur- 
ing this same time to the different district 
funds the sum of $13,525.53. In addition to 
this there was raised by special tax and from 
other sources, $4,087.97, which makes a total 
of $17,613.50 used exclusively for the support 
of these schools. This, indeed, is a magnificent 
showing for the small county of Asotin, and 
proves conclusively that our people are keenly 
alive to the grand work of education and are 
not of that unprogressive kind who 'don't care 
whether school keeps or not.' " 

The town of Asotin did not secure her pres- 
ent handsome school building without consider- 
able trouble, complexity and anxiety. In Oc- 
tober, 1883, the school superintendent of Gar- 
field county announced that the clerk of Dis- 
trict No. 29 (Asotin), had failed to report the 
scholars of the district, with the consequence 
that Garfield county did not receive its propor- 
tion of school money. The Asotin Spirit said: 
"Either the clerk, the mail or the superintend- 
ent has gone wrong and the children of the 
district are the sufferers." 

The school building issue first came up as 
live matter in October, 1883. There was 
a meeting at the small school house in Asotin 
November 12th, for the purpose of urging the 
levying of a tax for a school during the winter. 
It was urged that a school was of first import- 
ance and that all should be interested. The 
people declared that education was necessary 
and that it would do more to build up the town 
than any other one attribute. November 9th 
the Spirit said : "We are getting desperate on 
the school question. What is going to be 
done?" The Asotin school district. No. 29, 
was eight miles square. It could not be ex- 
pected that one school house could, physically, 
accommodate all within the limits of such an 



73° 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



extensive territory. It was reasoned quite 
cogently that calculations should be made for 
more than one school building. By November 
30th the school, under the efficient superintend- 
ence of Miss Angie Bean, was making rapid 
progress. Still, the district was unfortunate in 
not having a suitable school house, but it was 
without funds to erect one. 

But in April, 1884, a day was set for a 
special school election for the purpose of voting 
on a proposition to levy a tax for school build- 
ing purposes. This election was held on the 
1 2th of April. But conditions were still un- 
favorable, and the tax proposition failed to 
secure a majority of the votes. This, however, 
was not unexpected at the time. It seemed un- 
reasonable to suppose that people living from 
six to ten miles from the point where it was 
proposed to erect the school building would 
vote for a tax which could in no way materially 
benefit them. At the same time steps were 
being taken toward the organization of a new 
school district. This appeared to be the only 
way in which to cut the Gordian knot. So late 
as August 10, 1888, the Asotin Sentinel said, 
with some show of justification : 

"What about that school house that we in- 
corporated the town to build? Or was it all 
a bait to catch gudgeons? Don't all speak at 
once. That house must, shall and will be built, 
or else we will forswear American citizenship 
and favor remanding the town back to its orig- 
inal inhabitants." 

At this period the schools of Asotin were 
held — one in a church building; the other in a 
vacant butcher shop. 

November 2, 1889, the year in which the 
Territory of Washington was admitted into 
the union, another school election was held ; it 
was for the purpose of placing in power a new 
set of directors who, as the Sentinel expressed 
the sentiment: "are alive to the necessity of 
building a creditable school house just as soon 
as the legislature formulates a law to regulate 
the issuing of bonds by school districts for that 



purpose." Indeed, Asotin had waited long — - 
and impatiently. She possessed miserable 
school accommodations, and was nothing loth 
in bewailing the fact. 

Still, disaster "followed fast and followed 
faster." April 10, 1890, at a special election 
held that day, by an overwhelming majority 
the citizens voted to issue bonds in the sum of 
$4,400 to erect a school house. But a fatal 
spell appeared to have been cast on this long 
delayed enterprise. After the contracts had 
been let it was sorrowfully discovered that the 
building could not yet be erected owing to a 
not uncommon display of legislative stupidity 
in drafting the bill ; it was found necessary to 
call another special election before the $4,400 
school house could be legally erected. This 
election was held August 6th ; the vote in favor 
of issuing bonds was almost unanimous. In 
the fall of 1890 the school house that had been 
erected in Asotin after a world of trouble ex- 
tending through a number of anxious years, 
was found to be too limited in capacity to ac- 
commodate the growth of the town. Two hun- 
dred and six children were enrolled in the 
spring of 1899, and they proved a severe tax 
on the capabilities of the building, and another 
was later erected. In 1903 the Asotin Sentinel 
said: 



It is apparent to even a moderately close observer 
that not withstanding the abundant natural resources 
back of and tributary to Asotin, there is one thing 
which has aided more than all else in the upbuildng 
of the town, and that is its very efficient school. This 
school is the crowning glory of the town, being of 
such a character as not to suffer by comparison with 
any town in the union. This is no vain boast used 
for advertising purposes, but an actual fact which may 
be verified by a visit to the school and its different 
departments. Every one is freely invited to inspect 
the work and make comparisons, and we believe that 
this inspection will show that we are second to none. 
A member of the faculty of one of our higher institu- 
tions of learning stated that the students entering the 
said institution from the Asotin High School were 
the most thoroughly prepared, so far as the course 
reached of any that entered. It is the commendable 
ambition of our people to maintain this high state of 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



731 



efficiency so that the children of the town shall be 
equipped for the battle of life, and launched upon the 
sea of social, politicial and business affairs, properly 
prepared to perform their respective parts with credit 
to themselves. To the high standard maintained in 
the school is due also the fact that Asotin claims the 
distinction of being a town of homes; a town where 
no landlord is required to maintain empty buildings. 

From a total enrollment of 116 a few years ago, 
the school has steadily advanced to a total of 356 for 
the year 1902-3, and the opening of the fall term next 
September will find 400 pupils on hand. A few years 
ago three teachers were sufficient to carry on the work 
of instruction ; now there are seven employed. Dur- 
ing this time the number of months of school session 
has advanced from six to nine. A very good course 
of ten years' duration, or ninety months, has been pre- 
pared, from the first year to the close of an excellent 
two-year high school course, the whole so wisely con- 
trived and articulated in its various parts that no 
energy is dissipated by unnecessary duplication of 
work, and no gaps in advancing from one grade to 
another. As an example of the preparation necessary 
to take up the high school work, it might be stated 
that all pupils are required on completion of the eight 
years of common school work to pass the state exami- 
nation for eighth grade before they are allowed to 
take up the higher work. The high school course of- 
fered is ample and broad, with no unnecessary cram- 
ming, and those who satisfactorily complete it are 
granted diplomas by the authorities. In the past four 
years the school has graduated 27 students who are 
a credit to the community. 

The school building is an airy, pleasant, and com- 
modious six-room edifice, including the small room used 
for library purposes. It is centrally located on River- 
side street, facing the majestic Snake river, and easily 
accessible from all parts of the town. The building is 
well supplied with furniture and with apparatus as far 
as the finances of the district will permit. But the 
present quarters are not large enough to accommodate 
the increase in registration, and to relieve the congested 
condition the board has rented the Asotin Free Library 
building for school purposes during the present term. 
A new school building will be in the course of con- 
struction early this summer, ready for the fall opening. 

Asotin has been fortunate in her selection of teach- 
ers for her schools, owing to a great extent to the 
wise policy of the board in retaining in their posi- 
tions those teachers who prove themselves worthy and 
capable. No one can doubt that our teachers are the 
most enthusiastic, devoted and progressive public ser- 
vants, giving full value of service to the- district. In- 
deed it is indispensible to the success of any school 
that the teachers have a broad grasp of mind, a 
thorough knowledge of the various branches, and tact 
in administering school discipline. That the Asotin 
school has been successful is proof that its teachers 



are not wanting in the qualifications necessary for suc- 
cess. 

Right here the Sentinel considers it more than just 
to say a few words about the man who has systematic- 
ally brought the Asotin school to the point where it is 
recognized in rank as one of the best graded schools 
in the state. That man is Prof. J. B. Jones. When 
he became principal, nine years ago, the Asotin school 
was little, if any in advance of our better rural schools. 
Being a thorough college man, fresh from one of the 
country's best colleges and imbued with the high call- 
ing of the teaching profession, anxious to give his 
best endeavors to the cause of education, Mr. Jones 
went to work with the determination to make a name 
for the Asotin school. The success of his undertaking 
has been recognized for several years past ; and a more 
sincere and conscientious school man is not to be found 
anywhere. The success of his labors will stand forth 
as a worthy monument to one who follows teaching 
for the good he can do rather than for the salary that 
may be connected with the work. 

The quarters were found to be inadequate 
and in the summer of 1904 there was completed 
a new building of two rooms, in time for the 
fall opening of school. 

To illustrate the course of work of the 
Asotin school, it is said that at the Washing- 
ton state college of Pullman, the Asotin school 
graduates stood higher than from any school 
in the state. 

In November, 1903, the Clarkston Repub- 
lican published the following graphic and in- 
teresting historical sketch of the rise and 
progress of the Clarkston schools. 

"There is no one thing which is a better 
index to the real worth and progressive spirit 
of a community than the interest that it takes 
in its public schools. The fact that Clarkston 
has within the past seven years — while its citi- 
zens were building their own homes on what 
many had supposed to be a worthless pile of 
sand — established and organized a school 
which now accommodates five hundred pupils 
and employs thirteen teachers, is the highest 
compliment that can be paid to any people. In 
January, 1897, school opened in a little "up 
and down" boarded building fourteen by 
twenty feet, with twenty pupils under the 
charge of our fellow townsman, C. L. Road- 



732 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



ruck. The enrollment rapidly increased and 
Mrs. Roadruck was employed to assist her 
husband and together they completed the year. 

"In the fall of 1897 Judge Lang-fordi, pres- 
ent chairman of the board of directors, was 
employed as principal, with C. L. Roadruck 
as assistant. At the close of the six months 
term the enrollment had reached 119. During 
this time school had been carried on in halls, 
churches and dwelling houses, but in 1898 the 
Lewiston Water & Power Company donated 
to the school district two and one-half acres 
of land at the corner of Chestnut and Thir- 
teenth streets, on which was erected a four- 
room brick building, and Miss Harrington, 
since county superintendent of Nez Perce 
county. Idaho, was installed as principal with 
three assistants. In 1889 ^ r - J- M- Adams 
was employed as principal having four as- 
sistants, and 281 pupils were enrolled. Dur- 
ing his second year he had five assist- 
ants and enrolled 375 pupils. This build- 
ing having been destroyed by fire in the 
summer of ' 1900, he and his assistants 
were compelled to hold school in halls, 
churches and dwellings again. In the sum- 
mer of 1 90 1 our splendid modern building was 
erected on the site of the one destroyed by 
fire. The building contained six large, well 
lighted rooms and the superintendent's office, 
all finished in native wood and supplied with 
every convenience of a modern school building. 

"In the fall of 1901 Professor A. B. 
Towne was engaged as principal, with six as- 
sistants and later in the year the seventh was 
added. During the second year three more 
teachers were added and 500 pupils were en- 
rolled. Superintendent Towne did much 
toward improving the school and giving it the 
splendid reputation it now enjoys, but owing 
to poor health he decided to quit teaching. 
During the last summer an addition to these 
rooms was made to the central building, which 
completes the building and gives Clarkston 
one. of the most excellent school buildings to 



be found anywhere. Also an elegant one- 
room building was erected in the south part 
of the city. School opened this fall with Su- 
perintendent Randall and eleven assistants to 
organize about 450 pupils into a well ordered 
school. It was soon found necessary to add 
another teacher. 

"This excessively rapid growth has de- 
veloped some very hard problems. Those who 
are acquainted with the school laws of this 
state know that the state levies such, a school 
tax as will, taken together with the revenue 
derived from the permanent school fund, ag- 
gregate $10 per year for each child of school 
age in the state. This income is apportioned 
among the school districts according to the 
total number of days' attendance in each dis- 
trict during the year next preceding the ap- 
portionment. Now it will be seen that school 
facilities have had to be provided for about 100 
new pupils each year for which there is no rev- 
enue derived from the state fund. Were the 
people of Clarkston made of different stuff, 
this would have been a burden too great to 
shoulder, but under the leadership of such men 
as Judge Langford, J. R. Conway and Her- 
man Doege and many others who have had no 
official connection with the school, it has per- 
formed this stupendous task and all are proud 
of the results. In casting about for a man 
who should be intrusted with the general su- 
pervision of the schools, the board selected 
Superintendent Randall, then at the headi of 
the department of physics and chemistry in 
the Lewiston State Normal. Mr. Randall is 
especially fitted for just such a position, being 
a graduate of the Iowa State Normal School 
and also a college man as well as having estab- 
lished for himself a splendid record as princi- 
pal and superintendent of schools in Iowa. 

"The schools have been so organized this 
fall that each teacher has from 40 to 50 pu- 
pils divided about equally into two sections. 
Usually these divisions belong to the same 
grade, but in a few instances teachers have 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



733- 



sections of different grades. This arrange- 
ment gives each teacher an opportunity to do 
her best work. The board has been especially 
fortunate in the selection of teachers. To em- 
ploy 13 teachers and to have each one of them 
be sucessful in his or her work, is one of the 
finest compliments which can be paid to the 
judgment of any board." 

Clarkston in 1900 employed six teachers; 
in 1901, eight; in 1902, 11; in 1903, 13, with 
a certainty of being compelled to employ one 
or two more. The enrollment in Clarkston in 
1902 was 360. The enrollment in 1904 was 
461. This included an estimate of the children 
who would attend the south side school when 
the building was completed 1 . It showed an in- 
crease of about 25 per cent, over 1903. The 



Clarkston school house, completed in 1900, 
cost, with furnishings, $6,000. 

In 1899 the Vineland school opened with 
an enrollment of 144 pupils. At the close of 
the term in June, 1900, the number had just 
doubled, it then being 288, and at that time 
five teachers were employed. At the open- 
ing of the schools in September, 1900, 333 
pupils were enrolled, and now at the close of 
the present term there are 375 names on the 
register of the Vineland school, and six teach- 
ers employed, giving an average of 62 pupils 
to each teacher. Five years ago, (1897), says 
the Clarkston Republican in 1902, the enroll- 
ment was 22; in 1900 it had reached 281; in 
1901, 375 and in 1902, 502. 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 

ASOTIN COUNTY 



OSCAR D. CARPENTER resides in 
Vineland adjoining Clarkston, where he has a 
five acre tract of choice land set to all kinds of 
fruits and berries. In addition to handling this 
property, Mr. Carpenter does contracting and 
building, being a practical brick layer and 
stone mason. He was bom on November 14, 
1847, in Dane county, Wisconsin. Russell G. 
Carpenter, a native of the state of New York, 
was his father. He was a jeweler by trade yet 
came as a pioneer to Wisconsin and settled on 
a pre-emption in Dane county. He was deputy 
sheriff of his county for four years and died in 
1894, aged seventy-seven. He was a relative 
of the noted capitalist, Stephen Van Rensaler 
of New York city. He married Jane Head, 
also a native of New York, who died in 1896, 
aged seventy-seven years. The children born 
to this worthy couple were: Roland B., who 
served in the Civil War and died in 1904; Oscar 
D., the immediate subject of this sketch; and 
Washington L, now dwelling in Mobile, Ala- 
bama. After completing the course in the 
common schools, our subject attended Albion 
academy and was a classmate of ex-governor 
and United States Senator, Knute Nelson, of 
Minnesota. For two years after leaving the 
academy he entered the training service of the 
Chicago and Northwestern and continued 
there four years. In 1878. Mr. Carpenter 
went to Watertown, South Dakota, and began 
to learn the brick and stone mason trade. He 



followed that business for several years, then 
went to Duluth, Minnesota. In 1893, we find 
him in Aitkin, Minnesota, where he was one 
of the leading men, being a justice of the peace, 
school clerk and a successful business man. In 
January, 1903, Mr. Carpenter sold his place in 
Minnesota and came to Washington, selecting 
the five acre tract above mentioned, which is 
now supplied with all improvements needed. 
He has a comfortable residence and is employ- 
ed at his trade in addition to supervising the 
fruit business. 

On February 7, 1886, Mr. Carpenter mar- 
ried Emma Farnworth, the daughter of Nathan 
and Sarah (Crompton) Farnworth, natives of 
England. They journeyed in early life to 
Philadelphia and there Mrs. Carpenter was 
born. Mr. Farnworth was an engraver and he 
and his wife are now both deceased. The 
brothers and sisters of Mrs. Carpenter are Mrs. 
Anna Peacock of New York city ; James R. 
and Nathan T. of Baraboo, Wisconsin. Mrs. 
Carpenter is the youngest of the family. To 
Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter one child has been 
born, Roy Grafton, the date of his birth is 
December 31, 1887, and he is now a student in 
the Lewis Commercial College at Clarkston. 
He is also a member of the Christian church. 

Mr. Carpenter is a member of the I. O. O. 
F., being past grand of that order and now 
present district deputy grand master. He has 
been a member of this order for twentv vears 



736 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



and is past chief patriarch in the Encampment. 
Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter are members of the 
Rebekah lodge and she is present chaplain. 



JOHN HIGGINS, a well known farmer of 
Asotin county, resides some six miles south- 
west of Cleveland. He was born in Newton, 
Ireland, in 1841, the son of Dennis and Honora 
(Xevells) Higgins, natives of Newton, Ire- 
land. During his youthful days he had very 
little opportunity to gain an education and 
saw much hard work. When a young man, he 
came to the United States, accompanied by a 
younger sister, and settled in Westminster, 
Pennsylvania, where he wrought on a farm 
until the breaking out of the war in 1861. He 
at once enlisted in Company G, Seventh Penn- 
sylvania Cavalry, under Captain Andrews and 
Colonel Winecoop and was placed in General 
Bank's army. His first service was at Mur- 
physville, Kentucky, after which he was at 
Bowling Green, Fort Donelson, and Nashville 
Tennessee, in engagements. We next see him 
under Brigadier General Neglee, after which 
he was at Murfreesboro, remaining there until 
July 5, 1862, doing garrison duty. Two days 
after that time, his command met General For- 
rester and every man was taken prisoner ex- 
cept a few who were on scout duty. Mr. Hig- 
gins, being one of the scouts, escaped capture. 
The scouts arrived at Nashville and were 
placed on scout duty under General Neglee, 
remaining until General Rosecranz came to 
Nashville. Then his division was joined to 
General Thomas' command. Mr. Higgins 
acted as courier to General Thomas at Mur- 
freesboro then at Chickamauga. After this, 
he fought at Shelby vi lie under General Stanley 
and was again detailed to carry orders under 
General Minteer. He had a narrow escape 
from the rebels, but being well mounted, he 
got into the Federal lines. After this, he was 
at Chattanooga and there joined General Sher- 



man. He fought the rebels at Turner Hill,. 
Buzzard Roost, Resaca, Marrietta, Kenesaw 
Mountain, Peach Tree creek, Atlanta and 
Jonesborough, being under the immediate com- 
mand of Generals Kilpatrick and Love joy. On 
one occasion, Mr. Higgins was surrounded and 
cut his way through the rebels back to his own 
lines, then he took part in the Kilpatrick raid 
where General McPherson was killed. After 
Bragg was superseded by Hood they met the 
rebel army at Rome, Georgia, and later was in 
the engagement at Nashville, and was also in.. 
the battle of Franklin river. Here, Mr. Hig- 
gins' term expired and he at once went to 
Huntsville, Alabama, and re-enlisted in the 
same company and regiment for three years. 
Receiving a thirty-day furlough, he visited 
his home in Pennsylvania, then returned to his 
regiment at Louisville, Kentucky. Receiving 
a new mount, he was again detailed as orderly, 
this time to Brigadier General Minteer. He 
took part in the Wilson raid through Tennes- 
see, Georgia and Alabama. At the fight at 
Selma they captured two thousand five hun- 
dred prisoners. The next move was to Mont- 
gomery, which surrendered. At Columbus, 
Georgia, his company saved a bridge from de- 
struction, then went to Moscow, Georgia, on 
the right of Sherman's army, which was march- 
ing to the sea. About this time, they received 
news that the war was over, with instructions 
to capture Jefferson Davis, which they did 
about sixty miles below Macon, Georgia. Here- 
he was mustered out of the army, having 
been in service four years and one month. 
Returning to Winchester, he engaged on the 
Pennsylvania Central railroad until 1874, when 
he journeyed to California, via the isthmus,, 
and speculated in mining stocks for three years. 
In 1877, he went to Arizona, then to Los 
Angeles, then to the mines near Owen's Lake, 
afterwards to Carson City and Virginia City, 
Nevada, then he visited Reno, Sacramento, 
San Francisco and Portland. In the latter- 
place, he wrought on the O. R. & N. railroad: 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



737 



and also at The Dalles. On March 15, 1878, 
he landed in Walla Walla and took his present 
place as a homestead. This has been his head- 
quarters since, although he has wrought much 
of the time with Dr. Blalock and John Bryant. 
Mr. Higgins is a member of the G. A. R. and 
is an energentic and stirring man. He was 
raised under the influence of the Catholic 
church but does not belong to any denomina- 
tion. 



DUNCAN A. McINTOSH, a pioneer of 
southeastern Washington, a representative 
citizen of Ascotin county, and one of the most 
thrifty and up to date farmers in the state of 
Washington, resides just west from Theon, 
where he has a magnificent estate of nearly 
two sections. The improvements upon the 
estate have been made by Mr. Mcintosh and 
are of the best, manifesting his excellent taste 
and wisdom. At present he handles about four 
hundred acres to crops each year, while the 
balance of the land is summer fallowed or 
pastured. 

Duncan A. Mcintosh was born in Glengarry 
county, Ontario, Canada, on July 30, 1850. 
His father, Alexander Mcintosh, Avas born in 
Scotland near Edinburgh and was an early set- 
tler in Canada. He was of gentle birth and a 
man of influence where he lived. He married 
Isabell McLennan, a native of Canada and of 
Scotch Irish ancestry. The excellent schools 
of Ontario furnished the educational training 
of our subject and he remained on -the farm 
with his parents until seventeen when he 
journeyed to Clearfield county, Pennsylvania, 
and engaged in lumbering. Seven years were 
spent in the employ of Redding and Fisher, then 
he returned to Canada for a couple of years. 
In 1877, he journeyed to California and was 
occupied in the redwood forests of Mendocino 
county. The next year he came north to 
Washington and settled in Columbia county, 
that portion which is now Asotin county. His 
35 



location was on March 22, 1878, and he bought 
the right of a settler, Mr. Hopkins, where he 
resides at the present time. Like most of the 
early pioneers in that country, Mr. Mcintosh 
was forced to go to other parts of the state to 
• earn money for his living for the first few years 
of his residence. Not to be daunted, however, 
he labored faithfully on and being a careful 
man and good manager, he soon began to pros- 
per. In due time he purchased other land and 
has kept adding to his estate betimes since until 
he has the amount mentioned above. Mr. Mcin- 
tosh is a man of integrity and honor and his 
life has been such that everyone has confidence 
in him. If, however, there is one characteristic 
of the man more than another, it is his thrift 
and good taste. These have been displayed so 
continuously that he has the name of being the 
best farmer in his county and surely an inspec- 
tion of his property would lead one to say the 
decision was correct. His beautiful home, well 
cultivated fields, his perfectly laid out farm,, 
and his fine stock, all give evidence of this fact. 
Another point is very noticeable in Mr. Mc- 
intosh's life, which is, that he is so careful of 
detail that everything about his farm is in per- 
fect order. One of the crowning works he has 
done here was planning and erecting the larg- 
est barn in Asotin county, a magnificent build- 
ing which accommodates forty horses and forty 
cattle, so laid out that it has all the fine points 
known to modern architecture of barns and so 
beautifully built that it would be an ornament 
in any country. The same is supplied with a 
water works system equal to that found in any 
modern house and Mr. Mcintosh may justly 
take pride in his excellent achievements. This 
is the result of his wisdom and industry, and 
constantly the people of his county are stimu- 
lated by his example to worthy efforts and im- 
provements more that we are able to show. 
Certainly, Mr. Mcintosh has done a magnifi- 
cent work for Asotin county. He brought the 
first threshing machine to Asotin flats and op- 
erated it for fourteen years. In addition to 



738 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



the enterprises before mentioned, Mr. Mcintosh 
is interested in the Blue Mountain Mill Com- 
pany and the Diamond Chief Mining Company 
of Asotin county. 

At Lewiston, Idaho, on November 29, 
1883, Mr. Mcintosh married Miss Alice, the 
daughter of Joseph and Mary (Burk) Bymas- 
ter, natives of Illinois and Almira, New York, 
respectively. The father was a soldier in the 
Rebellion. Mrs. Mcintosh was born in Ogle 
County, Illinois, and is a graduate of the Ore- 
gon high school. She (taught for several 
years before her marriage. To Mr. and Mrs. 
Mcintosh the following children have been 
born: Eva, in Asotin county, on January 5, 
1885, and died January 6, 1901 ; Burke A., on 
the farm, on July 18, 1886; Glenn D., in Ogle 
county, Illinois, on August 2, 1888; John K., 
on the farm, July 17, 1891 ; Francis W., on the 
farm, April 10, 1897, and died July 22, 1898. 
Mrs. Mcintosh was a noble woman and a faith- 
ful helpmate. On December 30, 1900. at the 
home on the farm, she was taken away by 
death. She was universally and sincerely 
mourned and was laid to rest with becoming 
honors. Mr. Mcintosh has the following named 
brothers and sisters : Thomas, Kenneth, Ewen, 
Mrs. Anna Frazer, Mrs. Ellen Monroe, Mrs. 
Mary McArthur, Mrs. Christina Walker, Mrs. 
Margory McDonald, and Mrs Kate McLen- 
nan. Mr. Mcintosh is a man of prominence in 
Asotin county. Although in political matters 
he has never aspired for office, he is one of 
those men who would merit the encomium 
spoken our president, "He is a man who does 
things." This is evidenced by his whole life 
and he is one of the most substantial, capable 
and thrifty men to be found in this part of the 
countrv. 



LOUIS W. BISHOP is the owner of and 
conducts the Bishop hotel in Clarkston, a 
neat structure of twelve rooms, provided with 
modern conveniences, as hot and cold water, 



electric lights, baths and so forth. It is a popu- 
lar resort and is conducted in such a neat and 
business like manner that it gives universal 
satisfaction. Louis W. Bishop was born in 
Bishop, Mason county, Illinois, on May 19, 
1872. His father was John Henry Bishop, a 
native of Germany, who came to the United 
States when fifteen years of age and settled in 
Mason county, Illinois, being one of the earli- 
est pioneers there. He owned land where 
Bishop now stands and the town was named 
for him. He was one of the leading and 
wealthy men of the country, and died there on 
August 3, 1893, being in his seventieth year. 
He had been a life long member of the Evangel- 
ical church and a man who supported worthy 
institutions. He married Catherine E. Wess- 
ling, also a native of Germany, who came to 
the United States with her parents when two 
years of age. She was brought up in Mason 
county and now owns the old home place, al- 
though she resides at Dixon, Illinois. Our sub- 
ject is the ninth of a family of fifteen children, 
fourteen of whom are living. He was reared 
on the farm and received his education in the 
public schools. Then he attended Bushnell 
college and afterward taught school. Subse- 
quent to that, he took a course in the Dixon 
business college and also studied telegraphy 
and for a time followed it". From his boyhood 
days he has always been a lover of music and 
has manifested no small talent in that line. 
He was playing a cornet in a band when fifteen 
years of age and is now the leader of the 
Clarkston concert band and evinces great inter- 
est in orchestral music. Mr. Bishop is also an 
ardent admirer of out door sports and was a 
member of the base ball team in Illinois. He 
followed farming some in Illinois and then in 
the fall of 1 90 1, sold his property there and 
came to Clarkston. For a time he was clerk in 
a store here and then in 1903, he purchased the 
lot of ground and erected the hotel above men- 
tioned. Since that time, he has given his at- 
tention to the management of the hotel and also 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



739 



to overseeing the tract of fruit land which he 
owns adjoining town. The land is now set to 
various kinds of fruit, all of which are in bear- 
in. 

On August 31, 1898, Mr. Bishop married 
Mary E. Loux, who was born in Jersey 
county, Illinois. Her parents died when she 
was small and she was an only child. At the 
time of her marriage she was saleslady in a dry 
goods store. To Mr. and Mrs. Bishop three 
children have been born, Mildred D., Beulah B., 
and the baby, a boy. Mr. Bishop is a member 
of the I. O. O. F. and the W. O. W. His wife 
belongs to the Rebekahs and the Circle. Mr. 
Bishop also carries one thousand dollars in an 
old line insurance compny and two thousand 
each in W. O. W. and the Bankers' Life. He 
and his wife are well known and highly re- 
spected people and have many warm friends. 



RALPH BERTRUM HOOPER is one 
of the leading merchants of Clarkston and was 
born on July 31, 1870, at Atwater, Minnesota. 
His father, John Y. Hooper, was a native of 
New York and an early pioneer to Minnesota. 
He was court stenographer of Scott county for 
several years and also served four years in the 
Civil War among the Minnesota Volunteers. 
He was bugler in his command and partici- 
pated in several leading battles, among them 
being Gettysburg. He had been wounded sev- 
eral times, although only slightly, and his death 
occurred at Belleplaine, Minnesota, in 1888. He 
married Helen J. Baldwin, a native of Madison, 
Wisconsin, and now living in Omaha, Nebras- 
ka. After studying in the common schools, our 
subject took up shorthand under his father and 
was stenographer for several different law 
firms in the east. In 1889, he came to Sprague, 
Washington, to accept a position with the Nor- 
thern Pacific railroad. Shortly afterwards, he 
was installed as agent and held the position for 
a few years. Then he was transferred to Spo- 



kane and became claim agent for the company. 
Later we find him in Lewiston and when the 
bank of Clarkston was organized, he was in- 
stalled as cashier. Later, he resigned that po- 
sition to take up his present business and in 
1 90 1, with C. M. Evans, he embarked in the 
commercial world. They have a fine store 
building, fifty by one hundred feet, which is 
divided into two compartments, one being filled 
with farming implements and the other with a 
full line of grocieries, hardware, tinware and 
house furnishing goods. In addition to all this, 
the firm carries a large amount of supplies of 
mining goods and a full line of crockery. They 
enjoy an excellent patronage and by a close at- 
tention to business and deferential treatment to 
all have won the confidence of. the people. 

On November 1, 1890, Mr. Hooper mar- 
ried Emma J. Montag at Belleplaine, Minne- 
sota. She was born in St. Paul, in that state. 
The fruit of this union is two children, Beryl 
Bernice and Ralph Bertram. 

Mr. Hooper is council commander of the 
W. W. and a member of the K. P. It is in- 
teresting to note that when Mr. Hooper, came 
west he was without capital and everything 
that he now possesses is the result of his care- 
ful industry and thrift. He is a man of excel- 
lent habits and standing and has many friends. 



ROBERT SANGSTER is one of the fore- 
most men of Asotin county. For six years he 
served his country in the capacity of commis- 
sioner and during that entire long term dis- 
played the probity, wisdom and keen foresight 
that have characterized him in private business. 
He was as alert for the interests of the county 
as for his own private enterprises and the re- 
sult was that Asotin county profited much by 
his extended term of service. For two years of 
this period, he was chairman of the board. Mr. 
Sangster now dwells about one mile north of 
Anatone, where he has one of the choicest 



740 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



estates of the country and which manifests his 
ability as a farmer, stockman and a fruit 
raiser. 

Robert Sangster was born in Glengarry 
county, Canada, on May 20, 1853. His father, 
John Sangster, a native of Aberdeen, Scotland, 
came to Canada when young, followed farming 
and there married Ann Mcintosh, a native of 
Canada. The first eighteen years of our sub- 
ject's life were spent in his native county, 
working on the farm and gaining a good educa- 
tion from the excellent home schools. In 1876 
he turned his face to the west and next we find 
him lumbering in Mendocino county, Califor- 
nia. In 1878, he settled down for the winter 
and on the 21st of April of that year, he landed 
in Lewiston, Idaho, and the following day, he 
came on foot in company with Duncan Mc- 
intosh to the Asotin Flats and on his arrival, 
he immediately purchased a relinquishment of 
Frank Leucovish. Mr. Sangster went to work 
to make a home and since that time has dwelt 
on this land. He has brought it to a high state 
of cultivation and has supplied a great many 
fine improvements. During the Indian troubles 
Mr. Sangster assisted to build the fort near 
Anatone and he has ever been a progressive 
and active man in improvements of every kind 
for the county. When he was elected to the 
commissioner's office, his name appeared on the 
Republican ticket and he has always been a 
stanch supporter of the principles of that party. 

At Lewiston, Idaho, on February 15, 
1880, occurred the marriage of Mr. Sangster 
and Ida B. Whitton, Parson Riggsby officiat- 
ing. Mrs. Sangster's father, Abner Whitton, 
was born in Connecticut and was a pioneer to 
Minnesota, Oregon and Asotin county, Wash- 
ington. He married Harriett S. Bell, a native 
of Ohio. Mrs. Sangster was born in 01m- 
stead county, Minnesota, on November 2, 
1863, and is now the mother of the following 
named children : Minnie B., born on August 
22, 1 881, and now the wife of B. N. Clemans ; 
Maude, born on April 8, 1883, the wife of W. 



L. Clemans; Charles, born June 9, 1886; Cart 
R., born March 22, 1888; Margerrie, born July 
2, 1893; George R., born October 27, 1895; 
and Theodore born June 3, 1903. 

Mr. Sangster is a member of the I. O. O. 
F. and has passed all the chairs of that order. 
He also belongs to the grand lodge of the state,, 
to the Encampment and to the Rebekahs. He 
is an adherent of the Presbyterian church and 
is known far and near as a man of uprightness, 
and stability, governed by wisdom and good, 
principles. 



JOHN T. MORROW, a prosperous and 
leading farmer of Asotin county, who resides 
about four miles southeast from Cloverland, 
was born in Hall county, Georgia, on May 5, 
1863. His father, David Morrow, was a na- 
tive of the same state and later dwelt in Brown 
county, Texas, and in 1882, came overland' 
with teams to Walla Walla. His death oc- 
curred in Asotin, in 1902. He married 
Amanda Moore, a native of Georgia, who is- 
still living in Asotin. Our subject received 
his education in the common schools of Texas 
and Asotin county and spent his youthful days, 
on the farm. In 1883 ne took a pre-emption 
and then a homestead near where Cloverland is 
now and began the improvement of the same 
and also raised stock. Later, he bought his 
present home at the head of .the Smiley Gulch> 
which is an estate of between seven and eight 
hundred acres and very beautiful. It is nearly 
all under the plow and producing fine crops of 
the cereals. Mr. Morrow has a large stock of 
cattle and is one of the prosperous men of the 
section. He has held various offices since 
coming to the country and is a man whose 
stability and worth are well known. 

At Moscow, Idaho, in 1890, Mr. Morrow 
married Ana E. Baggett, the daughter of A. E. 
and Nancy E. Baggett, formerly from Arkan- 
sas, their native state. Mrs. Morrow was also, 
born in that state and the fruit of this mar- 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



74i 



riage is mentioned as follows with the dates of 
their respective births : Bert, on December 7, 
1 891; Ruth, on March 7, 1893; R° v > Novem- 
ber 27, 1894; Earl, November 2, 1899; Ralph, 
November 30, 1901 ; Hazel, August 9, 1903. 
Mr. Morrow has the following brothers and 
sisters, James V., a farmer in Asotin county; 
William H., living near Cloverland ; David A. 
and George W., living in Asotin county; Mrs. 
Talor Trent, living in Asotin ; Mrs. J. D. Wil- 
liams, Riverside, Okanogan county ; Mrs. L. F. 
Fine, in Modesto, California; Mrs. J. H. Mor- 
risey, of Asotin ; Mrs. Louis Closuit, of Asotin ; 
and Miss Tillie Morrow, of Asotin. 

Mr. and Mrs. Morrow are good people, 
have many friends and have contributed ma- 
terially to the advncement and upbuilding of 
the county. 



DEA W. SAVAGE is a farmer residing 
about two miles northwest from Theon. He 
was born in Marion county, Oregon, on May 
6, 1863. His father, James H. Savage, was a 
native of Missouri, and a pioneer settler of 
Oregon and Columbia county, Washington. 
He married Catherine Pitman, a native of 
Missouri. In 1872, the elder savage brought 
his family to Dayton in this state, and there our 
subject received his education. After finishing 
school, he taught for two years and then in 
1884, came to Asotin county, taking a home- 
stead on Fisher Gulch. He spent fourteen 
years there, during which time he taught 
school in various places in the county and was 
then appointed superintendent of schools for 
the unexpired term of W. W. Henry. That 
having been completed he was elected on the 
Democratic ticket to the same office and held it 
for two years. He sold his Fisher Gulch farm 
and later bought the place where he now re- 
sides, which was formerly owned by E. Scott. 
In 1898, Mr. Savage located at Farmington, in 
Whitman county, where he learned the black- 
smith trade. Fourteen months after he came 



there he returned to Asotin county, where he 
has remained since. 

In 1892, in this county, Mr. Savage mar- 
ried Miss Addie C. Millsaps. Her parents, 
Robert and Holly (Carpenter) Millsaps, are 
natives of Missouri and Tennessee,respectively, 
and pioneer settlers of this county. They now 
reside at Vineland. The brothers and sisters of 
our subject are Hiram, at Farmington. Wash- 
ington; Marion, at Gifford, Idaho, and Mrs. 
Sarah Knoblock, of Dayton, Washington. To 
our subject and his wife the following named 
children have been born: Walter O., on De- 
cember 12, 1894; Sarah E., on November 29, 
1895; Edna L., on March 1, 1898; James H., 
on May 7, 1900; Gladys I., on June 16, 1902; 
Pearl O., on March 21, 1904. 

Mr. Savage was raised under the influence 
of the Baptist church and politically has always 
been allied with the Democratic party. In ad- 
dition to making a success of financial matters, 
wherein he has shown great industry, he has 
also done a worthy and commendable work in 
educational lines. His term of office was 
fraught with efficiency and thoroughness that 
show the manner of man and he accomplished 
a great deal of good altogether. Mr. Savage 
is known as one of the leading, substantial and 
progressive men of Asotin county. 



SAMUEL W. ROBISON, one of Asotin 
county's farmers, is now dwelling at Anatone, 
where he has one of the good farms of the 
county. He is industrious and a careful and 
wise manager in his business enterprises. He 
was born in Richwood county, Arkansas, on 
December 31, 1870, the son of James M. and 
Julia (McLaughlin) Robison. The father 
was born in Mississippi, and fought in the 
Rebellion. He had a large capital tied up in 
slaves and when the war came he lost every- 
thing. In 1876, being discouraged with the 
country, he came west and settled in the terri- 



742 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



tory now embraced in this county. His death 
occurred in Columbia county, in 1887. Our 
subject was educated in the public schools of 
this and Columbia counties and received also 
excellent training from Mrs. John Tuttle, 
county superintendent. He spent his early 
life on the farm, and in 1892 took a homestead. 
Since that time, he has given his entire atten- 
tion to general farming and raising stock. He 
has some very fine stock and is one of the' best 
authorities on stock in this part of the state. It 
is interesting to note that, physically, Mr. 
Robison is said to be the strongest man in Aso- 
tin county. He has good improvements on his 
farm and the latest machinery. 

At Genesee, Idaho, on July 1, 1893, Mr. 
Robison married Miss Hallie Boggan, the 
daughter of James N. and Retta (Parker) 
Boggan, natives of North Carolina and Mis- 
souri, respectively, and pioneer settlers of Aso- 
tin county. Mrs. Robison was born in Kansas 
City, Missouri, on September 29, 1872. To 
our subject and his wife, three children have 
been born: Lee Wayne, on November 3, 1894; 
Julia Retta, August 11, 1896; Gwendoline, on 
September 2, 1903. Mr. Robison is a mem- 
ber of the M. W. A. Mrs. Robison studied in 
the state normal at Ellensburg, and is an 
ardent worker in the ranks of the educators. 
In 1896, she was elected county superintendent 
of schools by a majority of three, over J. B. 
Jones, Republican. Her, name appeared on the 
People's ticket. She gave the best of satisfac- 
tion and did much for the cause of education. 
She and her husband are popular people and 
have many friends throughout this and ad- 
joining counties. 



MORGAN H. TATE resides in Asotin 
and is retired from active business. He was 
born in Pettis county, Missouri, on July 12, 
1847, an d has spent a good portion of his life 
in the west and on the frontier. His parents, 



Allen C. and Elizabeth (Scott) Tate, were 
born in Ohio and Kentucky, respectively. The 
father was a relative of the beloved and noted 
General Scott. The common schools of Put- 
nam county, Missouri, furnished the educa- 
tional training of our subject and his early life 
was spent on the farm. On February 8, 1864, 
he enlisted in Company C, of the Twelfth -Cav- 
alry, under Captain William L. Delaney and 
General Thomas. He served two years, two 
months and one day and was discharged at 
Fort Leavenworth,. Kansas. He saw much 
hard service and was in the battles of Nash- 
ville, Franklin, Pulaski, Marshall, Holly 
Springs, and frequently came into contact with 
Forrester and Ouantrell, besides other bush- 
whackers. After the close of the war, he was 
in service under General Conner, in Nebraska, 
Wyoming, and Utah, quelling the Indians. 
Following his discharge from the army he re- 
turned to Missouri and there remained until 
1874. In April of that year, he came west to 
Washington and settled on Mill creek, just east 
from the town of Walla Wall. Here he had 
the great misfortune to lose his wife, one 
daughter and one son, who were crushed by a 
snowslide. One child escaped death out of 
that terrible catastrophe. In 1875, Mr. Tate 
left Walla Walla county, settling in Asotin 
county on a tract of land on the Snake river, 
where Vineland is now. Later, he sold this 
property to the Lewiston Water Power Com- 
pany, having made that his home for eleven 
years. Then he moved to Asotin and opened a 
blacksmith shop, operating the same for thir- 
teen years. After that he came to the new 
town of Cloverland and opened a shop which 
he sold in 1904, then removed to Asotin, where 
he now resides. 

In Putnam county, Missouri, in 1866, Mr. 
Tate married Barbra J. Walls, a native of the 
same county, who died near Walla Walla, on 
January 22, 1875, as stated above. In Walla 
Walla, on August 6, 1877, occurred the sec- 
ond marriage of Mr. Tate, Sarah E. Gable, 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



743 



a native of Illinois, then becoming his bride. 
He has the following named children : Mrs. 
Mary Hodge, living in Walla Walla; Leonard 
W., born in Walla Walla; J. Harry, born in 
Umatilla county, Oregon ; Benjamin, born in 
Garfield county; Bertha A., born in Asotin 
county; and Elliott J., born in Asotin. 

Mr. Tate is a member of the G. A. R., and 
is past commander. "He is well known through 
the country and has shown himself an industri- 
ous and thrifty man and is one of the good 
citizens of Asotin county. 



JAMES HAMILTON, who resides about 
four miles southeast from Anatone, was born 
in Dodge county, Wisconsin, on May 10, 1836, 
the son of William and Maria (Kimlin) Ham- 
ilton, natives of Ireland. The father came to 
the United States when young and was a pio- 
neer in Dodge county, Wisconsin. Our sub- 
ject grew up on the farm and attended the dis- 
trict schools in the winter. When twenty he 
went to Green Bay and later bought a farm 
in Juneau county. In 1859, he went to Cali- 
fornia with his father. They intended to stop 
at Pikes Peak, but hearing such discouraging 
reports, they went on. For two years our sub- 
ject mined near Grass Valley then returned to 
Wisconsin. In 1865, he came via the isthmus 
to Sacramento and for a year raised poultry. 
Then he went to Colusa comity, but owing to 
ill health journeyed to the mountains and 
mined. Later he went to Sacramento valley, 
then was in Washington, and after that settled 
in Jackson county, Oregon. He farmed six 
years there and then, it being 1878, came to 
Columbia county. He settled in the Mayview 
country, eighteen miles northeast from Pome- 
roy, and engaged in raising stock. Eight years 
later, he went to Fisher Gulch, in Asotin coun- 
ty, and finally purchased a half section where 
he now lives. He gives his attention to hand- 
ling stock. 



In Dodge county, Wisconsin, on July 3, 
1858, Mr. Hamilton married Miss Martha A. 
Weldon, the daughter of Leonard and Polly 
(Morse) Weldon, natives "of New York. Mrs. 
Hamilton was born in New York state, Ot- 
sego county, December 31, 1842. Mr. and 
Mrs. Hamilton have the following named chil- 
dren : George, near Portland ; Mrs. Flora Last, 
in Walla Walla; Mrs. Carrie L. Hatch, near 
Spokane; Mrs. Ella M. Phillips, at home; 
Frank L., in the Grande Ronde valley; and 
Harry W., at home. Mr. Hamilton was 
elected justice of the peace in Jackson county, 
but refused to qualify. He affiliates with the 
Methodist church. 



WILLIAM E. APPLEFORD. A resi- 
dence of over twenty-five years in the territory 
now embraced in Asotin county and a close 
identification with its upbuilding and improve- 
ment in all these years, amply justify the class- 
ifiction of our subject as one of the pioneers 
of this section and also one of the real builders 
of the country. He was born in England, on 
April 28, 1853, tne son °f Daniel and Mary 
(Ayers) Appleford, natives of England and 
early pioneers to Canada. The public schools 
of Canada gave our subject his education and 
he remained with a cousin until twenty-one 
years of age. Then he began life's work for 
himself by renting farms. This continued in 
Canada until 1878, when he came to the states 
and journeyed west. Washington was the 
point of occupation for him and after some 
time in looking over the country he settled in 
Columbia county, that portion which is now 
Asotin county, and took a homestead and a 
preemption. He at once gave his attention to 
the breaking up and improving of this estate, 
and since those days he has continued here in 
the good work of the husbandman and has 
now two hundred and forty acres under the 
plow and producing bounteous crops. His 



744 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



improvements are good and substantial and 
the place shows marks of much thought and 
labor. Mr. Appleford has a small stock of 
cattle and horses but gives his attention mainly 
to the production of grain. Mr. Appleford 
has two brothers and four sisters, George, 
Darius, Mrs. Ann McCready, Rachel, Mrs. 
Hannah Learn, and Mrs. Louisa Wilson. 

In Asotin county, Mr. Appleford married 
Miss Beatrice Stone, the daughter of Jacob S.. 
and Martha (Harbolt) Stone, who are men- 
tioned in another portion of this volume. The 
wedding occurred in 1883 and Mrs. Appleford 
was born in Appanoose county, Iowa. The 
names of the children born to this union, with 
the dates of their birth, are given below; Law- 
rence, on June 10. 1885; Otville, May 17, 
1887; Edward E., May 26, 1889; Rubie M., 
April 13, 1891 ; Hattie C, August 8, 1893; 
Tracy, February 24. 1896; Dewey, August 9, 
1898; Bertha. July 13, 1900; and Ethel, De- 
cember 8, 1901. Mr. Appleford is a member 
of the W. W., and has served on the school 
board for many years. He is also road super- 
visor of his district. 



GEORGE APPLEFORD is properly 
placed in the class of deserving men of whom 
onr president says,' "They do things." He 
is not especially a man of words, but may easily 
be classed as a man of deeds. This is discerni- 
ble from the success he has won and from his 
career which has manifested those qualities of 
worth and stability that characterize the true 
man and the progressive and prominent citi- 
zen. 

George Appleford is now dwelling in Aso- 
tin, where has has a comfortable residence. 
His birth occurred near Redding, in Berkshire, 
England, on February 14, 1855. His parents, 
Daniel and Mary (Ayers) Appleford, were 
also natives of Berkshire and immigrants to 
Canada in 1857. Our subject was but an in- 
fant when they arrived in Canada, and there he 



received his educational training and was 
reared. Until 1878 he remained in his chosen 
country, and then came out west to Washing- 
ton. After due search he selected a homestead 
on Montgomery Ridge, and commenced the 
good work of improvement and upbuilding. 
He labored steadily along, adding to his estate 
from time to time, until it is now 960 acres, all 
choice land and all in a high state of cultiva- 
tion. The original homested is the nucleus of 
the estate and the thoroughness and continuity 
displayed by Mr. Appleford in his labors man- 
ifests the secert of his splendid success. Thrift 
and sagacity have also characterized him while 
integrity and a keen sense of honor are al- 
ways apparent in his conduct. In addition to 
the labor of farming, which for more than a 
quarter of a century he has prosecuted with 
success, he has also devoted himself to stock 
raising and has a good band of cattle now. . 

At Springfield, Ontario, Canada, in 1892, 
Mr. Appleford married Miss Lizzie Stirton, 
whose parents were natives of Canada. She 
was born in Ontario, on December 19, 1864, 
and died in Asotin County, on June 9, 1903. 
She had been a devoted wife and mother, and 
in the early summer of the year mentioned fell 
asleep to wake amid the realities of the world 
beyond. Her life had showed forth the real 
faith that makes faithful, and comforted with 
the graces of Christianity, she bade farewell 
to loved ones below and calmly passed away. 
The children left were Richard Lee, born 
June 18, 1893; Edison J., born December 31, 
1894, and Maida A., born December 31, 1898. 
Mr. Appleford has the following named 
brothers and sisters: William E., in this 
county ; Darius, a farmer in Canada ; Sarah, 
the wife of Robert Wilson, of this county; 
Ann, wife of Tames McCradev, in Canada ; 
Rachel, in Canada, and Hannah, wife of 
George Learn, also in Canada. Mr. Apple- 
ford is a member of the Presbyterian Church, 
is also identified with the W. W., and in poli- 
tics is a strong Republican. 




Mr. and Mrs. George Appleford 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



745 



KAY L. THOMPSON, a genial and pop- 
ular business man of Asotin, Washington, is 
the owner and editor of the Asotin Sentinel, 
one of the brightest, newsiest and liveliest papers 
■of the state. True to its name, it is always on 
guard for the interests of the people of Asotin 
county and is progressive in spirit. A review 
•of Mr. Thompson's career can but prove inter- 
esting to all and it is with pleasure that we ap- 
pend the same. 

Kay L. Thompson was born in Jackson 
•county, Indiana, on March 18, 1867. His par- 
ents, Dr. J. M. and Nancy Elizabeth (Cooper- 
writer) Thompson, were natives of Indiana. 
The mother died when our subject was an in- 
fant and when four years of age, he was 
taken by his father to Meadville, Missouri, 
where he was reared and received his educa- 
tion. At the age of fourteen, he commenced 
his training in the office of the Meadville Mes- 
senger as an apprentice, and for six years he 
was associated with that paper. Then he left 
home and went to Caldwell county, Missouri, 
where he became one of the publishers of the 
Caldwell County Sentinel. After a short time 
in that capacity he sold his interests and 
worked in various parts of Missouri and Kan- 
sas. He was always imbued with the spirit of 
adventure and exploration and soon we find 
him in the west, his first location being Mos- 
cow, Idaho, where he was engaged with the Star 
of Idaho for one year. Then he went to Lew- 
iston and remained nine years on the Lewis- 
ton Teller. On April 1, 1899, Mr. Thompson 
landed in Asotin, Washington, and was soon 
engaged with Elmer E. Waldrip in publishing 
the Asotin Sentinel. Two years later he pur- 
chased his partner's interest and since that 
time has continued the paper alone. As stated 
before, his paper is one of the finest in the 
state, and Mr. Thompson may well take pride 
both in the high literary standing of the sheet 
which he handles and the mechanical ability 
displayed in its makeup. In policy, it is for 
Asotin county and it is for the people. In 



principle, it is fearless and always champion- 
ing those measures which obtain for right and 
truth. While in taste and style, Mr. Thomp- 
son has a bright, taking, yet forceful way that 
wins him an excellent hearing both among his 
supporters and his colleagues. Asotin is to 
be congratulated upon securing as a permanent 
resident this experienced and capable newspa- 
per man. 

At Chillicothe, Missouri, on November 12, 
1890, Mr. Thompson married Miss Dora 
Estep, the daughter of George W. Estep, one 
of the pioneer merchants of that state. To 
this union, one child, Kay L., Jr., has been 
born, the date thereof being November 20, 
1892, and his native place, Lewiston. 

Mr. Thompson is a member of the I. O. O. 
F., the K. P. and the Woodmen of the World. 
He also belongs to the Encampment and has 
passed all the chairs in that branch, and is past 
grand patriarch. He was also prominent in 
the Grand Encampment in Idaho. He is at 
present a member of the city council. Mr. 
Thompson is a man of affability, is public spir- 
ited and kind, and the result is he has hosts of 
friends in all portions of the county. 



RINGOLD C. STONE resides about one 
mile east from Craige, and is one of the most 
substantial farmers and stockmen of Asotin 
county at this day. He is a man whose suc- 
cess in life has been gained by virtue of good 
hard work, wisely bestowed, and continued 
thrift and close attention to business. He is 
possessed of that sterling quality of determina- 
tion and tenacity that brook no defeat, and 
stop at no obstacle, and have constantly pressed 
him forward to excellent achievements. His 
estate is a fine one, half given to pasture and 
half to grain and the fruits of the field. It 
consists of about one and one half sections, 
and shows throughout a thrift and air of taste 



746 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



and care which commend the proprietor to the 
esteem of all lovers of well doing. 

Ringold C. Stone was born in Appanoose 
county, Iowa, on April 22, 1861, the son of 
Jacob S. and Martha (Harbolt) Stone, the 
former born in Ohio, and the latter a native of 
•Kentucky. They were pioneers of Asotin 
county, and are still living here. The district 
schools of Iowa and Oregon contributed the 
educational training of our subject and when 
the time came to lay aside his books, he took 
up farming, as he had spent portions of each 
year in that work with his father during school 
days. In 1873, we & n d him in the vicinity 
of Corvallis, Oregon, engaged in tilling the 
soil, and later in Benton county, in the same 
occupation. In the fall of 1879, Mr. Stone 
came to Columbia county, that portion now 
embraced in Asotin county, and settled on 
Montgomery ridge. He had a little patch of 
land, a* pair of ponies and eighty dollars worth 
of debts. At once he took hold with his hands 
and soon prosperity smiled on his efforts with 
the result that now he has one of the large 
estates of the county, and all the improvements 
that could be desired, besides a fine herd of 
well bred cattle. 

The marriage of Mr. Stone and Kate Mc- 
Millan occurred in Lewiston, on July 4, 1885. 
Her parents, Morrison and Lucinda (Millott). 
McMillan, were born in Ohio and Indiana, 
respectively, and were pioneers of this county, 
where they now reside. Mrs. Stone was born 
in Chippewa county, Minnesota, on October 
24, 1869. Mr. Stone has the following broth- 
ers and sisters, Samuel, Mrs. Beatrice Apple- 
ford, Mrs. Hattie M. Bond. Mrs. Stone has 
three brothers and two sisters, Orlando, Will- 
iam, Herbert, Mrs. Maude Miller, and Pearl. 
Eight children have been born to our subject 
and his worthy wife, whose names and dates 
of birth are given as follows ; Cress R., Sep- 
tember 14, 1886; Myrtle A., November 11, 
1887; I ya ]■> April. 1, 1890; Winnie A., May 
26, 1892; Adelia O., April 28, 1894; Melva 



M., June 3, 1899; Esther P., June 23, 1902; 
and Jacob Clay, July 26, 1904. Mr. Stone is 
not a politician, but takes a keen interest in 
the campaigns. He has been constable of his 
precinct four years, and is a zealous supporter 
of school matters. He was reared under the 
influence of the Christian denomination, but 
does not belong to any, although a supporter 
of them. 



ORVILLE GILMORE is one of the popu- 
lar residents of Asotin county. After a long 
period of active labor, wisely bestowed, Mr. 
Gilmore is now privileged to enjoy the fruits 
of the same in a retired life amid many friends 
where he is esteemed for his worth and integ- 
rity. He was born in Great Barrington, Mas- 
sachusetts, on January 5, 1843. His father, 
Orville Gilmore, was a native of Cambridge, 
Vermont, and a descendant of the noted David 
Gilmore, of Colonial fame. He was a cloth 
manufacturer. The mother, Wealthy M. 
(Miller) Gilmore, was a native of Minder 
Hook, Cambridge county, New York. After 
completing his studies in the common schools 
of his native town, our subject graduated from 
the commercial college at Poughkeepsie, New 
York, in August, 1863. In December of the 
same year, he enlisted in Company K, Six- 
teenth New York Artillery, under Captain J. 
H. Otis and Colonel Joseph H. Morrison, and 
took part in the campaign at Yorktown, Peters- 
burg and Richmond. In 1864, and in Jan- 
uary, 1865, he participated in the storming of 
Forts Fisher and Bloomington. Then he 
joined Sherman's army at Goldsbo rough, 
North Carolina, and was finally mustered out 
at Fort Worth, D. C, on August 28, 1865. 
In addition to doing active work in the field, 
he had served as clerk in the adjutant's office 
and the quartermaster's department, and was 
also mustering in clerk of the company. Upon 
leaving the army he came west and in 1867, 
we find him in Illinois, and for a time he was 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



747 



with the American Life Insurance Company 
of Chicago. The next year he returned to 
New York and engaged in the commission 
business on the Hudson river. Finally, he 
opened up in the same business in the Wash- 
ington Market, continuing there until 1873. 
In that year, he left for Iowa, settling at Red 
Oak, where he farmed until 1878. In the year 
last mentioned, Mr. Gilmore came to Walla 
Walla, and was engaged with Major Truax 
in government surveying for some time. He 
sectionized the counties of Spokane, Asotin 
and portions of the Blue Mountains, and they 
assisted in surveying Lincoln, Douglas and 
Adams. He was chainman in this work, and 
was assisted by C. C. May, formerly a banker 
in Davenport, and T. F. Richardson of Wil- 
son Creek. They were all poor boys then, 
working for wages. While in this capacity, 
Mr. Gilmore selected a homestead and timber 
culture claim in Asotin county, which he still 
owns. Immediately following the completion 
of the survey work, he returned to his farm 
and began improvements. There were but few 
settlers where he settled on Montgomery Ridge, 
and none had made improvements, as they 
were waiting for the land to be surveyed. Mr. 
Gilmore has given attention to farming from 
that time on until 1903, in which year he sold 
a portion of his property and is now living a 
retired life in Asotin. Recently he returned 
to the east and visited his native place, where 
he did business in New York, and came back 
to this country more assured than ever that 
he was dwelling in the best portion of the 
United States. 

Mr. Gilmore is an active Republican and 
has always taken a very keen interest in the 
campaigns. He has served his county for four 
years as commissioner with the utmost satis- 
faction to all concerned. He is one of the old- 
est settlers in the county, and has maintained 
from those pioneer days to the present time, 
a clean record and is a capable and upright 



man. He has one brother, who is engineer of 
the waterworks system of Detroit, Michigan. 

Mr. Gilmore is a member of the G. A. R., 
and was raised under the influence of the 
Methodist church, although he belongs to no 
denomination. He is perhaps better posted on 
the lands in Eastern Washington as a whole, 
than any other man in the county, having 
examined them in person throughout the en- 
tire section mentioned. He has many friends 
and has shown himself a man with qualities to 
stimulate the admiration and confidence of all 
good and upright people. 

Since the above was written, Mr. Gilmore 
died, the date of his demise being August 10, 
1904. Heart failure was the immediate cause. 



WILLIAM R. DAY, who is at the head 
of a prosperous harness and saddle business in 
Asotin, is one of the best known men of the 
county, and without exaggeration we may say, 
one of the most popular. He is a modest and 
unassuming man and believes in doing things 
and doing them well. He has practiced this 
in Asotin county for a number of years, and 
the result is that he has not only accumulated 
a nice property, but has also won the esteem 
and confidence of all the people. He is a man 
on whose judgment one may rely, and whose 
integrity has always been unswerving. In ad- 
dition to handling the business mentioned, Mr. 
Day is also in company with Mr. Clemens in 
the stock business and they handle a fine lot 
of cattle. 

William R. Day was born in Lancaster, 
Grant county, Wisconsin, on July 27, 1869. 
His father, Theodore B. Day, who is living in 
this county and an honored member of the 
G. A. R., was also born in the Badger State, 
and served his country five years in the Second 
Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry during the dark 
days of fratricidal strife. The mother, Rachel 



748 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



Day, is a native of New York city. In the 
common schools of Walla Walla, our subject 
completed the education which had been be- 
gun in Wisconsin, having come to the Ever- 
green State with his father in 1881. He began 
life for himself by farming in Asotin county in 
company with William J. Clemens, in which 
capacity he labored assiduously for eight years. 
During this time they also raised cattle, horses, 
hogs and sheep and were very successful in 
their labors. In 1903, Mr. Day retired from 
the farm and began the manufacture of harness 
and saddles in Asotin, having become master 
of the trade previously. He still is interested 
with Mr. Clemens in the cattle business, and 
the firm is known as the Day and Clemens 
Stock Company. It is greatly to Mr. Day's 
credit when we mention that the entire prop- 
erty that he holds at the present time has been 
accumulated through his own industrious 
labors in the past few years in this county. 
But not like many who made money at the 
•expense of everything else, Mr. Day has gained 
in popularity and esteem as his wealth has in- 
creased. 

In Anatone, on September 22, 1894, Mr. 
Day married Miss Hattie B. Barnes, the daugh- 
ter of O. P. and Minerva Barnes, both pioneers 
of Oregon. Mrs. Day has one brother, Haz- 
ard P., who lives in Anatone. She was born 
in Cove, Union county, Oregon. Our subject 
and his wife have been blessed by the advent 
of two children, Edith Helen, born December 
12, 1898, and Myron B., born April 1, 1903. 
The ranch is the native place of both. 

Air. Day is a member of the I. O. O. F., 
and has passed through all the chairs as well 
as having been delegate to the Grand Lodge. 
He also belongs to the Patriarch Militant and 
the Rebekahs. Mr. Day is a Republican of 
the stanchest kind and displays marked en- 
thusiasm and energy in the campaigns. He 
has served as a member of the central com- 
mittee and in various other capacities. 



JAMES A. BRADLEY, of the firm of 
Mitchell & Bradley, leading merchants of 
Anatone, is one of the best known business 
men in Asotin county, and stands in his present 
position as the result of continued and hard 
labor. Mr. Bradley is especially deserving of 
commendation and of the high esteem in which 
he is held by his friends. He was born in 
Adams county, Iowa, on March 13, 1858, the 
son of Joseph A. and Sarah E. (Leeper) Brad- 
ley, natives of Pennsylvania, pioneers to Iowa, 
and early settlers, also, in Clackamas county, 
Oregon. Our subject had very little oppor- 
tunity to gain an education as he was on the 
frontier during school days, but what oppor- 
tunity denied him has been furnished through 
determination and careful improvement in his 
spare moments since. He has come to be one 
of the well informed men of the country, and 
has gained it all through his own personal ef- 
forts. In 1879, he moved with his mother to 
the vicinity of Dufur, Oregon, where he en- 
gaged in farming for ten years. In 1889, he 
sold this property and moved to Wallowa coun- 
ty, Oregon, locating near Joseph and engaging 
in the sheep, cattle and horse business. In 
1891, he removed from that location to Asotin 
county, and purchased the ranch formerly 
owned by Chief Joseph. Here he labored until 
1898, in raising stock and doing general farm- 
ing. In 1889, Mr. Bradley entered into part- 
nership with W. J. Clemens in a general mer- 
chandising establishment started by Charles 
Isecke at Anatone. Later, Mr. Mitchell pur- 
chased Mr. Clemens' interest and he and Mr. 
Bradley own and operate the business at the 
present time. They have a very fine large 
stock of goods, well assorted, and their patron- 
age extends for many miles in every direction. 
Under McKinley's administration in 1898, 
Mr. Bradley was appointed postmaster at Ana- 
tone, and he holds this position at the present 
time. He is also a director of the Bank of 
Asotin County at Asotin. 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



749^ 



At The Dalles, Oregon, on December 16, 
1879, Mr. Bradley married Miss Pauline Al- 
len, daughter of James and Pauline (Rigg) 
Allen, natives of Missouri and pioneers to 
Wasco county in 1853. Mrs. Bradley was 
born in Polk county, Oregon. Mr. Bradley 
has the following brothers and sisters. Thomas, 
Robert, John, Mrs. Hailey Hadley, and Mrs. 
Nancy Raab. The names of the children of 
Mr. and Mrs. Bradley are given below. Geor- 
gie, born in Dufur, Oregon, wife of Thomas 
Farrish; Willard L., born in Dufur; and 
John W., Frank A., Hester and Lloyd, all born 
in Asotin county. 

Mr. Bradley is a member of the I. O. O. 
F., the M. W. A. and the W. W. He is an 
enterprising and progressive man, popular and 
well known and has discharged to the satis- 
faction of all, all public duties which have been 
assigned to him. He is a good citizen and has 
accumulated a fine property. 



JAMES SANGSTER resides about a mile 
northwest from Anatone, where he has one of 
the choicest and best equipped and arranged 
farms in this part of the state of Washington. 
He is known far and near as one of the most 
thrifty agriculturists of the country and his 
skill and taste in laying out and conducting the 
farm is remarked by all. He is now complet- 
ing a commodious residence in Asotin where 
he expects to dwell. 

James Sangster was born in Glengarry 
county, Ontario, on September 17, 1848, the 
son of Robert and Christina (Ross) Sangster, 
natives of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and Can- 
ada, respectively. The world famed schools of 
Ontario furnished the educational training of 
our subject and the balance of his early life 
was spent on the farm. In 1868, he left Can- 
ada for California, journeying thither via 
• Panama. In due time he landed at the Golden 
Gate and engaged in farming for a while, then 



he went into the woods in Mendocino county 
and worked in the logging camps for over 
nine years, for the Gualala Lumber Company. 
In the fall of 1877, he determined to find him- 
self a home in the northwest and accordingly 
decided upon Walla Walla as the objective 
point. From that city, he walked to Lewiston, 
passing only a few houses en route and when 
he came to the Asotin flats was so taken with 
the country that he immediately located a tim- 
ber culture and pre-emption claims. A few fam- 
ilies has preceded him to the flats and the coun- 
try was very new. In 1878, with others, he 
assisted to erect the stockade or fort which 
served to defend the settlers against the In- 
dians during the Bannock war and which 
stood until two years since. Mr. Sangster 
gave his attention almost exclusively to stock 
raising during the earlier years of his resi- 
dence here, but of late has given that up and is 
occupied almost entirely in general farming. 

In 1880, at Lewiston, Idaho, Mr. Sangster 
married Miss Jennie Robisson, the daughter 
of Andrew M. and Louisa (Russell) Robisson, 
natives of Alabama and Mississippi, respec- 
tively. The father was a pioneer to California 
in 1852, crossing the plains with ox teams. 
Mrs. Sangster was born in Austin, Texas, in 
1 861. To our subject and his wife three chil- 
dren have been born; Walter D., on July 31, 
1 88 1 ; Rena B., on October 3, 1886, and died 
on September 16, 1887; and Beulah, on Feb- 
ruary 28, 1 89 1. Mr. Sangster is a member of 
the I. O. O. F., and has passed all the chairs 
of the order and belongs also to the grand 
lodge of the state. He and his wife are sub- 
stantial members of the Presbyterian church 
and are highly respected people. 

Mr. Sangster remarks that when he landed 
on the Asotin flats, there were no buildings, 
save a small shack where Mr. Baumeister's 
store now stands. There were no roads and all 
travel was on horseback, while packing was 
the only method of transporting freight to the 
interior. 



750 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



HENRY D. POWELL is one of the early 
settlers of southeastern Washington, and he 
has labored here with display of energy and in- 
dustry until the present time. His home 
place is about five miles west from Asotin, 
where he has six hundred acres of land. He 
gives his attention to general farming and stock 
raising. 

Henry D. Powell was born in Ruthin, Den- 
bighshire, North Wales, on June 21, 1850, the 
son of David and Ruth (Owens) Powell, na- 
tives of Wales. The public schools of his na- 
tive country furnished the educational training 
of our subject and then he learned the stone 
mason trade. At the age of twenty, he entered 
the coal mines and labored there until he came 
to the United States in 1871. After landing 
in New York, he proceeded to Ottumwa, Iowa, 
and entered the coal mines there. After some 
time spent in this labor, he traveled to various 
other states mining and finally in 1874, re- 
turned to Montgomery county, Iowa, where 
he began farming. This occupied him six 
years, then he moved to Washington. He 
first stopped in the Deadman country, Garfield 
county, it being then 1882. After that, he 
selected the homestead where he now lives, 
also a pre-emption and a timber culture claim. 
These have been proved up on and he is now 
farming- this estate. He commenced stock 
raising at once with his farming and now has 
a fine herd on the range. When Mr. Powell 
arrived in this country, he and his wife had 
five children, and in three weeks after lost four 
of them with the measles, which made a very 
dismal introduction to the new country. 

In Beacon, Iowa, on October 28, 1872, 
Mr. Powell married Miss Elizabeth Jenkins, 
the daughter of Evan and Elizabeth (Thomas) 
Jenkins, natives of Wales. Mrs. Powell was 
born in Dowlais, Glenmorganshire, South 
Wales, on November 4, 1851. Mr. Powell 
has one brother, Owen, who lives near. To 
our subject and his wife the following children 
have been born: Emrys. on April 18, 1875; 



Maude A., on January 30, 1881 ; Arthur, born 
on May 19, 1885; Edwin, born on September 
23, 1887; David, Ruth, Evan and Naomi. The 
last four named are those who died of the 
measles as stated above. 

Mr. Powell was raised under the influence 
of the Presbyterian church but is now a Meth- 
odist. Mr. and Mrs. Powell have considerable 
talent for music and several of their children 
have excellent voices, especially his daughter 
who has a beutiful soprano voice which is 
charming indeed. 

Mr. and Mrs. Powell are well known 
throughout the country as genial, hospitable, 
kind and upright people. Their circle of 
friends is as wide as their acquaintance and 
their standing is of the very best. 



WILLIAM A. HACK, who was born in 
Warren County, Kentucky, on September 7, 
1853, is now a farmer and stock man residing 
some two miles south from Grouse, Asotin 
county. His parents, Richard and Nancy 
(Russell) Hack, were born in Kentucky. The 
father was a member of the Confederate army 
and was killed during the war. The common 
schools of his native county contributed the 
educational training of our subject, and also 
those of Pike county, Illinois, whither he went 
with his mother when a lad. He remained in 
this latter place until 1884, busied in farming. 
Then he removed to Bates county, Missouri, 
residing there until 1889, also farming. After 
that, he came west to Washington, settling 
first in Garfield county, near Pomeroy, where 
five years were spent in tilling the soil, his 
principal crop being small grain. Afterward, 
he lost his property there, owing to the panic 
that swept the country, and in 1894 he came 
to Grouse creek and took a homestead. He 
improved it in nice shape and made it his 
dwelling place until 1900, when he sold it and 
bought his present farm in the breaks of the 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



75i 



] 
Grand Ronde river. This place was first set- 
tled upon by John Koock. Mr. Hack gives 
his attention largely to raising stock, and also 
does some general farming, and is come to be 
one of the appreciated and substantial men of 
this part of the country. 

In Pike county, Illinois, on April 15, 1880, 
Mr. Hack married Miss Mattie Holford. She 
is the daughter of Joseph and Annie Holford, 
natives of Illinois. The mother's death oc- 
curred in Bates county, Missouri, on March 5, 
1885. One child was born to this union, Ed- 
ward A., in Pike county, Illinois, on May 30, 
1881. 

Mr. Hack was raised under the influence of 
the Campbellite church and adheres strongly to 
that denomination at the present time. He has 
one brother in Latah, Washington, and one, 
Eugene C, in Nez Perces county, Idaho. Mr. 
Hack is one of the very first settlers in his end 
of the county and is doing all in his power to 
bring the country to the front. He is an indus- 
trious and good man and has secured the es- 
teem and confidence of those who know him, 
while he has shown himself the true pioneer. 



HON. JOHN F. CHRISMAN is well 
known in Asotin county and stands to-day one 
of the leading citizens here as will be noted 
by the following. He resides two miles south 
from Craige, where he owns four hundred and 
ten acres of choice land. He has the same well 
laid out and improved in the best and wisest 
manner, which demonstrates his ability as a 
farmer to be first-class. Everything needed in 
the way of buildings and so forth is found on 
the estate and Mr. Chrisman is one of the pros- 
perous and well to do men of the county. 

John F. Chrisman was born in Andrew 
county, Missouri, on April 13, 1852. Peter 
F. Chrisman, his father, was a native of Vir- 
ginia and a pioneer to California, having 
crossed the plains in 1850, and later returning 



east. He had served in the Mexican war 
under General Winfield Scott and also made a 
second trip across the plains in 1865. He 
married Miss Lusina Flannery, a native of 
Virginia, who died in Oregon. After com- 
pleting the common school course in Polk and 
Lane counties, Oregon, our subject attended 
LaCreole academy of Dallas, Oregon, until his 
education was completed. Then he taught 
school for five years in Oregon, largely in 
Union county. After that, he turned his atten- 
tion to farming and stockraising in that coun- 
ty and was one of the prominent citizens there 
for twenty years. During this time he was 
county commissioner, justice of the peace and 
deputy assessor. In 1889, he moved to the 
Willamette valley and the following spring 
came on to Asotin county. He soon selected a 
portion of his present place, and purchased it. 
He added another half section by purchase 
later and is now handling the entire estate. For 
fourteen )-ears, Mr. Chrisman has been labor- 
ing assiduously and industriously, both for the 
enhancing of his own fortune and in building 
up this part of the great state of Washington. 
His labors have not been without good suc- 
cess and by his upright life he has won the 
confidence and good will of all who know him. 
In 1898, Mr. Chrisman's name appeared on 
the Republican ticket for representative to the 
state legislature, his competitor being Peter 
Fiker, the nominee of the Populist party. Our 
subject gained the day by eighty-two majority 
and when in the legislature was appointed on 
various committees. He was chairman of the 
dairy and live stock committee, and a member 
of the committee on agriculture. So well did 
he serve the interests of his constituency dur- 
ing his term that in 1900, he was again elected 
this time by seventy majority over John Mc- 
Mann. the Democratic nominee. During this 
term he was chairman of the committee on 
printing and supplies. He also served on the 
labor and state penitentiary committees. Mr. 
Chrisman memorialized congress through the 



752 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



state legislature for an appropriation to im- 
prove the upper Snake river, and although, at 
that time, this was adversely reported on, still, 
since then,, an appropriation of $25,000.00 has 
been made by congress for this purpose. He 
introduced a bill to compel irrigation people 
to place screens across the heads of their 
ditches. Besides this, he fostered many other 
bills and was a very active and influential man 
in the legislature. After this, he was ap- 
pointed Deputy United States marshal at 
Walla Walla but refused to accept the posi- 
tion. Also, we notice that Mr. Chrisman in- 
troduced a bill to establish a fish hatchery on 
the Grande Ronde river; a bill to elect the 
road supervisors instead of having them ap- 
pointed; and a bill to give cities and towns 
of the third and fourth class the privilege of 
levying taxes by districts for the construction 
of waterworks for irrigation and domestic pur- 
poses. It will be noticed that Mr. Chrisman 
is a man of decidedly practical ideas always 
trying to foster those measures which are not 
theoretical but are for the actual benefit of 
all the people of the state. In this, he is to be 
especially commended. 

In Union county, Oregon, in 1878, Mr. 
Chrisman married Miss Emma Hayden, whose 
parents were natives of Illinois. She was born 
in Hancock county, Illinois, on January 19, 

1849 and died in Asotin > March : 4- I9°°- 
Four children were born to this marriage: 
Anna M., on June 29 ,1880; Elmer P., on July 
5, 1882; Hugh A., on September 15, 1884; 
and Hattrude B., on December 22, 1887. The 
children were all born in Union county and are 
variously engaged at tHis time. Mr. Chris- 
man has taken great care to properly train and 
educate his children and they will make very 
excellent members of society. 

In church relations, our subject favors the 
Baptist denomination, while in politics, he is 
a good strong Republican, though in earlier 
life a Democrat. Personally, he is genial, 



kind and retiring. He is a man of much 
thought and executive ability to carry out the 
plans he deems worthy of trial. 



WILLIAM H. RAMSDELL, more famil- 
iarly known as "Uncle Billy," is one of the 
best known men in Asotin county and few, if 
any, have more friends and acquaintances than 
he. He is a generous, genial, kind man, hav- 
ing always displayed a faithfulness and relia- 
bility that commend him to all. 

William H. Ramsdell was born in Wash- 
ington county, Maine, on April 3, 1836, the 
son of Joseph and Sarah A. (Wilcox) Rams- 
dell, natives of Maine and Novia Scotia,, 
respectively. The father came from' 
old Revolutionary stock and the mother 
descended from Irish parentage. From the 
common schools of his native country our 
subject received his education, and in 1885. 
went to the Island of Grand Manan, where 
he entered the coasting trade and visited 
all the important coast towns on this side of 
the Atlantic and some on the other. He re- 
mained thus engaged until 1866, when he came 
to the Pacific coast and engaged in the lumber 
business. In 1878 he came to Washington 
and settled in what is now Asotin county and 
entered the employ of William Farrish as a 
lumberman. He continued here eleven years, 
or until 1889, when he purchased from Mr. 
Farrish a tract of land, where he now lives, 
about one mile south from Anatone. He has im- 
proved the place in good shape and displays 
thrift and energy as a farmer. He also took 
a homestead, but sold that later. In addition 
to farming Mr. Ramsdell also carries on a 
wood business. 

At Eastport, Maine, in 1856, Mr. Rams- 
dell married Miss Clara J. Griffin, the daughter 
of Elisha and Bolinda Griffin, natives of 
Maine. Mrs. Ramsdell was born on the Island 








William H. Ramsdell 



Daniel T. Welcn 




Isaac R. Snodderly 





Jackson O Keefe 



Lewis K.. Brown 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



753 



of Grand Manan in 1838 and died there in 
1894. Mr. Ramsdell has the following broth- 
ers and sisters : Andrew, in Stafford county, 
New Hampshire; Stephen, a seafaring man, 
and James, also in Stafford county, New 
Hampshire. 

In fraternal affiliations Mr. Ramsdell is as- 
sociated with the I. O. O. F. and among 
churches his preference is the Baptist. 



DANIEL THEON WELCH, familiarly 
known as the father of Asotin county, and one 
of the most active promoters of progressive 
steps in all lines in this county, is a man of 
ability and energy. He was born in Waynes- 
burg, Stark county, Ohio, on April 10, 1835. 
His father, James Welch, M. D., was born in 
Warren county, Ohio, in 1799, graduated 
from the Jefferson Medical College of Phila- 
delphia and was a prominent man in his state. 
He married Miss Susan Shaeffer, a native of 
Somerset county, Pennsylvania, and daughter 
of Daniel Shaeffer, the founder of Waynes- 
burg. Our subject received a good academic 
education and then drove a team on the Ohio 
canal for three years. For two years and one- 
half subsequent to that he was clerk in a gen- 
eral store, and when twenty-one he went to In- 
diana. He located at South Bend and taught 
school there for three years. At Harris Prairie 
he cast his first vote, it being for John C. Fre- 
mont. Next we see him at Plymouth, Indiana, 
as clerk in a hotel, after which he was station 
clerk for the Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad. 
In July, 1 86 1, Mr. Welch enlisted in Company 
I, Twenty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, 
under Captain Casey. Later he was trans- 
ferred to Company K, in the same regiment. 
His discharge occurred on August 17, 1862, 
owing to the wounds he had received. He first 
saw service at Mumfordsville, Kentucky, and 
at Shiloh was wounded three times. His thigh 



was pierced with a bullet and one thumb was 
shot away. He was sent to Evansville and 
thence to his home in Plymouth. Three 
months later, when recovered, he assisted in 
raising Company F, of the Seventy-third In- 
diana Regulars and acted as adjutant until re- 
lieved by the government. In 1863 Mr. Welch 
went to California by stage and arrived in the 
Sacramento Valley on July 26. He farmed 
and taught school until 1867, when he went 
into a store as salesman again. In 1869 he 
returned to his Ohio home and the next year 
came back to California and accepted a posi- 
tion in the railroad station in Batavia, and 
handled in addition a grain and farmers' sup- 
ply warehouse in connection with this work. 
After this he made a trip to Washington and 
Oregon, then returned to California and 
farmed for one year, then engaged with his 
former partner and soon had charge of the 
grain loading along the line of the California 
Pacific. In 1879 ne severed his relations with 
the grain company and came to Dayton, Wash- 
ington, and soon thereafter was in Asotin. On 
October 9, 1880, he located land at Theon, 
which is named after him, and there settled 
to farming and handling a general merchandise 
store. He was instrumental in getting a post- 
office established and conducted the store for 
six years. During those early years this 
county was a part of Columbia county. Three 
years later Garfield county was cut off from 
Columbia county, and when the time came to 
locate a county seat four points were launched, 
namely, Pomeroy, Pataha City, Mentor and 
Asotin by their respective supporters. No se- 
lection could be made, and as Mr. Welch was 
representing, the Asotin interests, had 204 
votes, he dictated to the contestants to the ex- 
tent that the matter would never be settled 
unless Asotin county was created. This fin- 
ally obtained, and hence he is called the father 
of the county to this day. In 1890 he was 
chosen county clerk and served two terms. In 



48 



754 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



1894 he was called by the people to the office 
of county auditor and declined nomination for 
a second term. Then he was nominated by the 
Republicans for the Legislature, but lost the 
day by a combination of Democrats and Popu- 
lists. He held the office of Deputy United 
States marshal, mayor of Asotin and other po- 
sitions. He is now court commissioner and 
police judge of the city. Since removing to 
Asotin Mr. Welch has handled the West hotel 
and is doing a good business. His estate is 
rented and he is privileged to retire from the 
more active duties of life. He has one sister 
living, Mrs. Louisa M. Kimmel. 

On July 6, 1862, Mr. Welch married Miss 
Helen A. Waters, at Plymouth, Indiana. To 
this union three children were born, Mrs. B. F. 
Patterson, of Waitsburg, this state; Carrie A., 
deceased, and James Theon. The second mar- 
riage of Mr. Welch occurred in Asotin, on 
April 2, 1901, when Mrs. M. I. West, the 
daughter of William Leslie, and widow of 
David West, an early pioneer of this county, 
became his bride. Mr. Welch lost his son, 
James Theon, in 1899. In all the political 
campaigns Mr. Welch has shown a stanch- 
ness for the Republican party that stamps him 
one of the wheel horses. When he stumps the 
county, as he does some times, he is always 
greeted with enthusiastic hearers, as his 
speeches are telling and interesting. He is 
a prominent member of the G. A. R., and for 
eight years held the office of notary public, 
having been appointed under the territorial 
government. He is a good citizen and has 
hosts of friends and stands well. 

Mr. Welch takes especial and pardonable 
pride in the fact that Asotin county is today 
called the garden spot of Washington. Though 
small, it has much to commend it, and it is due 
to the telling efforts of such stanch men as 
himself and Jackson O'Keefe that it is a sepa- 
rate county at this time. 



ISAAC R. SNODDERLY is well known 
in various portions of the west as a faithful and 
capable minister of the gospel. In later years 
he has retired from that calling and is now oc- 
cupied in raising fruit near Asotin. He was 
born in Union county, Tennessee, on August 
5, 1849. His parents, John and Eliza (Sharp) 
Snodderly, were also natives of Tennessee and 
the mother is still living in Asotin county, 
aged seventy-nine. The father enlisted in the 
Second Tennessee Infantry under General 
Burnsides and died while in the service. Dur- 
ing the first seventeen years of his life Isaac 
R. studied in the district schools of Anderson 
county, Tennessee, then he began farming for 
his mother, continuing the same until he was 
twenty-one years of age. At that time he 
rented a farm for himself and soon there- 
after bought land. In 1871, having sold his 
property in the east, he came to California and 
settled in Woodland, where; he did general 
farm work for six months. After that he went 
to Linn county, Oregon, following the same 
business for five years. It was in 1877 when 
Mr. Snodderly settled at Alpowa ridge, near 
Pomeroy. There he took pre-emption, home- 
stead and timber culture and made his home 
until 1882. In that year he took charge of the 
Dayton Baptist church as pastor and continued 
for one year, when he was appointed home 
missionary to Asotin, and, in March, 1884, 
began his labors, which resulted in the erection 
of the place of worship for the Baptists which 
is still occupied. He continued as preacher 
there for five years. He then was called to 
mourn the death of his wife. For two years 
subsequent to this he labored in the missionary 
work at Dayton, after which he returned east 
and took a course of lectures in the Baptist 
Theological Seminary at Louisville, Kentucky. 
After that we find him in the evangelistic work 
throughout Tennessee, where he remained 
until 1895. Returning to Washington he 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



755 



stopped a short time in Asotin and then took 
charge of the Baptist church at Reardan, Lin- 
coln county. A year later he returned to Aso- 
tin and bought a farm in the Vineland country, 
where he put out an orchard and lived for two 
years. Then he sold the property and bought 
where he now lives near Asotin. He has a 
choice place, all under irrigation and in a high 
state of cultivation. During 1899 and 1900 
Mr. Snodderly was engaged in operating a 
warehouse. 

In Tennesse, in 1870, Mr. Snodderly mar- 
ried the daughter of Hon. F. C. and Margaret 
(Petrie) Hansard, natives of Tennessee. Mrs. 
Snodderly was born in Knox county, Tennes- 
see, and died in Asotin county, on January 19, 
1889. To this marriage six children were 
born, the only living one being Ettie, now the 
wife of J. O'Keefe. In 1893, in Union county, 
Tennessee, Mr. Snodderly married Miss Eliza 
J. Stooksberry, whose parents, Jacob and 
Hulda (Craige) Stooksbury, were born in 
Tennessee. Mrs. Snodderly owns Union 
county of that' state as her native place and 
1859 was the date of her birth. Three chil- 
dren have come to bless this marriage : 
Pharah L., born in Tennessee, on April 11, 
1894; Jay Claude, born in Union county, Ten- 
nessee, on March 17, 1895, and Hettie May, 
born in Asotin county, on August, 1899. Mr. 
Snodderly has two brothers and two sisters, 
Joseph B., Jasper L., Mrs. Nellie B. Mitchell 
and Mrs. Tabitha C. Nash. Mr. Snodderly is 
a member of the Artisans and the Sous ot 
Veterans and is Chaplain of the Jurisdiction, 
Washington and British Columbia. In 1900 
he was elected justice of the peace for Asotin 
precinct, was re-elected two years later and is 
now serving his third term in this office. He 
is a strong Republican and a first-class citizen. 



JACKSON O'KEEFE has spent many 
years in southeastern Washington and is en- 
titled to the distinction of being a pioneer. His 



ability and labors were highly instrumental 
in getting Asotin county set off from Garfield 
county and his plans were used in obtaining the 
measure through the Legislature. He is well 
and favorably known in this county and has 
held some of the most important offices in the 
power of the people to give. He was born in 
Daviess county, Missouri, on March 17, 1851. 
His parents, Timothy and Sarah (Johnson) 
O'Keefe, were natives of County Kerry, Ire- 
land, and Jo Daviess county, Illinois, respect- 
ively, and early settlers of Missouri. In the 
schools of Pattensburg, Missouri, Jackson re- 
ceived his primary education and the same was 
completed in Bryant & Son's Commercial 
College in Chicago in 1884. In 1872 he 
stepped from the parental roof to assume the 
duties of life for himself, and in the same 
year came to Myrtle Creek, Oregon, 
where he wrought as a farm hand for 
a time and then taught school. Later 
he was salesman in a general store in Rose- 
burg, then farmed there until 1878, when he 
came to Walla Walla, crossing the hills in the 
midst of the Indian war. Next we see him in 
Pomeroy and in company with Gilmore, May, 
Richardson and others, entered the employ of 
Major Truax to survey a large portion of east- 
ern Washington. While in this work he took 
a homestead with Mr. Gilmore on Montgomery 
ridge and the next year, 1880, he opened a 
warehouse on the Snake and handled grain on 
commission. For fifteen years he was in this 
business and controlled all the warehouses on 
the river above Lewiston. In the fall of 1886 
he was elected county treasurer, his name ap- 
pearing on the Democratic ticket, and for six 
years he was kept in this office by an appre- 
ciative people. In the summer of 1901 Mr. 
O'Keefe built an irrigation ditch, taking the 
water from George creek, which covers over 
three thousand acres, the place being known 
as Cloverland. He has been a moving spirit 
in this important enterprise and is to be greatly 
commended, as it has brought great wealth to 



756 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



the county and the possibilities in this line for 
the future are hardly to be over-estimated. He 
is secretary and manager of the company and 
displays marked ability in these capacities. In 
1902 he was elected county commissioner and 
has given excellent satisfaction in this official 
capacity. 

In Asotin county Mr. O'Keefe married 
Miss Mary E. Snodderly, and to them the fol- 
lowing" named children have been born : 
Louis, Jay, Macel, Wallace, Bayard, Ruth and 
Helen. Mr. O'Keefe is a member of the A. O. 
U. W. and is one of the county's most substan- 
tial and pushing business men. 



LEWIS K. BROWN owns and operates 
a machine shop in Asotin, Washington, and also 
conducts a farm, which is located near by. He 
is a machinist of the first grade and has de- 
monstrated his ability to handle any machine 
and build any engine entire. His birth oc- 
curred in Grundy county, Illinois, on May 19, 
1852, the son of Henry and Amanda (Baker) 
Brown. The father was born in north Ireland, 
came to the United States when thirteen, and 
was a pioneer of Grundy county, Illinois. The 
mother was born in Luzerne county, Pennsyl- 
vania, the daughter of stanch Americans, who 
fought in the Revolution and in the other co- 
lonial struggles. The public schools of Eau 
Claire, Wisconsin, whither he had moved with 
his father when seven, furnished the primary 
education of our subject. Then he graduated 
from the State Normal at Oshkosh, after which 
he gave his attention to teaching school. Dur- 
ing this time he learned carpentering and plas- 
tering. Wisconsin was his home until 1878, 
when he came west, arriving in Asotin county 
on March 25 of that year. He selected two 
claims on Weissenfels ridge, which he im- 
proved and sold. Then he bought the claims 
of Jim Skinner, near Anatone, on which he 
made his home for many years. In the spring 



of 1883 ne began the construction of his first 
engine. It was for a chop mill at Walla Walla. 
Also there he constructed the first pipe boiler 
in this part of the country, which showed his 
ability in the field of mechanics. His engines 
are built on a double cut-off model, which 
makes a great saving in steam. In 1885 ne 
built a threshing machine, which he has oper- 
ated for about twenty years. He has also con- 
structed several other machines and many en- 
gines, demonstrating that he is one of the most 
skillful men in the entire west. For two years 
Mr. Brown consented to give his services for 
the county in the office of surveyor and it was. 
he who brought the water down from Ten 
Mile Creek to the Asotin flats. 

At Eau Claire, Wisconsin, he married 
Miss Alice Prickly, a native of Wisconsin, the 
date being June 3, 1887. Three children have 
been born to this union, Helen M. and Eva L., 
the former in Walla Walla, in 1889, and the 
latter in Asotin, in 1897, and Waldo H., born 
in Walla Walla, March 6, 1888, and died the 
twelfth day of the following August. He was. 
laid to rest in Walla Walla. 



JAMES M. BENSON, one of the vener- 
able residents of Asotin county and a man who 
has passed a very active career all over the- 
United States, is now postmaster at Theon 
where he also conducts a thriving general mer- 
chandise establishment. He was born in Sus- 
quehannah county, Pennsylvania, on March 8, 
1829. His father, Jobe Benson, was a native 
of Vermont and a pioneer settler in Pennsyl- 
vania in 1804. He was a patriot in -the War- 
of 1 812 and was wounded at Black Rock on 
the St. Lawrence river. His ancestors were 
among the earliest colonial settlers and form- 
erly came from Sweden. He married Philia 
Aldrich, a native of New Hampshire and also 
of old colonial stock. 

Our subject was educated in the district: 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



757 



-schools of his native county then began to 
learn the trade of the carpenter and joiner. In 
1854, he did his first job of contract work, 
which was coal cars for the Delaware and 
Lackwanna and Western Railroad. After two 
years in that service he came west to Wiscon- 
sin and engaged in sawmilling for eighteen 
months. After that, he constructed a flat boat 
and went down the Wolf and Fox to the Mis- 
sissippi to Albany, Illinois, where he assisted in 
rebuilding the steam ferry which had been 
wrecked by a tornado. Later, he operated at 
-Clinton and other points until 1863, when he 
enlisted in Company A. Eleventh Iowa Vol- 
unteer Infantry, under Captain John Ander- 
son. He was attached to the Seventeenth 
Army Corps and saw service at Vicksburg 
tinder General Grant. Then he was at Jack- 
son, Mississippi, later in Tennessee, Hunts- 
ville, Alabama, Lookout Mountain, Chatta- 
nooga, then went with Sherman to the sea. At 
Bentonville, he received a wound in his left 
leg and was mustered out of service at Louis- 
ville, Kentucky in 1865. He also took part in 
the grand review at Washington and was hon- 
orably discharged as a private. Immediately 
following that, he went to Augusta, Maine, for 
a short time, then went to Pennsylvania to 
visit his parents, arriving there just in time to 
keep them from holding a funeral for him. 
He remained there until January, 1866, then 
engaged with the Erie Railroad and in 1868, 
came to Newton, Kanas, and worked for the 
Santa Fe as bridgebuilder. We find him 
in that capacity until 1874, when he bought 
railroad land and farmed for three years. In 
the spring of 1877, Mr. Benson crossed the 
plains with mule teams to Walla Walla, ar- 
riving there on July 25. He opened a res- 
taurant near the Baker depot and a year later, 
came to Asotin county, took a preemption and 
bought a quarter section. In 1880. he re- 
turned to Walla Walla and engaged with the 
Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company 
and for three years was foreman, handling 



from seventy to one hundred men all the time. 
The winter of 1883 ws spent on a farm and 
the next spring and the next year he went on 
the Northern Pacific as bridge foreman, con- 
tinuing two years. In 1886 he returned to his 
farm and remained there until 1889, when he 
retired from that business and took up mer- 
chandising. He has made a good success in 
this and carries a well assorted stock and has 
a fine patronage. 

In 1853, at Susquehannah, Pennsylvania, 
Mr. Benson married Miss Lavinie Snell, who 
died at Clinton, Iowa, in 1863. Then Mr. 
Benson married Mrs. Frances M. Rodgers in 
Susquehannah county, Pennsylvania. She 
was the daughter of John and Orfie (Phipin) 
Harris, natives of Rhode Island and Vermont, 
respectively, and descended from English and 
French ancestors. The father's family came 
to the colonies in 1610. Mrs. Benson was 
born on August 26, 1837, in Susquehannah 
county, Pennsylvania, and by her first husband 
has two children, Ella C. Rogers, a temper- 
ance lecturer; Ida M., the wife of William 
Millmore, of Sitka, Alaska, and now deceased. 
By his second marriage, Mr. Benson has two 
children, Eveleen B., the wife of Richard 
Newman, of Woodside, and Fred H., living 
on the farm with his father. Mrs. Benson's 
first husband, Levi S. Rodgers, was a member 
of Company B, Seventeenth Pennsylvania Cav- 
alry, and died in the service in 1863. He was 
captain in his company. Mrs. Benson has al- 
ways been on the frontier and has had some 
thrilling experiences with the Indians. She 
has now a fine collection of Indian relics, a 
great many of them coming from Alaska, and 
they are valued very highly. Mr. Benson is 
a good, strong Republican and is a very pro- 
gressive and public-minded man. 



■» » » 



ELMER E. SAGE is at the head of a fine 
blacksmith business in Asotin. Like men of 
his craft, generally, he is a sturdy, independent,. 



758 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



progressive man and by his excellent work and 
genialty, has won many friends. His birth oc- 
curred in Jefferson county, Iowa, on August 
1 8, 1 86 1. His parents, David L. and Elizabeth 
(Bibbins) Sage, were natives of Iowa and fol- 
lowed farming. Our subject was educated in 
the district schools of Jefferson county, Iowa, 
and there remained until he was nineteen years 
of age. Then came the trip west to Washing- 
ton, Walla Walla being the objective point. He 
engaged in work for the Oregon Improvement 
Company for a time, then entered the employ 
of the Northern Pacific. It was 1882 when he 
came to Garfield county and located at Pataha 
City. There he learned the blacksmith trade 
and followed it for twelve years. In 1894 he 
came to Asotin county and located at Asotin, 
opening his present establishment which he has 
operated since. He is a good workman, has a 
fine trade and is prosperous. 

At Pataha City, on May 1, 1884, Mr. Sage 
married Miss Olive E. White, the daughter of 
Charles White, who was a native of Rhode 
Island and a pioneer settler of Walla Walla, 
having crossed the plains in 1849. He died in 
Pataha City in 1876. Mrs. Sage was born in 
Walla Walla county in October, 1867. Five 
children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Sage ; 
Lula M., in May, 1886; Lillie I., February 28, 
1888; Versey, October 14, 1890; Charles F., 
December 17, 1893; Daisy, January 1, 1898. 
Mrs. Sage has the following named brothers 
and sisters : William, a stockman in Garfield 
county ; Mrs. Lillie Linderman, of Portland ; 
Mrs. Casanna Cox, of Idaho ; Mrs. Emma 
O'Brien, who lives in Portland; and a half 
brother, James W. Rigsby, of Seattle, a 
banker. 

Mr. Sage is a member of the W. W. and 
the Circle. He has always been a good strong 
Republican, takes an interest in politics and ed- 
ucational matters and in all enterprises for the 
improvement of the country and is a thorough 
and up-to-date man. 



ORLANDO M. McMILLAN is a well- 
known stockman of Asotin county, where he 
has operated in this industry for a long time. 
He is skillful and enterprising and is making a 
good success of the business. His place is in 
Maguire Gulch, about three miles west from 
the town of Asotin, and he handles cattle and 
horses. 

Orlando McMillan was born in Monroe 
county, Wisconsin, on October 21, 1862. His 
parents, Morrison and Lucinda (Millott) Mc- 
Millan, were natives of Ohio and pioneers in 
Wisconsin, having come from Scotch ances- 
try. When our subject was six years of age, 
the family went to Minnesota and: there he 
gained his education in the schools of Monte- 
video. In 1877, the family came on west to 
Baker City, Oregon, having crossed the plains 
in wagons. For one and one half years, they 
remained there, and then, in July, 1879, moved 
to Asotin county. Orlando remained with his 
father until he decided to locate government 
land, which he did where he now lives. Then 
he engaged in the stock business for himself, 
raising horses principally for the Spokane mar- 
ket. After that, he began to raise cattle also 
and he has now a large amount of stock both 
on the range and in pasture. He is very suc- 
cessful, especially in the description and judg- 
ment of stock and is well-known throughout 
the country as one of the best stockmen here. 

At Asotin, on December 21, 1902, Mr. Mc- 
Millan married Mrs. Alice Kassel, the daugh- 
ter of Jurgen and Sophie (Sutreth) Holtorf, 
natives of Germany. Mrs. Kassel was born 
near San Francisco, California, on June 9, 
1882. To this union one child has been born, 
Lettie, on August 28, 1903. 

Mr. McMillan is a member of the M. W. A. 
He is active and interested in politics, educa- 
tional affairs and community matters and 
shows a marked wisdom in the decisions of all 
questions in public matters as well as in private 
business. 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



759 



OSCAR L. HASELTINE is the present 
incumbent of the marshal's office in Asotin. In 
this capacity he has made an excellent record 
and is known as a conscientious and faithful 
officer. He also has done business in Asotin 
county for years and is well known as a man of 
ability and energy. His labors have resulted 
in excellent success and he is now possessed 
of a goodly competence in dividend paying 
property. 

Oscar L. Haseltine was born in Maine, on 
October 2, 1856. His father, John B. Hasel- 
tine, was born in Maine and married Mary 
Doe, a native of the same state. Our subjeci 
was raised on a farm and attended the district 
schools a portion of each year until he was 
eighteen, then he did general work, and in 1875 
journeyed west to Minnesota, settling in Min- 
neapolis where he engaged in the lumbering 
business dealing in Minneapolis and in the 
woods for ten years. During this time he 
made several trips to Dakota and Montana. In 
1885, he decided to see the west and according- 
ly started out for the Evergreen State and fin- 
ally landed in Walla Walla, whence he came 
to Asotin county and engaged in the timber 
trade in the Blue Mountains. After that he 
was employed by William Farrish where he 
worked for six years. Then Mr. Haseltine 
took a trip to Oregon and spent some time in 
prospecting, with what success we are not told. 
After that he returned to Asotin and again en- 
tered the employ of Mr. Farrish, continuing for 
two and one-half years. Then he took a home- 
stead on Asotin creek, which he sold later, on 
account of the flood. Subsequently we find 
Mr. Haseltine in Genesee, Idaho, engaged in 
the hardware business for W. J. Herman. 
Later, he farmed for two and one-half years 
and in 1900 he returned to Asotin county and 
settled down on the place where he now re- 
sides. He engaged again with Mr. Farrish at 
the Anatone mills" and was busy there for two 
years in logging. In 1902 he was appointed 



city marshal of Asotin and still holds that 
position. 

On November 14, 1887, at Lewiston, Mr. 
Haseltine married Miss Alice M. Pitchford, of 
Asotin county. Her parents, John P. and Eliz- 
abeth (Wilson) Pitchford, are natives of Kan- 
sas and pioneers in this country. Mrs. Has- 
eltine was born near Collins, Kansas, on Au- 
gust 6, 1867. The following named children 
have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Haseltine: 
Pearl E. ; Maude, born in Oregon and died in 
Idaho; Luella, born May 16, 1894; May, born 
in Genesee, on May 1, 1897; and Bulah and 
Ulah, twins, born on November 29, 1901, in 
Asotin. 

Mr. Haseltine is a member of the United 
Artisans and is a popular and substantial man. 
He was raised under the influence of the First 
Day Adventist church but is not affiliated with 
any denomination although he is a liberal sup- 
porter of that as well as all worthy causes. 



ROBERT H. RICHARDS, the sheriff of 
Asotin county, is one of the most popular men 
in southeastern Washington. He has honestly 
won the position, owing to his substantial qual- 
ities, his integrity, his genialty and his liberal- 
ity. Mr. Richards is a thorough and capable 
officer and stanch and faithful friend, a pro- 
gressive and broad minded citizen and a first- 
class man. He was born in Wood county, 
Wisconsin, on June 14, 1862, the son of 
Charles and Elizabeth (Farish) Richards, na- 
tives of New Brunswick. 

The father is now living in Wisconsin. 
Until 1880, Mr. Richards spent his life in the 
west and in that year came to Asotin and en- 
tered the employ of William Farish in the lum- 
ber mills of Asotin county. Sixteen years were 
spent there, then he took charge of the govern- 
ment mills of the Nez Perce reservation. After 
that he operated the Cceur d' Alene mills near 



760 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



Tekoa for three years but resigned the position 
owing to the ill health of his family. Then he 
returned to this county and remained for one 
winter, after which he took a trip to the 
Hawaiian Islands in the interests of a land 
company. After a stay there, he was obliged to 
resign the position, owing to ill health, and 
again returned to Asotin. He established his 
family here, then he went to Silver Lake, Ore- 
gon, and invested in a lumber mill which he 
operated for two years. Selling the property 
he was then appointed city marshal of Asotin, 
and later took up mining, being the president 
of the Diamond Chief mines of the Thunder 
Mountain District. In 1902, Mr. Richards was 
elected sheriff of Asotin county, his name ap- 
pearing on the Republican ticket, by a majority 
of one hundred and thirty-six over A. A. Wor- 
med, the Democrat. In 1904, he was chosen 
again to the position over the Democratic 
ticket. He has given an excellent administra- 
tion and is a thoroughly capable and conscien- 
tious officer. 

In Monterey county, California, on Feb- 
ruary 12, 1889, ^ r - Richards married Miss 
Blanch Marsilliot. Malcom Marsilliot was her 
father. He was born in Ohio and served for 
the government in the war of the Rebellion in 
the navy. After, the close of the war, he was 
commissioned as an engineer of the United 
States Revenue service on the lakes and held 
the position for thirty years. During this time 
he was also operating in the same service along 
the entire seaboard of the United States. His 
death occurred at Port Townsend, Washing- 
ton, in 1895. He has been a pioneer settler 
here in this county, having taken a homestead 
on the flats in 1880. He married Julia Johnson, 
a native of New York city and now living in 
this county. Mrs. Richards was born in Wis- 
consin, on July 18, 1864. She was a school 
teacher before her marriage and taught the 
first school in the city of Asotin, the same being 
located in the old town. The children born to 
Mr. and Mrs. Richards, are; Charles Percy, on 



November 25, 1889; Mabel Elizabeth, on July 
8, 1 89 1, and died August 3, 1903 ; Robert Dale, 
on July 28, 1893, an d died June 12, 1898; Julia 
Marcella, on March 23, 1896. All were born 
in this county. Mr. Richards is a member of 
the I. O. O. F., and has passed all the chairs. 
He also belongs to the encampment. He was 
raised under the influence of the Congrega- 
tional church but the family are now members 
of the Methodist Episcopal church. They are 
very highly esteemed people and are well and 
favorably known throughout the southeastern 
part of this state. 



ROY E. TOOPS has the distinction of 
being a native son of the territory now em- 
braced in Asotin county, and not only so, but 
the first white child born on Asotin flat, or in 
the county of Asotin. This event occurred on 
the 8th day of October, 1878. His father, 
Albert S. Toops, is a native of Ohio, from an 
old Pennsylvania Dutch family and a pioneer 
settler of this county. He is also a veteran of 
the Civil War. He married Miss Belle Davis, a 
native of West Virginia, who died in Asotin 
county, in 1881. Our subject gained his educa- 
tion from the district schools in this county 
and attended the one at Theon, taught by Mrs. 
Blanche R. Marsilott, now Mrs. R. T. Rich- 
ards. His early life was spent on the farm 
with his father, and his first venture was min- 
ing in Idaho, which proved not very successful. 
He then settled down to farming and took a 
homestead in the vicinity of Theon, which he 
has in a high state of cultivation. His present 
home lies six miles north from Theon post- 
office and is utilized for stock raising and gen- 
eral farming. He has some fine cattle and 
horses and a full-blood registered stallion, 
which is a fine specimen. Mr. Toops is an am- 
bitious and energetic man and bids fair to be 
one of the leading property owners of south- 
eastern Washington, as he has accumulated 




Mr. and Mrs. Roy E. Toops 





Thomas D. Robinson 



Richard Ireland 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



761 



property very rapidly since entering business 
for himself. 

At Theon, in 1902, Mr. Toops married 
Miss Ora Whisner, the daughter of Nick and 
Elizabeth (Dodd) Whisner, natives of Kansas. 
Mrs. Toops was born in Linn county, near 
Twin Springs, on November 5, 1881. Mr. 
Toops has the following named brothers and 
sisters : Mrs. Carrie Cummings, Mrs. George 
W. Gorrison, Mrs. Flora Benedict, Mrs. Pearl 
Newell, Mrs. Grace Chapman and Harry C. 
To our subject and his wife one child, Carrie, 
was born on February 24, 1903. 

Mr. Toops is a member of the I. O. O. F. 
and stands well in the community. 



THOMAS D. ROBINSON is a typical 
American. A man of energy, which has been 
shown in the labors he has performed in the 
last twenty years, he has the pleasure of know- 
ing that though he started in life without cap- 
ital, he has accumulated a nice fortune and is 
now privileged to spend the days of his life in 
overseeing his property from his handsome 
and comfortable residence on the banks of the 
Snake. 

Thomas D. Robinson was born in Colum- 
bia, Missouri, on October 19, 1869, the son of 
Thomas W. and Pauline (Forsha) Robinson, 
natives of Missouri. The father settled in 
Garfield county in 1876, or the territory now 
embraced in that county, and died in Pomeroy 
in 1891. He was commissioner of Columbia 
county for years and a prominent man. Thomas 
D. was educated in the common schools of'Co- 
lumbia county and spent his youthful clays on 
the farm. When eighteen he moveed to Pom- 
eroy and engaged in the warehouse business, 
which he conducted until 1891. Then he en- 
tered the employ of Dave Mohler at the mouth 
of Alpowa creek, and handled horses on the 
range. Later he took horses to the eastern 
market, and in 1894, in company with his 



brother, L. W. Robinson, he purchased the 
property owned by Mr. Mohler at the mouth 
of Alpowa creek. This included the old farm 
owned by Red Chief and the place where the 
well known missionary, Mr. Spalding, located 
a mission. Mr. Robinson has on his place an 
apple tree planted by Mr. Spalding in 1836, 
and it is bearing fruit to this day. Two others, 
planted at the same time, were cut down and 
taken to the world's fair at Chicago. Mr. 
Robinson has thirteen acres of orchard, which 
is well supplied with water from the creek and 
is one of the valuable fruit producing orchards 
of this part of the state. He also has a large 
acreage of wheat land on the plateau and 
handles stock besides. He has all improve- 
ments needed and a residence one-half mile 
north from Silcott. 

In Whitman county, Washington, on June 
2, 1897, Mr. Robinson married Miss Sidney 
Davis, the daughter of James and Mary 
(Scales) Davis, natives of Kansas and Ohio 
respectively. Mrs. Robinson was born in 
Ohio. She has two sisters, Mrs. Chena and 
Mrs. Mattie Robinson. Mr. Robinson is a 
member of the Foresters and an active man in 
educational matters. He has the following 
named brothers and sisters: John M., Rich- 
ard H., Louis W., Samuel G., Mrs. Dave Moh- 
ler and Mrs. J. B. Glover. 



RICHARD IRELAND is one of Asotin 
county's prosperous and enterprising stock- 
men. He also deals in cattle and stock of all 
kinds and is known throughout the surround- 
ing country as a business man of influence and 
reliability. He dwells about a mile east from 
Silcott, where he has a choice location with a 
modern residence, and other improvements 
quite commensurate with the place. 

Richard Ireland was born in Jackson 
county, Indiana, on August 1, 1859, the son 
of Isaac and Elizabeth (Durham) Ireland, na- 



762 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



lives of Indiana and of Irish and German an- 
cestrage respectively. The family removed to 
Iowa and in the public schools of Mount Ayr 
our subject received a good training. His 
early life was spent on the farm and he ac- 
quired an expertness and skill in both general 
farming and stock raising that have been of 
great assistance to him in the years that have 
succeeded. When thirteen he journeyed west 
to Polk county, Oregon, where he was em- 
ployed in a butcher shop. In 1873 ne went to 
Walla Walla, and there was in the employ of 
Dooley & Kirkman for two years, handling 
their butcher business. In 1877 ne was w ^ tn 
Small Brothers, who had the contract of sup- 
plying the government troops at Spokane Falls. 
After this Mr. Ireland drove cattle from 
Oregon to Wyoming, and in 1879 went to 
Deadwood, Dakota, and engaged in the stock 
business for himself, where he operated for 
seven years. A year before he quit that coun- 
try he came to Olympia on a visit and then re- 
turned and sold his interests there. After that 
he was occupied in buying and- selling stock at 
Fremont, Nebraska. In 1899 Mr Ireland was 
engaged in the Boss Market in Lewiston, and 
after that removed to Asotin county and set- 
tled at the mouth of Alpowa creek, where he 
attends to stock raising and shipping fruit. He 
has a good business and has prospered in his 
labors. 

At Fremont, Nebraska, on June 8, 1883, 
Mr. Ireland married Miss Jessie Riley, 
the daughter of James and Ellen Riley. Mrs. 
Ireland was born in Iowa on August 1, 1869, 
and died at Galena, Dakota in 1887. At Alli- 
ance, Nebraska, on October 21, 1888, Mr. Ire- 
land contracted a second marriage, Sadie 
Riley, a sister of his former wife, becoming 
his bride. To this union the following named 
children have been born : Jessie May, at Ga- 
lena, Dakota, and Blanche E. in Pactola, Da- 
kota. They both live at home. Mr. Ireland is 
a member of the I. O. O. F. and has filled all 
the chairs of the order, while also he is director 



of the school and has always been an active Re- 
publican. He was reared under the influence 
of the Methodist church and is a supporter of 
all denominations, although not a member of 
any at this time. He is a popular and substan- 
tial man and has the power of winning and re- 
taining the friendship of all. 



♦ « » 



SAMUEL T. PACKWOOD. Descended 
from a family of renown that has figured for 
more than two hundred and fifty years as 
scouts and frontiersmen in the west and north- 
west, and having accomplished much as a path- 
finder and pioneer it is evident that the gentle- 
man, of whom we speak, should receive specific 
mention in a work of this nature. Samuel T. 
Packwood now dwells about three. miles south- 
east from Anatone and devotes his attention to 
mining. He was born in Bartholomew county, 
Indiana, on December 29, 1832. Elisha Pack- 
wood, his father, was a native of Patrick coun- 
ty, Virginia, and his ancestors settled in that 
country among the earliest colonists. In 1845, 
he joined the Meek party that made its way 
across the plains with ox teams and became a 
pioneer of the Willamette valley. He had mar- 
ried Paulina Prothero, a native of Shelby coun- 
ty. From Monroe county our subject came with 
his father across the plains in the train men- 
tioned and finally settled in Yamhill county, 
Oregon. Two years later they moved to Turn- 
water, Washington. In the following year 
our subject took passage on the brig, Henry, at 
Linton, which is now Portland, and journeyed 
to Santa Clara county, California. He was at 
the Quick Silver mines and very soon after the 
discovery of gold, fitted out the first wagon 
train, in company with Mr. Marshall, to invade 
the new district. They made their way to El- 
dorado county and remained thirty-eight 
months. Then Mr. Packwood returned to the 
states and brought back about four hundred 
head of cattle and horses. He took them to 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



763 



the mines and immediately engaged in mining 
and furnishing supplies to the miners. This 
occupied him until 1864, when he came back 
to Oregon, settling in Union county near where 
Sangster is now located. He engaged in min- 
ing there until 1866, when he moved to Yamhill 
county and took tip the wood business. The fol- 
lowing year he came to Washington and settled 
on the Snohomish river near where Everett is 
now located. Lumbering occupied him here and 
he took up a homestead, making that his dwell- 
ing place for twenty-six years. During that 
time he was engaged with Eugene Smith in the 
large lumber and planing mills. It was 1896 
that Mr. Packwood made his way to Asotin 
county and since that time his home has been 
here. He has some very valuable mining prop- 
erty on the Snake river which is being devel- 
oped and shows very flattering results. 

In Santa Clara county, California, on Jan- 
uary 6, 1 86 1, Mr. Packwood married Miss Ma- 
tilda Wardle who was born in Holt county, 
Missouri, on July 10, 1847, and now dwelling 
in Tacoma. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. 
Packwood are: DeWitt G, and Gertrude 
P., wife of Harry Compton, both living in Ta- 
coma ; and Otto at Ellensburg. Mr. Packwood 
is a member of the A. F. & A. M., and has 
served as justice of the peace and in other 
offices at various times in his career. He is 
well acquainted with the country from the 
Rockies to the Pacific ocean, is acquainted with 
most of the leading camps and is well known as 
an old timer, pioneer, miner, and a good citizen. 



JOSEPH C. PACKWOOD resides some 
three miles south from Anatone and devotes his 
attention to farming and stock raising. He was 
born in Yamhill county, Oregon, on November 
29, 1847, tne son °f Elisha and Paulina (Pro- 
thero Packwood. A more particular account is 
given of his parents in the sketch of Samuel T. 



Packwood, found in this volume. Owing to the 
primitive schools of the west, our subject was 
favored with a very limited education, the same 
being obtained at San Jose, California. After 
that, he assisted his father and brother in bring- 
ing stock across the plains, and in 1864 he 
moved to Union county, Oregon, where he 
dwelt three years. After that, we find him in 
Yamhill county in the same state, and in the 
spring of 1868 he was in Snohomish county, 
near where Everett, Washington, is now lo- 
cated. He took a homestead there and resided 
until 1876, when he took a trip to Yakima and 
secured a claim on the Kakima river, near 
where Kennewick is now located. Owing to 
the dryness of the country, he left it and on 
September 21, 1877, took a homestead where 
he now resides. Here he has lived ever since 
and has put the place in good shape. When he 
settled here there were two others located in 
this region, John Carter and Dan Pinkham. In 
the spring of 1878, Mr. Packwood located 
many settlers in this new country. 

In Union county, Oregon, on November 
16, 1874, Mr. Packwood married Sarah F. 
Pierce, a daughter of Calvin and Nancy A. 
(Dodson) Pierce. The father is deceased and 
the mother, a native of Kentucky, is now the 
wife of George W. Lewis, a pioneer settler of 
Asotin county. Mrs. Packwood wasborninHolt 
county, Missouri, on January 25, 1857. The 
children born to this union are; Leland L., at 
Seattle, in August, 1875, and now living in this 
county; Hollis E., on the Yakima river, on 
June 9, 1877; Ebez A., in Asotin county, on 
August 12, 1881 ; Lena M., wife of William 
Williams, living on the Nez Perces reserve, 
Idaho ; Alta V., in Nez Perces county, Idaho, on 
October 31, 1885; Ethel V., in Asotin county, 
on October 30, 1891 ; and Ruby E., in this 
county, on June 1, 1896. The brothers and sis- 
ters of Mr. Packwood are : Samuel T., William 
H., a merchant in Seattle; Mrs. Chilitha E. 
Barnett, of Everett; Mrs. Augusta A. Lee, in 



764 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



Ogden, Utah. Mr. Packwood is a member of 
the M. W. A., and has always been a good ac- 
tive Democrat. 



HON. WILLIAM FARRISH, a lumber 
dealer of Asotin, was one of the early settlers of 
this county and one of the most energetic and 
enterprising men of industry that have dwelt in 
its boundaries. He is a man of intelligence and 
influence and has labored assiduously to bring 
Asotin county to its present prosperous con- 
ditions. 

William Farrish was born in the province 
of New Brunswick on August 8, 1836, the son 
of William and Catherine (Smith) Farrish, na- 
tives of Scotland. Mr. Farrish was reared and 
educated in his native country and there re- 
mained until seventeen, when he removed to 
Grand Rapids, Michigan, and engaged in the 
lumber business and other enterprises until 
1878. In the spring of that year he found his 
way to the territory now embraced in Aso- 
tin county, at that time Columbia county, 
Washington, and located in the Blue Mountains ; 
near where the Anatone mill is now situated. 
He at once erected a sawmill together with Mr. 
T. G. Bean, and which he operated until, it was 
replaced with a larger plant. Since that time 
Mr. Farrish has erected eight different mills in 
Asotin county, four of them having -been 
burned and rebuilt. At the present time he 
has three mills in operation. He is president 
of the Blue Mountain Lumber and Manufac- 
turing Company, with his headcmarters in Aso- 
tin and does an immense business throughout 
the county. The company has been organized 
and brought to its present prosperous condi- 
tion through his efforts and executive ability. 
Mr. Farrish represented his county in the first 
state legislature of Washington and has been 
reelected three different times, always on the 
Republican ticket. He was a .prominent man in 
the house and an important character in bring- 



ing about measures for the advancement of this 
part of the state. 

At Plover, Wisconsin, on March 31, 1869, 
Mr. Farrish married Miss Content V. Bean, 
the daughter of Thomas G. Bean, a native of 
Vermont. Mrs. Farrish was born in Union, 
Wisconsin, on April 14, 1848. 

Mr. Farrish is a member of the A. F. and A. 
M. and the I. O. O. F. He is a man of strong 
spirit and enterprise and has done much for 
Asotin county. He has never forgotten to so 
conduct himself that he has received and de- 
serves the esteem and confidence of all. 



HON. GEORGE W. R. PEASLEE re- 
sides just out from Clarkston, where he has a 
fine large nursery, having now over seven acres 
in orchard and eighteen acres devoted to closely 
planted nursey stock of all kinds. He does an 
extensive business, both in raising fruit and in 
supplying trees throughout the country. He 
is successful and enterprising and by his push 
and wisdom has built up a very profitable busi- 
ness in Asotin county and the surrounding 
country. 

George W. R. Peaslee was born in Osh- 
kosh, Wisconsin, on April 14, 1866, the son of 
Wilbert N. and Caroline P. (Johnston) Peas- 
lee, natives of Maine, who followed lumbering 
and farming. After completing a primary school 
course our subject began the printer's trade 
at Omro, Wisconsin, and at the age of nine- 
teen, he became publisher of the Omro Stakvart, 
which he conducted about one vear, when he 
disposed of his interests and was engaged on 
various papers throughout the state until 1889, 
when he started the Ironwood Neivs Record at 
Ironwood, Michigan. He continued as editor 
and owner of that paper until 1897, making it 
one of the bright sheets of the country. In 
that year he sold out and came west to Wash- 
ington. He was attracted west by the white 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



765 



pine of Idaho, and in the course of his looking 
up the lumber interests he became acquainted 
with the Clarkston flats, which were then being 
opened up. He immediately invested here, re- 
alizing the grand future of that country and 
since that time he has given his undivided at- 
tention to the nursery business and fruit rais- 
ing. 

Politically Mr. Peaslee is active and influ- 
ential, being a Republican. In 1902 he was 
elected to the state legislature by a majority of 
twenty-eight over S. T. Ramsey, Democratic 
nominee. He at once took a prominent posi- 
tion in the house and served on the committees 
of agriculture, horticulture, printing and two 
others. He was very influential and active on 
the railroad commission bill and fought for the 
same. He also supported Harold Preston for 
the United States senate. 

At Spokane, Washington, on April 12, 
1899, Mr. Peaslee married Miss Evelyn R. Na- 
son, a native of Pennsylvania. Two children 
have been born to this union, Verna, October 1 , 
1 90 1, and John, November 24, 1902. 

Mr. Peaslee is a member of the A. F. and A. 
M., the K. P., the M. W. A. and the Knights 
and Ladies of Security. Mr. Peaslee has one 
sister, Mrs. H. L. Waite of Clarkston. He is a 
popular young man and has shown an ability 
and forcefulness of character that presage a 
bright and successful future, both in business 
and political matters. 



J. PHILEMON RAMSDELL was born 
in Washington county, Maine, on September 
29, 1866. Now he lives just east of Asotin, 
where he has a fine blacksmith and wheelwright 
shop and a good farm, supplied with comfort- 
able buildings. His parents, Joseph and An- 
nette (Ingalls) Ramsdell, were natives of the 
same county as our subject. The father fol- 
lowed sawmilling. After attending the district 
schools of his native county until eighteen years 
of age Philemon spent a portion of each year 



in fishing and sailing on the banks of New 
Foundland and then devoted his entire time to 
sawmilling and fishing until 1889. In that year 
he determined to come west and accordingly 
crossed the continent from Maine to Washing- 
ton. He finally located in Asotin county on 
April 18, of the same year and began to work 
in the sawmills owned by Farrish near Ana- 
tone. Three years were spent in that labor, 
then, in company with his brother, William, he 
took a homestead near the sawmill, which he 
improved in good shape. The balance has large 
timber on it. For eight years Mr. Ramsdell 
gave his attention to farming, and in 1897 he 
moved to his present place on Asotin creek, 
purchasing the land, buildings and shop where 
he now operates. He has a comfortable home 
and other improvements and his shop is one of 
the well-equipped ones of the country. Mr. 
Ramsdell is an experienced engineer and a 
skilled mechanic. He is a man of economy 
and wisdom and the result is that he now has 
a fine competence to show for the years of labor 
that he has spent in Asotin county. He owns 
considerable property in Asotin besides that 
which has been mentioned. His standing- is of 
the best in the community and he is looked up 
to by all as a man of wisdom and uprightness. 
Mr. Ramsdell has one brother, Kinsman, who 
lives in this county, and one sister; he also 
has one half-brother, William Ramsdell, a pio- 
neer of Asotin county. Mr. Ramsdell is a. 
member of the Baptist church and a liberal sup- 
porter of the faith. He has ever taken a keen 
interest in political matters and educational af- 
fairs and every movement for the benefit of the 
community, while his influence has always 
been given for good government and improve- 
ment. 



DAVID S. TRESCOTT resides about 
twelve miles southeast from Asotin and follows 
farming and stock raising. He was born in 



766 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



Columbiana county, Ohio, on April 6, 1841, the 
son of Isaac and Jane (Steere) Trescott, na- 
tives of Connecticut and Michigan, respec- 
ively. The father was a commercial man and a 
pioneer of Ohio. Both were members of the 
Quaker church. Our subject received his edu- 
cation from the public schools and the private 
Quaker schools of his native county and re- 
mained in Ohio until 1877, when he came west. 
Twelve years of his life in the east were spent 
as a salesman for the dry goods company of 
Zeigler & Swearengen, of Philadelphia. In 
November, 1861, he enlisted in Company C, 
Second Ohio Cavalry, under Captain Barnett 
and Colonel Doubleday. He was placed in 
General Blunt's command and fought in the 
army of the west. He saw hard service through 
Missouri, Arkansas and Kansas, and much of 
the time was on detached service as bodyguard 
to the colonel and general, having been first cor- 
poral. His discharge occurred in Columbus, 
Ohio, in 1863, owing to injuries received in the 
line of duty. He was captured once by Quan- 
trell and suffered the loss of all his effects, but 
was later turned loose. After the close of the 
war he engaged in Philadelphia until 1877, 
when he came to Walla Walla. In November, 
1877, he located in what is now Asotin county, 
on Mill creek, taking a homestead in company 
with his brother, Lane. He remained there 
until four years since, when he bought his 
present place and improved it. 

In Columbiana county, Ohio, on December 
12, 1863, Mr. Trescott married Miss Ascenath 
A. Votaw, who was born in that county on 
January 31, 1842. The children born to this 
union are : Alice, the wife of Arthur Butler, of 
Portland, Oregon ; Florence, wife of Hiram 
Johnson; Iva, born June 16, 1878, and died 
September 16, 1883; Walter L., born January 
3, 1881, and died September 6, 1883; Ralph, 
born in this county, on January 10, 1887. 

Mr. Trescott is a member of the G. A. R., 
being past commander. He has served as jus- 
tice of the peace for many years in the county, 



being the first one on the flat and is still hold- 
ing the office. He is one of the earliest settlers 
here and a man of industry and thrift and has 
hosts of friends. 



NEIL McLEOD resides about three miles 
south from Anatone and gives his attention 
principally to farming and stock raising, al- 
though he does considerable business in buy- 
ing and selling property. He was born in Gray 
county, Ontario, on November 15, 1858. The 
father, Finley McLeod, was a native of Islay, 
Scotland, and married Mary McCammel, a na- 
tive of the same town. Our subject spent his 
early days in Ontario and received a good edu- 
cation from the first-class schools of that 
country. Farming occupied him there until 
twenty-two, when he moved to Duluth, Min- 
nesota, and engaged in the lumber woods one 
year, then on the Northern Pacific railroad as 
a bridge contractor, from the Rosebud river to 
Missoula, for three years. He also had charge 
of the supplies and the water station at the 
O'Keef canyon. In 1884 Mr. McLeod came to 
this county, arriving in July, and soon there- 
after entered the employ of McLeod & Wams- 
ley, threshing machine men, then took a pre- 
emption on the Weissenfels ridge and later 
added a homestead adjoining. He made this 
place a fine farm, well improved, productive and 
dwelt there steadily, and bought a half section 
more of land adjoining. In 1903 he sold out 
and moved to Asotin and later bought the ferry 
property. He now resides on the Snake river, 
just below Asotin. 

Mr. McLeod has held various offices, as 
school director, road supervisor and so forth. 
He is a member of the I. O. O. F., has passed 
all the chairs, and of the M. W. A. Mr. Mc- 
Leod has one brother, James, who is a stock- 
man in Glendive, Montana. In addition to the 
other property that our subject owns he has an 
interest in the Diamond Chief mines in Thunder 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



767 



Mountain and is a shareholder in the Copper 
Mountain mines on Snake river. He is a stanch 
and upright man, descended from worthy an- 
cestry, and is well and favorably known. 



CHESTER SHUMAKER, a prominent 
stockman and farmer of Asotin county, resides 
some seven miles south of Anatone. He was 
born in Winnebago county, Wisconsin, on 
April 12, 1850, the son of Charles and Lucy 
(Towle) Shumaker, natives of Saratoga and 
Troy, New York, respectively. The father fol- 
lowed merchandising. Our subject was edu- 
cated in the common schools of his native coun- 
try and spent his younger days in Neenah and 
then went into the woods of Wisconsin, where 
he worked for four years. In 1876 he moved to 
Utah and after spending one winter, came to 
Dayton 1 , Washington, where he located, re- 
maining three years. He engaged in farming 
and then took land north of Anatone, now the 
property of L. K. Brown. In 1888 Mr. Shu- 
maker bought the home he now lives upon, 
which is located on the Grande Ronde river at 
the mouth of Pearson's gluch. The place is a 
first-class stock farm, and he also has about ten 
acres of irrigated orchard. For sixteen years 
Mr. Shumaker has been making a splendid suc- 
cess in his stock raising and has a very nice 
place, well improved, besides good bands of 
stock. 

At Green Bay, Wisconsin, on June 17, 1874, 
Mr. Shumaker married Miss Flora Nims, the 
daughter of Loyal and Silvey (Angle) Nims, 
natives of New York state. The father was an 
early settler in Dodge county, Wisconsin, and 
also an emigrant to Columbia county, Wash- 
ington. The mother's native place is Water- 
town, New York. Mrs. Shumaker was born in 
Hustisford, Dodge county, Wisconsin, on Janu- 
ary 6, 185 1. To our subject and his wife the 
following named children have been born: 
Anna Luella, the wife of Richard Hoskins and 



living in Wallowa county, Oregon; Charles 
Lloyal and Ella Almeda, both at home. Mr. 
Shumaker was raised under the influence of the 
Presbyterian church but does not belong to any 
denomination. 

When he came to this country he was ac- 
companied by Major Carr, of Dayton, and L. 
Nims. Mrs. Shumaker has two sisters, Mrs. 
Annie Carr, of Dayton, Washington, and Mrs. 
Almeta Fox, of Pomeroy. Mr. Shumaker is a 
man of reliability and prominence in the com- 
munity and has shown his ability in the success 
he has won here. 



FRANKLIN L. WILLIAMS, a rising and 
capable attorney of Asotin, is at the head of a 
thriving and steadily increasing practice, which 
he has won by his erudition and success in the 
law. He is a man well fitted for this profes- 
sion and has fortified himself with extensive 
and thorough reading in all branches pertaining 
to the general practice. His ability as a for- 
ensic orator is well known and he is rapidly 
rising to the front rank of attorneys in this 
part of the state. His birth occurred in Nor- 
folk county, Virginia, on October 27, 1868. 
His father, Albert L. Williams, was born in 
Connecticut, and is now practicing law in Port- 
land, Indiana. He was United States marshal 
in Norfolk county, Virginia, and was district 
judge in Indiana. During the Rebellion he 
served as brigade commander under Sherman 
on his march to the sea. The mother of our 
subject is Pauline (Lee) Williams, a native of 
Virginia also, and the descendant of Richard H. 
Lee. Franklin L. was educated in the private 
schools of Portland, Indiana, and in the Dan- 
ville Normal, graduating from the latter in 
1885. He taught school for several years and in 
1890 came on west to Walla Walla, where he en- 
tered the study of law under C. M. Rader, and 
also taught school. In due time he was admitted 
to the bar, and also had purchased a farm. In 



;68 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



1893, however, he had transferred his residence 
from Walla Walla to Pomeroy and continued 
his law reading under the tuition of M. F. 
Gose, the date of his admission to the bar being 
in 1895. In the same year he cast his lot with 
the Asotin county people and at once began 
the practice of law. The following year he was 
elected to the office of county attorney on the 
fusion ticket and he held the position for two 
years. He also taught school some in this 
county, but is now devoting himself to the prac- 
tice of law entirely, wherein he is achieving a 
good success. He is also a notary and does much 
transferring. 

On May 2J, 1899, Mr. Williams married 
Miss Ellen E. Baggett, the daughter of Abram 
and Nancy E. Baggett, natives of Arkansas and 
old settlers of this county. Mrs. Williams was 
also born in Arkansas, the date being May 27, 
1882. One child is the fruit of this union, 
Mentor L., who was born in Asotin county, on 
May 27, 1 90 1. Thus it seems that the date of 27 
is a prominent one of the history of this family. 
Mr. and Mrs. Williams are well known and 
have a large circle of friends and enjoy the es- 
teem and confidence of all. 



BURT W. YEOMAN resides some four 
miles northwest of Hanson's Ferry, in Asotin 
county, and was born in Lorain county, Ohio, 
on April 20, 1862. His parents are Richard 
and Fannie C. (Axtell) Yeoman, natives of 
Yorkshire, England, and Ohio respectively. 
His family removed to Mahaska county, Iowa, 
in 1865, and there our subject was raised on a 
farm and received his education. He remained 
there until twenty-two years of age and then, 
the year being 1884, he came west to Dayton, 
Washington. Shortly after landing in Dayton 
he walked across to Pomeroy and there opened 
a blacksmith shop, operating the same there 
for three years. Then he laid aside that voca- 



tion and came on to Asotin county. On the 
breaks of Manatchee creek he selected a home- 
stead, which he improved and on which he 
now resides. Stockraising and farming have 
occupied him since, and he has made a good 
success of his labors. 

In 1900 Mr. Yeoman was elected county 
commissioner on the Republican ticket and in 
this capacity he did splendid work. His en- 
thusiasm and progressive ideas stirred things 
up and he was instrumental in bringing in 
many improvements, among which may be 
mentioned roads of the county, the county jail, 
new vaults in the auditor's office, and many 
other good things. Mr. Yeoman is a man who 
believes in striving for the best and he put this 
thoroughly into practice while in public office, 
as he does in his private life. It was very 
fortunate for the county that such a man was 
placed as county commissioner, for he has not 
only brought about the benefits mentioned but 
has stimulated others along similar lines. Mr- 
Yeoman is a keen and careful business man. 
and a good citizen. 

In Garfield county on February 22, 1888, 
Mr. Yeoman married Miss Viola M. Patter- 
son, the daughter of Newell S. and Mary (Tat- 
low) Patterson, natives of Ohio and Illinois 
respectively. The father is a pioneer of Oregon 
and served in the Rebellion. He is now a 
member of the G. A. R. Mrs. Yeoman was- 
born in the Willamette Valley, on December 1, 
1868. The children born to our subject and 
his wife are: Lavonia F., in Garfield county, 
on January 13, 1891 ; Lenney M., in Asotin, 
on December 8, 1896; Hazel A., in Asotin 
county, on August 19, 1898; Opal, on Decem- 
ber 31, 1900; Burt Wellman, on December 14,. 
1902, and James Edgar on December 25, 1904. 
In addition to those mentioned they have two 
children deceased, Walter L. and Edna, both 
buried in Pomeroy. 

Mr. Yeoman is a member of the order of 
Washington. He' has one brother and one 



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W eldon Wilson 



George A. Rogers 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



769 



sister, William R., living in this neighborhood, 
and Mrs. W. R. Parlett, dwelling in Pomeroy. 
Mrs. Yeoman has one brother, Frank, living 
near. 



WELDON WILSON, an active and en- 
terprising citizen of Asotin county, is now the 
postmaster of Silcott, where he owns a fine, 
large farm of 400 acres. A portion of the 
same is utilized for pasture and the balance is 
planted in fruits and vegetables. 

Weldon Wilson was born in Lawrence 
county, Illinois, on December 28, 1864, the 
son of Lafayette and Catherine (Bunn) Wil- 
son, natives of Ohio and Illinois respectively. 
The father was a millwright and a veteran of 
the Rebellion, being in the Illinois Volunteer 
Infantry. Weldon was educated in the public 
schools of Lawrence county, Illinois, Ripley 
county, Missouri, and Clay county, Arkansas, 
in which places his parents lived during his 
boyhood days. He spent the times between his 
studying on the farm until he was twenty-one. 
Then he was attacked with a strong western 
fever, which could only be cured by Horace 
Greeley's prescription, "Go west, young man, 
go west." He commenced the treatment by 
journeying to Colorado in 1887, where he be- 
gan to find relief. He spent some time in look- 
ing over the state and then decided that the 
Evergreen State was the place for him and 
hither he came. He first settled near Clarkston 
and then removed to the mouth of Alpowa 
creek, where he operated the well known Snake 
river placer mines for two years. The success he 
attained there is not mentioned, but after two 
years he diverted his attention from this line 
of industry to fruit raising and soon purchased 
the land formerly settled on by C. C. Davis. 
He at once began to set out fruit and now has 
a choice and large orchard in bearing. In ad- 
dition to this Mr. Wilson raises considerable 
truck and also breeds stock. He turned the 
Alpowa creek from its natural course and 
49 



utilized it to water thirty acres of choice fruit 
land. He makes a specialty of cherries and- 
peaches in the fruit line and in stock he handles, 
horses, cattle and hogs. He is skillfull 
in all these lines of industry and has 
made a first-class success. In school 
matters Mr. Wilson is active and gives 
of his time to serve on the board. During the 
present administration he was appointed post- 
master at Silcott, and is giving universal sat- 
isfaction. He is a faithful worker in the Sun- 
day school and also a supporter of churches. 

Mr. Wilson chose as his life partner Miss 
Jennie Baker, the daughter of Washington and 
Sarah A. (Monroe) Baker, and the wedding 
occurred in Lawrence county, Illinois, in 1886. 
Mrs. Wilson was born in Lawrence county on 
January 7, 1886. Mr. Wilson has two broth- 
ers and two sisters, Elsworth L., Cliff M., Mrs. . 
Mary Rubush and Mrs. Ella Mason. Mr. and 
Mrs. Wilson have five children : Lafayette W., 
born in Clay county, Arkansas, in 1887; Lloyd, 
born in Asotin county ; Anna Laura, McKinley 
and Earl, all born on the ranch. The family 
are members of the United Brethren church 
and active workers in the faith. Politically 
Mr. Wilson is an active Republican and well 
informed on the issues of the day. 



GEORGE A. ROGERS is conducting a 
real estate office in Asotin, and also has under 
his management the operation of several 
promising mining properties. Fie owns con- 
siderable real estate through Asotin county and 
much mining property in various sections. Mr. 
Rogers is also the promoter of a new town 
on a favorable site near the mines he is operat- 
ing on the Snake river, at the mouth of 
the Grande Ronde river, which promises 
to be an important distributing center for 
this mining district, which now has a bright 
outlook. George A. Rogers was born in Elgin 
county, Ontario, on March 31, 1864. His 



770 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



parents being James and Lucy A. (Scott) 
Rogers, natives of New Brunswick and New 
York .respectively. After studying in the 
common schools our subject completed a high 
school course at St. Thomas in 1882. In the 
same year he started west with Washington as 
the objective point and finally landed at Day- 
ton, after which he took a trip to British Co- 
lumbia and the coast and then returned to Co- 
lumbia county and settled near where Asotin 
now stands. He took a pre-emption near Ana-' 
tone and later a homestead. In addition to 
this he operated a steam shingle mill for some 
time and then moved to the town of Asotin, 
holding the office of deputy sheriff under J. L. 
Vincent. After this he took charge of the 
auditor's office for his brother Scott. In the 
fall of 1884 he opened an office for himself as 
notary public and general conveyancer. He 
took filings on government land and heard 
final proofs and did practically all the busi- 
ness in his line in the county. Mr. Rogers also 
was general agent for various lines of goods 
and also handles the county clerk's office. In 
1887 he was elected probate judge of Asotin 
county and held the office until Washington 
became a state. He has always been a strong 
Republican and takes a lively interest in pol- 
itics. Mr. Rogers owns considerable real es- 
tate and some very promising mines at the 
mouth of the Grande Ronde river in Asotin 
and Wallowa counties. They show rich de- 
posits of copper and gold, and he is doing some 
extensive development work upon them. 

Mr. Rogers has never seen fit to forsake 
the life of a bachelor for the uncertainties of 
matrimonial existence. He was raised under 
the influence of the Methodist church and is a 
man of integrity and sound principles. 



WALTER J. BOGGAN, better known as 
"Major Boggan," is a representative citizen of 
Asotin county and one of the leading men of 



property and influence in this part of the state. 
He was born inWadesboro, North Carolina, on 
March 13, 1841, the son of Norfleet and Jane 
Gould (Hammond) Boggan. The father was 
one of the prominent men of his county and 
came of English and Irish ancestrage. He was 
a large planter. The mother was a native of 
North Carolina and comes from old Virginia 
stock. After studying in the subscription 
schools of Wadesboro our subject finished the 
higher schools and in 1859 graduated from the 
King's Mountain Military College, of South 
Carolina. After this he returned to his native 
town and clerked in a store until the breaking 
out of the war. He promptly enlisted in the 
Fourth North Carolina Volunteers and served 
for one year under Colonel Junius Daniel and 
saw service in several skirmishes. Upon the 
expiration of this year he returned to Wades- 
boro and raised a company of one hundred men 
and was elected captain. His company was 
joined with the Forty-third North Carolina In- 
fantry and he was chosen major of the regi- 
ment, which was placed in the second army 
corps under Stonewall Jackson. He served in 
the following named battles : Williamsburg, the 
seven days' fight near Richmond, Wilderness 
(first and second), Fredericksburg, Petersburg, 
Gettysburg and all the large battles of the army 
of north Virginia. He also was in many skir- 
mishes besides the engagements mentioned and 
remained in service until the end and was pres- 
ent at the surrender of General Robert E. Lee, 
at Appomattox Court House, on April 9, 1865, 
Then he returned home, but found everything 
demoralized, and he was state guard for a time. 
Then he went to Texas for a year and then 
settled in Fayetteville, Arkansas and taught 
school. In 1874 he started west to Oregon, 
and after a short stay in Jackson, that state, he 
landed in Walla Walla, in 1875. He taught 
school there and in Columbia county until 1878. 
when he settled where he now resides, a few 
miles southeast from Anatone. April 9, was 
the day of his settlement and since then he has 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



771 



■continued here one of the progressive and 
prominent agriculturists of the county. He has 
always been a leading figure in the community, 
owing to the fact that is a man of letters and 
integrity and a fine example of honest industry, 
virtues which should always lead. In 1880 
Major Boggan was chosen justice of the peace, 
being the first officer of this kind in this commu- 
nity, and he has held the position for eighteen 
years. He was nominated by his party to rep- 
resent his district in the legislature, but went 
down with his ticket. He is a stanch Demo- 
crat and a man of force and solid information. 

At Fayetteville, Arkansas, on April 9, 1868, 
Mr. Boggan married Miss Ida J., the daughter 
of Hon. John and Nancy (Framell) Enyart, 
natives of Kentucky and Missouri, respectively. 
The father was a member of both branches of 
the legislature in Arkansas for many years. 
Mrs. Boggan was born in Washington county, 
Arkansas, on July 5, 1848. She has the fol- 
lowing named brothers and sisters: Stephen, 
Eben, Mrs. Mary Thompson and Mrs. Louisa 
Jette. Major Boggan has two brothers, Wil- 
liam H. and James N. Mr. and Mrs. Boggan 
have three children: Walter C, at home; 
Northfleet, living near, and Rosa J., who died 
in infancy. Major and Mrs. Boggan are mem- 
bers of the Episcopal church and are substan- 
tial and good people. 



CORNELIUS A. HOLLENBECK, one 
•of the pioneers of Montgomery Ridge, living 
about five miles southeast from Dodd postof- 
fice, was born in Cortland county, New York, 
on December 18, 1845. His parents, Casper and 
Hannah (Egbertson) Hollenbeck, were! also 
natives of New York state and followed farm- 
ing. The education of our subject was ob- 
tained in the common schools of his native 
county and he remained on the farm until nine- 
teen years of age. Then he did various labors 
until 1870, when he journeyed from New York 



state to Iowa and settled in Linn county. For 
two years he cultivated the soil there, then re- 
moved to Pocahontas county, in the same state, 
where he remained one year, then he journeyed 
to Ness county, Kansas, where he did general 
work and raised stock, handling the Texas cat- 
tle that were brought in for the market. In 
the spring of 1881 Mr. Hollenbeck determined 
to move west, selecting Washington as the 
place he wished to dwell in. He came overland 
with horses and wagons, having fourteen horses 
and one cow. Among the horses was a well- 
bred stallion, which was the originator of the 
now popular Hollenbeck horses, some of the 
best known and most excellent animals in this 
part of the northwest. For years they have 
been on the Spokane market as leading horses 
and Mr. Hollenbeck is certainly entitled to 
great credit for the skill that he has displayed 
in breeding horses. He at first settled on Al- 
powa creek in Columbia county, and in 1882, 
came to the territory now embraced in Asotin 
county and took a pre-emption on Montgomery 
ridge. He began the industry of horse raising 
and was so skillful that he has continued more 
or less in it until the present time and now has 
some very choice horses. In addition he has a 
good many well-bred cattle and horses and is 
very prosperous. Mr. Hollenbeck has his farm 
in a high state of cultivation, well improved and 
productive. Altogether he is considered one 
of the leading citizens and best farmers of the 
country. 

In Cortland county, New York, on April 
12, 1866, Mr. Hollenbeck married Miss Mary 
A. Story, the daughter of Daniel and Martha 
Story, natives of England. Mrs. Hollenbeck 
was born in Onondaga county, New York, on 
October 29, 1847. The following named chil- 
dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hollen- 
beck : Carrie, January 13, 1867, and now the 
wife of Henry C. Talbert of this county; Mar- 
tha, September 29, 1868, the wife of William 
McMillan, living near; Etta, December 20, 
1869, the wife of Jacob Blyev, of Oregon; 



77* 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



Casper J., February 2, 1871, living close by; 
Frank C, June 17, 1876, also living near by; 
George H., July 17, 1878, at home, and Mary, 
February 5, 1883, wife of Herbert McMillan. 

Mr. Hollenbeck attempted to enlist in the 
United States army at the time of the Rebellion 
but was refused on account of disability. He is 
a patriotic and progressive citizen, a man of in- 
dustry and sound principles and is highly es- 
teemed in this community. 



ALLEN E. McGEE, a farmer residing 
about two miles southeast from Craige, is one 
of the industrious men who have wrought with 
excellent results in building up this county and 
opening it for the advancement of the west 
that is sweeping over the country. He was 
born in McDonough county, Illinois, on May 
5, 1862, the son of William and Mary Mc- 
Gee, natives of Illinois and farmers by occupa- 
tion. The first twelve years of our subject's 
life were spent in Illinois working on the farm 
and attending school. He then went with the 
balance of the family to Iowa, where he 
wrought and studied for two years more. Then, 
it being 1876, he came on west and settled in 
Columbia county, this state. He labored there 
with his father in farming and stockraising for 
twenty years. They had brought some fine 
horses west, having the first Norman stallion 
ever transported west of the Rockies. In 
1890, Mr. McGee came to this county and en- 
gaged with Mr. Farrish as teamster in the lum- 
ber mills. For twelve years he continued at 
that business and then bought the farm where 
he now resides, and which he has been cultivat- 
ing since that time. The farm was originally 
owned by A. B. Craige. It is a good place and 
Mr. McGee has added considerable improve- 
ment and has it in a high state of cultivation. 

At Lewiston. Idaho, on October 12, 1884, 
Mr. McGee married Miss Mary F. Miller, the 
daughter of James and Martha Miller, pio- 



neers of this and Columbia counties. Mrs. 
McGee was born in Columbia county, in 1870. 
Three children are the fruit of this marriage, 
Martha A., Elmer A., and Deloss, all born in 
this county. Mr. McGee was raised under the 
influence of the Christian church, but he and 
his family do not belong to any denomination. 
In politics he is independent, and always takes 
a good interest in this as in educational mat- 
ters and in general improvement of the county 
and the development of its resources. 



MARTIN W. ZINDEL, who is postmas- 
ter of the office at Zindel, is one of the well- 
known and substantial citizens of Asotin coun- 
ty. He is a man of sound principles, a hard 
worker, and has done much to bring the wilds 
under the sway of civilization here. He was 
born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, on April 5,. 
1868, the son of Conrad and Elizabeth (Bat>- 
bendorf) Zindel, natives of Germany and im- 
migrants to the United States in 1840. The 
public schools of Erie county .furnished the- 
educational training of our subject and until 
he had attained his majority that county was 
his home. By that time, he had also learned 
well the trade of the carpenter, which more or 
less he has followed during his life. In 1890 
he came west, and after first settling in this, 
county, he made his way to Pullman, Whit- 
man county, and there wrought at his trade for 
two years. Then he returned to Asotin coun- 
ty and was busied at the craft for three years, 
more. It was in 1895 tnat he took a home- 
stead where he now dwells. His place is the 
Zindel postoffice and in addition to farming 
and raising stock, he also handles a ferry across 
the Grande Ronde river. His place is the old 
wintering ground Of Joseph and his bands and 
was well known from time beyond record. It 
is located on the Grande Ronde river near the 
mouth of Joseph creek, and is a splendid place. 
At Lost Prairie, Oregon, Mr. Zindel mar- 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



773 



ried Miss Maude Day, the date being June i, 
1898. Mrs. Zindel's parents are Theodore B. 
and Anna (Korcke) Day, natives of Saxony, 
Germany, and early settlers in the Walla Walla 
country. Mrs. Zindel was born in Reno coun- 
ty, Kansas, on March 18, 1875, and is now the 
mother of two children; Zella V., born in 
Lost Prairie, Oregon, on July 21, 1899; and 
Orville W., born in Asotin, on September 14, 
1903. Mr. and Mrs. Zindel were raised un- 
der the teaching of the German Evangelical 
church. He is a strong Republican and in No- 
vember, 1904, was chosen justice of the peace. 
Mr. Zindel is. a great reader and keeps himself 
well posted on the issues and questions of the 
day. He is a progressive man, has labored un- 
tiringly for the general advancement, and is 
one of the county's best citizens. In addition 
to the other enterprises mentioned, he is also 
operating a weather station for the govern- 
ment 



WILLIAM P. WEISSENFELS is one of 
the pioneers of Asotin county. In fact, he set- 
tled here before there was an Asotin county 
and was instrumental in bringing about the or- 
ganization of the same. Mr. Weissenfels was 
"born in Eau Claire county, Wisconsin, on Au- 
gust 14, 1859. His father, John A. Weissen- 
fels, is a native of Germany and one of the 
■early settlers of the country now embraced in 
Asotin county. For many years he was com- 
missioner here and also served as assessor for 
two years. At the present time he is residing 
in Wisconsin. He was a very influential and 
prominent man of Asotin county and the ridge 
where he first settled is known as Weissenfels' 
ridge at this time. He married Henrietta 
Stumm, a native of Prussia. She died when 
•our subject was three years old. The father 
then married Caroline A. Mead, who died on 
Weissenfels' ridge in 1902. 

Our subject was educated in the public 



schools of Eau Claire county, Wisconsin, and 
spent a portion of his early days on the farm 
with his father. Then he entered a telegraph 
office and remained with the West Wisconsin 
railroad until eighteen years of age. In 1878 
he came west to Washington, accompanying 
his father, and after due investigation, settled 
in that portion of Columbia county which is 
now Asotin county, where he resides at the 
present time. He took a homestead and pre- 
emption and immediately turned his attention 
to stock raising. He was very sucessful in 
this enterprise and about 1884 gave his atten- 
tion to farming, which he has continued ever 
since. Mr. Weissenfels handles cattle and 
horses and has very fine bands. In political 
matters and other affairs of the county, he has 
taken the part of a good citizen and has always 
shown himself progressive. He is a public- 
minded man and like his father, always labors 
for those measures which are for the benefit of 
the county at large. 

At Anatone on May 17, 1899, Mr. Weis- 
senfels married Miss Barbara Kiesecker, the 
daughter c,{ George A. and Christina (Stein) 
Keisecker, natives of Germany and pioneers 
of this county, where they reside at this time. 
Mrs. Weissenfels was born in Germany, on 
January 23, 1882. Our subject and his wife 
are the parents of two children, Anna H., born 
on November 17, 1900, and Frederick A., 
born July 31, 1902. 

Mr. Weissenfels was born under the in- 
fluence of the Roman Catholic church and is 
an adherent of that denomination still. He 
has one half brother, Joseph M., and one sis- 
ter, Mrs. Anna M. Stumm. Mr. Weissenfels 
is one of those stirring, substantial men who 
are governed by the principle that "What is 
worth doing, is worth doing well," and conse- 
quently has achieved the best of success in all 
his labors and undertakings. No detail of his 
business is too small for his attention, while its 
general oversight and planning are done with 



774 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



wisdom and foresight that commend him as a 
leading man in his line. He stands well in the 
community and is entitled to the position as 
one of the builders of Asotin county. 



ROBERT A. CAMPBELL deserves to be 
classed as one of the stanch pioneers of Asotin 
county and is certainly one of the substantial 
citizens of this section at this time. He stands 
at the head of a large stock business, being the 
heaviest sheep owner in the county. He also, 
handles horses and cattle and is well known as 
a man of ability who achieves success in his 
ventures. 

Robert A. Campbell was born in Oakland 
county, Michigan, on May 6, 1852, the son of 
William and Ann (Mclllvey) Campbell, na- 
tives of Scotland and north Ireland, respect- 
ively. They were pioneers in Michigan and 
wrought in the development of the country. 
Our subject was reared on a farm and was edu- 
cated in the section where he was born. Un- 
til 1876 he remained there and in the great 
Centennial year, he determined to try his for- 
tune in the west. He landed in Colorado in 
due time and participated in the exciting- 
times of making it a state. He did mining 
in and around Leadville until 1881, and 
then came to Idaho and mined in Logan 
county for one year. Then Mr. Camp- 
bell determined to try the stock business and 
accordingly made his way to Asotin county 
and secured his present place, which lies some 
fifteen miles west from Asotin, and which he 
has improved to be one of the good ones of the 
county. He began raising horses and cattle 
and soon added sheep and in this good work 
he has continued since with the splendid suc- 
cess that he is the heaviest sheep owner in the 
county and a man well-to-do and of recognized 
worth and standing, and his integrity in the 
long years of his residence here has commend- 



ed him to all lovers of substantiality and true 
principles. 

At Lewiston, Idaho, on June 16, 1884, Mr. 
Campbell married Miss Sarah Dill, the daugh- 
ter of John Dill, one of the old pioneers of the 
Anatone country. Mrs. Campbell was born 
in Cork, Ireland, on October 6, 1865. The 
children born to this household are : Robert, 
George, Claud, Earl and Vera. Mr. Camp- 
bell is a popular member of the masonic 
fraternity in Clarkston, having been one of the 
charter members. He also belongs to the W. 
W. and in political matters is allied with the 
Republicans. 



JOHN HENRY SCHEIBE has resided in 
the territory now embraced in Asotin county 
for twenty-five years and during that length of 
time has been engaged in agriculture .and stock 
raising. He has made good success in his la- 
bors and owns fine property at this time. He 
resides about eight miles east from Anatone on 
the land he took by squatter's right when he 
first came here in 1878. This was then Co- 
lumbia county and he has assisted in the creat- 
ion o,f Asotin county and has been instrumental 
in its progress and development up to this 
time. 

John Scheibe was born in Allegheny coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, on September 15, 1858. His 
parents, Frank and Martha (Ausman) Scheibe 
were both natives of Germany and pioneers of 
Dunn county, Wisconsin. John H. received 
his education in the common schools of Dunn 
county and was raised on the farm. In 1878, 
he left the Badger State for the west, making* 
Washington the objective point. In due time 
he reached the country embraced in Columbia 
county and selected the place where he now 
lives and took a homestead and a timber cul- 
ture claim. He soon put the same in a good 
state of cultivation and from that time to the 
present, he has constantly been adding various 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



775 



improvements until his estate to-day is one of 
the choice ones of this portion of Washington. 
He has fine buildings and an excellent orchard 
and everything needed on a first-class farm. 
At first he gave attention almost entirely to 
grain raising, then he added stock raising and 
has today some very fine and well-bred ani- 
mals. However, Mr. Scheibe gives most of 
his attention to raising horses, being very 
skillful in this industry. He raises the food 
for all of his stock and is enabled to secure 
each year much profit from the farm and the 
pasture. 

Mr. Scheibe has one brother, John, and one 
sister, Emma, both living in Asotin. 

' The wedding of Mr. Scheibe and Miss 
Elizabeth Huber occurred at Anatone, on Au- 
gust 9, 1891, Major Boggan performing the 
ceremony. Mrs. Scheibe's parents, Frank and 
Augusta (Bell) Huber, are natives of Germany 
and pioneers of Asotin county. Mrs. Scheibe 
was born in Montgomery county, Illinois, on 
February 20, 1867. To our subject and his 
wife, six children have been born, Raymond 
F., Augusta A., Clara Bell, George Dewey, 
Sidney S. and Henrietta. 

While engaged actively in the business en- 
terprises of his life, Mr. Scheibe has not for- 
gotten in the years past to take a keen interest 
in political matters and educational affairs. 
He is a Democrat and influential in his party. 
In religious persuasion, he is an adherent of 
the Evangelical denomination. 



THOMAS RUARK has large real estate 
interests in three counties in southeastern 
Washington and has chosen Asotin as the 
place of his residence, which speaks highly of 
the natural advantages and choice location of 
this pleasant town. Mr. Ruark is living a re- 
tired life although he personally supervises and 
conducts all his various estates. He has a 
very comfortable dwelling an Asotin and is 



deeply interested in the welfare and building 
up of the town and county. 

Thomas Ruark was born in Franklin coun- 
ty, Indiana, on September 4, 1833. Peter 
Raurk, his father, was a native of Kentucky, 
and his father, the grandfather of our subject, 
was a native of Germany and a pioneer settler 
of Pulaski county, Kentucky. Peter Ruark 
married Jane Herron, also born in the Blue 
Grass State. From the common schools of 
Franklin county, Indiana, Mr. Ruark received 
his early education and in that county remained 
until he was seventeen years of age. Then in 
company with the balance of the family, he 
journeyed on west to Wayne county, Iowa, 
and settled down. Until 1857, we ^ nc ^ n ' m 
there and then he moved to Kansas and re- 
mained in Linn county until 1859 in which 
year he returned to Iowa, locating at the old 
home place again. On May 20, 1862, having 
previously learned much of the great north- 
west and the opportunities here offered to peo- 
ple, Mr. Ruark fitted out teams and in com- 
pany with twenty other ox team outfits, 
turned towards the west and began the 
journey from Iowa to the Pacific coast. For, 
five months they journeyed steadily 
on and finally arrived at Vancouver, with- 
out any especial incident on the way more than 
the usual wear and tear of that terrible jour- 
ney. He selected a homestead in Clarke coun- 
ty, ten miles northeast from Vancouver and 
to the improvement and development of the 
same, he gave his labors for eight years. Dur- 
ing this time, he was dairying also. In 1870, 
Mr. Ruark came to Walla Walla county and 
settled near the county seat and engaged in the 
stock business. Three years later, he dropped 
that for farming as he preferred tilling the soil 
much better. Seven years were spent in Walla 
Walla and then, it being 1878, he settled in the 
Deadman country in what was then Columbia 
county but is now Garfield county. He pur- 
-chased a large tract of land and personally 
farmed the same until 1890. Then he rented 



776 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



this estate and moved to the vicinity of St. 
John, Whitman county, Washington. There 
he took up horse raising and farming com- 
bined, having purchased a nice estate and con- 
tinued in the operation of the same until 1892. 
Then he rented the entire property and re- 
moved to Asotin, where he erected a comfort- 
able residence and is now living. 

In Asotin county, Washington, on July 24, 
1853, Mr. Ruark married Mary A. Messinger, 
the daughter of Frederick D. Messinger, a na- 
tive of Massachusetts. Mrs. Ruark was born 
in Knox county, Ohio, on September 29, 1835. 
The children born to our subject and his wife, 
are named as follows: John C, living in 
Dixie, Washington; Charles A., living in Gar- 
field county; George, a merchant, living in 
Pomeroy; William T., a carpenter, living in 
Pomeroy; Ira N., living in Asotin; Joseph, 
living in Whitman county; Dennis B., living in 
Whitman county; Mary J., wife of Frank M. 
Palmer; Sarah A., wife of E. J. Rice, of 
Clarkston ; Martha A., wife of John W. Johns, 
of Asotin county; Carrie B., wife of W. B. 
Smith, of Garfield county. 

Mr. and Mrs. Ruark are consistant and 
conscientious members of the United Brethren 
church of Asotin and he gives much time and 
labor for the advancement of the interests of 
this denomination. Through their efforts al- 
most entirely was this place of worship erected 
and he has heartily labored for the spreading of 
the gospel and the upbuilding of the faith. He 
takes great interest in these things and all of his 
time that is not spent in overseeing his prop- 
erty is given to this work. In political mat- 
ters, Mr. Ruark is independent and takes the 
interest that becomes the good citizen. He and 
his wife are very highly esteemed people and 
are loved bv all who know them. 



EDWARD BAUMEISTER is practically 
the father of Asotin county and stands to- 
day as one of the strong men of the state. 



He is serving his second term as state senator 
from Asotin, Garfield and Columbia counties, 
and has demonstrated to the people that he is 
possessed of ability sufficient to handle their 
interests as properly in the halls of legislation 
as well as of integrity and principle to main- 
tain the same in the face of all cunning and 
opposition. Mr. Baumeister is a striking ex- 
ample of one taking hold with his hands in the 
humbler walks of life and by effort, by real 
worth, and by ability, ever bringing himself to 
the front as one of the leading men of the state. 
To such too strong commendation cannot be 
given, for they are the real pillars which ob- 
tain to make this country strong and safe. And 
to the youths who will soon be called upon to 
fill the positions of trust and responsibility, the 
example Mr. Baumeister has set should speak 
in most emphatic terms and cause that their 
lives be so spent as to prepare the way for better 
things. Too much cannot be said in favor of 
this foundation principle, so important and so 
much overlooked. It is with pleasure that we 
are permitted to give somewhat in detail the 
outline of Mr. Baumeister' s career, for it can 
but prove interesting and instructive to all. 

Edward Baumeister was born in Saxe- 
Weimar, Germany, on June 24, 1848. His 
father, Ernest Baumeister, was a native of Er- 
fort, Germany, and came to the United States 
in 1854, bringing' his family. Settlement was 
made in New York state, and so thoroughly 
did the elder Baumeister identify himself with 
the interests of the country of his adoption 
that upon the breaking out of the terrible Re- 
bellion he promptly stepped forward and en- 
listed in the New York Regiment of Volun- 
teer Cavalry and served with distinction and 
valor until the last conflict at Fredericksburg, 
when -he was wounded and soon gave his life 
for his country. He had married Miss Char- 
lotte Schroeder, also a native of Germany. Our 
subject was but a lad when his father died, 
still the same spirit that pervaded the breast of 
the ancestor was found well planted un the 




Edward Baumeister 





Richard P. Steen 



Peter Maguire 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



777 



heart of the son. He, too, has taken up the 
cause of his country in a determined and loyal 
way, championing those measures and prin- 
ciples which are for the upbuilding and fur- 
thering of our free institutions. After attend- 
ing the common schools of New York, at the 
age of twelve, Edward accompanied his 
brofther Max to California. For two years 
he served an apprenticeship there as a barber, 
and in April, 1863, he and his brother moved 
to Washington and settled in Walla Walla. 
Since that time they have been known as sub- 
stantial and faithful men of ability as will be 
seen. The elder Baumeister now lives in Walla 
Walla, a highly esteemed citizen. For nine- 
teen years our subject and his brother followed 
the barber trade in Walla Walla, then sold out 
and Edward immediately engaged in the real 
estate and insurance business, and followed it 
until 1885, when he moved to Lewiston and ac- 
cepted a position in a general store, under John 
P. Vollmer. For seven months he served faith- 
fully there and in the fall of 1885 came to the 
town of Asotin, which was then built farther up 
the river than where it is now. Mr. Baumeister 
selected the place where Asotin now stands and 
opened a fine general merchandise establish- 
ment, which was sadly needed there. From 
that time until the present he has continued in 
the pursuit of his business and has manifested 
great wisdom and skill as a business man. In 
1900 he opened a bank in connection with his 
mercantile business and has operated the same 
successfully since. It has been a great accom- 
modation to the stockmen of Asotin county and 
Mr. Baumeister is to be commended in these 
pioneer improvements that he has made. His 
store has been enlarged from time to time until 
he now carries one of the most complete stocks 
in the country and the goods from his shelves 
find their way throughout northeastern Oregon 
and southeastern Washington, over a very 
large range. In addition to the property already 
mentioned, Mr. Baumeister has extensive hold- 
ings in real estate both in Asotin county and 



other places throughout Washington. He is 
one of the wealthy men of the state as well 
as one of its most substantial. In political 
matters Mr. Baumeister has been a life-long 
Republican, and, as stated. above, is serving his 
second term as state senator. While in Walla 
Walla he was named as city councilman and 
throughout his public career, it may be stated 
of him, that the same care and painstaking ef- 
fort that brought him his success in his busi- 
ness enterprises are manifested together with 
unswerving loyalty to the interests of the peo- 
ple and have established him in their confidence 
and esteem immovable. 

Fraternally Mr. Baumeister is an Odd Fel- 
low, having joined that order in Walla Walla 
in 1869. He has passed all the chairs and is a 
member of the grand lodge of the state. To 
his personal efforts more than any other one in- 
dividual, is due the magnificent home of this 
order in Walla Walla, and many of the aged 
members enjoy the comforts of that establish- 
ment through the wise efforts of our subject. 

At Collegepoint, New York, May 3, 1870, 
Mr. Baumeister married Miss Elizabeth Miller, 
a talented and cultured lady, who has accom- 
panied him in his pilgrimages for the last 
thirty odd years, displaying the graces of the 
noble woman. To Mr. and Mrs. Baumeister 
two children have been born, Anna C, widow 
of Dr. Herbert Williams, and Alletta W., wife 
of W. L. Thompson of Pendleton, Oregon. 
Mr. Baumeister was raised under the influence 
of the Potestant Episcopal church, but does 
not belong to any denomination. However, 
he is a liberal supporter of such movements, as 
he is of every public benefaction. 



HON. RICHARD PERRY STEEN, de- 
ceased. The late Richard Perry Steen, a prom- 
inent and well known man of southeastern 
Washington, was born in Wheatland, Indiana, 
on February 29, 1840. His parents, William 



778 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



G. and Naomi (Robinson) Steen, were also 
natives of Indiana. Together with his par- 
ents he crossed the plains in 1852 and located 
at Salem, Oregon. In that town Mr. Steen 
continued his education, finishing in the Wil- 
lamette University. The Willamette valley 
was his home until July, 1861, when he moved 
to Walla Walla and became a farmer and 
stock raiser until 1874. Washington was 
then a territory and the country new and un- 
settled. He was in that portion of Walla Walla 
county that was cut off to form Columbia 
county, and thus became a citizen of a new 
county. Shortly after the formation of Colum- 
bia county Mr. Steen was elected sheriff, and in 
1878 was again re-elected, thus serving four 
successive years in that office. In 1880 he was 
elected representative to the first legislature of 
the state of Washington from Columbia 
county, and for two years was a prominent 
member of that body. While in the legisla- 
ture he served on the committee on codifica- 
tion of the state laws, on the committee of 
counties and was chairman of the engrossing 
committee. Upon the division of Columbia 
county it was Mr. Steen who suggested the 
name of Garfield for the new county, which 
w r as adopted and has since been retained. He 
was a member of the first city council and was 
chief of the first city fire department of Day- 
ton, of which place he was a resident. 

His name appeared upon the Democratic 
ticket when elected to the legislature, and he 
was one of the foremost men in local politics 
of those days. He served his constituents 
faithfully and leaves an enviable record for 
his public serivices. 

In 1883 he moved to Pomelroy and en- 
gaged in sheep raising. In 1887 he moved to 
Lewiston, Idaho, continuing in the stock busi- 
ness until 1902, when he moved to his farm 
on Asotin creek, near the town of Asotin, 
Washington. Here he continued to reside, 
engaging in fruit raising until the time of his 
death. 



He was a member of the order of F. and A. 
M. for more than forty years, and was a 
charter member of the lodge at Clarkston, 
Washington at the time of his death. 

On June 18, 1863, Mr. Steen was married 
to Elizabeth Ann Teel, Rev. Cushing Eells, the 
well known pioneer missionary, being the of- 
ficiating clergyman. 

Mrs. Steen was born in McHenry county, 
Illinois, on the 1st day of April, 1845, trie 
daughter of Joseph and Mary (Alexander) 
Teel, natives of New Hampshire and Massa- 
chusetts respectively, and pioneer settlers of 
Walla Walla. 

To our subject and his wife the following 
children have been born: Eurette A., Richard 
R., Mary Naomi, wife of Calvin Boyer of 
Waha, Idaho, and Luella Mae, wife of George 
H. Rummens of Asotin. 

Mr. Steen had the following named broth- 
ers and sisters : Abner M. Steen of Salem, 
Oregon ; Hon. John E. Steen, of Murray, 
Idaho, representative to the Idaho State Leg- 
islature from Shoshone county; Hon. William 
M. Steen, now deceased, formerly a member 
of the state legislature of Oregon from Uma- 
tilla county ; Nancy A., wife of Dr. J. H. Ken- 
nedy, of Milton, Oregon, and Louisa J., wife 
of John Florence of Creston, Washington. 

After a brief illness Mr. Steen died Janu- 
ary 2, 1905, of pneumonia, at his home near 
Asotin, and was buried at the Asotin ceme- 
tery under the auspices of the Masonic lodge 
of Clarkson, of which he was a member. 



PETER MAGUIRE, more familiarly 
known to the pioneers as "Jerry" Maguire, re- 
sides about three miles west from Asotin on an 
estate which he secured by government right 
in 1866, thus being one of the first settlers of 
this favored region. He has always been on 
the frontier, has passed a career which is 
crowded full of interesting incident and thrill- 
ing- adventure, and is a man of marked talent 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



779 



and native ability, especially as a frontiersman 
and brave Indian fighter. He was born in 
New York city on June 10, 1832, the son of 
Michael and Catherine (Mullen) Maguire, na- 
tives of Ireland, and immigrants to the United 
States in the early twenties. The family set- 
tled later in Unionville, Orange county, New 
York, where our subject received his educa- 
tion, which was not so extended as he wished, 
owing to the meager facilities for school in 
that then pioneer country. However young 
Maguire made the bejst of his opportunities 
and has since supplemented his training by 
careful and extended reading and so is a well- 
informed man. In 1842 the family moved to 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and five years were 
spent there and in other places in that state. 
In 1852, in company with Patrick Carlan, our 
subject started across the plains and at Omaha 
joined the main train. Aside from several 
deaths by cholera no trouble outside of the 
ordinary attended them, and in due time they 
were in Downieville, California, where Peter 
Maguire went to work at boy's wages, amount- 
ing to $6 per day. Later he mined in Virginia 
City district, Nevada, and then went into com- 
pany on a rich gulch, where he and his partners 
made some money. Then he made his way 
north and finally searched on the Rogue river 
for some rich diggings which they never 
found. After this he went to the mouth of 
that stream and established a ferry, and there 
he was found for many years. In 1855 he was 
aroused by the Indian attacks and on October 
26, of that year, he enlisted in Company K, 
Second Oregon Mounted Volunteers, under 
Captain John Poland. He was first lieutenant, 
and served for some time, or until the war was 
ended in 1856. He had many harships to en- 
dure in this frontier war and lost the hearing of 
his right ear, owing to the bursting of a mus- 
ket. Under Major R. B. Reynolds, Mr. Ma- 
guire was scout and did some excellent work on 
many occasions. He was also interpreter of the 
Indian language and was express messenger 



for him. He was offered the captaincy of Com- 
pany K, Mounted Volunteers, but refused, ow- 
ing to what he supposed was insufficient educa- 
tion, but he was fully qualified to discharge the 
duties of that position. On one occasion, with 
sixty-two men under his command, he sur- 
prised the Indians on Pistol river and captured 
them. This was a great blow to them. Later 
he succeeded in establishing a treaty of peace 
with them and secured their consent to go 
quietly to the reservation the government 
had set aside for them. When Captain 
Poland was murdered by the savages Mr. 
Maguire was detailed with a small com- 
mand, under Captain Auger, to the dangerous 
task of securing and burying the body. Later 
he was instrumental in saving Colonel Bu- 
chanan and his command from being annihil- 
ated by the savages by a ride of great danger 
through the Indian country. It is thus seen, and 
by many more adventures and services of the 
highest kind, which could be related, that Mr. 
Maguire has rendered most excellent service 
for his country and for the pioneers of this 
western section. He is to be commended 
for his bravery and his faithfulness in those 
trying times of trouble and danger. After the 
war he was honorably discharged and upon 
returning to his ferry he found himself bank- 
rupt. Thus did the sturdy pioneers have to 
suffer from the hardships and dangers of those 
days. He bravely started again and in 1866 
made his way from the coast country to this 
region and located on Asotin creek, his near- 
est neighbor being fifteen miles away. He be- 
gan the stock industry and has since continued 
it. He has acquired great land holdings and 
has a large amount of stock at this time. Mr. 
Maguire has become one of the leading men of 
the country and is a suhstantial and capable 
citizen. He has accumulated much property 
and wealth and now, as the days of the golden 
years of his life draw on, he is privileged to 
take the enjoyment that is the reward of the 
industrious and upright. 



780 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



Air. Maguire had five brothers and two 
sisters, of whom three survive. Mrs. Sarah 
Flynn, in Idaho, and Thomas and Barney in 
Wisconsin. 

In Osborne county , Kansas, near Kill 
Creek, Mr. Maguire married Miss Frederica 
Hanson, the daughter of John Hanson, and a 
native of Iowa. To this union, the following" 
named children have been born; Ida May, wife 
of Frank Boozer, a farmer near Mohler, 
Idaho; Frank, and Ralph P. All the children 
were born on the home ranch and have been 
reared in Asotin county. Mr. Maguire was 
reared under the influence of the Catholic 
church and has always supported that faith. 
In political matters he is a Democrat. He is 
a member of the pioneer's association and also 
of the Indian War Veteran Association of the 
north Pacific coast. 

By way of reminiscence. Lieutenant Ma- 
guire had a fine large Newfoundland dog 
when in the army and he was with his master 
all through the trying times of service. He 
was also the mascot of the company and the 
Indians were filled with grave superstition 
regarding the dog. 

In the spring of 1856, Captain Smith, of 
the dragoons, with a command of one hun- 
dred men was ambushed and thirty-five of his 
men were either killed or wounded at Fort 
Big Bend. Captain Auger was sent to the 
rescue of the besieged men, and Mr. Maguire 
with some friendly Indians essayed to accom- 
plish what seemed to be an utter impossibility, 
that is, to get succor to the besieged men. He 
succeeded, but only by the utmost skill in deal- 
ing with and understnding the tactics of the 
Indians, and showing the most brilliant brav- 
ery and courage. 



GEORGE FLOCH is one of the good, sub- 
stantial agriculturists who have made Asotin 
county what she is today, one of the prosperous 
political divisions of the great state of Wash- 



ington. A country is measured as to its 
strength by the number and substantiality of 
its homes. In that Mr. Floch has builded a 
good home and improved his place well, he 
has thus far laid the foundation of a successful 
and prosperous county. In addition to this he 
has evinced a keen interest in the political and 
other affairs of the county and has labored for 
advancement on all lines. 

George Floch was born in Harrison coun- 
ty, Indiana, on July 5, 1858, the son of Chris- 
tian and Rhoda (Thomas) Floch, natives of 
Ohio. In Knox county of his native state, 
George studied in the public schools and in 
1876 he came west to Oregon. For one year 
he resided in Canyonville, and then came to 
Columbia county. He took a pre-emption 
claim south from where Anatone now stands, 
then a homestead four miles east of Anatone, 
and now he dwells on the homestead formerly 
owned by his brother, Christian. For several 
years he labored here after settling and then 
took a trip to Oregon and later to Illinois and 
Indiana. In 1881, he came back to the claims 
and since then he has continuously remained 
here. He has four hundred and forty acres of 
land well improved and in a good state of cul- 
tivation. He is one of the thrifty and pro- 
gressive men of the county and has an excel- 
lent standing. 

At Anatone, in 1891, Mr. Floch married 
Miss Katie Huber, who was born in Illinois in 
1 87 1 and came to Asotin with the family when 
eight years old. Her father, Frank Huber, is 
a native of Germany and a pioneer settler of 
this county. The children born to our subject 
and his wife are Ollie C, Roy E., Robbie R., 
Fred C, and Desda F. Mr. Floch has the fol- 
lowing named brothers and sisters : John, liv- 
ing near ; Abraham, deceased; William, in Ore- 
gon; Jacob, in Pullman, Washington; Christ- 
ian, deceased; Samuel, in Illinois; Benjamin, 
living near by; Mrs. Sarah Bringle, in Indi- 
ana; Mrs. Rebecca Reilly, also in Indiana; and 
Mrs. Rhoda Martin, on the Snake river. Mr. 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



781 



and Mrs. Floch are adherents of the Baptist 
church and are exemplary and good people, 
who have the confidence of all in this com- 
munity. 



ELIAS FORGEY, a venerable and highly 
respected citizen of Asotin county, now dwells 
in Asotin, being retired from business. He has 
followed farming and the stone mason trade for 
many years with such success that he is now 
rated as one of the substantial and well-to-do 
men of the county, who is fully warranted in re- 
tiring from the activities of life. He was born 
in Leesville, Indiana, on March 7, 1832, his 
parents being Andrew J. and Ann (Roller) 
Forgey, natives of Tennessee and West Vir- 
ginia, respectively. When quite young he came 
with his parents to Henderson county, Illinois, 
where he attended school and remained until 
1852, engaging in farming. In the year last 
mentioned, he fitted for a trip across the plains 
and, in company with his brother, journeyed 
from the prairies of Illinois to the Willamette 
valley with ox teams. . They settled in Linn 
county, and Mr. Forgey engaged in farming 
and in the stone mason business. He continued 
there until 1879, and then removed to Asotin 
county, locating on the flats near Theon. He 
took a homestead and a pre-emption and later 
added three hundred and twenty acres of fine 
farm land by purchase which gives him a choice 
estate of one entire section and one of the valu- 
able farms of the county. For twenty years he 
labored on the farm and then erected his pres- 
ent residence in Asotin and moved here, whence 
he oversees his estate. He has, by his success, by 
his kindly and generous manner and his up- 
right principles, won the love and admiration 
of all and has many warm friends throughout 
the county. 

In Linn county, Oregon, in 1865, Mr. For- 
gey married Colestine Holman, who was born 
in Ray county, Missouri, on May 29, 1847. 
Her father. Thomas Holman, was a native of 



Tennessee and married Elizabeth Welch, who 
was born in the same state. To Mr. and Mrs. 
Forgey the following named children have been 
born : Mrs. Victoria Brooks, in Nez Perces 
county, Idaho; Elvina, wife of Eli Bloeck, of 
this county ; William, living in Montana ; Isaac 
R., farming in this county; Clebern D., a sheep- 
man in Montana; Delila O., wife of Perry 
Barnes, of this county; Louisa, wife of Charles 
Cliff of this county ; L. Watkins lives at Asotin ; 
Elias J., who died in Montana in 1900; Mar- 
cus, a student, born in this county, April 29, 
1886. Mr. and Mrs. Forgey are both stanch 
members of the Cumberland Presbyterian 
church and have ever exemplified their faith in 
their Christian walk. 

In politics Mr. Forgey is allied with the 
Democratic party. He and his wife have trav- 
eled the pilgrim course for over forty years to- 
gether and have seen much of the hardships 
and labor of pioneer life in the west. Through 
it all they have prospered on their way, win- 
ning both a success in financial matters and 
making for themselves a reputation and stand- 
ing among the very best in the county. They 
are good people and deserve the esteem and 
confidence reposed in them. 



JOHN F. TUTTLE, who is and has been 
for the past decade heavily interested in mining 
in different localities of the northwest, is now 
dwelling at Asotin, where he handles the prop- 
erties of the Copper Mountain Mining & Mill- 
ing Company. He is an expert in mining mat- 
ters, having given his attention to this steadily 
for years. He has operated all through Wash- 
ington, Oregon, Brititsh Columbia and Idaho, 
and is well acquainted with the leading mining 
camps in these sections mentioned. 

John F. Tuttle was born in Sagnache, Col- 
orado, on March 16, 1872. the son of J. Ben- 
jamin and Nancy (Goff) Tuttle, natives of 
Ontario and pioneers of this county in 1879. 



782 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



Our subject was educated in the public schools 
of this county and then the family removed to 
the Big Bend country, and later settled in 
Stevens county, this state, near Springdale. 
There Mr. Tuttle engaged in mining and in 
1896 took a homestead, the same being in Clarke 
county. For the past ten years, however, he 
has given his attention, practically, to mining, 
and has wrought all over the northwest. He has 
also given much attention to prospecting and, 
in 1901, with his brother George, and A. P. 
McAvery, he formed a corporation which was 
named the Copper Mountain Mining & Milling 
Company. Altogether they own some fifteen 
claims in different localities and all show es- 
pecially rich in copper and kindred metals. Mr. 
Tuttle is the superintendent and director of the 
company and gives his attention to furthering 
its interests, with headquarters in Asotin. He 
also has claims in other portions of the country 
in his own name and is sanguine of good re- 
sults soon. It was 1901 that Mr. Tuttle re- 
turned to Asotin and here he is dwelling at the 
present time. He is an enthusiastic supporter 
of this country and believes it one of the best in 
the northwest. He is a progressive and push- 
ing young man, with plenty of energy and sa- 
gacity and is doing a splendid work in his min- 
ing. He is a member of the Methodist church 
and stands well in the community. 



GEORGE KINNEAR is well known in 
Asotin county as a man of adventure and cour- 
age, as well as an industrious worker, both for 
the prosecution of private enterprises and the 
advancement of the general welfare whenever 
it is in his power to do so. He has held public 
office of the county and has shown himself an 
upright and capable man, always executing the 
trust placed in his hands with an exactness and 
thoroughness that commend him to all lovers of 
right. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 
on April 2, 1854, the son of George and Eliza- 



beth (Smith) Kinnear, natives of Scotland. 
When seven George was left an orphan and 
was then taken to the home of his uncle in 
Marquette county, after which he went to Co- 
lumbia county, remaining in this latter place 
until he was nineteen. His education was ob- 
tained in the various places where he dwelt 
while in his boyhood, and when nineteen he 
went to Minnesota, where he wrought for a 
time, then went on to Iowa. Later, in the fall 
of 1877, he came on west and the next year 
landed in Dayton. In 1879 ne went to Garfield 
county and there labored for five years. Then 
he was in the lumber mills for a time and in 
1884, he came to Asotin county and took two 
claims on the Lewiston flats. To the improve- 
ment and cultivation of these he gave his at- 
tention for some time and also raised stock. In 
1892 he was chosen assessor of the county on 
the Democratic ticket by a majority of eighty- 
two. In 1894 he was re-elected by a majority of 
twenty-three, and in 1896 he was chosen sheriff 
of Asotin county, his name appearing on the 
Fusion ticket and the majority being twenty- 
six. His opponent was Robert Campbell. In 
1899 Mr. Kinnear went to the Alaska gold 
fields, and there remained for two years, being 
in company with R. A. Cay Wood, George 
Brown, Benjamin Dill and Albert Kester, all 
well known men in this section. Two years 
later he returned to this county and again en- 
gaged in various enterprises. In 1901 Mr. 
Kinnear went to Thunder Mountain and en- 
gaged in mining. He is now a large stock- 
holder in the Thunder Mountain properties, 
such as Diamond Chief, of which he is man- 
ager. 

In 1885, in this county, Mr. Kinnear mar- 
ried Miss Lottie Asman, the daughter of Frank 
later he returned to this county and again en- 
near was born in Iowa in 1866. Four children 
are the fruit of this union : Mable C, Byrom 
G., Alta E. and Thalma. Mr. Kinnear is a 
member of the W. W. and the Eagles. It is of 
interest that in 1885 Mr. Kinnear was operat- 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



783 



ing a general store at the mouth of the Alpowa 
and there was well acquainted with the noted 
Indian chieftain, Timothy, pronounced by those 
who knew him well, the best and most talented 
Indian in the northwest. 



WILLIAM H. FOREDYCE is a vener- 
able and respected citizen of Asotin county, 
and dwells in Asotin at this time, whence he 
oversees his interests of farming and fruit 
growing. He was born in Decatur county, 
Indiana, on February 7, 1831, the son of James 
and Mary E. (Gregg) Foredyce, natives of In- 
diana and Kentucky, respectively. Our sub- 
ject was educated in the common schools of 
Indiana, where he remained until 1850. Then 
he set out on that most unique of all journeys 
on this continent, the trip from the Missouri 
river to the Willamette valley by ox teams. 
He made settlement near Oregon City and at 
once engaged in farming and lumbering. In 
1857, he removed to Yamhill county, and re- 
mained until 1 86 1. Then he went to Marion 
county and for some years was engaged in a 
flour mill. Then he came to Columbia coun- 
ty, the year being 1878, and located on a claim 
near Mr. William Rogers. He took a timber 
culture and a pre-emption and remained there 
for five years. Then he sold and removed to 
Asotin, purchasing property here. Later, Mr. 
Foredyce took a homestead on Tammany 
creek, in Idaho, which he improved and where 
he planted an orchard. He remained there 
until 1900, then sold out and purchased a tract 
of land on Asotin creek in this county, where 
he planted another orchard. In addition to 
this, Mr. Foredyce is interested in horse and 
sheep raising and is a prosperous man. His 
son is in partnership with him and they are 
handling some good stock. 

On May 29, 185 1, Mr. Foredyce married 
Miss Matilda A. Beauchamp, the daughter of 
James R. and Adeline Beauchamp, pioneers of 



Oregon. Mrs. Foredyce was born in Missouri 
on December 16, 1836. The children born to 
this marriage were : J. William, now at Col- 
lege Place, Washington; Aaron L., in Nez 
Perces county, Idaho; Charles E., a well known 
sheep man of this county. The rest of the 
children are dead, there being eleven in the 
family originally. Mr. Foredyce is a member 
of the Christian church and has always been 
an active Republican. He is a man held in 
high esteem and has wrought with industry 
and wisdom for all the years of his long career. 



WILLIAM H. BOGGAN, a well known 
educator and property owner of southeastern 
Washington, is now dwelling about four miles 
southeast from Anatone, in Asotin county, 
where he has a good estate. He is a plain, un- 
assuming man, yet possessed of wisdom and 
experience that gives him a prestige and 
cause him to be looked up to by all who know 
him. 

William H. Boggan was born in Anson 
county, North Carolina, on June 15, 1843, trie 
native spot being near the town of Wadesboro. 
His father, Northfleet D. Boggan, was a na- 
tive of North Carolina, and came of Irish and 
English ancestors. He was clerk of the court 
of his county and a prominent planter. He 
married Miss Jane Gould Hammond, also a 
native of North Carolina. Our subject was 
trained in private schools and then completed 
his education in the military academv of Hi 11s- 
boro. At the breaking out of the Rebellion, 
he enlisted in the Fourth North Carolina In- 
fantry under Colonel Daniels. After one year's 
service, his regiment was reorganized to the 
Fifty-ninth North Carolina Volunteer Cav- 
alrv under Colonel D. D. Ferebee. Mr. Bog:- 
gan enlisted then in Company C, for three 
years or until the end of the war, and was 
placed under General Stewart in the army of 
Northern Virginia commanded by General 



7 8 4 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



Robert E. Lee. He saw his first service in 
the battle of Ashbys Gap, then fought at Ce- 
dar Mountain, Gettysburg, Petersburg, and in 
other of the fierce battles of the war. He was 
body guard and courier for General Stewart 
in his daring raids, among which was his cap- 
ture of the stock of General McClellan. At 
the surrender at Appomattox court house, our 
subject was under Wade Hampton. He was 
wounded in the battle of Gettysburg. During 
the war he had served as drill master. After 
the war he found the country demoralized 
and so he went west to Texas and there began 
teaching school. Two years later he went to 
Fayetteville, Arkansas and taught for five 
years. He continued this profession and 
finally taught all over the coast until 1879, 
when he took his present place and since that 
time has devoted himself to the improvement 
and cultivation of the same. He has also 
raised stock and is one of the prosperous men 
of the country. Mr. Boggan has two broth- 
ers who are neighbors, Walter J. and James N. 



BENJAMIN FLOCH is one of Asotin 
county's promising farmers, while also he 
holds a most gratifying position as a popular 
and leading citizen. He resides at the present 
time about two and one-half miles east from 
Anatone, where he has one of the best farms 
to be found in this section. Mr. Floch is one 
of those progressive, up to date men who al- 
ways strive for the best, whether in public af- 
fairs or for himself in his regular business. His 
farm is a model of neatness and thrift, well 
laid out, and in a high state of cultivation. It 
is- supplied with plenty of good buildings and 
so forth, and wisely arranged, while his stock 
of cattle and horses are among the best to be 
had. His implements are of the very best and 
latest type and comprise everything that could 
be utilized on a first-class Washington farm. 
Mr. Floch located his present home place in 
the spring of 1879, taking a homestead. He 



then found that his earthly possessions 
amounted to about fifteen dollars, including 
his grub stake and everything he had to start 
with. He was a man not to be deterred, how- 
ever, on account of such things as that, and 
soon was at work with a will and his industry 
has made him to be one of the wealthy and in- 
fluential men of Asotin county. 

Benjamin Floch was born in Harrison 
county, Indiana, on September 6, 1855. His 
father, Christian Floch, was born in Butler 
county, Ohio, on January 31, 181 1, and died 
in 1899. He came as a pioneer settler to the 
territory now embraced in Asotin county, in 
1878. He had married Miss Rhoda Thomas, 
a native of North Carolina, who died in this 
county in 1897. Our subject began his edu- 
cation in the common schools of Jasper coun- 
ty, Indiana, and when fourteen years of age, 
transferred his residence to Knox county and 
later to Clay county, Illinois. In 1877, he left 
Illinois for Oregon and located in Douglas 
county. In August, 1878, he left that region 
for Columbia county and finally took up a 
homestead on Ten Mile creek, which is now in 
the precincts of Asotin county. Mr. Floch has 
three hundred and thirty acres of extra choice 
land all stocked, as mentioned heretofore. In 
addition, he owns an interest in the Copper 
Mountain mines and some other property. 

At the Harbin ranch, on July 4, 1882, Mr. 
Floch married Mary C. Harbin, the daugh- 
ter of John and Elizabeth (Bailey), Harbin, 
natives of Virginia and New England, respect- 
ively, and pioneer settlers of Oregon, having 
crossed the plains with ox teams. Mrs. Floch 
was born in Linn county, Oregon, on Novem- 
ber 14, 1866. To Mr. and Mrs. Floch the fol- 
lowing named children have been born ; Travis 
M., on January 18, 1884; Virgil T., on De- 
cember 21, 1885; Lillian V., on September 23, 
1889; Neva A., on May 28, 1893; Chalsey B., 
on October 22, 1896; Tiffany M., on August 
28, 1899; Elma Fern, on September 25, 1901 ; 
and Benjamin, on May 21, 1904. 







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Mrs. Benjamin Floch 



Benjamin Floch 





Captain Joseph N. Dunton 



Frank Hubs 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



785 



Mr. Floch is a member of the I. O. O. F. 
and has passed all the chairs of that order. He 
also belongs to the W. W. He was raised 
under the influence of the Baptist church but 
does not belong to any denomination now. 
Politically, he is a Democrat and takes a keen 
interest in this realm. He has been school di- 
rector and clerk for many years and is a lead- 
ing spirit in his part of the country. 



CAPT. JOSEPH N. DUNTON, is a pros- 
perous farmer dwelling three miles south from 
Anatone, Asotin county, and was born in Wind- 
ham county, Vermont, on December 28, 1837. 
Arven Dunston, a native of and farmer in the 
Old Green Mountain state and descended from 
colonial ancestors, was the father of our sub- 
ject. He married Louisa Phillips, a native of 
Vermont. The boyhood days of Joseph N. 
were spent on a farm in Vermont and after 
completing the common schools, he entered the 
Leland and Gray Academy of Townsend, Ver- 
mont. In November, 1861, Mr. Dunton en- 
listed in Company H, Eighth Vermont Volun- 
teer Infantry, under Captain Henry F. Dut- 
ton and Colonel Stephen Thomas. He was 
placed in the Nineteenth Army Corps under 
General Benjamin Butler. Mr. Dunton was 
made sergeant on the organization of his com- 
pany and first saw service at Ship Island, Mis- 
sissippi. Later, he was at Fort Ja'ckson, then 
at Fort Phillip and finally at New Orleans, 
being there at the evacuation. After winter- 
ing there, he took part in the campaign in 
southern Louisiana and Texas against General 
McGruda, and participated in the battle of Sa- 
bine Pass and the Red River Expedition. He 
was also in the battles of Mt. Pleasant, Louis- 
iana, under General Banks, and saw action be- 
fore Port Hudson. One winter was spent at 
New Iberia, Louisiana, and in July, 1864, Mr. 
Dunton's regiment left New Orleans for Shen- 
andoah valley, being placed under General 

50 



Sheridan where he participated in the battles of 
Cedar Creek, Winchester, and Fisher Hill. At 
New Orleans, he was made sergeant and also 
received two commissions, one as second and 
one as first lieutenant. While -in the valley of 
the Shenandoah he received a commission as 
captain of his company which was then Com- 
pany C, of the Eightieth Vermont Volunteer 
Infantry. He participated in the grand review 
at Washington and was mustered out of serv- 
ice at Burlington, Vermont, on July 12, 1865. 
At New Iberia, Mr. Dunton had re-enlisted for 
a period of three years or until the end of the 
war and was made recruiting officer in 1862 
and succeeded in bringing back to his regiment 
four hundred men. After the close of the war 
Mr. Dunton settled in Vineland, New Jersey, 
and engaged in fruit growing there for thir- 
teen years. In 1878, he came west to San 
Francisco and the following year, journeyed to 
Washington settling in Dayton. Five years 
were spent there and in 1884, he came on to 
Asotin county taking a homestead on which 
he now lives. He has improved his farm in 
splendid shape and in addition to raising grain 
and stock, does dairying, having a good herd 
of Jersey cattle. 

In Windham county, Vermont, on Febru- 
ary 24, i860, Mr. Dunton married Ann M. 
Fisher, the daughter of Willard R. and Sophia 
Fisher, natives of Vermont. Mrs. Dunton was 
born in Windham county, on January 10, 
1837. Mr. Dunton is a member of the G. A. 
R., and was raised under the influence of the 
Baptist church. He is a venerable and highly 
esteemed gentleman and one of the good citi- 
zens of Asotin county. His example and life 
have been clean and progressive and he is rated 
as one of the leading citizens. 



♦ *» 



FRANK HUBER resides four miles west 
from Anatone where he has a magnificent es- 
tate of nine hundred and sixty acres of choice 
farm land- under cultivation. He has excel- 



i 



786 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



lent improvements and is one of the thrifty, 
substantial and upright men of this portion of 
the state. 

Frank Huber was born in Baden, Ger- 
many, in 1836, near Frieborg, the son of Bern- 
hart and Anna (Streetmater) Huber, natives 
of Baden. He was educated in the public 
schools and learned the trade of the carpenter. 
Germany was his home until twenty years of 
age, then he bade farewell to the fatherland for 
America. He landed in New York in due 
time then went direct to Syracuse and worked 
in the salt works and tanneries until he jour- 
neyed on west to Columbus, Ohio. A short 
time thereafter, he made a visit to New Or- 
leans and engaged on the levees, where he 
worked until 1859. After that, we find him in 
Kansas and at Wyandott whence he returned 
to New Orleans and there did steamboating 
on the Red river. At the breaking out of the 
war, he was drafted by the Confederates in the 
First Louisiana Tigers, but not being in sym- 
pathy with the cause of the south, with eleven 
others, he escaped on a boat and came to Cairo, 
Illinois, then he enlisted in Company H, Ninth 
Illinois Mounted Infantry under Captain 
Armstrong and Colonel Mercer. He was at- 
tached to the Sixteenth Army Corps, under 
General Grant, and was in the Second Brigade 
and Second Division. He saw service first at 
Paducah and there captured a confederate de- 
pot of supplies, appropriating the rebel uni- 
forms to their own use. Mr. Huber was in 
one hundred and ten engagements during the 
war which tells of his estimable service. He 
was with Sherman on his memorable march to 
the sea and was engaged at the battle of 
Resaca Ridge, Georgia, and was there taken 
prisoner. He languished at Andersonville and 
at Florence prisons, South Carolina, for eleven 
months. The agony endured by Mr. Huber 
at that time cannot be described but may be 
somewhat understood by knowing that his 
teeth became loose and some of them fell out. 
His limbs were so paralyzed and his feet in 



such a condition that he could not move about 
except crawl. Finally the horrors of those 
months ceased and he was released in 1865, at 
Goldsborough, North Carolina He was mus- 
tered out at Springfield, Illinois, in the same 
month, having served faithfully over four 
years. He acted as duty sergeant and received 
from his company through their captain, a gift 
of the flag which belonged to the company and 
which Mr. Huber still owns and prizes very 
much. Following the war, he went to Mont- 
gomery county, Illinois, and operated a bak- 
ery and boarding house. In 1879, he came to 
Washington, settling in what is now Asotin 
county. He has made an admirable success in 
his work here and the little homestead which 
he first took has grown to six quarters and the 
entire estate is improved in a becoming man- 
ner. For ten years, Mr. Huber has been 
chosen as commissioner, which shows the ap- 
preciation of his ability and wisdom by the 
people at large. Four years of that time, he 
was chairman of the board. He has always 
been an active and ardent Democrat. 

On May 28, 1866, at Hillsborough,Illinois, 
Mr. Huber married Mrs. Henry C. Liddikie,the 
daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth Bell, na- 
tives of Germany. Mrs. Huber was born in 
Prussia, on April 4, 1840. To our subject and 
his wife the following named children have 
been born: Elizabeth J., wife of J. Henry 
Scheibe; Fred J., living in the Grande Ronde 
valley; Catherine M., wife of George Floch ; 
Louis L., who died in Illinois; Terressa, also 
deceased ; Clara H., wife of C. O. Dixon ; Au- 
gustus F., living at home; Lawrence H., liv- 
ing at home ; and Irena B., deceased. 

Mr. Huber is a member of the I. O. O. F., 
and has passed all the chairs. He also belongs 
to the G. A. R. For many jezvs he has been 
trustee of the Anatone schools and is very ac- 
tive for the welfare of the community. His 
estate lies just four miles west from Anatone 
and is one of the choice rural abodes of Asotin 
countv. 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



787 



LAFAYETTE WOODRUFF, M. D., 
who is well known in Asotin and adjoining 
counties, is a physician of broad experience and 
skill and stands at the head of a large prac- 
tice in this county. His offices are in Asotin 
and he is recognized by all as one of the promi- 
nent men and leading citizens of this munici- 
pality, while also he is classed with the pro- 
gressive ones who labor for the general up- 
building. His success is the result of con- 
scientious and constant research and the great- 
est care bestowed upon each individual case 
that comes under his care. He is a man who 
slights nothing and the real science of medi- 
cine is his first love. 

LaFayette Woodruff was born in Ontario, 
Canada, on December 4, 1859, the son of Nel- 
son and Margreti (Barnum) Woodruff, na- 
tives of Canada, where the father is engaged 
in the manufacturing business. After com- 
pleting the common school course in Broug- 
ham. Canada, he attended the county high 
school and then matriculated in Pickering col- 
lege. After completing this course, he en- 
tered the Trinity Medical College in Toronto, 
and two years later went to Detroit, Michigan, 
where he graduated from the medical college 
in 1883. He at once began the practice of 
medicine in Troy, Michigan, continuing there 
for eight years. Then he came west, locating 
in Asotin where he has continued since. He 
has steadily continued in the practice of his 
profession and has often been called to advise 
in some of the most intricate cases of the coun- 
try. He has twice been elected coroner of the 
county but has refused to qualify. He is 
county physician at this time and is a faithful 
officer. In addition to his practice, the doctor 
is- interested in the Thunder Mountain mining 
properties, being one of the stockholders in the 
famous Diamond Chief, which is showing to 
be one of the greatest copper and gold proper- 
ties in the already famous camp. 

At Troy. Michigan, in 1886. Dr. Wood- 
ruff married Miss Minnie F. Bingham, the 



daughter of James S. and Mary F. (Hannah) 
Bingham, natives of Ireland and New York, 
respectively and early pioneers to Michigan. 
Mrs. Woodruff was born in Troy, Michigan 
and is the mother of two children ; Ona Hazel, 
born in Troy, April 16, 1888; and Floyd N., 
born in Asotin, Washington, on June 22, 1890. 
Dr. Woodruff has one brother, Washington, 
clerk of Asotin county, and one sister, of To- 
ronto, Canada. Dr. Woodruff is examining 
physician of all the old line insurance com- 
panies and fraternally, is a member of the 
W. W. His people were all members of the 
Friends' society, commonly known as Quak- 
ers. He is a man of excellent standing and 
has won many friends, in addition to making 
a splendid success in his profession. 



GEORGE bAUER, one of Asotin coun- 
ty's choicest farmers, resides about five miles 
southeast from Anatone, where he has a fine 
estate and one of the best homes in the entire 
county. Thrift, good management, wisdom, 
and industry are evident in every department 
and Mr. Saner is to be congratulated on his 
abundant success. 

George Saner was born in Wittenberg, Ger- 
many, on August 23, 1845, the son °f William 
and Anna M. (Weireter) Sauer, also natives 
of Wittenberg. In the schools of Steinheim, 
our subject was well educated and the early 
days of his life were spent with his father on 
the farm. In 1866, he enlisted in Company I, 
Fourth Regular German Cavalry, and served 
for two years, stationed at Ludwigsburg. In 
May, 1869, Mr. Sauer put into execution a 
plan long cherished, that of coming to the 
United States and Marshall county, Indiana, 
was the point of his settlement. After a year 
in a sawmill there he went to Michigan and as- 
sisted to construct the Michigan Air Line rail- 
road. Later he was engaged in a brewery in 
Three Rivers and after that did railroading 



788 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



in various pices. Next we see him in Wis- 
consin as a tracklayer on the Wisconsin Central. 
Then he was in charge oif a section and in 
various capacities he wrought until August, 
1878, when he came west to California. A 
short stay at different points, and he took 
steamer to Portland, and went thence to Walla 
Walla. He was soon in Dayton and began the 
search for land and a place to build a home. He 
selected the land where he now resides and took 
a pre-emption. The next spring he went to 
Dayton and wrought in a sawmill to get funds 
to improve his place and in 1881 he was track- 
layer on the Northern Pacific. Following that 
summer's work he returned to his present place 
and since that time he has continued here with 
the one object to build up and improve his 
place and make a good home. He has suc- 
ceeded well and now has a large estate and all 
the improvements needed. He cultivates one 
hundred and fifty acres and raises much stock. 
At Lewiston. on November 24, 1881. Mr. 
Sauer married Miss Rhoda I., daughter of 
John and Margaret (Krouskill) Floch, natives 
of Indiana and now residing in Asotin. Mrs. 
Sauer was born in Crawford county, Indiana. 
on October 14, 1861. Four children have been 
born to this couple; Ida M., wife of Perry 
Hutchison, living, in Spokane, and born Sep- 
tember 19, 1882; Daisy D., born February 26, 
1884; Leona E., born April 5, 1886; and 
George W.. born July 10, 1889, 'and died 
March 5, 1900. Mr. Sauer is a member of the 
I. O. O. F. and' the A. F. & A. M. He was 
raised under the influence of the Lutheran 
church but does not belong to any denomina- 
tion. He is a man of good standing and is 
looked up to by all. 



♦ r» 



HUMPHREY L. CARTER, who is well 
known in Asotin county and all over the west, 
is a man of whom any country might be proud, 
owing to his qualities of intrinsic worth and 



also on account of his faithful labors. A his- 
tory of his career would be a history of many 
sections and many important matters which 
have together made up the history of the west. 
He is blessed with having spent three score 
years and ten in life's pilgrimage and still re- 
taining vigor and activity presaging many 
more years of life in the golden age of his- 
career. 

Humphrey L. Carter was born in Shelby 
county, Kentucky, on December 31, 1834. His 
father, Joseph Carter, was a veteran of the 
Mexican war and also of the Rogue river war 
of 1855-6. He was a pioneer of Oregon and 
a worthy man. He married Miss Sarah Rus- 
sell, a native of South Carolina. Our subject 
was not supplied with advantages for a liter- 
ary training and only attended school a few 
weeks in Lane county, Oregon. Yet, owing to 
his careful attention to matters of interest, and 
his personal improvement of his leisure hours,, 
he is a well informed man. He left Holt coun- 
ty, Missouri, in 1853, ^ or tne Pacific coast and 
in the train captained by his father, which con- 
sisted of one hundred wagons, he crossed the- 
plains to the place of destination. Eight months 
were consumed in the journey and many hard- 
ships were experienced as they lost many oxen 
and were obliged to abandon many outfits. 
However, after all, they arrived in Oregon and 
settled in Lane county. On March 1, 1856, 
our subject enlisted in Company B, Second 
Oregon Volunteer Cavalry, under Captain 
Nolan, Colonel Kelser and General Lamrick. 
He participated in the battles in the big bend 
of the Rogue river, at Cow creek, at the head' 
of Coquille river, and at Grove creek, where, 
altogether, there was some terribly hard fight- 
ing. The savages being subdued, he was mus- 
tered out at Eugene, having been in active duty 
for one hundred and twenty-five days. He at 
once went to farming and continued thus until 
1872 when he removed to Walla Walla. In 
1877 ne came to the Asotin flats and took a pre- 
emption which he improved and where he made 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



789 



his home for twelve years. Mr. Carter was in 
■charge of the building - of the stockades which 
^ere constructed at the time of the Nez Perces 
war at Moscow, Idaho, and also of those 
erected on Asotin flats during the Bannock 
Avar. In 1889, Mr. Carter removed to the 
Okanogan country and engaged in mining for 
a time. Eight years, in all, were consumed 
thus and then, on account of failing health, he 
returned to Asotin county and here has re- 
mained since. He has one brother, John Carter, 
a stockman near Conconully, Washington, 
and two sisters, Mrs. Mary Fields, near Ana- 
tone, and Mrs. Rosa Kirk, of Asotin. Mr. 
Carter is well known and highly esteemed by 
all and has hosts of friends all over the north- 
west. He belongs to the pioneer association 
of Oregon of 1853, and also is one of the In- 
dian war veterans of the Pacific coast, and re- 
ceives a pension for services in these wars. 



THOMAS J. KINGSBURY is certainly 
one of the old timers of Asotin county and 
southeastern Washington, having spent forty 
years in this vicinity. He is now residing in 
Asotin and is at the head of a fine sheep indus- 
try, owning about three thousand five hundred 
sheep besides considerable other property. He 
was born in Iowa on October 17, 1856, the 
son of Thomas J. and Ann J. (Wales) Kings- 
bury, natives of Indiana and now dwelling in 
Oregon. The family came west in 1864, cross- 
ing the plains by ox teams and settling in the 
Grande Ronde valley. Four years were spent 
there and our subject was attending school 
during that time and the succeeding two years 
when the family dwelt in the vicinity of Boise. 
Then lie went to work for himself, driving a 
freighting team jocularly called "buckeering," 
for three years. For the next three years he 
handled a stock of race horses and did jockey- 
ing. The next year following he went down 
to the Boise vallev and settler!. In 1882 he 



sold his stock and took a homestead in Boise 
valley. Then he sold that and settled in Pome- 
roy and did farming, gathering race horses 
again. Next we see him on a pre-emption in 
Asotin county, and in 1886 he went to Dayton 
and did teaming. After this he was logging in 
the Blue Mountains, after which he took a trip 
to western Washington, to Montana, and then 
to Wyoming. Here he was engaged with Mr. 
Lovell, one of the heaviest stock owners of the 
country, to ride the range, but suffered the 
painful accident of having his leg broken twice. 
This held him in bed for five months, and he 
landed in Garfield county with five cents and 
helpless. Not to be overcome, however, he 
bore through it all and when able went to 
herding sheep for John Agee, for one dollar 
per clay. Five years were spent in this employ 
and he began to get some animals for himself. 
In 1896, he had eight hundred sheep and went 
into business for himself. He has purchased 
and sold a ranch in both Garfield and Columbia 
counties, and has now purchased the Dobbins 
ranch in this county besides a home in Asotin. 
He handles his sheep from this ranch on Joseph 
creek and is making a splendid success of his 
labors. He is now secretary and treasurer of 
the Sheep Growers' Association of Asotin 
County, and is a leading and prominent citizen. 
At Baker City, Oregon, on August 17, 
1876, Mr. Kingsbury married Miss Maggie 
Munden, the daughter of William Munden, a 
pioneer of 1849. His second marriage occurred 
in Pomeroy, in 1900, Annie Marshall becoming 
It's wife on that occasion. She is the daughter 
of Joseph Marshall, a native of Ohio. Mr. 
Kingsbury has three children; Oscar E., bnrn 
in Malheur county. Oregon, July 5. 1877, now 
living on Joseph creek, this county ; William G., 
born in Boise valley, on December 29, 1879, 
now living at home; Effie J., the wife of 
Wayne McFarland. of Grass valley, Oregon, 
who was born in Boise valley, on April 24, 
1882. Mr. Kingsbury gave each of his sons 
a fourth interest in his sheep business and they 



79Q 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



made well, selling the surplus in a short time 
for two thousand dollars each. 

In politics, Mr. Kingsbury was always a 
Democrat until 1894, when he came to the Re- 
publican fold and has been a strong advocate 
of the principles of that party since. He is a 
man of invincible will and splendid business 
ability. His experience has been large and 
varied and despite the many obstacles that have 
beset his path he has won and is now winning 
a fine success. 

In 1890. when Mr. Kingsbury returned to 
Pomeroy without means and with a broken 
leg, he was certainly confronted with the worst 
of misfortunes, for he had no money to' bring 
his children to him from Montana, and thus 
his family was separated. His kind employer, 
learning later of this state of affairs, advanced 
the money and brought the children to Mr. 
Kingsbury, thus reuniting the family and ren- 
dering the unfortunate one the great pleasure 
of having: his own with him. 



WILLIAM S. ROGERS is one of the best 
known men of Asotin county. He is a man in 
whom the people have implicit faith as is evi- 
denced by the fact that he has twice been called 
by them to act as treasurer of the county serv- 
ing two years at each term. He has always 
received the most flattering commendation 
from his constituency and he is well known as 
a faithful and capable man. 

William S. Rogers was born in Elgin coun- 
ty, Ontario, on February 13, 1848. His par- 
ents were James and Lucy A. (Scott) Rogers, 
natives of New Brunswick and New York, re- 
spectively. The excellent public schools of Elgin 
county furnished the educational training of 
our subject and he remained in that county 
until 1887. Immediately after school days he 
engaged in farming and also operated a flax 
mill. Then he was associated with his father in 
a grist and sawmill. He also assisted to 



build the city water works for London, Can- 
ada. In 1887, he came to the United States 
and journeyed westward to Washington. -Here 
he selected Asotin county as the place of settle- 
ment and was soon thereafter appointed county 
clerk by the commissioners of Asotin county. 
He gave his attention to farming and in 1896 
was called by the people to act as the treasurer, 
his name appearing on the Republican ticket, 
and four years were spent in that capacity. 
During his public service he continued in the 
oversight of his farm and is now interested 
with his brother in a large acreage throughout 
Asotin county. During the past four years 
Mr. Rogers has become interested in mining in 
Idaho. Oregon and Washington and is doing a 
general real estate and mining business. He 
has been prospered in his labors and is welt 
to do. 

At Mapleton, Ontario, in 1874, occurred 
the marriage of Mr. Rogers and Miss Emme- 
line Culver, a native of Canada and the daugh- 
ter of Edwin and Ann Culver, both now living 
in Canada. To our subject and his wife two chil- 
dren have been born, Ethel A., and Fredie C. 
Mr. Rogers has served as councilman and city 
treasurer of Asotin for several years. He has 
three brothers and one sister, Samuel S., 
George A., James \V.,.Mrs. Mary Parker. 



EUGENE MATTER, one of the early set- 
tlers of the territory now embraced in Asotin 
county, dwells about six miles southeast from 
Asotin, where he has a fine estate of about one 
section. In addition, he owns a timberculture 
claim some miles distant. Mr. Matter has 
given his entire attention to general farming 
and stock raising since coming here and the re- 
sult is that he is prosperous and well to do, hav- 
ing wisely bestowed his labors in the years gone 
by. He is a progressive man and takes a keen 
interest in the affairs of the county, while in the 
political campaigns he is wide awake to the 
issues and questions of the day. 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



79 1 



Eugene Matter was born in Alsace-Lor- 
raine near the town of Hunigen, Germany, on 
February 12, 1852. His father, Joseph M., 
was a native of Alsace-Lorraine and followed 
farming and commission merchandising. He 
was a Frenchman. The mother, Elizabeth 
(Wider) Matter, was also born in Alsace-Lor- 
raine. The schools of Hunigen gave the educa- 
tional training to our subject and be remained 
with his father until nineteen years of age, 
when he sailed from Havre, France, to New 
York. Thence he went to St. Louis, Missouri, 
and joined his uncles, Captain John Matter and 
Lieutenant J. P. Matter, veterans of the Civil 
War. This was in 187 1, and for two years our 
subject was engaged in St. Louis in the foun- 
dries. Then he went to Helena, Arkansas, and 
was occupied as clerk in a general merchandise 
establishment for three years. In the fall of 
1875 we find him journeying via the Union 
Pacific to California where he did general work 
until 1877. Owing to the miasma of the coun- 
try, he was obliged to seek a more salubrious 
climate and accordingly came north to Walla 
Walla where his health improved very mate- 
rially. He arrived in December, 1877, and on 
January 4, 1878, he moved to that portion of 
Columbia county now embraced in Asotin 
county and took a timberculture claim and a 
pre-emption. He lives on the pre-emption, as 
mentioned above, and has added various other 
land until he has a nice large estate. Mr. Mat- 
ter has a fine herd of well-bred cattle, some of 
the best of the county, besides a good band of 
horses. He has been very skillful and successful 
in stock raising and has some as good speci- 
men as can be found in this part of the state. 
He is a thrifty, progressive and industrious citi- 
zen and has manifested those qualities of worth 
and integrity that commend him to all laborers 

of good. 

■*->-*' 



JACOB S. STONE, a prosperous and well 
known agriculturist dwelling about one-half 
mile north from Craige, in Asotin county, de- 



serves to be classed with the early pioneers and 
veterans of this county, since he has labored 
here for twenty-five years and has so wisely 
bestowed his efforts that he has gained for him- 
self a fine competence, besides assisting materi- 
ally in building up the country. 

He was born in Madison county, Ohio, on 
August 30, 1835, and his father, Algernon S. 
Stone, was a native of Vermont and descended 
from old English stock. The ancestors took 
part in the Revolution. The father married 
Miss Even Slyk, a native of Maryland and de- 
scended from German ancestors. Our subject 
gained his education in the old log school 
houses in Madison county, Ohio, and spent his 
boyhood days on the farm with his father. » 
When fifteen, he moved with his father to Ap- 
panoose county, Iowa, and there they engaged 
in farming. Our subject remained there until 
1874. Then he journeyed west to the Willa- 
mette valley and settled in the vicinity of Cor- 
vallis, where he lived until 1881, also tilling the 
soil there. In the fall of the year last men- 
tioned, he moved to his present home on Mont- 
gomery ridge and took up a homestead. Later, 
he took a timberculture claim and then a pre- 
emption and since that, he has given his atten- 
tion to the improvement and culture of the es- 
tate. He raises considerable fruit and handles 
some stock. His farm is a fine one, well im- 
proved and wisely laid out and conducted, and 
the result is that each year he receives bounte- 
ous returns from it. Mr. Stone has four broth- 
ers, Philip, Cornelius, Algernon, Henry M. 

In Appanoose county, Iowa, on February 
16, i860. Mr. Stone married Miss Martha J. 
Harbold, whose parents, William and Cather- 
ine (Overstreet) Harbold, were natives of 
Kentucky. Oldham county, in the Blue Grass 
State, is the native place of Mrs. Stone and the 
date of her birth is July 9, 1837. Four chil- 
dren have been the fruit of this union ; Ringold 
C, who lives with his father; Beatrice, the wife 
of William Appaforcl, a pioneer settler in this 
countv and named elsewhere in this volume; 



792 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



Samuel L., living on the Snake river; and 
May, the wife of Olive Bond. For one term 
Mr. Stone was commissioner of his county and 
gave universal satisfaction. 

He and his wife are members of the Chris- 
tian church and are people who have made an 
excellent reputation for themselves wherever 
they are known. 



MARTIN J. GARRISON is one of the 
leading merchants of Asotin. In public life 
and business enterprises he has always shown 
an ability and integrity which vouchsafe suc- 
cess as well as careful attention to the business 
intrusted to him. He was born in Cass county, 
Nebraska, on October 22, 1856. His father, 
John B. Garrison, was a native of Indiana and 
a pioneer to Nebraska. He married Sarah 
Nichols, who was also born in the Hoosier 
State. Our subject was educated in the public 
schools of Hendricks county, Indiana, whither 
his father had moved from Nebraska. That 
was the family home until 1878, when another 
move was made to Cass county, Nebraska. 
There Mr. Garrison farmed until 1882. In 
that year he went to Butte. Montana, and took 
a position in the smelter, holding the same for 
one year. In March, 1893. ne made his way 
to Asotin county and took a pre-emption on the 
flat. He improved the same in good shape, then, 
owing to ill health, was obliged to give up farm 
work. Until 1887 he traveled to different 
places and was engaged in various work. Then 
he took a position with E. Baumeister & Com- 
pany where he worked steadily for ten years 
as salesman in a general merchandise store. In 
1897 the people of the county called him to 
accept the office of assessor, his name appearing 
on the Republican ticket. In 1900 he was 
elected by an increased majority and held the 
office until January 1, 1903. During this long 
service he gave the best of satisfaction and 
showed an accuracy and justice in his judg- 
ment that commend him to all. In 1902 Mr. 



Garrison bought the interest of D. O. Powell 
in the general merchandise establishment now 
conducted in the name of Brown & Garrison. 
He is now giving his attention to this business 
and is meeting with the success that careful 
industry deserves. For seven years Mr. Gar- 
rison was treasurer in Asotin, which demon- 
strates conclusively that he has the full confi- 
dence of the people. For the past few years he 
has also been identified with the Asotin Land 
& Water Company, furnishing water for the 
city and for irrigating purposes. He is a stock- 
holder and secretary of this company at the 
present time. 

In 1 89 1, at Asotin, Mr. Garrison married 
Miss Clara Liebenau, whose father, August 
Liebenau is a citizen of Stockton, Kansas. 
Mrs. Garrison was born in Independence, 
Iowa. To our subject and his wife, two chil- 
dren have been born, Leslie C, August 9, 1892, 
and Elsie L., March 25, 1894, both: being na- 
tives of Asotin county. Mr. Garrison has one 
brother, George W., who lives near Clarkston, 
in this county, and one sister, Mrs. Francis 
Johnson, who lives in Hendricks county, 
Indiana. 

Mr. Garrison is a member of the I. O O. 
F. and the W. W., and has passed all the chairs 
of both lodges. He is a strong and active Re- 
publican and takes a keen interest in political 
matters. His wife is a member of the Presby- 
terian church and they are both highly esteemed 
people. 



SAMUEL T. JONES, one of the promi- 
nent men of southeastern Washington, is at the 
present time operating a large grain warehouse 
at Asotin and Dodds Ferry. For years he has 
taken a leading part in public matters and has 
always stood at the head of a large and prosper- 
ous business. He is well known throughout 
Asotin county and other portions of Washing- 
ton and Oregon and has won the respect and 
esteem of all with whom he has come in con- 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



793 



tact. His business ability is of a high order 
and the success that he has achieved in public 
life as well as in his own enterprises indicate 
the manner of man. 

Samuel T. Jones was born in Mercer coun- 
ty, Illinois, on July i, 185 1. His father, James 
F. Jones, was a native of Kentucky and mar- 
ried Miss Elizabeth Miller, who was born in 
Illinois. They are now living in Pomeroy, 
Washington. In 1852 our subject was brought 
by his parents across the plains in an ox train 
to the vicinity of Albany, Oregon, where the 
father took up land. This son was educated 
in the common schools of Albany college and in 
1869 began life for himself. His first venture 
was work on a stock ranch on Willow creek in 
Umatilla county. The headquarters were 
about where the unfortunate town of Heppner 
now stands. Two years were spent in this oc- 
cupation and in 1871 he moved to Washington 
with an uncle, George W. Miller, and engaged 
in the sheep business near Gould City on the 
Snake river. There he took a homestead and 
was one of the leading sheep men of the coun- 
try for ten years, and during that time he was 
elected as sheep commissioner of Garfield coun- 
ty. In 1 88 1. Mr. Jones moved to Asotin coun- 
ty and settled where the town of Asotin is now 
located. Since that time he has resided here 
and thus it is seen that he is one of the pioneers 
and leading builders of the town and county. 
He erected the Asotin House and other build- 
ings and has been actively engaged in business 
since his location here. In 1884 he was ap- 
pointed postmaster and held that office until 
1889. After turning it over to his successor 
in that year, he moved on to a farm near Aso- 
tin and there remained until 1894, then he was 
again appointed postmaster of Asotin under 
Cleveland's administration and held that office 
for five years more. When leaving the office in 
1899, he took up other occupations for a while 
then moved to Pullman to educate his children. 
He finally returned to his home in Asotin 
and since then has been buying grain for the 



Kittenback Grain Company of Lewiston. Mr. 
Jones is also justice of the peace and has been 
in this office most of the time for the past ten 
years. 

At Dayton, Washington, on October 26, 
1877, Mr. Jones married Mrs. Almeda, the 
daughter of Andrew J. and Harriet (Church) 
Allen, natives of Kentucky and New York city, 
respectively, and now living in Whatcom coun- 
ty, Washington. Mrs. Jones was born in Or- 
egon. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have four children, 
Walter D., Bertha R., Millie R. and Marvin 
A., all born in Asotin, except Millie, whose 
birth place is Anatone. 

Mr. Jones is a member of the I. O. O. F. 
and the grand lodge of the state. He has 
passed through all the chairs in the local lodge. 
In political matters, he is an old-fashioned 
Democrat and is able to give a reason for his 
views. He is chairman of the county central 
committee of his party and has been for some 
time, and is a strong worker in the campaigns 
and a leading figure in the county. He has 
been a member of the city council and also held 
other public offices. In religious persuasion, 
Mr. Jones is a Methodist. He is a good man 
and is possessed of that energy which makes 
him a sincere and stanch friend while also he 
is known a^ a patriotic citizen, public minded 
and progressive. 



EDWARD N. DOW, a venerable and es- 
teemed pioneer of Asotin county, dwells about 
two miles south from Anatone. He has the 
distinction of being the first permanent settler 
in the territory now embraced in Asotin county 
and for all the years intervening he has labored 
faithfully in the improvement of his place and 
the building up of the county. He was born 
in Hancock county, Maine, on Deer Island, on 
July 26. 1 82 1. His father, Nathaniel Dow, 
came from old colonial stock and a member of 
the family participated in the Revolution under 



794 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



General Washington. He married Polly 
Weed, a native of Maine, who was the daugh- 
ter of an English soldier, who deserted the 
English forces at the battle of Bunker Hill and 
joined the American army. The schools in the 
states in the twenties and thirties were very 
scarce and our subject had limited opportuni- 
ties to gain an education. However, owing to 
the careful training of his father and mother, 
he was well instructed and remained at home 
until eighteen years of age. After that he did 
general farm work until the declaration of war 
with Mexico, when he enlisted at New York 
city under Commodore Connor in the naval 
forces. They sailed on the frigate, Potomac, 
and participated with the land forces in the 
capture of Vera Cruz and other coast cities, 
under General Winfield Scott. He was active 
during the entire war and was mustered out at 
New York city, in 1847, during the month of 
June, having been eighteen months in service. 
After that we see him next in Buffalo, New 
York, where he was engaged in steamboating. 
Four years later he took passage on a bark 
around Cape Horn to San Francisco, and after 
seven months arrived there in good shape. He 
went immediately to the mines there and for 
four years did well mining for himself. Then 
he sold his claim and took a trip to Australia. 
He landed at Melbourne and for some time 
sought the golden sands of that country and in 
all mined there about ten years. Then he went 
to New Zealand and followed the same occu- 
pation for three years. After that, he returned 
to the United States, landing at San Francisco 
in 1866. He went back to California and 
worked as a carpenter for some time, then de- 
termined to explore the north part of the 
Pacific coast. He finally made his way into 
Columbia county and explored the Asotin 
Flats, finally selecting a homestead about four 
miles south from where Anatone is now situ- 
ated. Since that time he has stayed here stead- 
ily, having spent nearly thirty years on one 
farm. He has done general farming and stock 



raising and has been quite successful. Owing 
to his advanced age, being now past eighty- 
three, Mr. Dow is retired from active work and 
rents his farm. For his services in the Mexi- 
can War he receives a nice pension and is a 
prosperous man. He belongs to the Mexican 
War Veteran Association in New York. Mr. 
Dow has never married and is the only one of a 
family of eight children who are still living. 
From the time that he landed in this country 
until the present he has never been out of the 
territory embraced in Asotin county except 
one week spent in attendance in court in Day- 
ton. He is well known all over the county and 
receives the esteem and confidence of the 
people. 



GEORGE H. RUMMENS is one of the 
younger business men of Asotin county and 
has gained distinction by his labors in his 
chosen profession as attorney-at-law. Although 
a native of Washington, still he is one of the 
later settlers in Asotin county yet he has so 
thoroughly identified himself with its interests 
that he is to be mentioned as one of the leading 
citizens here to-day. He was born in Klickitat 
county, Washington, on March 16, 1878, the 
son of William J. and Barbara E. (Smith) 
Rummens, natives of Wisconsin and Illinois, 
respectively. The father is a stock man at 
Pomeroy. The schools of Pomeroy furnished 
the ordinary training of our subject and when 
he had completed the high school course in 
1896, he turned his attention to studying law. 
On March 16, 1897, he registered with M. F. 
Gose and began a course of reading that al- 
lowed his admission to the superior court of 
the state in May, 1899. From the time of his 
admission, he began actively the practice of law 
at Pomeroy with Judge R. F. Sturdevant, 
under the firm name of Sturdevant and Rum- 



mens. 



This arrangement continued until 



April 1, 1903, when Mr. Rummens moved to 
Asotin and opened an office in partnership with 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



795 



M. F. Gose, of Pomeroy, the firm being known 
as Gose & Rummens. In this capacity Mr. 
Rummens is at the present time engaged and is 
at the head of a large and lucrative practice. 
His natural ability especially fits him for his 
profession, while his studiousness and untiring 
labors in the preparation of his cases, assure a 
success and a bright future for Mr. Rummens. 
He practices in all the courts and is now attor- 
ney of Asotin county. 

Mr. Rummens has two brothers, J. Orville, 
living in Portland, Oregon, and Bert, living at 
Pomeroy. 

He is a member of the F. & A. M., the K. 
P., the Foresters and the Eastern Star. In 
political matters, Mr. Rummens is a strong 
Republican. He also takes an active part in 
politics and is a strong campaign worker. 
While in Garfield county he was assist- 
ant county attorney, and during his life has so 
conducted himself that he has won the respect 
and esteem of all who know him. 

On October 5, 1904, Mr. Rummens mar- 
ried Miss Luella Mae Steen, the daughter of 
Mr. and Mrs. Richard P. Steen, of Asotin. 



JOSEPH W. KING, the present efficient 
postmaster of Asotin is one of the popular and 
well liked men of Asotin county. He was ap- 
pointed to his present position in 1901, under 
the McKinley administration, and has given 
most excellent satisfaction. He is a genial 
man, public spirited and generous and always 
allied with every movement which is for the 
advancement of the interests of the town and 
county. A review of his career will be very in- 
teresting to the citizens of Asotin county and 
we append the same with pleasure. 

Joseph W. King was born in Jefferson 
county. New York, on one of the Thousand 
Isles of the St. Lawrence river, on February 



14, 1847, tne son °f Benjamin and Angeline 
(Wiley) King, natives of Kentucky and New 
York, respectively. The father was a carpen- 
ter, came of Irish stock and died at Utica, New 
York, in 1850. Our subject attended the 
schools in Jefferson county until twelve years 
of age, then finished his education in the Os- 
weg'o County Academy. His early years were 
spent on the farm and when thirteen years of 
age he began boating on Lake Ontario in the 
lumber trade and continued the same until Sep- 
tember 22, 1861, when he enlisted in the 
Eighty-fi'rst New York Volunteer Infantry, 
under Captain T. Dwight Stowe and Colonel 
Rose. He was attached to the army of the 
Potomac in the First Brigade, First Division, 
Fourth Army Corps under George B. McClel- 
land. He soon was plunged into the horrors 
of war and participated in the battles of York- 
town, Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, Savage Sta- 
tion, Malvern Hill or The Seven Days Battle. 
After this, his regiment was detached from the 
main army of the Potomac and placed under 
General Foster, later under General Gilmore in 
front of Charleston, South Carolina, where he 
took a part in the siege. In the fall of 1863 his 
regiment was sent to the Dismal Swamps of 
Virginia, under General Butler, where he re- 
enlisted on the first day of January, 1864. He 
was given a furlough for a visit home, and on 
his return was placed under Butler on the 
James river expedition and was in several en- 
gagements. He was in the charge of Cold 
Harbor when three hundred men of the regi- 
ment went and only ninety came out. He was 
at Petersburg, and also in the attack on Rich- 
mond or Fort Harrison and was among the 
very first troops to enter Richmond. He stood 
guard at Libby prison when Lincoln made his 
visit, and in addition to the awful horrors of 
war that he had participated in, in the years 
previous, he was permitted to see the release 
of the poor prisoners from this pen. Mr. King 
was mustered out of the service at Albany, 



796 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



New York, on July 24, 1865, as corporal, hav- 
ing served nearly four years, during which 
time he was never captured or wounded or in 
the hospital for a single day. In the fall of 
1865 he came to California via Panama, thence 
to Portland, and boated on the Columbia river 
from that city to The Dalles. After three 
years of this business he returned to the east 
via Panama and remained there until 1879, en- 
gaged in steamboating in Louisiana and Texas. 
Then he came west by wagon, crossing the 
plains to Pueblo, Colorado, where he worked 
for himself for three years. In 1883 we find 
him in southern Idaho mining and engaged in 
overland staging. The next year he was in 
Baker City, Oregon, and mined and did saw- 
milling until 1887, when he came to Asotin 
county and located on the Snake river, just be- 
low Asotin, on a homestead, which he im- 
proved. In 1894 Mr. King was called to take 
the position of county clerk of his county, his 
name appearing on the Republican ticket and 
his majority being five. After a successful 
term, he was nominated again and beat the 
Fusion ticket about forty-two votes. In 1900 
he was appointed enumerator in the census and 
the next year was appointed postmaster. Mr. 
King has a half-brother, Madison Brudell, a 
member of the police force in Chicago and a 
veteran of the Civil War, from the Tenth Illi- 
nois Cavalry. 

In 1890, at Anatone, Mr. King married 
Miss Annie McVay, the daughter of William 
and Jane (French) McVay, natives of Illinois 
and the father a member of the Forty-fourth 
Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Mrs. King is a 
native of Jasper county, Illinois. To this couple 
four children have been born, Dora E., Elton, 
Allen and May. 

Mr. King is a charter member of the G. A. 
R. post in Asotin and belongs to the Order of 
Washington. He was chairman of the central 
committee of the Republican party and is al- 
ways active in political matters. 



GEORGE W. BAILEY, one of the leading 
attorneys of southeastern Washington, is too 
well known in Asotin county to need any in- 
troduction to the people. He is known to the 
people as a leading spirit in any line of improve- 
ment or progression, while in the profession he 
is recognized by his colleagues as a powerful 
lawyer, whose weight and success are due to 
both a liberal endowment of natural talent and 
an erudition which is deep as well as complete. 
Added to these happy qualifications one is able 
to see acumen and keenness backed by sound 
judgment and a convincing manner due to the 
consciousness of having the facts. 

The birthplace of George W. Bailey is 
Hardwick, Vermont, and the date of that event 
July 27, 1854. His father, Harvey Bailey, was 
also a native of the Green Mountain State and 
came from a strong and old New England fam- 
ily which can trace its lineage to the sixteenth 
century. He married Miss S. Jane Field, a 
native of Vermont. Our subject was gradu- 
ated from the University of Vermont with the 
degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1880. He imme- 
diately accepted a position as instructor in the 
Mclndies academy and in due time his degree 
of Master of Arts was conferred. During- this 
work he began the study of law. In 1882 Mr. 
Bailey came west and in June of that year he 
associated himself with John B. Allen, United 
States attorney at that time in Walla Walla, 
for the study of law. He was duly admitted in 
1884 and took the business management of the 
Daily Union. In the spring of 1885 he came to 
Asotin and built his office among the first 
structures in the new town. Since then he has 
continued steadily laboring in his profession 
and has won success all along the line. He 
practiced alone until 1896, when the extent of 
his work demanded a partner and he is now as- 
sociated with Judge R. F. Sturdevant, of Day- 
ton. Mr. Bailey practices in all the courts of 
The United States and has been connected with 
the leading cases, both criminal and civil, that 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



797 



have been tried in this part of the country. He 
is the attorney of the Lewiston Water & Power 
Company and is associated with the following 
named men of note : Charles F. Adams, G. St. 
L. Abbott, William H. Bowker, E. Wheeler and 
E. H. Libby, in the management of their im- 
portant company. 

At Asotin, in 1889, Mr. Bailey married 
Miss Anna Dillon, who was bora in Missouri. 
the daughter of Isaac and Mary Dillon, resi- 
dents of Asotin county. To this marraige one 
child has been born, Harvey D. 

Mr. Bailey is a member of the I. O. O. F. 
and has passed all the chairs of the local lodge 
and belongs also to the grand lodge of the 
state. He is also a member of the W. W. Mr. 
Bailey has many friends from all parts of the 
country and his walk has been such that he re- 
ceives the unstinted confidence of the people. 



JAMES N. BOGGAN, well known 
throughout Asotin county, is one of its heavy 
land owners and a wealthy and respected citi- 
zen. He was born in Wadesboro, Anson 
county, North Carolina, the son of Northfleet 
and Jane G. (Hammond) Boggan, natives of 
Wadesboro, North Carolina. James N. was 
well educated in the private institutions and 
when sixteen enlisted in Company G, Fortieth 
North Carolina Heavy Artillery, under Colonel 
Hedrick, and was stationed at Fort Fisher. 
Later he was taken prisoner and sent to El- 
mira, New York. Being released he returned 
to his command and was sent home on a thirty- 
day furlough, and during this time Lee sur- 
rendered. He was wounded during the siege 
of the fort. Following the war Mr. Boggan 
went into the mercantile business in Wades- 
boro and was burned out in 1868. After that 
he clerked in his uncle's establishment and in 
1869 came to Kansas City and taught school- 
Later he practiced dentistry for three years and 
in 1877 came on to Washington. He selected 



a pre-emption in Columbia county and gave at- 
tention to improving this and to teaching 
school. Later he sold all this property and 
came to his present location in Asotin county, 
where he took a homestead. He has added to 
this since by purchase from time to time until 
he has over one thousand acres of choice land, 
all of which is in a high state of cultivation. 
He raises diversified crops and is prosperous 
and very successful. He handles large bands of 
cattle, horses and some sheep. Mr. Boggan 
has been active and prominent in advancing the 
educational facilities of the county and is a 
zealous laborer in all lines of improvement. He 
was nominated by his party (Democratic) for 
county superintendent, but suffered defeat with 
his ticket. He is justice of the peace in his pre- 
cinct and has been for six years past. 

Near Kansas City, in the state of Missouri, 
on October 18, 1871, Mr. Boggan married 
Miss Retta Parker, the daughter of Henry and 
Linna (Cannada) Parker, natives of Kentucky. 
Mrs. Boggan was born in Jackson county, Mis- 
souri, on February 7, 1853. Nine children 
have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Boggan ; Hal- 
ley, wife of Samuel Robison; Connie, wife of 
Cyrus Bingham, in Oregon ; Rosa, wife of 
James Hering, in Los Angeles, California; 
James N., Jr., Eula, Charles V., Hampton R., 
Wade T. and William G., al at home. In the 
years that have gone by Mr. Boggan has de- 
monstrated his ability as a financier and a suc- 
cessful business man and the magnificent prop- 
erty that he has accumulated speaks volumes 
for his industry and wisdom. He is keenly in- 
terested in progress and upbuilding and labors 
zealously for these worthy ends. He is liberal 
and broad-minded and a man whose labors and 
acts have been such that he has an unsullied 
reputation and a standing of the best. 



LEONARD J. WORMELL, a well-to-do 
and venerable gentleman, is one of the highly 
respected citizens of Asotin, and is entitled, be- 






79 8 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



cause of his wise and assiduous labors here for 
a long time, to be classed as one of the makers 
and builders of Asotin county. Steadily and 
well he has continued in his way of honest in- 
dustry and has now the privilege of retiring 
from the hard labor of the husbandman and 
enjoying the fruits of his toil during the golden 
years of a well-spent career. Amid many warm 
and admiring friends, with his family sur- 
rounding, and supplied with comforts and lux- 
uries, it is pleasant to behold the old pioneer 
secure in the land where he opened the wilds 
and brought forth the well tilled farms, whose 
fruits have made glad the heart and brought 
recognition to this fertile spot among the com- 
mercial centers of the west. 

From the far away state of Maine hails 
the gentleman of whom we now speak, and on 
July 26, 1834, his parents, Joel and Elmira 
(Frye) Wormell, were called to rejoice over a 
son born. They then lived temporarily in New 
Brunswick, but came to Maine while Leonard 
J. was a small boy, settling in Washington 
county. They were natives of Portland and 
Kennebec county, Maine, respectively. The 
father was a seafaring man and this son, who 
had completed his education in the schools of 
his native heath, went to sea, being then eight- 
een years of age. He was in the coast trade 
and touched all the important points. During 
the rebellion he was in the West India trade to 
Boston, Philadelphia and New York and had 
many thrilling experiences. He continued be- 
fore the mast and as mate of his vessel until 
1869, having gone the year previous to Cali- 
fornia. He crossed the Isthmus and located in 
Sonoma county, where he continued for ten 
years. Farming and lumbering occupied him 
and in 1880 he came to Washington, settling 
about nineteen miles distant from where Asotin 
is now located. He took a homestead and later 
bought land until he is now one of the heavy 
real estate holders of the county. His place is 
well improved and supplied with all needs to 
make it a first-class farm. 



At Cutler, Maine, on March 7, i860, Mr. 
Wormell married Miss Mary A. Andrews, the 
daughter of John L. and Nancy (Corbett) An- 
drews. The father was a shipbuilder and was 
born in Machias, Maine. The mother was born 
in Novia Scotia, and is a relative of ex-Senator 
Corbett, of Oregon. Mrs. Wormell was born 
in Lubec, Maine, on June 17, 1840, and has 
two sisters, Mrs. Permelia Huntley and Mrs. 
Abbie Wright. Mr. Wormell has the following 
named brothers and sisters : John W., Mrs^ 
Elizabeth Meggs, Mrs. Anna Bleumortier, 
Mrs. Jane Bayman, and Mrs. Harriett Wor- 
mell. To Mr. and Mrs. Wormell thirteen 
children have been born : Emeline, the widow 
of George Kimble, and now living in Asotin; 
John L., the former sheriff of this county and 
new dwelling at Anatone ; Mrs. Edna Curtis, of 
Fresno, California; Albert A., in Asotin; Lena 
A., a teacher in the county; Ida B. and Ada A., 
twins, the former Mrs. Frank Bodie, of Ana- 
tone, and the latter Mrs. Vincent Anderson, 
of Clarkston; Everett H, of Anatone; and 
Winifred P., a school teacher in the coun- 
ty. The others are deceased. Mr. Wormell 
belongs to the I. O. O. F., being a charter 
member of Occidental Lodge No. 234, of Son- 
oma county, California, and has passed through 
all the chairs. He was raised in the Methodist 
church and is a supporter of the faith. 



SAMUEL J. SARGENT, a well known 
man of southeastern Washington, is at present 
conducting a cigar and confectionery establish- 
ment in Asotin. He was born in Lane county, 
Oregon, on March 26, 1868. His father, John 
R. Sargent, was a native of Illinois and a pion- 
eer settler of Oregon. He was a veteran of the 
Rogue river war and now lives in this county. 
He married Phoebe Ross l a native of Virginia. 
Our subject came with his father to Walla 
Walla county in 1873 and in the public schools 
of Dixie received his education, together with 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



799 



training in Columbia county and settled at the 
forks of Asotin creek, where he was engaged in 
stock raising and farming. In 1888, he went 
to eastern Oregon in the same business and the 
next year returned to Washington and took up 
a pre-emption on Montgomery ridge. Later 
he sold this property, and in the spring of 1893 
he leased wheat land and engaged in farming. 
However, owing to the depressing times he 
was not successful in that venture, and in 1895 
we find him on a homestead on the Grande 
Ronde river. He improved his place and did 
stock raising until 1899, when he took up min- 
ing on the Snake river. After that he was in- 
terested in the Imnaha mines and did much con- 
tract work in this capacity until 1903, when he 
removed to Asotin and engaged in his present 
business. 

He has an excellent patronage and has pros- 
pered since opening his store here. For he is 
one of the popular men of the county. 

At Asotin, on February 22, 1904, Mr. Sar- 
gent married Miss Emma A. Zimmerlee, the 
daughter of William and Julia (Miller) Zim- 
merlee, pioneers of Oregon and Columbia 
county, Washington. Mrs. Sargent was born 
in Oregon and to her and her husband five 
children have been born, as follows: Ruby C, 
in December, 1894; Hazel, October 1, 1896; 
Ruth, in November, 1899; Gladys, in April, 
1902, and an infant son, November, 1904. 
Mrs. Sargent has the following named broth- 
ers and sisters : Levi, Elias, John, Mrs. Martha 
J. Zimmerlee, Mrs. Viola McKenzie and Mrs. 
Nettie Coon. - 

Mr. Sargent is a member of the Eagles and" 
the W. W. 



SAMUEL FLINN, who is proprietor and 
operator of the Mint Resort in Asotin, was 
born in Bates county, Missouri, on April 25, 
1873. His father, Thomas E. Flinn, was a 
native of Tennessee and a pioneer settler of this 
county, having crossed the plains with wagons. 



The mother was Elizabeth R. (Porter) Flinn, 
also a native of Tennessee. Samuel was edu- 
cated in the district schools, attending the first 
session of the Pine Grove school, taught by 
Frank Echols. He finished in the Asotin 
schools. The early days of our subject were 
spent upon the farm, and the first enterprise of 
his own was the establishment of a saloon in 
Anatone in 1898. In August of the same year 
he opened his present business in Asotin, which 
he still conducts. He was formerly in partner- 
ship with Mr. Frank Waldrip, but is now hand- 
ling the estate alone. 

In Asotin, in 1898, Mr. Flinn married Miss 
Mollie Graham, the daughter of Edward Brun- 
ton, of Garfield county. She was born in 
AYalla Walla county, in 1878, and they have 
one child, Bessie. 

Mr. Flinn is a member of the Eagles and 

o 

the Red Men. He is a public-spirited, gener- 
ous man and gives close attention to his busi- 
ness. 



CHARLES ISECKE, a retired merchant 
at Asotin, is one of the best known men in 
southeastern Washington. He has not only 
been in the territory now embraced in Asotin 
county for a long time, but during that time 
has thoroughly identified himself with the in- 
terests of the county and every new enterprise 
in the building up of the same, but has made 
himself a very wide circle of friends. His 
business ability, sagacity and sound judgment 
have won for him the success in every line of 
enterprise that he has started, which follows 
these qualities. He is a man of stability and 
worth and it is with pleasure that we are per- 
mitted to embody an epitome of his career in 
this volume. 

Charles Isecke was born in Pommern, west 
Prussia, on May 7, 1842. His father, Thomas 
Isecke, was a native of the same county. His 
education was secured in the common and nor- 
mal schools of his county and then he learned 



8oo 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



the trade of the miller before coming to the 
United States in 1866. He first located in 
Buffalo, New York, and there took up carpen- 
tering" for several years. Later he operated 
as bridge builder for the C, C. & C. rail- 
road, and in 1874 put into execution the desire 
he had long cherished, namely, that of visiting 
California. He was employed in the car shops 
at Salida for a few years and in the spring of 
1878 came to Washington. After searching 
about, he decided to locate in Anatone and ac- 
cordingly purchased the mercantile stock owned 
by McKeiver. He enlarged the business at 
once and soon had a very thriving trade. He 
increased from time to time until 1889, when 
he sold the entire stock to W. J. Clemens. Then 
he removed to Asotin and conducted a general 
exchange business. In 1896 he erected the 
Asotin flouring mills and after operating for 
some time, sold out. He is also one of the 
stockholders of the property on which Asotin 
now stands. He assisted to incorporate the 
bank of Asotin county and also in very many 
other enterprises, all of which were for the up- 
building and benefit of the country. Mr. Isecke 
was the first mayor of Asotin and held the po- 
sition for five years. He was again elected to 
the office in 1902 and has also been councilman 
for several terms. 

At Buffalo, New York, in 1866, Mr. Isecke 
married Miss Barbara Backhof , a native of Ger- 
many, and to them two children were born, 
Frank and Clara Tammage. Both live in Buf- 
falo, New York. In 1879 Mr. Isecke married 
Mary Southerland at Anatone. She was born 
in Canada. 

Mr. Isecke was a charter member of the I. 
O. O. F. at Anatone and has passed all the 
chairs. He also belongs to the grand lodge of 
the state and is a member of the Encampment 
and the Rebekahs. He is also president of the 
Asotin Land & Water Company and has been 
the leading spirit and promoter of very many 
worthy enterprises. In all these, as well as in 



public life, he has shown a marked thorough- 
ness that commends him to the people, whose 
confidence and esteem he has won and retains. 



HENRY C. FULTON, M. D., has the dis- 
tinction of being a pioneer physician of Asotin 
county and for many years he traveled through 
the entire country, handling a large practice. 
Later he retired from the active practice of 
medicine, erected a fine brick block in Asotin 
and opened a first-class drug store, which he is 
conducting at the present time. He has a very 
complete stock of goods, a tasty and up-to-date 
store and is a thorough pharmacist. 

Henry C. Fulton was born in Washington 
county, Pennsylvania, near; Burgettstown, on 
November 17, 1852. His parents, Rev. James 
P. and Frances (Schouse) Fulton, were na- 
tives of Pennsylvania and the father is still liv- 
ing. He was a minister in the Presbyterian 
church. Henry. C. attended the common schools 
in New Derry, Pennsylvania and then com- 
pleted a course in the Dunlop academy. After 
that he began the study of his profession under 
Dr. J. S. Van Voohies, of Belvernon, Pennsyl- 
vania. For three years he prosecuted his 
studies there, then entered the Jefferson Medi- 
cal College in Philadelphia, where he continued 
for three years more, graduating in the class of 
1875. He at once began the practice of medi- 
cine in Venango county, Pennsylvania, and 
remained there three years. In the fall of 1878 
the Doctor journeyed west to Kansas and lo- 
cated in Harper county. The first winter he 
taught school and then gained a fine practice 
in medicine, and continued at the head of the 
same until the summer of 1883, when he came 
to Washington. One winter was spent on the 
Sound and, on June 26, 1884, he arrived at 
Asotin. He immediately started the practice 
of medicine, and for eighteen years continued 
at the head of a very large practice, riding far 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



801 



and near. He also was interested in the drug 
business from the first and has been almost con- 
tinuously since. In 190 1 he erected his busi- 
ness building and opened a complete and 
up-to-date store. Since then he has retired 
from the practice of medicine and is giv- 
ing his entire attention to his drug busi- 
ness. He has been health officer of the 
city and county and several times was 
elected county coroner, but refused to qualify. 
In educational matters Dr. Fulton has been 
very zealous and active. He has done very 
much to put the schools of Asotin and Asotin 
county in their present prosperous condition 
and is a warm advocate of the best in this im- 
portant line. 

At Harper, Kansas, in 1882, Dr. Fulton 
married Miss Katie H., the daughter of Ho- 
ratio S. and Olive (Adams) Reed, natives of 
New York and Vermont, respectively, now liv- 
ing in Asotin. Mrs. Fulton was born in the 
state of Illinois. To her and her husband five 
children have been born : William V., with his 
father in the store ; Jefferson H., Horatio Reed, 
Althea Grace and Lois Mildred. Dr. Fulton 
has seven brothers and two sisters of whom 
James P. and Charles A. are living in Asotin. 
Fraternally Dr. Fulton is affiliated with the 
I. O. O. F. and the W. W. In the former he is 
a trustee of the Asotin lodge and has passed all 
the chairs, having also represented his lodge 
in the grand lodge of the state. He is exam- 
ining physician for the Mutual Life, the New 
York Life, the Equitable and the Pacific Mu- 
tual. • 

For seventeen years ■ continuously Dr. Ful- 
ton was a member of the school board of Aso- 
tin and has recently been elected to serve three 
years more. He has been mayor of the city for 
four years and is one of the best known men of 
the county. His faithful services here have 
been highly appreciated and he is a gentleman 
of honor and abilitv. 



WILLIAM J. CLEMANS needs no intro- 
duction to the people of southeastern Washing- 
ton. He is a man of vast experience, as well 
as great wealth, and in his long career has. 
shown executive ability and kindness very com- 
mendable. Being of an energetic and stirring- 
spirit, he has been active in business since boy- 
hood days, and it may be said of him that 
though he has constantly been in contact with 
shrewd business men, he has always been ena- 
bled to so conduct his affairs that his efforts 
have been crowned with success. He is residing 
in Asotin at the present time, devoting his en- 
tire attention to overseeing his mammoth stock 
and real estate interests. He probably owns 
more land in Asotin county than any other one 
man, while his stock holdings are equally large. 
William J. Clemans was born in Hall 
county, Georgia, on May 4, 1850, the son of 
Rudric P. and Wealthy (Tapp) Clemans, na- 
tives of North Carolina and Maryland respect- 
ively. The mother's ancestors were very im- 
portant personages in both the Revolution and 
the War of 1812, being patriotic and stalwart 
Americans. AVilliam was not favored with, 
school opportunities before the war and during 
that conflict everything was so upset that he 
had no opportunity then to study. Finally, 
after the cannons had ceased to roar, people 
turned their attention again to the instruction 
of the young and he was privileged to attend a 
private school for several months. After that 
he had to depend entirely upon his own efforts 
to secure a training and the fund of information 
which he possesses in generous measure at the 
present time. His hungry spirit urging him for- 
ward to gain knowledge and thus properly us- 
ing all leisure moments was the one fruitful 
principle that has later brought about his suc- 
cess. At the age of fourteen he commenced life 
for himself and drove a team for the govern- 
ment. This continued in Arkansas and Mis- 
souri until the spring of 1865, then he enlisted to 
fight Indians in the west but, owing to sickness, 



51 



802 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



was honorably discharged. After recovering 
he entered the employ of a cattle company in 
Missouri and drove stock south. Next he made 
one trip in Tennessee. Then he returned to 
Arkansas, and in the spring of 1867 went to 
Texas, and for two years was engaged there in 
the stock business. Then he bought cattle for 
himself and returned to Missouri, where he lost 
over half of them, owing to the tyrannical 
quarantine. However, he sold the balance at 
a good figure and that brought him out even. 
He bought a stock of horses and then took 
them to Arkansas and for three years he was in 
that state. During the period of reconstruction 
he was appointed sheriff and then was elected 
by the people. It was a very trying and dang- 
erous position, yet, owing to his tact and geni- 
ality, Mr. Clemans successfully discharged the 
duties of this office. After that he returned to 
the northern part of the state and operated a 
general merchandise store and distillery in con- 
nection with farming, for three years. Also, 
he handled stock. In 1877 he determined to 
leave the Mississippi valley and consequently 
went to the mountains of Colorado and engaged 
in sawmilling and stock business out from 
Pueblo. In 1882 we find him in southern Idaho 
near Mountain Home. There he sold his stock 
interests and entered the saloon business. In 
1885 he sold out and came to Asotin county 
and opened a saloon, also handling stock. In 
1889 he sold out the saloon and bought a gen- 
eral merchandise establishment of Charles 
Isecke, and conducted the same until June, 
1904, meeting with excellent success. At that 
time he retired from this business and since 
has given his entire attention to the manage- 
ment of his estates and live stock. He has many 
thousands of acres in Asotin county. 

Mr. Clemans was married in Arkansas to 
Miss Isabella Burke, who died in Colorado in 
1882. To this union two children were born, 
Lillian, now superintendent of the schools of 
Asotin county, and Berry M., at Anatone. The 
second marriage of Mr. Clemans occurred in 



Asotin, when Edith M. Barker, a native of 
West Virginia, became his wife. Three chil- 
dren are the fruit of this marriage: Earl G., 
born March 13, 1888; Mark Twain, born Au- 
gust 1, 1891, and William J., Jr., born August 
25, 1901. 

Mr. Clemans is a member of the I. O. O. F., 
the Rebekahs and the Encampment. The family 
also belongs to the Presbyterian church. Po- 
served his party on the central committee and 
litically he has always been active and has 
a delegate to the state convention. 



RICHARD H. ROBINSON, who resides 
a half mile north from Silcott, was born in 
Boone county, Missouri, on August 5, 1862. 
His father, Thomas W. Robinson, was a na- 
tive of Missouri and married Pauline Forsha, 
also a native of Missouri. They came as pio- 
neers to Columbia county in 1873, and he was 
a warehouse man in this county. Our subject 
was educated in the common schools of Boone 
county, Missouri, until 1873, when he came 
with his parents to California, settlement being 
made in the Sacramento valley, near Marys- 
ville. That was their home until 1876, when 
they journeyed north, finally locating in Co- 
lumbia county, near Pomeroy. Richard H. 
did farming there for nearly fifteen years, then 
moved to Alpowa creek, locating near the 
mouth, and engaging in fruit and stock rais- 
ing. He bought a tract of land which was 
formerly owned by Mr. Van Pelt and which is 
a part of the original Spalding Mission 
grounds, which were located in 1836. Also, it 
was the home of the well-known and good man, 
Chief Timothy, one of the most noted Indians 
of the northwest. Mr. Robinson has improved 
the place in excellent shape and gives his at- 
tention largely to the production of peaches, 
although he handles apples and other fruits, 
besides his stock. He ships from six to ten 
thousand boxes annually and is one of the 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



803 



leading men in this industry in this part of the 
country. He has become very successful in 
fruit raising, as is fully demonstrated by the 
splendid results he obtains from his work. Mr. 
Robinson is a well-known citizen, substantial 
and upright, and has served much of the time 
as school director and is very alert for the in- 
terests of the community. 

At Lewiston, Idaho, on January 11, 1888, 
Mr. Robinson married Miss Ida McKee, whose 
parents are Jefferson W. and Martha (Davis) 
McKee, natives of Ohio, and still living. The 
father served during the Rebellion in an Ohio 
regiment. Mrs. Robinson was born in Law- 
rence county, Kansas, on January 19. 1872. 
To our subject and his wife four children 
liave been born: Pauline F., at Pomeroy, 
on March 28, 1892; Mabel C, at Alpowa, Oc- 
tober 1, 1894; Florence, on the ranch, on Feb- 
ruary 9, 1897, and Elva May, on the ranch, on 
July 3, 1899. 



SAMUEL G. ROBINSON, one of the 
substantial young agriculturists and orchard- 
ists of Asotin county, resides about a mile south 
from Silcott, where he owns a quarter section, 
which he is fast bringing to a high state of cul- 
tivation and supplying with excellent improve- 
ments. Twenty acres of land are under irri- 
gation with abundance of water, and he has a 
most excellent peach and cherry orchard which 
promises a splendid revenue in a very short 
time. He has been a resident of southeastern 
Washington for many years but has not dwelt 
in Asotin county as long as some, yet his in- 
dustry and thrift have given him a fine holding 
since coming here and he is considered one of 
the industrious and capable men of the vicinity. 

Samuel G. Robinson was born in Boone 
county, Missouri, on September 5, 1873, the 
son of Thomas W. and Pauline (Forsha) Rob- 
inson, natives of Missouri and mentioned in 
the sketch of their son, which appears elsewhere 



in this work. Our subject came to southeast- 
ern Washington with his parents in 1876 and 
his education was largely gained from the pub- 
lic schools of Garfield county. He was reared 
on the farm, and after becoming of proper age 
did general farm work in various places until 
1899, when he removed to Asotin county and 
took his present place as a homestead. He has 
labored assiduously here and has made his one 
of the valuable places of the valley. 

In Spokane, Washington, on October 7, 
1897, Mr. Robinson married Miss Esther, the 
daughter of Isaac and Littie (Ferris) Brown- 
field, natives of Kansas and Iowa, respectively. 
Mrs. Robinson was born in Knox county, Mis- 
souri, on August 18, 1882. To this union two 
children have been born: Emily, in Garfield 
county, on March 26, 1899; Thomas E., in 
Whitman county, on August 14, 19.01. Mr. 
Robinson has always voted the Democratic 
ticket and takes a keen interest in political mat- 
ters. He has also shown himself active in 
building up the community and in advancing 
those measures which are for the benefit of all. 
In addition to other property mentioned Mr. 
Robinson also owns a fine band of cattle and is 
successful in stock raising. 



ALBERT A. WORMELL is an energetic 
and progressive young business man of Asotin, 
who enjoys the respect and esteem of all who 
know him as well as abundant success in busi- 
nes ventures At the present time he is carry- 
ing on an insurance and real estate business in 
addition to handling his warehouse in Asotin. 
In both of these lines he is reaping the reward 
of his labors in good success and is considered 
one of the substantial men of the city. 

Albert A. Wormell was born in Sonoma 
county California, on January 10, 1873, the son 
of Leonard J. and Mary A. (Andrews) Wor- 
mell, natives of Machias, Maine, and pioneer 
settlers of Asotin county. He was educated in 



8o4 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



the common school of Asotin county, having 
come in with his parents in 1880. The first 
twenty-three years of his life were spent in 
farm labor in addition to securing his educa- 
tion and then, in 1897, he engaged in the ware- 
house business with Jackson O'Keefe. For four 
years he conducted this, then purchased the 
warehouse in company with S. T. Jones. At 
this time, he was appointed deputy sheriff under 
his brother, John L. Wormell, and continued 
in that capacity for four years. In 1893 Mr. 
Wormell added the real estate business in com- 
pany with W. H. Hooper, and since then they 
have taken up both fire and life insurance. In 
these lines Mr. Wormell is doing well and is a 
master of every detail of his business. 

At Hillsborough, Washington county, Ore- 
gon, on June 29, 1904, Mr. Wormell married 
Miss Eva M. Cypher. Her parents, George and 
Mary Cypher were natives of England and 
very old settlers in Oregon. Mr. Wormell 
is a member of the I. O. O. F. and has passed 
all the chairs in that order. He also belongs 
to the Encampment and is past chief patriarch 
and is a member of the W. W. Among the 
churches his preference is the Presbyterian, al- 
though he does not belong to any denomina- 
tion ; still he is a liberal supporter of all things 
that tend to build up and advance the commu- 
nity. 

Mr. and Mrs. Wormell are highly esteemed 
people and are leading members of society. 



HERBERT D. BENEDICT is well 
known in Asotin county, having been a resident 
here between twenty and twenty-five years. 
During this time he has always shown himself a 
substantial man, thrifty and wise, and ever in- 
terested in the public affairs for the building 
up and improvement of the country. At pres- 
ent he resides in Clarkston, where he owns a 
fine residence and nine acres of choice irrigated 
land, which is set to fine fruit. In addition he 
has some four hundred and eighty acres of 



land near Theon, where he took his homestead 
in 1882 and which is devoted to the production 
of the cereals. 

Herbert D. Benedict was born in James- 
town, New York, on May 20, 1862, the son of 
Isaac and Mary (Hall) Benedict, natives of 
New York and Vermont, respectively. The 
father was engaged in the wool manufacture. 
Our subject was educated in the common 
schools of Adams county, Wisconsin, where 
the family removed when he was young and 
where he remained thirteen years. In the spring 
of 1882 he came west with his mother and they 
selected the homestead near Theon, which we 
have already mentioned. Since that time Mr. 
Benedict has thoroughly identified himself 
with the territory now embraced in Asotin 
county and has done a splendid work in devel- 
opment. In 1 90 1 he purchased a tract of land 
of nine acres, where he now resides, and began 
improving the same for his home place. He has 
a handsome residence and a splendid young or- 
chard. He is already shipping and disposes of 
his fruit through the Clarkston Fruit Growers'' 
Association, of which he is a stockholder. 

In Theon, on March 30, 1887, Mr. Bene- 
dict married Miss Flora, the daughter of Al- 
bert and Bell (Davis) Toops, natives of Vir- 
ginia and Ohio, respectively. The father was 
a veteran in the Rebellion and a pioneer settler 
of this county. Mrs. Benedict was born in 
Athens, Ohio, on June 1, 1869. Mr. Benedict 
has four brothers and sisters: William E., a 
farmer, near Anatone; Flora, the wife of Joe 
Margeson, in Grand Rapids, Wisconsin ; Mrs. 
Lizzie Mix, of Missoula, Montana, and Hiram, 
who was for many years auditor of Asotin 
county and is now deceased. He was a soldier 
for the Union during the Rebellion. To Mr. 
and Mrs. Benedict five children have been born : 
Guy, on January 30, 1891 ; Rollo, on August 
6, 1893; Grace, on October 4, 1895; Byron 
on December 3, 1896, pearl and Pansy, on 
August 8, 1900. 

Mr. Benedict is a charter member of the 



HISTORY OF ASOTIN COUNTY. 



805 



I. O. O. F. in Anatone and has passed all the 
chairs. He was raised under the influence of 
the Methodist church and in politics has al- 
ways been an active Republican. 



SIMON ADAMS, one of the stirring real 
■estate men of Asotin county, resides in Clarks- 
ton. He was born in McComb county, Mich- 
igan, on January 16, 1845, the son of John and 
Alma (Demon) Adams, natives of Vermont 
and New York, respectively. The district 
schools of McComb county, Michigan, fur- 
nished the early educational training of our 
subject and then he completed his studies in 
the academy at Almont, Michigan. His early 
life had been spent on the farm, and when 
twenty-four years of age he engaged in the 
grocery and crockery business at Fentonville, 
Michigan. Later he took up lumbering and 
furnished to the car factories. Next we see 
him in the lumber business at Evart, Michigan, 
where he also did much building and contract- 
ing. Eight years were thus spent when the 
western fever compelled Mr. Adams to go to 
Colorado. He stopped at Silver Cliff and oper- 
ated a hotel for several seasons, doing prospect- 
ing in the summer. He was the first assayer in 
Telluride, having spent eleven years in this lo- 
cality. Next we see him in the upper part of 
Michigan engaged in lumbering, in which line 
he cleaned up a handsome fortune. Again he 
did building and contracting at Ewen, Mich- 
igan, where he resided for nineteen years, doing 
also a real estate business. Then he came wsst 



and located at Clarkston and since that time 
has been one of the hustling real estate men in 
this part of the state. He has served as justice 
of the peace and owns much fine property in and 
about Clarkston. During his mlining career 
Mr. Adams took a trip for Governor Alger into 
into Mexico, examining some prospects there. 

At Atlas, Michigan, in 1870, Mr. Adams 
married Miss Eva Wilder, a native of that 
town. His second marriage occurred at Ewen, 
Michigan, in 1891, Mabel O. Ettinger, a native 
of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, becoming his wife 
at that time. Mr. Adams has two children, 
Wilbur Edward, who was born at Evart, Mich- 
igan, on February 6, 1877, and is now a min- 
ing engineer at Denver, Colorado, being a 
graduate at the Golden school of mines, at 
Golden, Colorado, and Mabel Lucy, born at 
Omaha, Nebraska, on July 8, 1878. Mr. 
Adams is a member of the A. F. and A. M., of 
the Knights Templar and of the Maccabees. 
He enlisted in the Twenty-second Michigan 
for service in the Rebellion, but was rejected 
on account of physical disability. Mr. Adams 
is a generous, kind man, well known and highly 
esteemed and has won hosts of friends in this 
part of the country. 

Although Mr. Adams has been an extensive 
traveler and is intimately acquainted with many 
sections, which are rich and good, still he has 
chosen Clarkston as his future, home and is 
well satisfied to remain in this most splendid 
country, remaking that the future will develop 
the wisdom of his choice in demonstrating this 
to be one of the best locations in the entire 
northwest. 



PART VI 



CHAPTER I 



THE PRESS OF WALLA WALLA, COLUM BIA, GARFIELD AND ASOTIN COUNTIES. 



"In no department or field of material prog- 
ress in Washington has there been more intel- 
ligent and helpful advance than in the estab- 
lishment of an active, loyal and energetic 
country press. In the early history and settle- 
ment of the wilds east of the Mississippi river it 
was said that the most adventurous settler rarely 
pitched his tent and planted his first corn be- 
fore he was greeted by the presence of the 
Methodist itinerant preacher. In the further 
west the weekly country newspaper is the early 
colaborer with the combination cross-roads 
postoffice and store, and it may be said that 
these courageous educators have frequently 
taken the place of both the pedagogue and 
preacher — they have become both the school- 
master and the church. 

"In the Territory and State of Washington 
the country press has been particularly aggres- 
sive and especially beneficial. Frequently the 
man who was devil, editor, printer and press- 
man, did more to settle the country about him 
than every other agency combined. There 
are few personal inconveniences that he has not 
borne with a heroism worthy of far more con- 
sideration and greater substantial recognition. 
Uupretentious, modest, hard worked and un- 
derpaid, the country editor and his newspaper 
have fought local battles, advertised the re- 
sources of their vicinity, consoled with kindly 
notice the sorrows of the mourning, cheered 
the enterprise of the public-spirited, exposed 



rascality, and sustained morality. Not one of 
these papers that has not labored in sunshine 
and rain for the highest and most progressive 
interests of the people among whom it cir- 
culated. Not an editor who has not advanced 
measures for the advantage of his patrons, nor 
who has failed to encourage the settler and in- 
spire him with greater confidence. If editorial 
articles were sometimes written on a cracker 
box, or picked up directly out of the case by 
the combined writer and type-setter, the actu- 
ating design has been a pure one, and the end 
sought commendable. The work done by the 
country press of this state cannot be measured. 
Its influence extends in a hundred directions, 
and the material prosperity of the whole people 
has been secured. No state in the union has a 
more loyal country press than this country." 

Thus wrote the editor of the Seattle Post- 
IntclHgcnccr in July, 1890. Following is the 
"Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia's" defini- 
tion of a newspaper: 

Newspaper: A paper containing news; a sheet 
containing intelligence or reports of passing events, 
issued at short, but regular intervals, and either sold 
or distributed gratis; a public print, or daily, weekly 
or semi-weekly periodical, that presents the news of 
the day, such as the doings of political, legislative, or 
other political bodies, local, provincial, or national cur- 
rent events, items of public interest on science, relig- 
ion, commerce, as well as trade, market, and money 
reports, advertisements, etc. Newspapers may be 
classed as general, devoted to the dissemination of in- 
telligence on a great variety of topics which are of 



8o8 



PRESS CHAPTER. 



interest to the general reader, or special, in which some 
particular subject, as religion, temperance, literature, 
law, etc., has prominence, general news occupying only 
a secondary place. The first English newspaper is 
believed to be the "Weekly News," issued in London 
in 1622. The beginnings of newspapers in Germany 
and Italy are said to reach back to the sixteenth cen- 
tury, although it is often stated that the oldest news- 
paper is the "Franklin Journal." founded in 1615. In 
the United States "Public Occurrences" was started 
in Boston, in 1690, but was suppressed ; the Boston 
"News-Letter" followed in 1704; but the oldest exist- 
ing newspaper in the country is the "New Hampshire 
Gazette," founded in 1756. There now exists but two 
newspapers which were in being in Queen Ann's reign, 
namely, the "Loudon Gazette" (but that has been kept 
alive through its official nursing) and — but one due 
to private enterprise — Berrow's "Worcester Journal," 
which was established in 1709. 

Whatever has been said in the above con- 
cerning the "field" of newspaper work, general 
or special, all will be found covered by the av- 
erage country paper. Perhaps it is devoted 
more particularly to the chronicling of purely 
local news, but its range is vast, and in every 
issue some inkling may be obtained from the 
country newspaper of what is transpiring in 
the great world without the ken of the pioneer 
settler of the great west. But it is the local 
news of the vicinity in which it is published 
that imparts incalculable worth to the country 
paper. It gives its readers, what no other peri- 
odical can give them, the happenings of the 
community in which they are directly inter- 
ested. Short-sighted people have said, "What ! 
Two dollars for a country weekly? Why, I 
can get a city weekly for a dollar." True; but 
the city weekly will give you nothing of your 
home town or community's doings ; your local 
paper will give you all. Let us now direct our 
attention to the country press of Columbia, 
Garfield and Asotin counties : 

COLUMBIA COUNTY. 

There are being published at the present 
writing (January, 1905) in Columbia County 
four weekly newspapers ; the Columbia Chroni- 



cle, the Dayton Courier-Press and the Colum- 
bia County Dispatch, all of Dayton, and the 
Star of Starbuck, at Starbuck. The newspaper 
history of the county began in 1874 and since 
that time there have been started several daily 
papers, one or two monthlies and many week- 
lies, which have survived for periods varying 
from a few weeks to twenty-six years, and 
nearly all of which have done good for the 
community in which they were published. 

The beginning of things is generally the 
most interesting in history. So it is in the his- 
tory of newspapers, and the story of the found- 
ing and life of the Dayton News will, possibly, 
prove the most entertaining of any of the many 
papers which have since made their appearance 
in Columbia county. As is often the case the 
"first things" are among the most difficult to 
secure accurate data in regard to, and that for, 
the history of the Dayton News is no exception 
to the rule. The files of this paper, together 
with the entire plant were destroyed by fire, 
and if any copies of the paper are in existence, 
that fact is not known to the writer, who made 
diligent search for them. 

The first copy of the Dayton News, the first 
paper established in Washington Territory, 
east of Walla Walla, was taken from the press 
in September, 1874. Prior to this time the 
people of Dayton and the "upper country" 
were forced to content themselves by telling 
their troubles to the Walla Walla papers, 
through weekly correspondence. They 
wanted a new county formed and wanted 
Dayton to be a county-seat town, and 
this fact, probably as much as any 
other, led to the establishment of a paper in 
the little village on the Touchet. The News 
was not much of a paper at its inception in 
quantity. It was a little four-column sheet, 
and the plant consisted of (as W. O. Matzger, 
who helped get out the first issue, described it 
to the writer), a toy press and a hatful of type. 
It answered the purpose, however, and the citi- 
zens of Dayton were very proud of the new 



PRESS CHAPTER. 



809 



■enterprise. Elisha Ping furnished the capital 
for the venture and A. J. Cain the experience. 
The combination worked well, and under Mr. 
Cain's direction the News developed into a 
lively paper. 

A brief sketch of the first editor of this pio- 
neer paper, who took an active part in the his- 
tory-making of Columbia county, may not be 
-out of place here. Andrew Jackson Cain was 
born at Indianapolis, Indiana, about 1829. 
While a young boy he worked on a steamboat 
as clerk on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, and 
at a very early day came to the Territory as pri- 
vate secretary to Governor Isaac Ingalls Ste- 
vens. He was afterward appointed general In- 
dian agent for Eastern Washington - and Ore- 
gon, which office he held for several years. He 
practiced law a number of years at Walla 
Walla, and was at one time prosecuting attor- 
ney for the district. Among his other news- 
paper ventures in the west were the starting of 
the Umatilla Press and the Walla Walla Real 
Estate Gazette. In the late 70' s he was in the 
service of General Howard in the Indian cam- 
paigns, and he was said to be the best posted 
man in the country on Indian affairs. Mr. 
Cain died July 6, 1879. 

The News was started as a Democratic 
paper and that continued to be its politics dur- 
ing its eventful life. In January, 1876, the 
paper having suspended publication for a time, 
was purchased by James Kerby. In May, 1877, 
another change in partnership was made, T. 
H. Crawford and J. E. Edmiston coming into 
possession at that time. These gentlemen pub- 
lished the paper until January, 1878, when M. 
H. Abbott & Sons bought the plant. In the 
following April the News was enlarged to a 
seven-column folio, and many improvements 
were made. Abbott & Sons sold on July 28, 
1879, to J. E. Palmer and James Seaman, two 
gentlemen who had just come from the east, 
the purchase price being $2,000. Mr. Seaman 
did not long remain with the paper, selling his 
half interest September 1st to W. D. Crow, of 



Oakland, California, and the publishing firm 
became Palmer & Crow. These gentlemen re- 
mained in charge until April 1, 1881, when the 
last change in proprietorship occurred. The 
new publishers were Walter Crosby and J. Y. 
Ostrander. Mr. Ostrander was a young law- 
yer who had been practicing in Dayton for 
some time. Mr. Crosby was a brother-in-law 
of his partner and a new arrival in Washing- 
ton. Mr. Ostrander wielded the editorial pen 
and his partner acted in the capacity of business 
manager. Some improvements were made, 
and among others was the making the Nczvs 
an all-home print paper in July. Misfortune 
overtook the News, it being totally destroyed 
in the disastrous conflagration of August 12, 
1882. The loss was estimated at $2,000 and it 
was insured for only $600. This proved its 
death blow, and the paper was not resurrected. 

The passing of this pioneer institution of 
the county was like the death of a dear friend. 
Coming into existence as it did before the birth 
of Columbia county, and when the town of 
Dayton was in its infancy, its failure to resume 
publication after the fire was regretted by all 
the pioneer settlers. The News was one of the 
chief factors in the rapid settlement of Colum- 
bia county and in the formation of the county ; 
and it will ever live in the memory of those who 
lived and grew apace during the years it was 
being published. 

The second newspaper to be issued in the 
county was the Columbia Chronicle. It is the 
oldest paper now being published in the county, 
. and there are only a few publications in the 
state of Washington which have been published 
so long. It was started in opposition to the 
Dayton Nezvs, the pioneer paper of the "upper 
country," and its politics were strenuously Re- 
publican, whereas its contemporary was as 
strongly Democratic. 

The first number of the Chronicle was 
taken from the press Saturday, April 20, 1878. 
It was a six column folio, and all four of its 
pages were printed at home on a Washington 



8io 



PRESS CHAPTER. 



hand press. The subscription price was $3 a 
year. T. M. May was the financial backer of 
the new enterprise and the publishers were T. 
M. May & Company. H. H. Gale was Mr. 
May's partner in the paper and he was its first 
editor. E. R. Burk served in the capacity of 
business manager at the start, but severed his 
connection after the publication of two or three 
issues. In the first number of the paper this 
promise was made : 

"The Chronicle will be Republican in poli- 
tics, and in all political and public affairs it will 
be our aim to advocate the best interests of the 
people, censuring the wrong and advocating the 
right on general principles." 

After a careful perusal of the files of the 
Chronicle we believe we are safe in saying that 
these promises have been fulfilled. Though 
many changes of ownership have taken place, 
the Chronicle has always been found in the Re- 
publican ranks, and in county and municipal 
affairs it has always advocatd that which would 
result in good to the community. Among the 
local items in the first issue of the Chronicle 
we find the following: 

"Afloat — We have launched the Chronicle 
and spread sails for a long newspaper voyage, 
and we do not see any alarming breakers ahead. 
If we do not find a breeze we will make one 
and sail right along. Fare, three dollars. All 
aboard." 

It is needless to say that breakers were en- 
countered. In fact the Chronicle was all but 
on the rocks before the first year's cruise. But 
it weathered the storm, as it has all that have 
since overtaken it. It has had a long voyage. 
Mr. Gale's health was delicate and for a short 
time during the summer of 1878 he was assisted 
in the editorial work by Hon. M. W. Mitchell. 
By the first of November Mr. Gale's health had 
failed to such an extent that he was forced to 
retire and on that date T. M. May & Company 
sold the Chronicle to J. E. Eastham and F. M. 
McCully. During the few months that Mr. 
Gale had charge of the editorial columns the 



paper ranked among the best in Washington 
Territory, and quickly gained a reputation. 
Mr. Gale died November 25, 1878, less than a 
month after severing his connection with the 
paper. Both members of the new firm of pub- 
lishers were school teachers, who had previous- 
ly had little or no newspaper experience. Mr. 
McCully did the editorial work. They were 
ambitious to make the Chronicle one of the 
leading papers of the Territory and contributed 
to it a great deal of hard and conscientious 
work. January 4, 1879, the paper appeared in 
enlarged form, being then made a seven-col- 
umn folio, and all being printed at home. 

Mr. McCully sold his interest in the Chron- 
icle May 17, 1879, to O. C. White, who at that 
time was county auditor, and for a short time 
the paper was published by Mr. Eastham and 
Mr. White under the firm name of J. E. East- 
ham & Company. July 12th, of the same year, 
Mr. White purchased his partner's interest and 
became sole proprietor. When Mr. White as- 
sumed control the Chronicle was almost bank- 
rupt, and although he had had no previous 
newspaper experience, by rare editorial judg- 
ment and business ability, he placed it upon a 
sound financial basis. Concerning his first 
"offense" in attempting to run a newspaper, 
Mr. White, years afterward wrote as follows 
to Mr. R. E. Peabody, the present publisher: 

"It was about midsummer, 1879, when I 
acquired the privilege of pulling the Chronicle 
out of the financial morass, where it was fast 
disappearing. As I had up to that time writ- 
ten only two articles for publication, it was in- 
deed a white elephant which demanded and re- 
ceived 'stacks of fodder' before it began to pay 
for its keeping. My first experience with the 
monster was to play the 'devil' (since a com- 
mon occurrence), by inking the forms while 
B. M. Washburne, the foreman, 'pulled' the old 
Washington hand press. About this time a 
'tramp' printer was given employment as com- 
positor at a salary of $15 per week, payable 
when he could get it. He was young, but had 



PRESS CHAPTER. 



811 



most pronounced opinions on politics ; was in 
fact a coon-bone Democrat. * * * * You, 
Bob, was that 'tramp' printer and Missouri 
Democrat, now owner and publisher of the 
paper and a sound Republican." 

During the first year of Mr. White's pro- 
pretorship he was assisted in the editorial work 
by the former owner, F. M. McCully. October 
ii, 1879, the Chronicle was made an eight-col- 
umn folio with the two inside pages patent, but 
on February 7th of the following year in- 
creased patronage made it necessary to make 
the paper again all home print, and it still re- 
mained an eight-column paper. 

Mr. White presided oVer the destinies of the 
Chronicle until February 10, 1883, when he 
sold it to E. T. Wilson and F. M. McCully, late 
proprietors of the Pomeroy Republican. The 
consideration was $5,000, and the new proprie- 
tors took charge February 26th. Mr. McCully 
did not long remain with the journal, selling 
to his partner on May 15, 1883. ft was during 
Messrs. Wilson and McCully's reign that Day- 
ton was first blessed with a daily newspaper. 
The Daily Chronicle, a five-column folio, even- 
ing paper, made its appearance April 7, 1883. 
It started out with good advertising patronage 
and sold for $9 a year. Time demonstrated 
that Dayton was not yet prepared for this met- 
ropolitan enterprise, and September 30, 1884, 
after an eighteen months' trial the Columbia 
Daily Chronicle appeared with turned column 
rules, and that was its last issue. No lengthy 
obituary notice appeared. Across the top of 
the title page appeared the words : 

"Dead — Not gone before, but gone be- 
hind." 

That told the whole story. Years after- 
ward E. .T. Wilson told why he bad started the 
daily and why he had discontinued it, as 
follows : 

"There came a time during my incumbency 
of the editorial tripod when it appeared that 
what Dayton most needed was a daily of its 
own. The matter had received some consid- 



eration and great encouragement was offered 
by the business men of the little city. We had 
not yet fully decided upon a line of action when 
we learned by the 'underground' that our 
competitor, the Democratic State Journal, was, 
also, contemplating such a move, and that the 
editor of that sheet was then in Portland with 
a view to purchasing a plant. We had suffi- 
cient material in the office for the emergency 
and as the Chronicle had never been 'scooped' 
we could not submit to anything which would 
make of it a second fiddle in its limited field, so 
a hurried canvass of the town was made one 
Saturday in April, 1884, and on Monday morn- 
ing following the Daily Chronicle, in all its 
maiden modesty and folio of five columns, 
burst upon the reading public. It was well re- 
ceived and was the recipient of many compli- 
mentary notices from the press. It was ap- 
parently prosperous, but only the aching head 
of the business manager, whose duty it was to 
meet all bills promptly, realized in all that it 
implied that the enthusiastic support (?) of the 
business public meant that we could divide their 
former patronage between the weekly and 
daily; not one cent additional coming into our 
exchequer for the outlay of time, money and 
labor necessary to give Dayton a daily paper. It 
was discouraging, but the Chronicle boys were 
gritty and hung on for 18 months, when the 
weakling succumbed to the inevitable and was 
quietly laid to rest among the daisies. The 
epitaph told the tale tersely: 'Not dead, but 
Sleepeth ; Not Gone before but Gone Behind.' 
Much criticism was offered because the daily 
was not continued, but it came principally from 
those business men who were reaping the bene- 
fit of its existence, but resolutely refused to 
extend a helping hand in the hour of need." 

May 2, 1885, Mr. F. W. Agatz, who had 
been business manager of the Chronicle for six- 
teen months previous, purchased a half interest 
of Mr. Wilson, and publication was continued 
under the firm name of Wilson & Agatz. They 
continued to publish the paper until September 



8l2 



PRESS CHAPTER. 



4, 1886, when they sold out to O. C. White 
and J. K. Rainwater, the consideration this 
time being $6,000. The latter took possession 
October 1st. During the time Mr. Wilson had 
charge of the Chronicle a first-class paper was 
published. Mr. Wilson was a man who con- 
sidered it the duty of a newspaper to be neutral 
in nothing. He took a decided stand on every 
question that came up from matters affecting 
the welfare of the nation to a dog fight between 
neighbor's canines. His likes and dislikes 
were strong and those who had the misfortune 
to secure his enmity were unmercifully grilled 
in the columns of the Chronicle. He made 
enemies, but he also made many warm friends, 
and the Chronicle did not deteriorate under his 
management. After disposing of the Dayton 
paper Mr. Wilson moved to Ellensburg, where 
he lived for a number of years. He became 
prominent in politics and by unanimous con- 
sent became the acknowledged leader of the Re- 
publican party in Washington. In 1892 he was 
prominently mentioned as a candidate for gov- 
ernor and could have secured the prize but for 
some unknown reason refused the honor. 

Under White & Rainwater's proprietorship 
the Chronicle suffered its first loss by fire. In 
the big conflagration of June, 1887, the plant 
was entirely destroyed. A new outfit was se- 
cured immediately and publication was not in- 
terrupted. In size the paper was reduced after 
the fire to a seven-column folio. Mr. White 
purchased his partner's interest on October 1, 
1888, and became sole proprietor. 

In March, 1890, Mr. White sold a half in- 
terest in the Chronicle to R. E. Peabody. who 
took charge of the paper April 1st. Mr. White 
was at this time, and had been for some time 
living in Olympia, where he held a political po- 
sition. Mr. Peabody, who has since presided 
over the destinies of the Chronicle, has been 
connected with the paper in one capacity or an- 
other almost continuously since it was founded. 
He assisted in getting out the first issue April 
20, 1878, and with the exception of about two 



years has made the.Chronicle his home ever 
since. In the fire of August 1 1, 1890, the 
Chronicle plant was again destroyed. The loss 
was about $4,000, covered by $2,200 insurance. 
Again a new plant was secured and publication 
was continued without missing an issue. Au- 
gust 30, 1890, the form of the publication was 
changed to a five-column quarto, all home print. 
October 25th of the same year Mr. White sold 
his interest in the paper and thereafter it was 
published by R. E. Peabody & Company. The 
form was again changed May 14, 1892, at 
which time it became an eight-column folio. 
For a few weeks, beginning Monday, Decem- 
ber, 5, 1892, there was issued in connection 
with the weekly paper a little 6x9 daily evening 
paper known as the Nonparicl. As a result of 
the "hard times" on December 2, 1893, the 
Chronicle was reduced in size to a seven-col- 
umn folio, which form it retained for many 
years. March 13, 1897, two pages of patent 
matter were used, the second time in its his- 
tory. This feature was discarded July 8, 1898, 
when it again became all home print. 

A daily paper was issued again from the 
Chronicle office during the campaign of 1898, 
the first issue appearing July 2d. It was known 
as the Daily Chronicle and was issued as an 
evening paper. May 5, 1900, the five-column 
quarto size was again adopted, which form was 
retained until April 26, 1902, when it was made 
an eight-column folio, all printed at home. 
This was changed to a seven-column quarto, 
with four pages of patent matter on October 
4th of the same year, and that is its form at the 
present writing. Mr. Peabody leased the 
Chronicle February 23, 1901, to Jesse Matzger 
and James D. Burns, both of whom had been 
employed on the paper for some time. Mr. 
Burns died September 29, 1901, and from then 
until March 1, 1902, the paper was published 
by Peabody & Matzger. On the latter date the 
lease expired and Mr. Peabody again assumed 
full control. The Chronicle owns its own 
home, a fine one-story brick- building with 



PRESS CHAPTER. 



8i3 



basement for a press-room, and has an up-to- 
date plant in every particular. As it has, ever 
since its founding, the Chronicle wields an in- 
fluence for good in Dayton, and ranks among 
the leading papers of the state. 

Probably but few people will remember 
the Dayton Reporter, which lived a very brief 
life in the spring of 1881. It made its bow 
early in May and its exit late in the same 
month. It was a little four-column paper and 
was edited by E. S. Gay. The press work was 
done in the office of the Dayton News. Mr. 
Gay decided to have a plant of his own, and 
suspended publication until it arrived. The 
plant came, but before the Reporter could be 
revived the fire of August 6th destroyed his 
press, and the attempt to add another paper to 
Dayton was abandoned. The rest of the plant 
was taken to Pomeroy and used in the publica- 
tion of the Republican. 

One of the popular publications of the early 
days in Dayton was the Democratic State Jour- 
nal, or as it was known in later years, the In- 
lander, which for over eleven years greeted its 
readers each week. In the early 8o's Columbia 
county was normally Democratic, and when 
the Dayton News was burned out in April, 
1882, it left the Democratic party without an 
organ. Of course this condition of affairs 
could not last long and Friday, August 4th, of 
that year, the Democratic State Journal made 
its appearance. Tryman O. Abbott, probably 
the youngest publisher on the coast at that time, 
was the editor and proprietor. His youthful- 
ness did not prevent him from printing a good 
paper, however, and the Journal at once became 
popular. It was started as a seven-column 
folio, but in less than a year it became an eight- 
column paper. In August, 1884, J. E. Edmis- 
ton, who had formerly been connected with the 
Dayton Nezus, assumed editorial charge, but 
he remained with the paper only a short time. 
November 8, 1884, the Democratic State Jour- 
nal was purchased by W. O. and G. N. Matz- 
ger, and in the next issue a complete change 



was made. The name was changed to The 
Inlander and its politics became Republican. 
Typographically there was a pronounced im- 
provement in the paper. 

Matzger Brothers published The Inlander 
until August 1, 1886, when it was purchased 
by Mr. A. B. Thompson for a consideration of 
$1,500. With this change the paper again be- 
came Democratic. Within a brief period Mr. 
W. E. Ayers purchased an interest and the pub- 
lishers became Ayers & Thompson, but on Feb- 
ruary 5, 1887, Mr - Thompson purchased his 
partner's interest and became sole publisher. In 
March, 1888, Mr. Thompson having accepted 
a clerkship at the Territorial penitentiary, 
turned the editorial management of The In- 
lander over to Henry Gaddis, then a newspaper 
man recently arrived from Kansas, but who 
later became well and favorably known through 
long association with the different newspapers 
of Dayton. Mr. Thompson continued to pub- 
lish The Inlander until in September, 1892, 
when it was purchased by Mr. G. S. Livengood. 
With this change The Inlander began to advo- 
cate the doctrines of the People's Party. The 
"hard times" of 1893 proved too much for The 
Inlander. In the fall of the year attempts were 
made to sell the paper and get it on a sound 
basis once more, but to no avail. In Decem- 
ber, 1893, the plant was purchased by the Day- 
ton Courier and the The Inlander was no more. 
Hard times, added to the fact that three papers 
were more than Dayton could support at that 
time, were the causes of its suspension. 

Through the efforts and influence of a num- 
ber of teachers in. southeastern Washington, an 
educational paper was published at Dayton for 
a time in the early days of the town's history. 
This was the School Journal, a monthly, eight- 
page paper devoted exclusively to the school 
interests of Washington Territory, and was 
issued first in April, 1884. R was well filled 
with reading matter, consisting of selected arti- 
cles, letters from prominent educators, short 
editorials, some local matter and original arti- 






8i4 



PRESS CHAPTER. 



cles by the editor. The Journal was published 
by the Journal Publishing- Company, and F. 
M. McCully, who was a prominent teacher and 
who had had some newspaper experience, was 
the editor. The paper was published for sev- 
eral months, but not receiving the support it 
merited, it suspended publication. The me- 
chanical work was done in the office of the Co- 
lumbia Chronicle. 

In the spring of 1890 the Baptist Sentinel, 
a weekly religious paper, which had before been 
published at Tacoma, was moved to Dayton, 
through the efforts of members of the Baptist 
church and others. Rev. G. B. Douglas, who 
had edited the paper at Tacoma, retained his 
position when it started in its new location. 
March 26, 1891, The Baptist Sentinel Publish- 
ing Company was incorporated with a capital 
stock of $5,000, and the Sentinel started out 
on its second year on a more substantial foot- 
ing. The following named gentlemen took 
stock in the company: J. H. Martin, P. M. 
Martin, A. H. Boothe, W. T. Stott, R. M. Hes- 
ter, W. E. Ayers, J. O. Maxwell, C. A. Mc- 
Ilroy and G. B. Douglas. The last named was 
retained as editor and manager under the new 
company. He remained with the paper until 
the summer of 1892 when he resigned. The 
publication was continued after this for some 
time under different managements. Mr. Moore 
being editor for a time and later Mr. Arthur 
Royce. It suspended publication and the plant 
was moved to The Dalles. The Sentinel was 
devoted principally to religious matters, but 
treated more or less of local affairs, and is en- 
titled to a place in the history of Columbia 
county. 

The Democracy of Columbia county is ably 
represented by the Dayton Courier-Press, pub- 
lished by Al Ricardo. The Courier-Press re- 
sulted from a combination of the Democratic 
Courier and the People's Press, January 1, 
1898. 

The Dayton Courier was the older of these 
two papers, having been established May 21, 



1 89 1, by O. E. Carter and Thornton Heskett. 
It was a seven-column folio, all home print, and 
it has been all home print ever since. It was 
Democratic at its inception — it has remained 
Democratic ever since. Messrs. Carter and 
Heskett published a good paper, but they la- 
bored under difficulties, and December io, 
1 89 1, they sold the plant to W. H. Van Lew. 
The new proprietor installed Henry Gaddis as 
editor, which position he held until his death, 
January 8, 1893. Mr. Gaddis had been con- 
nected with the other Dayton newspaper offices 
for a number of years, and soon put the Courier 
on a firm basis, it having been enlarged to an 
eight-column folio May 19, 1892. The plant 
was enlarged December 7, 1893, by the pur- 
chase of The Inlander plant, the latter paper 
on that date suspending publication. As a re- 
sult of "hard times" the Courier was at this 
period reduced in size to six columns, but in 
the following spring was made a seven-column 
paper. During the years 1895 an d 1896- Mr. 
H. L. Bowmer was editor of the Courier and 
acted as business manager for Mr. Van Lew. 
The latter continued as proprietor and pub- 
lisher until the consolidation with the Press on 
January 1, 1898. 

The People's Party movement became a 
power in Columbia county politics, as it did 
in all parts of the west during the middle 90's, 
and in the latter part of April, 1895, the first 
and only organ in the county of that party was 
established, with the excepion of The Inlander 
for a short time under Mr. Livengood. This 
was the People's Press. The plant used was 
the one upon which E. R. Burk had printed his 
Tri-Weekly. George Wright was the editor 
of the Press and guided its destinies until the 
consolidation with the Courier. This amalga- 
mation was accomplished January 1, 1898, and 
thereafter both parties of the free silver forces 
were represented in the Dayton Courier-Press. 
The new owners were the Courier-Press Pub- 
lishing Company, composed of leading Demo- 
crats and Populists, chief among whom were 



PRESS CHAPTER. 



8i5 



W. H. Van Lew and C. H. Goddard, the latter 
having editorial charge. The paper was made 
a six-column quarto, all printed at home, and 
there has been no change in form since. 

One of the fruits of the consolidation was 
the establishment of a daily. This was known 
at first as the Daily Record, and the first issue 
appeared December 20, 1897. The publishers 
were the Courier Publishing Company, and the 
paper was a six-column folio, all home print. 
It was the intention to publish the daily as an 
independent paper and the weekly as an organ 
of the fusion forces. This proved to be too 
much of an undertaking, as should have been 
known at the outset, and on January 10, 1898, 
the official change was made. The Daily Rec- 
ord became the Daily Courier-Press and its 
political utterances were in line with those of 
the fusion party. When this change was made 
the publishers became the Courier-Press Pub- 
lishing Company, and no pretense was made of 
being distinct from the weekly publication. De- 
cember 31, 1898, after a little over a year's 
existence the Daily Courier-Press appeared for 
the last time. A newspaper man will, probably, 
have guessed the reason — it didn't pay. 

In July, 1898, the Van Lew interests in the 
Courier-Press were purchased by C. H. God- 
dard, who then became sole proprietor. 
Two months later, however, the pub- 
lishers became C. H. Goddard & Com- 
pany. In January, 1899, the Cou- 
rier-Press was incorporated as a stock com- 
pany, the capital being $5,000. The corpora- 
tion was known as the C. H. Goddard Publish- 
ing Company, and those taking stock were C. 
H. Goddard, M. M. Godman, George B. Baker 
and J. C. Marckley. December 26, 1899, the 
Courier-Press suffered a loss of over $1,000 by 
fire, but this was fully covered by insurance. 
December 10, 1900, the plant was purchased 
by Al Ricardo, of Walla Walla, and E. B. Cox, 
of Dayton, and was published under their man- 
agement until May, 1901, when Mr. Ricardo 
became sole owner and publisher. 



Burk's Tri-W eekly was the name of a pub- 
lication started in Dayton in September, 1894, 
by E. R. Burk. Backed by one wing of the 
Republican party, which party was not a unit 
in the campaign of 1894, Mr. Burk purchased a 
plant and launched his tri-weekly publication. 
For a time it appeared that success would 
crown the efforts of the management, but in 
common with so many papers in the country 
at that time it succumbed to the inevitable. The 
last issue appeared Saturday, February 9, 1895. 
Following its suspension the plant passed into 
the possession of Thomas May and H. H. 
Wolf and later into the possession of the Peo- 
ple's Uarty and was utilized in the publication 
of the People's Press, which appeared in 
April. 

The first paper to be established in Colum- 
bia county, outside of Dayton, was the Starbuck 
Signal, which made its appearance early in 
July, 1896. It was established, and for a 
time was edited by Mills & Esry, but shortly 
afterward passed into the hands of J. J. Stod- 
dard. It was Republican in politics, but its 
energies were devoted principally to the inter- 
ests of Starbuck. For a time it suspended pub- 
lication, but in the fall of 1900 it was revived 
by Mr. Stoddard and was published until Sep- 
tember, 1903, when it was discontinued and 
the plant removed. 

Humanity was the name of a paper estab- 
lished at Starbuck by Mr. S. S. Martin in May, 
1899. Mr. Martin had long entertained ideas 
in regard to humanity which do not occur to 
everyone, and it was for the purpose of getting 
his thoughts before the public that he entered 
the newspaper field. This publication was 
printed in the office of the Starbuck Signal. It 
survived one month. 

The Consitution was a Democratic publica- 
tion established in May, 1900. It was edited 
by Fred R. Marvin, and was printed in the 
office of the Courier-Press. The Constitution 
did not follow the flag, and was hauled down 
after a few issues. 



8i6 



PRESS CHAPTER. 



The latest candidate for honors in the 
newspaper field of the county seat town is the 
Columbia County Dispatch. Although young 
in years it is old in experience, and the changes 
in management have been many and frequent. 
It was started as a semi-weekly in February, 
1903, by J. S. Williams. It was a six-column 
folio and was all printed in the home office. 
In April of the same year the Dispatch was 
purchased by A. H. Harris, who installed Roy 
McClary as manager. September 5th Mr. Mc- 
Clary was succeeded by C. F. Lake, and the 
paper was enlarged to a quarto, the extra pages 
being patent matter. The first of the year 
1904 found Mr. Lake and R. V. Hutchins as 
managers. March 16th Mr. Hutchins became 
sole manager. May 13th the semi-weekly was 
discontinued and the Dispatch became a weekly. 
June 3rd R. A. Watrous secured an interst in 
the paper and the publishers became Hutchins 
& Watrous. July 8th Mr. Hutchins withdrew 
and at the head of the editorial column ap- 
peared the name, "Dispatch Publishing Com- 
pany," as publishers. In September the Dis- 
patch was purchased by H. C. Benbow. 

Starbuck was not long without a newspaper 
after the suspension of the Signal. The Star 
of Starbuck was established about February 1, 
1904, by Charles H. O'Neil, who also published 
the paper in Prescott, in Walla Walla county. 
The Star is a six-column folio and two of its 
pages are patent. The mechanical work for 
the paper is done in Mr. O' Neil's office at 
Prescott. 

GARFIELD COUNTY. 

Garfield county at the present writing (Oc- 
tober, 1905,) supports two newspapers, the 
Garfield County Democrat, Democratic, and 
the East Washingtonian, Republican, both 
being published at Pomeroy. The launching 
of newspapers in Garfield county in its history 
of a quarter of a century has not been so pro- 
miscuous as in some of its neighboring coun- 



ties, but those that have been put out and strug- 
gled and have weathered the storms — or died — 
have histories that prove interesting. 

The first paper to be issued within the pres- 
ent boundaries of Garfield county was the 
Washington Independent, which made its first 
appearance at the little village of Pomeroy on 
August 12, 1880. Rev. F. W. D. Mays was 
the founder and for nearly twenty-four years 
was the editor and proprietor. Mr. Mays, of 
Irish and German descent, was a native of 
Pittsylvania county, Virginia. He attended 
the common schools and later became a student 
of a school at Stony Point, Virginia, where he 
received a military education. During the 
early part of the War of the Rebellion he joined 
a boy company for home protection, and was 
made first lieutenant. During the last two 
years of the struggle he was in the Confederate 
army, serving under Generals Early and Breck- 
enridge, and was captured by General Sheridan 
at Fisher's Hill or Bell Grove. After the war 
Mr. Mays devoted his time to religious study, 
and in December, 1870, he was licensed to 
preach in Giles county, Virginia, and joined 
the Holston conference of the Methodist Epis- 
copal church, South, in 1871, at Morristown, 
Tennessee. He preached a year in Wythe 
county, Virginia, and then in Tennessee. In 
August, 1873, he accompanied Bishop Doggett 
to Oregon and joined the Columbia conference. 
He was appointed to Lafayette and Tillamook 
circuit and then to Eugene City. In 1875 he 
was sent to Walla Walla, which place he made 
his headquarters for two years, preaching in 
the country. 

In 1877 he was sent to Boise City, but re- 
turned to Walla Walla the following year. He 
went to Dayton in 1879, where he was engaged 
in ministerial work until the following year, 
when he established the Independent at Pome- 
roy. On the twentieth anniversary of the 
founding of his paper Mr. Mays published the 
following reminiscence of that event: 

"Twenty years ago to-day this paper was 



PRESS CHAPTER. 



817 



born in the village, now city, of Pomeroy, in 
the California Restaurant building in the din- 
ing room of what is known as the Allen 
House at this time, and conducted as a hotel 
and residence. We remember what large 
crowds pressed around to see the first paper 
come off the press. In fact the jam was so 
great that we had to lock the door to keep out 
the crowds so we could work at all. This was 
one of the proudest days in the history of Pom- 
eroy, when the paper entered upon its career. 
The noble pioneers and enterprising men here 
at that time felt their success was assured. Be- 
fore that time the countyseat agitation had 
made it a little uncertain where the chief town 
in this part of the county would be. 

"We remember that we gave J. M. Pome- 
roy the first paper that came from the press that 
day. There was a big time in the old town that 
night. The old boys celebrated the occasion 
according to the custom of the times, and there 
was not one of them there who would harm a 
man, woman or child for any consideration." 
For nearly twenty-four years Mr. Mays 
published the Washington Independent. Dur- 
ing this time he was honored on several different 
occasions by election to office, among other posi- 
tions he held being representative in the Wash- 
ington legislative body and mayor of Pomeroy. 
He also held for a number of years the office 
of vice-president of the National Reform Press 
Association. 

The Independent was a Democratic paper 
until the rise of the People's Party. Then it 
became an ardent supporter of that cause. Dur- 
ing the greater part of its life it was a seven- 
column folio, with two of its pages patent mat- 
ter. In the big fire of July 18, 1900, the plant 
was destroyed, entailing a loss of $3,500, with 
no insurance. Publication was not resumed 
until in March of the following year, when Mr. 
Mays purchased a new plant and again began 
publishing the Independent, this time as a five- 
column quarto with four pages of patent mat- 
ter. He continued to publish the paper until 

52 



the spring of 1904, when it was discontinued. 

Garfield county's second newspaper was the 
Pataha City Spirit. With the springing up of 
the rival towns, Pomeroy and Pataha City, 
only three miles apart, the people of both towns 
considered a newspaper an absolute necessity 
to further their interests. Pomeroy was the 
first to secure a paper, the Independent. So 
early as June, 1880, the people of Pataha City 
began agitating the establishment of a journal 
in their town and succeeded in raising $1,000 
toward that end. It was not until June 25, 
1 88 1, that the Pataha City Spirit made is ap- 
pearance, however. It was a six-column folio 
all printed at home. G. C. W. Hammond was 
the editor and he continued to publish it until 
February 4, 1882. The Spirit was a Republi- 
can paper with independent proclivities, but its 
principal aim was to make Pataha City the lead- 
ing town of eastern Columbia county, and, in- 
cidentally, secure for it the countyseat of the 
prospective new county. 

February 4, 1882, Mr. Hammond sold the 
paper to Dr. J. S. Denison and Charles Wil- 
kins. The two latter continued publication 
until October, 1883, when the plant was sold 
and moved to Asotin City, where it was con- 
tinued in the interest of a division of Garfield 
county. In a large measure the creation of 
Asotin county was due to the Spirit in its new 
location. After the removal to Asotin City the 
paper was known as the Asotin Spirit, but in 
October, 1884, it became the Asotin Sentinel. 
Its later history will be found in the press news 
of Asotin county. 

After the creation of Garfield county by the 
act of the legislative assembly in November, 
1 88 1, there were exciting times in the young 
county. On January 9th following the location 
of the county seat was to be decided and a com- 
plete set of county officials was to be elected. 
These facts led to the hasty establishment of 
Pomeroy's second newspaper and the county's 
third. Saturday, December 10, 1881, the first 
number of the Pomeroy Republican was taken 



8"i8 



PRESS CHAPTER. 



from the press. It was a little four-column 
folio, but it was well filled with matter relat- 
ing to the subjects which were uppermost in 
the minds of the people. The proprietors, T. 
C. Frary and E. T. Wilson, did not have time 
to secure a plant and the paper was printed 
from the office of the Washington Independent. 
It advocated the cause of Pomeroy in the coun- 
tyseat contest and the election of the Republi- 
can ticket. After the election publication was 
suspended unil a plant could be procured. 

About this time Deacon Gray was labor- 
ing under the delusion that Dayton needed an- 
other paper and he had purchased a printing 
press from which to launch the Dayton Re- 
porter. Mr. Wilson purchased this and some 
other material, brought it to Pomeroy and on 
March 4, 1882, the Republican made its second 
appearance, and this number was reckoned the 
start of volume one. Mr. Wilson was the sole 
proprietor at the time of its second advent, and 
he issued a very creditable publication. He was 
an ardent Republican, and the paper which was 
started under his proprietorship (now the East 
Washingtonian has ever since supported the 
principles of that party. Late in May Mr. 
Wilson sold a half interest in the Republican 
to F. M. McCully. who had previously edited 
the Columbia Chronicle, at Dayton, and who 
had, also, been prominent in educational work 
in the shire town of Columbia county. On July 
19th, though only a few months old, the paper 
was enlarged from a six, to a seven-column 
folio. Messrs. Wilson and McCully continued 
to publish the paper, the former having charge 
of the local, and the latter the editorial, col- 
umns, until the latter part of January, 1883, 
when the plant was purchased by Harry St. 
George. 

July 2 1 st, of the same year, Dr. L. C. Cox 
became the proprietor, but the following month 
sold to J. B. Lister. The paper did not flourish 
financially during these many and frequent 
changes. The country was suffering from a 
financial depression and the Republican did not 



escape the general result of the "hard times." 
On March 22, 1884, the Pomeroy Publishing 
Company appeared at the head of the editorial 
column as publisher. Mr. Lister still conducted 
the paper. 

The next change occurred on July 26, 
1884, when the Republican not only changed 
proprietors, but its name as well. On the above 
date it appeared as the East Washingtonian, 
and its publishers were W. L. Lister, F. H. 
Washburn and E. H. King under the firm name 
of Lister, Washburn & King. Some improve- 
ments were made in the paper at this time. Au- 
gust 23d Mr. Washburn withdrew from the 
firm and on October 25th Mr. King withdrew 
leaving W. L. Lister sole proprietor. Under 
the latter's management the East Washingto- 
nian was a first-class publication and became 
one of the leading papers of the Territory. Mr. 
Lister was publisher for five years, selling to 
E. M. Pomeroy September 7, 1889. 

Mr. Pomeroy conducted the paper for sev- 
eral years, and sold the plant in 1893 to Peter 
McClung, who has since that time been editor 
and proprietor. September 29, 1900, the paper 
was enlarged to a six-column quarto, with four 
pages of patent matter, and on February 14, 
1903, was again enlarged, being made a seven- 
column quarto. The East Washingtonian has 
taken rank among the leading papers of 
southeastern Washington, and under Mr. Mc- 
Clung's management has become a power in 
the affairs of Garfield county. While the paper 
is Republican in politics, it has independent 
leanings which make it extremely popular with 
its many readers and adds to its power in the 
councils of its party. 

The local option law, which became an 
issue in every county in Washington Territory 
in the spring of 1886, was the raison d' etre for 
the establishment of Pomeroy's third newspa- 
per. But the East Washingtonian and the 
Washington Independent were strongly in 
favor of the local option law and prohibition. 
It was to advocate the other side of the ques- 



PRESS CHAPTER. 



819 



tion that in May, 1886, Hon. Alf. D. Bowen, 
a member of the legislature from Pacific coun- 
ty, came to Pomeroy and launched the Pomeroy 
Times. He brought with him a plant and pub- 
lished a neat and very interesting paper. Mr. 
Bowen did not remain in Garfield county long 
after the election, and in July the paper was 
purchased by Henry Bowmer, who had been 
foreman under Mr. Bowen. Some improve- 
ment was made with this change, one being an 
enlargement to an eight-column paper. In De- 
cember of the same year A. J. Thomsen pur- 
chased a half interest in the Times and it be- 
came a Democratic paper. After a very short 
time Mr. Thomsen purchased his partner's in- 
terest. Three papers were too many for Pome- 
roy, and in July, 1887, after a life of a little 
over a year, the plant passed into the hands of 
J. V. Hamilton and was taken to Garfield, in 
Whitman county, to be used in the publication 
of a paper in that town. 

The second and last paper to be started in 
Pataha City was the Pataha Farmer, which 
came into existence in June, 1892. The paper 
started out with bright prospects of success. A 
correspondent to the East Washingtonian of 
May 21, 1892, said of the prospective paper: 
"Pataha City is to have a newspaper. Mr. 
Troyer has been working the matter up for 
some time. Today, Saturday, May, 14, Colonel 
J. B. Edwards, of Moscow, Idaho, arrived and 
has been looking over the pros and cons and 
says that he is much pleased. The press will 
come from Oakesdale. As the matter now 
looks it will be the state paper for the Farmers' 
Alliance, and in the interest of the third, or 
People's Party, movement. They have a sub- 
scription list (Mr. Troyer says) of 1,500 north 
of Snake river and can make it up to 2.500 on 
this side. Our new paper will be called the Pa- 
taha People and will make its first bow to the 
public Saturday morning. May 28, 1892. Mr. 
Troyer, who engineered this matter, has proven 
himself to be the right man in the right place ; 
has shown marked ability as an organizer and 



a leader, and in securing the services of Col- 
onel Edwards has placed the enterprise above 
suspicion or doubt as to the ability and honesty 
of the paper's management." 

The much talked of paper came out in June 
as the Pataha Farmer, an advocate of the Peo- 
ple's Party principles, with Edwards & Loop 
as proprietors. Mr. Edwards soon after be- 
came sole manager. In the campaign of 1892 
the Farmer supported Weaver and Fields for 
president and vice president but immedia- 
ately after the election Colonel Edwards an- 
nounced that the paper would thereafter be a 
Democratic organ. In accordance with the 
new principles the name was changed to Pataha 
Democrat. 

The paper was not destined to become a 
permanent instituion of Garfield county. In 
May, 1893, M r - Edwards, who had conducted 
the paper nearly a year and who had labored 
hard for the advancement of Pataha City, re- 
tired. Herman E. Loop then took hold and 
attempted to continue the publication, but the 
undertaking proved too much and the paper 
soon after suspended. The plant was pur- 
chased by the East Washingtonian of Pomeroy. 
When the publication of the Washington 
Independent was discontinued by Mr. Mays in 
the spring of 1904, the plant was purchased by 
H. C. Benbow, who, on April 28, began the 
publication of the Garfield county Nczvs, a five- 
column quarto with four pages patent. The 
A r ezcs was Democratic in politics. January 1, 
1905, the Nezvs was purchased by A. E. Ben- 
jamin, who shortly afterward changed the name 
to the Garfield County Democrat. 

ASOTIN COUNTY. 

Asotin, being one of the smaller counties 
of the state, in population as well as in size, 
has not an extensive press history. At pres- 
ent only two papers are being published within 
its borders, the Asotin County Sentinel and 
the Clarkston Republic, and in the county's en- 



820 



PRESS CHAPTER. 



tire history, only five newspapers have been es- 
tablished. 

The pioneer paper of the county is the Aso- 
tin County Sentinel, published at Asotin. For 
just fifteen years the Sentinel was the only 
paper that was issued within the county, and 
during the greater part of that time there was 
not sufficient patronage to properly support the 
one paper. In the spring of 1882 the question 
of starting a paper in Asotin City, or the newly 
platted town of Asotin was first considered. 
Charles Hammond, who had previously pub- 
lished the Pataha City Spirit, but who was at 
that time looking for a location, came to the 
Asotin country. He looked the field over but 
considered that the country was yet in too raw 
a condition to warrant the launching of a 
journal. 

But in the fall of the following year a paper 
became a necessity to the people of the eastern 
part of Garfield county. They wanted to di- 
vide Garfield county and form a new political 
division from the eastern part. Pataha City, 
formerly the rival of Pomeroy, was then on the 
wane. Dr. J. S. Denison was publishing the 
Pataha Spirit there, but saw that the ambitions 
of that town were decayed, so it was no great 
efforts to induce him to dispose of his plant. 
In September it was purchased by D. B. Petti- 
john and J. H. Ginder and moved to Asotin. 
Here, on October 12, 1883, the first paper pub- 
lished in the county of Asotin-to-be was 
taken from the press. Its name was the 
Asotin Spirit and the publishers were J. 
H. Ginder & Company. It was a seven- 
column folio, carrying two pages of pat- 
ent matter. The Spirit was patronized by 
every business house in the new location, which, 
however, did not result in the Spirit carrying 
more than three or four local advertisements. 
December 21st of the same year the name of the 
paper was changed from Assotin Spirit to Aso- 
tin Spirit. When the county was formed, just 
previous to this, the name of the county was 



spelled with the single s, and the change in the 
name of the paper was made to correspond. 

Mr. Ginder did not long remain with the 
journal. He published his valedictory June 18,. 
1884, and Mr. Petti John became sole proprietor. 
Some little improvement was noticed with the 
change. In politics Mr. Petti John made the 
Spirit independent. The local option law was 
an issue in the Territory during Mr. Petti John's 
control of the paper and he made it a strong 
temperance organ — made it so strong, in fact, 
that the publication of the news was neglected 
The next change was made September 12 

1884, when Mr. Pettijohn, who had come into 
possession of the Spirit more from accident 
than choice, sold to T. M. E. Schank, the 
pioneer settler of Asotin. Dr. H. C. Fulton 
was installed as editor and the paper was 
published under the firm name of the 
Sentinel Publishing Company, and October 3rd 
the name of the paper was changed to the Sen- 
tinel. Under Mr. Schanks' ownership the 
paper became Republican in politics, but took 
no very active part in this field. It became a 
strenuous champion of Asotin in the county- 
seat contest, which disturbed tthe voters of the 
new county during the campaign of 1884. The 
temperance and woman suffrage questions,, 
which had been paramount with Mr. Pettijohn, 
were made seconadry matters with his succes-- 
cor. 

Dr. Fulton did not long preside over the- 
destinies of the Sentinel. December 1, 1884, 
E. H. King, who divided his time between the- 
practice of law and the editing of newspapers, 
having formerly been connected with the East 
Washingtonian at Pomeroy, assumed editorial 
charge. He remained with the paper until June, 

1885, when his law practice claimed all his at- 
tention and he retired from the paper. Mr. 
King's successor as editor-in-chief was Al Stif- 
fel, who coundcted it for Mr. Schank until the- 
later's demise, October 3, 1885. Al Stiffel and 
Charles M. Poor purchased the plant after the: 



PRESS CHAPTER. 



821 



death of Mr. Schank, assuming control Novem- 
ber 23, 1885. A great improvement was no- 
ticed at once. January 2.2, 1886, the paper was 
made a six-column folio and all but four of the 
pages were printed at home. Although the new 
management had been in charge but a short time 
the subscription list had been greatly increased 
and the plant put on a paying basis, a condi- 
tion which had not been experienced previously. 
In a burst of confidence at this time the Sentinel 
announced that there were only forty-one per- 
sons in the county whose names did not appear 
on its subscription list, and that in the spring an 
effort would be made to secure those. The cen- 
sus of the county that year shows that the Sen- 
tinel had a majority of the inhabitants on its 
list. Mr. Siffel sold his interest to his partner 
"May 14, 1886, and for the next two years Mr. 
Poor conducted the Sentinel. Under the man- 
agement of Stiffel & Poor and later under Mr. 
Poor the Sentinel maintained a neutral position 
in politics. The journal did not retain the po- 
sition it had gained under Mr. Stiffel's super- 
vision and was anything but a first-class paper, 
from 1886 to 1888. 

I. S. Waldrip came into possession July 6, 
1 888, and following the example of most of his 
predecessors, he caused the Sentinel to maintain 
a neutral attitude politically. August 2, 1889, 
the journal became a seven-column folio. This 
was an increase in size, but two of the pages 
were now patent matter and in reality it was a 
reduction. This was made necessary by a local 
financial depression, caused by almost total crop 
failure. In the latter part of the year Mr. 
Waldrip announced that the Sentinel would no 
longer remain neutral on political questions but 
would hereafter discuss fully all political mat- 
ters from an entirely independent point of view. 
The paper was unable to place itself in any ex- 
isting party or to identify itself with any ex- 
isting policy. As expressed by Mr. Waldrip he 
was a sort of a long-haired Republican, but there 
was no party which was entirely in accord with 
him. Despite the bold assertion that politics 



was to be a feature of the Sentinel thereafter, 
that paper did not take a very active part polit- 
ically. Mr. Waldrip formed a partnership with 
his son, Elmer, January 31. 1890, and there- 
after the publishers became I. S. Waldrip & 
Son. During the ownership of Mr. Waldrip 
and later Waldrip & Son the Sentinel was a 
fair paper and, undoubtedly as good as the pa- 
tronage would warrant. It was not an easy mat- 
ter to maintain a paper at Asotin during those 
early years. To appreciate the extent of the 
source of a paper's revenue it must be remem- 
bered that at this time Asotin had a population 
of only about 200, while in the county were only 
about 1,500 people. 

September 25, 1891, Al Stiffel again pur- 
chased the Sentinel and for nearly eight years 
was the publisher. A reduction to a six-column 
folio with two patent pages was made shortly 
after he secured control, and that was the form 
retained during his ownership. The Sentinel 
took no part in politics during these eight years. 
Mr. Stiffel made his country correspondence a 
feature, and during the several years of "hard 
times," which proved the downfall of so many 
publications, he kept his paper off the shoals 
and breakers largely through the interest thus 
maintained in the country districts. Elmer 
Waldrip, who had formerly been connected 
with the Sentinel and who had later served in 
the capacity of county auditor, and Kay L. 
Thompson, who was a practical newspaper man 
of Lewiston, secured the Sentinel from Mr. 
Stiffel on April 8, 1899. Some visible improve- 
ments were immediately made on the paper. It 
was enlarged to a six-column quarto and four 
of its pages were home print. The name was 
at this time changed from the Sentinel to the 
Asotin County Sentinel. In politics the paper 
became independent. Mr. Thompson pur- 
chased his partner's interest January 5, 1901, 
and has since conducted the paper alone. 

The Sentinel now ranks among the best 
publications in southeastern Washington and is 
a credit to the town and county of Asotin. It 



822 



PRESS CHAPTER. 



is always bright and newsy. It does not under- 
take to right the wrongs in national and state 
affairs, but devotes itself almost exclusively to 
presenting the city and county news. It has 
been in the past an important factor in the up- 
building of the county. It is now engaged in 
the same work and is the means by which the 
abundant resources of Asotin county are made 
known to the outside world. 

It was not until October, 1898, that the sec- 
ond publication was issued in Asotin county. 
This was the Vinelander and was issued from 
Vineland, or as the postoffice was at that time 
named Concord. Messrs. Leach, Henshaw & 
Lewis were the publishers at the start, Mr. Hen- 
shaw later withdrawing. Vineland was fast 
settling up at this time and the interests of the 
place demanded a publication. October 12, 

1899, Charles S. Florence secured an interest 
in the paper and changed the name to the Vine- 
land Journal. Mr. Florence published the 
Journal until after the election of 1900, when 
publication was suspended and the plant 
was taken to Xez Perce and used in the publi- 
cation of the Nez Perce Neivs. 

The Clarkston Chronicle was the name of 
the third paper that asked support from 
the citizens of Asotin county. The first issue 
appeared in January, 1900, and Messrs. W. H. 
Leach and C. S. Lewis, who had formerly pub- 
lished the J'inclandcr, were the founders of the 
new paper, the name appearing at the head of 
the editorial columns being the Vineland Pub- 
lishing Company. The Chronicle was a neat, 
four-column folio. Vineland was not able to 
support two papers at this time and in May, 

1900, the Chronicle suspended. The proprie- 
tors moved the plant to Juliaetta, Idaho, where 
they began the publication of a paper. 

January 5, 1 901, the next paper was estab- 
lished at Clarkston. It was the Clarkston Re- 
publican, a seven-column folio, and L. A. 
Woodward was the editor and proprietor. Be- 
fore the second issue was gotten out Mr. Wood- 



ward sold the publication to C. F. Lake and W. 
A. Austin. The second issue was a five-column 
quarto. The new proprietors announced that the 
paper would thereafter be independent in poli- 
tics and that the name of the publication would 
be changed. February 16, however, the publish- 
ing firm was again changed and Austin & Ar- 
nold became editors and proprietors. Another 
change took place April 6, when L. A. Wood- 
ward again became the owner of the Republican. 
The form of the paper was made a seven-col- 
umn folio, but January 4, 1902, it again was 
made a five-column quarto. It December of 
the same year it was enlarged to a six-column 
quarto, which is still the form of the paper, it 
now being printed all at home. In the closing 
days of 1902 new machinery was installed and 
several other improvements made in the office. 

May 14, 1904, Will EWillis purchased the 
plant and until he disposed of it in December of 
the same year, published one of the best country 
weeklies ever issued in Eastern Washington. 
December 2, 1904, C. Murdock, formerly of 
Worthington, Minnesota, purchased the plant, 
changed the name to the Clarkston Republic, 
and is now the publisher. The Republic is an 
excellent publication and this fact is appreci- 
ated by the citizens and business men of Clarks- 
ton. 

The latest newspaper venture in the county 
resulted in a failure. The River Press was the 
name of this paper, which was first issued on 
July 11, 1903. It was published in magazine 
form, the first issue consisting of twenty-two 
pages, and Frank Barnes was the editor and 
owner. The next month it was purchased by 
B. T. Warren, who published it until Novem- 
ber, 1904, when O. U. Hawkins, formerly 
editor of the Springdale Republican, pur- 
chased the plant. He remained only until the 
first of the year, when Mr. Warren again took 
possession. The River Press was suspended 
in April, 1904, the greater portion of the plant 
being purchased by the Republican proprietors. 



PRESS CHAPTER. 



823 



WALLA WALLA COUNTY. 

Essentially like that of other frontier Amer- 
ican communities is the journalistic history of 
Walla Walla county. The need of a news- 
paper was realized when the first settlers had 
barely secured the necessities for subsistence. 
Several years previous to the beginning of per- 
manent settlement of a printing press was not an 
unknown thing. It is reliably stated as a histo- 
rical fact that the first printing press ever used 
on the Pacific coast found service at Lapwai, 
originally a part of Walla Walla county. It was 
a Ramage, printing, copying and seal press No. 
14, and was forwarded from Boston by the 
American board of commissioners for foreign 
missions to the missionaries to Honolulu. This 
was in 18 19. Twenty years later it was brought 
to Lapwai, the mission then in charge of Rev. 
H. H. Spalding. During nine years Mr. 
Spalding employed this machine to print trans- 
lated portions of the Bible and other religious 
literature in the Nez Perce tongue. To Hills- 
boro, Oregon, this press was removed in 1848. 
Finally it found a permanent resting place in 
the Museum of the Oregon University. No 
others were introduced in the country until 
after the beginning of settlement in i860, and it 
remains the pioneer press of the Inland Empire. 

While they do not particularly pertain to 
the history of Walla Walla county the names 
and dates of the first papers published in Wash- 
ington may prove of interest. They were : 
First, The Columbian, Olympia, September 11, 
1852; second, Puget Sound Courier, Steila- 
coom, May 19, 1855; third, Washington Re- 
publican, Steilacoom, April 3, 1857; Puget 
Sound Herald, Steilacoom, March 12, 1858; 
fifth. Northern Light, Whatcom, about July 1, 
1858; sixth. Port Townsend Register, Port 
Townsend, December, 2^, 1859; seventh, The 
Northwest, Port Townsend, early in July, i860; 
eighth, Vancouver Chronicle, Vancouver, July, 
i860; ninth. Olympia Washington Standard, 
Olympia, November 17, i860; tenth, Weekly 



Pacific Tribune, Olympia, March, 1861 ; 
eleventh, Overland Press, Olympia, July, 1861. 

East of the Cascade range of mountains 
the first paper in Washington Territory was 
the Washington Statesman, which came into 
existence in November, 1861. An effort had 
been made a few months previous to start a 
paper, which was unsuccessful. Daniel Dodge 
was the promoter of the contemplated enter- 
prise, who went as far as to select a name for 
the journal, The Northern Light. A canvass 
of the town of Walla Walla discouraged Mr. 
Dodge and the paper was never started. 

The Washington Statesman was first issued 
November 21, 1861; the first paper ever 
printed in eastern Washington. The States- 
man was a weekly paper, six-column folio, all 
home print and, politically, independent, al- 
though during the Civil War union in senti- 
ment. Of this venture the editors and propriet- 
ors were N. Northrop. R. B. Smith and R. R. 
Rees, although the latter did not come into the 
enterprise until 1862. Soon after its first 
issue, in December, 1861, Mr. Smith made a 
horseback ride through Umatilla and Walla 
Walla counties, and secured two hundred sub' 
scriptions at five dollars apiece. This number 
constituted nearly all the adult population of 
the region. 

The advertising rates of the Statesman, 
suggestive of pioneer days, were as follows : 
One square (ten lines or less), four insertions. 
$6; for each additional insertion, $1; one 
square per year, $20 ; yearly advertisements of 
two years or more, per square, $16 ; half yearly, 
per square, $12. In their salutory the pub- 
lishers, in part, said : ; 

We send forth this morning with our congratula- 
tions, the first number of the Washington Statesman 
and respectfully solicit the attention of the people of 
Walla Walla and count}- to its pages. From a care- 
ful consideration of the demands of the people to 
whom we shall look for support, in sustaining a weekly 
newspaper at this point, we feel warranted in the 
conviction that we are inaugurating an enterprise which 
will be the means of vastly enhancing the development, 



824 



PRESS CHAPTER. 



prosperity and permanent interests of the most favor- 
able section of the upper country, and which, conducted 
with prudence and economy, will be reasonably re- 
munerative to its projectors. These considerations, 
connected with the prospective march of enterprise and 
development, which must characterize the events of 
the next season, and in all probability of-years to come, 
throughout the whole upper country, have guided our 
judgment in locating a press at this point. 

That a weekly publication devoted to the various 
interests of the county, containing all the news which 
may be gathered from different quarters, is essentially 
needed in the Walla Walla valley, we premise no per- 
manent resident will deny ; this admitted, we have no 
misgivings as to the disposition of the people to rome 
forward and promptly sustain an enterprise so materi- 
ally calculated to further their own interests as a com- 
munity. Hence, we expect, at least, that every man 
who is fortunate enough to possess a home in this 
beautiful valley will at once subscribe to the States- 
man and pay in advance. ******* 

As indicated in our prospectus, the Statesman will 
be independent on all subjects. By independent we 
do not mean neutral : but when occasion requires we 
shall express our views fearlessly upon all subjects 
legitimate for newspaper discussion; and in doing this 
we shall be our own advisors and regulate our business 
in our own way. 



November 10, 1865, William H. Newell 
became editor and proprietor of the paper; he 
changed the name to the Walla Walla States- 
man. Mr. Newell had previously been con- 
nected with The Dalles Mountaineer. Under 
Mr. Newell's management the paper supported 
Democratic principles, down to the time of his 
death, twenty years later. In many respects 
Mr. Newell was a remarkable man. Quite early 
in the history of his connection with the paper 
he undertook the policy so often afterward re- 
newed, of establishing something more than a 
weekly paper. September 2, 1869, he began 
to issue a tri-weekly. Proving to be somewhat 
in advance of the times he was compelled to re- 
turn to a weekly issue. However, in October, 
1878, he issued the Daily Statesman, probably 
the first daily in eastern Washington. He died 
suddenly on the 13th of November, following. 

A native of New York was Nehemiah Nor- 
throp. In 1853 he, in company with his 
brother, Henry, and Alonzo Leland, published 



the Portland Democratic Standard. In 1859 he 
became one of the proprietors of the San Fran- 
cisco Evening Journal. In i860 he disposed 
of his interests, removing the next year to 
Walla Walla. Mr. Northrop died of consump- 
tion in. February, 1863, at the age of 27 years. 

One of the foremost journalists of the state 
was Colonel Frank J. Parker. He was an 
Englishman and had had a varied experience as 
a miner, scout, soldier, correspondent and poli- 
tician. Colonel Parker continued the publica- 
tion of the Daily Statesman a short period; 
but this was found too expensive for the pat- 
ronage of the sparsely settled region, and it was 
discontinued. Again, in February, 1880, 
Colonel Parker determined to attempt the pub- 
lication of a daily, and at this time set up the 
first steam power press ever used in Walla 
Walla. 

Until June, 1900, Colonel Parker remained 
in control of the daily and weekly Statesman. 
Then the journal fell into the hands of the 
Statesman Publishing Company, the principal 
owner being Dr. E. E. Fall. To an eight-page 
paper the size was increased. In 1901 Freder- 
ick R. Marvin, formerly of Spokane, was 
editor. The present managing editor of the 
Statesman is Perry Holland. 

The Walla Walla Union has been the po- 
litical opponent and rival of the Statesman 
throughout its career. It was the first Repub- 
lican paper published in the Walla Walla valley, 
and it issued its initial number April 17, 1869. 
It was first published by an association of citi- 
zens. In May, of the latter year, R. M. Smith 
& Company, were announced as publishers. A 
number of able newspaper men have been con- 
nected with the Union, but the one name at 
once suggested in connection with it is that of 
Captain P. B. Johnson. 

The first editor of the Union was H. M. 
Judson, although the policy of the paper was 
under the control of a committee comprising 
P. B. Johnson, E. C. Ross and J. D. Cook. But 
soon after the establishment of the journal R. 



PRESS CHAPTER. 



825 



M. Smith and E. L. Herriff became the owners, 
which proprietorship they retained ten years. 
Mr. Judson was succeeded as editor by E. (J. 
Ross, which position he held until 1876, when 
Captain Johnson became editor. Mr. Smith's 
interest in the paper was purchased by Captain 
Johnson a few years later, and later still he be- 
came sole editor and proprietor. Noted for the 
vigor of expression and energy of character 
was captain Johnson. On most questions of 
public concern he assumed an uncompromising 
position. He was a Republican of the stalwart 
order. This political element in Walla Walla 
■county, under his energetic leadership became 
aggressive and well organized. Heavy Demo- 
cratic majorities which had marked the earlier 
history of the county were succeeded by equally 
emphatic Republican majorities. 

To Charles Bresserer Captain Johnson dis- 
posed of his interest in the paper in 1890. The 
former was at that period conducting the Walla 
Walla Journal, and for some time the paper 
was published under the name of the Union- 
Journal. Of unique and. strongly marked traits 
were the newspaper men of Walla Walla, but 
it is safe to say that of all the peculiar and orig- 
inal characters that ever appeared in Walla 
Walla journalism Mr. Bresserer heads the list. 
He was a German by birth, of Spanish descent 
and well educated in his native country ; a sol- 
dier in the Crimean war and also in the Amer- 
ican Civil War, and in Indian warfares 
afterward, acting as manager at various times 
for a bakery, a distillery, a hotel, and had, also, 
been a postmaster, justice of the peace, a sheep- 
man, a farmer and lastly an editor. Through- 
out all changes in his circumstances. Mr. Bres- 
serer retained his unique personality. Of 
marked ability as a writer he understood well 
the requirements of the newspaper business. 

Until 1896 Mr. Bresserer retained his in- 
terest in the Union, disposing of the same to 
Herbert Gregg and Harry Kelso. With vigor 
and success these gentlemen conducted the 
Union as a bed-rock, simon-pure Republican 



paper, holding strong opinions of its own, yet 
amenable to reason when party necessity ap- 
peared to render it judicious. Messrs. J. G. 
Frankland, Lloyd Armstrong and Bert La Due 
purchased the Union in 1899, successfully con- 
ducting it for a year. It again changed hands 
in 1900, Hon. Levi Ankeny becoming the pur- 
chaser ; J. Howard Watson becoming editor-in- 
chief. At present Eugene Lorton is managing 
editor of the Union. 

Aside from the Statesman and Union there 
are, and have been, other papers in the field; 
some of them of short life, but all deserving of 
mention. Among these was the Walla Walla 
Messenger, established in August, 1862, by R. 
B. Smith and A. Leland. It did not long sur- 
vive. Another was the Spirit of the West, 
founded in 1872 by J. W. Ragsdale. One of the 
editors was Charles H. Humphries, and he was 
followed by L. K. Grim and Charles Bresserer. 
It was independent in politics. Of this paper 
Mr. Bresserer became proprietor in 1877, 
changing its name to the Walla Walla Watch- 
man. Again it was changed to the Walla Walla 
Journal, ultimately merging into the Union- 
Journal, as has been previously mentioned. The 
Morning Journal of 1881 and the Daily Events 
of 1882, both published by Mr. Harris, were 
other newspaper ventures. The lUashington- 
ian, edited by W. L. Black, appeared in 1882. 

In 1894 the Garden City Gazette was estab- 
lished by W. F. Brock, and the Watchman, 
edited by J. J. Schick, developed from this jour- 
nal. Several short-lived campaign sheets ap- 
peared about this period, but no permanent ef- 
fect was produced by them on the newspaper 
history of the county. 

The Saturday Record presents a striking il- 
lustration of the evolution of a newspaper. In 
1894 it was established by Wilbur Fisk Brock, 
under the name of the Garden City-Gazette. J. 
J. Schick purchased it two years later, and 
changed the name to the Watchman. In the 
autumn of 1900 J. G. Frankland puchased the 
plant. It was then that the name was changed 



826 



PRESS CHAPTER. 



to the Saturday Record, the charcter of the pub- 
lication changed and material improvements 
made. To the Bingham building. Alder street, 
it was taken and housed in commodious quart- 
ers. Thus the old Watchman became an eight- 
page paper ; a typesetting machine was installed, 
a complete job plant and other requisites to 
make an up-to-date office added. 

September 22, 1898, the Argus, in Walla 
Walla, was founded by Walter Lingenfelder 
and C. H. Goddard. The interest of Mr. God- 
dard was acquired by J. E. Mullinix in Febru- 
ary, 1899, he. in turn, selling out to Walter 
Lingenfelder, who thus became sole proprietor. 
This journal was a weekly and independently 
Democratic. 

At one period the Inland Empire, a most 
creditable monthly, was published jointly lin 
Spokane and Walla Walla. Its propreitor and 
editor was A. H. Harris. It was a magazine of 
24 pages, containing elaborate articles of both 
historic value and high literary merit. At pres- 
ent it is published at Spokane and the Walla 
Walla edition has been dropped. 

In March, 1878, the first edition of the 
AYaitsburg Weekly Times was issued. A few 
of the public-spirited citizens of the town con- 
ceived the idea of issuing a newspaper in their 
midst. Accordingly a meeting was called and 
a company known as the Waitsburg Printing 
and Publishing Association was organized 
with a capital stock of $1,250, in shares of $25 
each. Soon the stock was all taken ; March 
1 6th the Waitsburg Times was issued; B. K. 
Land became editor. 

The career of the Times was successfully 
guided by him for a few months, but soon it 
entered shoal water, from which Mr. Land was 



unable to clear it and, not having a dollar in- 
vested, he appeared willing to let the journal- 
istic craft go to pieces. Under these parlous 
circumstances the directors leased the plant to 
D. J. Edwards. Within six months he re- 
tired from the editorial tripod. During the few 
weeks following this event the Tinies remained 
dead to the world. The plant was then leased 
to J. C. Swash, who infused new vitality into 
the otherwise moribund publication. He con- 
tinued with the paper eight months, August 20, 
1 881, C. W. Wheeler purchased the lease from 
Mr. Swash, and in March, 1882, bought the 
entire plant. A teacher by profession, and hav- 
ing served as superintendent of public instruc- 
tion of Walla Walla county, and also, as Ter- 
ritorial superintendent, he entered upon the 
management of the Times with great vigor and 
business sagacity. His two sons, E. L. and 
Guy Wheeler, assumed charge of the paper in 
1900, thus affording their father a greatly de- 
sired rest. In politics the Times is strongly 
Republican. 

June 3, 1889, the Daily Times was 
launched, an evening paper, four-column folio. 
It was enlarged to a five-column folio Novem- 
ber 15 of the same year, and the last issue of 
the daily was on December 28. In 1903 E. L. 
Wheeler became sole editor and manager. 

The Waitsburg Gazette is the Democratic 
rival of the Times. The first issue appeared 
June 29, 1899, the editor and proprietor be- 
ing R. V. Hutchins. June 7, 1900, the paper 
passed into the hands of C. W. McCoy, and he, 
January 1, 1901, disposed of his entire interest 
to J. E. Hotchins. Throughout Walla Walla 
and Columbia counties it has acquired a large 
circulation. 



CHAPTER II 



REMINESCENT. 



ONE OF COLONEL HUNTER S STORIES. 

In his book, "Reminescences of An Old- 
Timer,'' Colonel George Hunter, a pioneer of 
the Pacific coast, and who for many years was 
a resident of Columbia county, tells the follow- 
ing- story of one of his many experiences in 
Washington Territory. The scene of the ad- 
venture was in Columbia county : 

"Late in the fall of 1864 I sent the (pack) 
train to Blackfoot in charge of Stephen Allen 
(George Hunter's father-in-law) and (Fult) 
Johnson, I remaining with the family 
at Walla Walla. They made the trip 
to Bear Gulch, in Montana. On their 
return they followed to Pend d' Oreille 
lake trails, and in the severe snowstorm they 
lost forty-seven animals on the trail near Pack 
river, and finally arrived at old Fort Taylor, at 
the mouth of Tucanon, on Snake river, with 
the remnant of the train. As I had heard of 
their trouble I took two large train horses that 
I had and packed one of them with clothing, 
boots and a supply of provisions, and started 
in a storm to meet them. I had about fifty 
miles to go across the rolling hills by trails. 
When I had made about thirty miles I came 
to a wayside place called 'Dobson & McKay's 
Ranch,' the last house I would pass till I ar- 
rived at the mouth of the Tucanon. It was just 
night and blowing a gale. The snow was about 
eighteen inches deep. It had snowed about a 
foot, then thawed some, turned cold and 
crusted ; then six or seven inches of fresh snow 
had fallen on this crust, and the air was full of 



snow. On my arrival at this ranch I put up 
my horses, had supper, and was ready to turn 
into my blankets when a pack train pulled in 
from Tucanon. The men told men that Allen 
and Johnson were coming behind, and un- 
doubtedly couldn't make it with their worn out 
animals. I at once resaddled and packed 
up, and started in the storm to meet 
them. There were thirty or forty packers 
at this ranch, who assured me that no man 
could make the Tucanon in such a storm in 
the night. The snow had drifted in the trails so 
that it was impossible to follow them ; and they 
said that no one but a fool or a mad man would 
undertake it. This made no difference to me. 
I told them I should try it, at least, and I did. 
As soon as I got to a corner of a fence that sur- 
rounded a small piece of land, I found that it 
was out of the question for me to follow the 
trails ; so I left them to my right and, keeping 
the wind to my back, strove to travel parallel 
with them. By walking and leading my horses 
I knew I could tell if I came to the trails, as 
the crust had been broken by the trains recently 
passing. 

"I plodded my way for an hour or so, then 
turned to my right, keeping the wind on my 
shoulder and in a short time found the trails, 
and left them as before. These maneuvers I 
kept up for hour after hour, and until I had 
made fully ten miles, when, while looking for 
the trail I heard a noise which I supposed to 
come from some wild animal. Peering into 
the darkness and through the driving snow I 
saw what I suposed to be a wolf or mountain lion 



.828 



REMINISCENT. 



(cougar) ; I stepped to my saddle horse, took my 
pistol out of my holster and was about to fire 
when the thought occurred to me to 'haloo' be- 
fore shooting. I did so, and to my surprise 
was answered by a man's voice near by. I 
recognized the voice as that of my father-in- 
law and partner. It was his horse I had seen, 
t and the noise I heard was the whinny of the 
horse. 

"I found Allen sitting on the machillas of 
his saddle, exhausted, while the horse had 
given out. Examining his feet I found they 
were not frozen, but his boots were so worn 
that they were filled with snow around his 
socks. I strove to put on him an extra pair that 
I had brought along, but he was so chilled that 
he couldn't help me. I caught up a blanket 
and wrapped strips of it around his feet, put 
over them my own buffalo overshoes, then 
helped him mount my own riding horse and 
started back for Dobson & McKay's ranch. 
Knowing my horses would follow the trails 
when headed for home. I followed on foot, 
whipping Allen's wornout horse along. In 
a short time Allen declared he couldn't stand it 
any longer, but must get off and walk. I helped 
him off, when he staggered a few steps and fell, 
saying he could not walk. Then came the 'tug 
of war,' as he was a man who weighed over 200 
pounds, and was so badly chilled that he could 
not help himself a particle ; it proved to be quite 
a job for me to help him on to the horse again. 
I finally succeeded; then I wound blankets 
around him and tied them and him to the sad- 
dle; took the bridle off the horse; took out a 
flask of brandy that I had brought along and 
had him drink all he could of it, as I told him 
he would stay where he was until Ave reached 
the ranch. He thought I would freeze myself, 
as I had but thin calf boots on my feet after 
giving him my overshoes. I told him I could 
make it by keeping close up to the horses which 
broke the trails and kept the wind off me to 
some extent. 

"The wind and snow cut like a knife, but 



by running, whipping and taking an occasional 
pull at the flask I got along finely. I gave Allen 
a dose semi-occasionally. In the course of an 
hour Allen said he was warm and would get off 
and walk and let me ride awhile ; but I thought 
I wouldn't trust him off again, and I knew that 
if I stopped running and walking I would soon 
chill so that I wouldn't be able to help either of 
us ; so on he stayed until we reached the ranch, 
which we did near morning. On our arrival at 
the ranch we awoke the proprietor, who took 
care of our stock, and we sat down by the stove. 
Some one of the packers asked Allen where he 
was from, and he told them Tucanon. They 
asked if he had met a man riding a large horse. 
He, not thinking of me, replied 'no.' The packer 

said, 'Well, I pity that d d fool.' Being 

told at the breakfast table that I was the per- 
son he had spoken of he said he had no apology 
to offer for his past remarks, as he believed 
that no one but a fool or an idiot could have 
done what I did in such a storm and night. I 
accepted the 'apology,' for I could planly see 
by the countenances of most of those present 
that they indorsed his sentiments, and that in 
declining to apologize I was liable to ge a worse 
instead of a better one. Next day the storm 
having abated I went on to Tucanon with the 
provisions and clothing for our men, Allen go- 
ing with the others to Walla Walla, where I 
arrived soon afterward with the team, a chi- 
nook wind having taken the snow off." 



LADY JURORS. 



The women suffrage law which went into 
effect in Washington Territory in 1883 not 
only entitled women to vote, but also to do jury 
duty. Accordingly when the jury lists were 
made out in the fall of 1884 the county com- 
missioners selected eleven ladies for grand jury 
duty and fourteen to serve as petit jurors. 
Those for the grand jury in Columbia county 



REMINISCENT. 



8291 



were : Mrs. J. H. Putnam, Josephine Farmer, 
Mrs. M. E. Armstrong, Mrs. Charles Wright, 
Mrs. Mary Monnett, Mrs. W. A. Belcher, Mrs. 
W. S. Strong, Mrs. Sarah A. Wilson, Mrs. 
Leah H. Wolfe, Mrs. F. G. Frary and Mrs. 
John Mustard. 

For the petit jury they selected Mrs. Delilah 
Muncy, Mrs. Prudence George, Mrs. John 
Brining, Mrs. H. S. Cavanna, Mrs. W. H. 
Kuhn, Mrs. S. M. Wait, Mrs. D. C. Guernsey, 
Mrs. J. E. Edmiston, Mrs. E. Ping, Mrs. John 
Stanifird, Wealthy J. Dexter, Mrs. J. A. Star- 
ner, Mrs. Matt Hunter and Mrs. A. K. Curtis. 

Court was held at Dayton in January, 1885, 
and a number of these ladies were drawn as 
jurors. One of the important cases was the 
trial of Glover on the charge of murder, who 
was convicted on a lesser charge than first de- 
gree. On this jury were five women and seven 
men, and while the verdict met with popular 
approval, it was the general opinion that, of 
course, the five women were solid for acquittal 
in the case which took several hours to arrive at 
a verdict, and would have been in any case 
where the punishment would have been death. 
A mean man. signing himself "Ben," writing 
in the Columbia Chronicle, had the audacity to 
intimate that women as jurors were not a suc- 
cess, and declared himself in the following lan- 
guage. 

"The term just closed has been a notable 
one from the fact that the experiment of female 
jurors has been tried. In many of the ca. c es that 
have been left for them to decide they have ex- 
hibited both judgment and firmness; but as an 
interested and close observer I have at times 
thought his Honor did not exactly agree with 
them in the verdict rendered. The muscles of 
his face and the peculiar manner of clearing 
his throat intimated as much when the Glover 
verdict was handed him to read, and I could 
not rid myself of the idea that he thought the 
sympathetic nature of women unfitted them to 
sit upon a jury where the life of a fellow being 
hung in the balance. While the verdict met 



with popular approval, my humble opinion is 
that a verdict of 'guilty as charged' — murder 
in the first degree — would not have been set 
aside by the court." 

Of course such a libel could not go unan- 
swered and a lady, signing herself "Anna Bell," 
who said she earned $9 doing jury duty, rose 
to the occasion. We gallantly give the lady the 
last word : 

"In the last number of the Chronicle I no- 
tice some censorious comments on women as 
jurors. Merely a straw or two to show which 
way the wind blows in that 'neck o' the woods' 
sacred to the Chronicle. 'A Close Observed 
shows himself a poor apothecary in that he 
gives us first the sweet 'taffy,' then the bitter 
prejudice, thus leaving a bad taste in the mouth. 
After complimenting the women (alas for the- 
insignificance of men jurors!) he goes on to 
say that their sympathetic nature unfits them to 
decide a case where the life of a fellow being- 
hangs in the balance. How utterly too sweet!' 
He further says that the 'working of the mus- 
cles of his Honor's face' and the 'clearing of his 
Honor's throat' indicated to 'Close Observer' 
that in the Glover case a verdict of guilty as 
charged, i. e., murder in the first degree, would 
have been more acceptable. Cannot justice be 
rendered then, unless the judge is pleased with 
the verdict? If twelve good jurors and true, 
cannot under their solemn oaths, and with the 
evidence before them and the judge's instruc- 
tions still ringing in their ears, render a just 
verdict, because it does not fully please the 
judge, then away with the jury system ! 'To 
all whom it may concern !' Beware ! When 
Judge Wingard clears his throat, or permits 
the muscles of his face, tired of inglorious ease, 
to 'work' a little. How extremely displeased 
the judge must have been with the entire pro- 
cedings of the court, for he seldom spoke with- 
out clearing his throat. The undersigned was 
simple-minded enough to suppose it was chronic. 
'Close Observer' looked at his Honor with 
prejudiced eyes ; 'through a glass, darkly,' but 



8 3 o 



REMINISCENT. 



others saw him 'face to face,' for if the work- 
ing of the judicial countenance meant anything 
in particular, it expressed unalloyed pleasure 
when the Glover verdict was brought in; wit- 
ness the extremely light sentence which sup- 
plemented that verdict. The judge had the 
power to send Glover up for twenty years, and 
that he did not give him at least ten years is a 
matter of surprise to many, chiefly those who 
did not listen attentively to the whole evidence, 
or those who listened with a biased mind. 'A 
Close Observer' 'cannot rid himself of the idea' 
(how he must suffer!), that women are unfit 
to serve as jurors on criminal cases; perhaps a 
plain statement of facts may ease him. Who 
presented the indictment, murder in the first 
degree? On the grand jury there were eleven 
men and five women. On the first ballot five 
women and eig-ht men voted 'yes,' (i. e., for in- 
dictment aforesaid), and three men voted 'no.' 
Just what would have suited the 'sympathetic 
nature' of those three men deponent sayeth not, 
not knowing. On the petit jury there were 
seven men and five women. On the first bal- 
lot one man and two women voted for acquittal, 
and two women and not one man voted 
murder in the first degree. So it seems that 
one man was troubled with a 'sympathetic na- 
ture,' and two women pocketed that angelic 
attribute, as it were, and wanted to hang their 
fellow being. Alas ! 'Twas ever thus ; facts are 
fatal to fiction. I heard a man who was de- 
feated as plaintiff in a business case say that 
he would never bring a suit of that kind into 
court here again, as women are too ignorant of 
business to be able to decide fairly. Now the 
truth is that on his jury, consisting of five men 
and seven women, one man and one woman 
'hung' the jury for plaintiff all night, but were 
finally forced to yeild and decide again him, 
the man expressing indifference at the last mo- 
ment as to which party won, saying it was 'no 
difference to him.' Oh! Had a woman acted 
in that manner we should, in the language of 
Mrs. Gradgrind, 'never heard the last of it.' 



"To conclude : 'The best laid plans of mice 
and men gang aft aglee.' When those gentle- 
men placed 'we uns' on the grand and petit jur- 
ies instead of 'bluffing' us they honored us. 
'Some are born to honor; some achieve honor 
and some have honor thrust upon them,' saith 
Shakespeare ; we belong to the latter class, and 
have shown our high appreciation of our posi- 
tion by going bravely forward and 'without 
fear of favor' fulfilling our duties conscien- 
tiously. I can testify from personal experience 
that the gentlemen of the grand jury treated 
the ladies in a perfectly courteous manner, and 
our sessions were rather enjoyable than other- 
wise. I earned $9, minus the discount, with 
which I intend purchasing materials for cro- 
cheting a buggy robe as a present to my hus- 
band, who really deserves some token of grati- 
tude for keeping household affairs in such ap- 
ple-pie order and getting the meals so punctu- 
ally. I shall have the supreme pleasure of 
knowing that the robe is a really truly present, 
bought with my own money. The lady petits 
assure me that their experience was not disa- 
greeable." 



THE GREAT BEAR SHOW. 

During the short time that Dayton was a 
'closed town,' the result of the local option law 
of 1886, many amusing things took place. 
Among others was the patronage bestowed on 
the town pump. The prohibition, however, did 
not strictly prohibit people from securing in- 
toxicating liquors. Monday, August 23, 1886, 
was circus day in Dayton and the town was 
thronged with people who came to witness the 
wonders under canvas. But they were awfully 
thirsty. Ben Scott was at that time propreitor 
of the city brewery and had on hand a large 
stock of beer. Ben was a philanthropist and 
the thirst of the multitude hurt him almost as 
much as it did the thirsty. He conceived a plan 
whereby the thirst of the multitude might be 



REMINISCENT. 



831 



quenched in sparkling lager without violating 
the local option law. A pet bear belonging 
to George Ihrig was procured, a showman's 
license, costing $5, was applied for and a flam- 
ing sign, "The Great Bear Show,'" was painted 
on a piece of cotton cloth. The bear was placed 
in the rear of the brewery, the sign hung in the 
window and Ben, with a visage over which 
not a ghost of a smile flitted, 'tended door.' 
The price of admission was 25 cents, 
which all who entered had to pay. The 
bear was a drawing card and performed to 
a crowded house all day. Those who were 
thirsty helped themselves to beer from several 
kegs whose long-nosed faucets protruded from 
the ice chest, the beverage being free to all who 
paid to see the bear. Ben coined money and the 
thirst of the circus-goers was quenched. In 
justice to Mr. Scott we will say that he closed 
the 'show' in the afternoon before any person 
became intoxicated from the antics of the bear. 



INDIANS TAKE DAYTON. 

The following is from the Columbia Chron- 
icle: Last Sunday night, September 28, 1890, 
about twenty-five drunken Indians gave the 
sheriff and justice of Dayton considerable trou- 
ble. Late in the afternoon the Indians were 
seen to be having a big time among themselves. 
A large number congregated in the vicinity of 
the Catholic church, where several fights oc- 
curred. About half past eight they began to 
infest the city, riding their horses at full speed 
on all streets, and yelling at every jump. About 
nine o'clock Sheriff Marquiss heard a pistol 
shot and immediately went over to see if there 
was a man for breakfast. An Indian was seen 
coming up Third street yelling, and waving a 
large revolver. The sheriff stood in an alley- 
way until the Indian got nearly opposite him 
when he sprang out and ordered the Indian to 
stop, at the same time trying to catch the pony 
by the bridle. The Indian quickly wheeled his 



horse to one side and escaped, but the sheriff 
took a parting shot at him. Before the Indian 
was out of sight he was seen to fall forward 
and throw his arms around the pony's neck, 
and it is thought that he was wounded. From 
9 o'clock until 1 a. m. the city was in a continu- 
ous uproar. Indians were riding and running 
everywhere, and were being chased by the 
police and citizens. Their hideous warwhoops 
frightened many ladies and were not exten- 
sively enjoyed by men. Many prominent 
citizens could be seen parading around Fourth 
street with Winchesters in their hands ready 
to down the first Indian that came in range. 
Many shots were fired and five Indians were 
captured and placed in jail. If there were any 
wounded they succeeded in getting away before 
the fact was learned. At one time it was 
thought best to call out the militia, but after 
consultation with officers it was found that it 
could not legally be done. About one o'clock 
the enemy had been completely routed and 
quiet was restored. 

One of the captured Indians was bleeding 
considerably from wounds about the body and 
face, and for a time it was thought he was 
wounded as he had been shot at in the chase. 
But it was discovered on examination that he 
had run into a barbed wire fence and got badly 
cut in several places. He tried to get away by 
leaving his horse and taking to a corn field. 
He threw off his blanket and all his clothing 
except a shirt, and had he not encountered the 
wire fence would have made good his escape. 
Monday the prisoners were given a trial and 
fined $15 and costs each. They all paid their 
fines Tuesday and were released. The author- 
ities are now looking for the rascal who sold 
them whiskey. 



MURDER AND SUICIDE. 



"A horrible tragedy," says the Columbia 
Chronicle, "was enacted in Dayton last Mon- 
day morning, November 24, 1890, which 



8 3 2 



REMINISCENT. 



caused a great deal of excitement and resulted 
in the death of two worthy citizens. There 
seems to be a long chain of circumstances which 
lead up to the time of the tragedy and which 
will never be revealed, having been buried with 
the unfortunate victims. 

"The principal cause of the trouble between 
Mr. Sigmund Marquis, and Mr. A. E.'McCall, 
seems to have been concerning a straw stack, 
half of which, according to good authority, be- 
longed to Marquis and half to McCall. For 
several years Marquis has been a renter of Mc- 
Call's farm near Covello. This season a verbal 
agreement was made between Marquis and Mc- 
Call that McCall should have the entire stack 
of straw if he would pay for the stacking, pro- 
viding Marquis removed to another county, 
which he talked of doing. It was, also, under- 
stood, that if Marquis remained in the county 
he would be entitled to half the straw stack, 
and was to pay for half the stacking. After 
harvest Marquis decided to remain in the coun- 
ty. He rented the Thronson farm and recently 
moved his family on to the place. When settle- 
ment was made for threshing he paid his part 
for stacking the straw. Last Saturday he went 
to haul his part of the straw to his new home, 
but was forbidden to take any by some one in 
authority who is now living on McCall's farm. 
Marquis said he would take the straw as it be- 
longed to him. In the afternoon it was his in- 
tention to haul another load, but was persuaded 
by his wife not to do so until he had consulted 
with Mr. McCall about the matter. 

Marquis spent Sunday with his family and 
attended church. Monday morning he carried 
water for his wife to help along with the wash- 
ing and then started for town. Before leav- 
ing his wife cautioned him not to have any 
trouble with McCall, to which Marquis re- 
plied, 'I will have my rights or I won't live.' 
He then went to the barn to get his horse. 
When about half way to the barn he stopped, 
as if in meditation ; then turning, walked a few 
steps toward the house; then turned again, 



went to the barn, got on his horse and started 
for town. On the road he met Dan Duty, with 
whom he held a short conversation, and among 
other things said that he was going to town to 
have a settlement with McCall, and that if the 
settlement were not satisfactory, 'I won't live. 
If anything happens, be good to Johnnie and 
the family.' 

"As near as can be ascertained Marquis 
rode directly to McCall's residence. He hitched 
his horse to the fence and went into the house 
where he found McCall. It is supposed a busi- 
ness talk was had between the two men, and 
from what soon after transpired it is evident 
was not satisfactory to Marquis. The two men 
came out of the house on the north side, and as 
McCall turned to go into the back lot Marquis 
said, 'Well, are you going to let me have that 
straw; yes or no?' McCall replied, 'no.' Mar- 
quis then drew a revolver and shot McCall in 
the left breast. McCall, being unarmed, fled.. 
Marquis followed and continued shooting until 
he had emptied his pistol, the second shot pass- 
ing through McCall's hat, and the fifth and last 
shot striking him in the back as he jumped the 
fence on Fourth street. McCall ran upstairs, 
loaded his revolver and stepping ont on the 
porch, fired one shot at Marquis who had 
stopped in the corner of the lot. After firing. 
McCall fell on the porch. Marquis, seeing him 
fall, put the pistol to his own head and prilled 
the trigger, but the last shot had been fired. He 
then drew a pocket knife and, turning to John 
Church who rode up on horseback, said, 'Have 
I fixed him?' Church replied, 'I guess you 
have.' Marquis then stabbed himself four times, 
in the left breast, once in the right, and soon 
fell to the ground. Church took the pistol and 
knife from him, and Marquis said, 'Here is the 
pistol that done the shooting and there is the 
knife that done the cutting. Don't blame any- 
body. I did it myself.' 

"The shooting took place about 10:30 a. 
m., and a few minutes later almost every inhab- 
itant was shocked by the horrible news. As- 



REMINISCENT. 



833 



soon as possible physicians were on hand, but 
it was beyond their power to do more than re- 
lieve intense suffering, as the wounds inflicted 
were fatal. Mr. Marquis was then taken to a 
room in Engel's boarding house where he died 
soon after 12 o'clock, m. His last words were, 
'All that I regret about this is that McCall is 
not dead.' 

"His remains were taken to the residence 
of J. M. Morgan, in Brooklyn, from where he 
was buried on Tuesday. He was fifty years of 
age and leaves a wi'fe and two children to 
mourn his loss. He was a poor man, finan- 
cially, but from all accounts was rich in friend- 
ship and commanded the respect of his neigh- 
bors, who all have a good word to say for him, 
for what he has been in years gone by. 

"Mr. McCall lingered until Tuesday morn- 
ing at six o'clock, when he expired. He had 
been a resident of the county for many years, 
and had acquired considerable property. Not 
very long ago he purchased the Rainwater place 
and moved his family to the city of Dayton, no 
doubt for the purpose of taking the world easy 
and schooling his children. He had always 
been a hard working man and had just reached 
such circumstances as would enable him to live 
in comfort the remainder of his days. At one 
time he represented Columbia county in the 
Territorial Council, was a member of the 
United Brethren Church, and had raised a fine 
family. He made his will Monday leaving 
all his property to his wife. His funeral, which 
was held at the Southern Methodist Church, 
Wednesday morning, was largely attended. His 
remains were interred in the cemetery near Co- 
vello. He was forty-five years of age, a man 
of considerable ability, universally respected by 
his neighbors, and worshiped by his family." 



"That none can tell what a day may bring 
forth was startingly illustrated in the distress- 
ing occurrence on Monday last, which culmi- 
nated in the death of two esteemed citizens, 



thrilled with horror the entire community, and 
plunged in unspeakable woe the relatives of the 
slayer and the slain. That the principal actor 
in this dark tragedy committed an offense-, 
which finds no justification in the circum- 
stances which incited him to it, must be admit- 
ted by all. It is more than probable, however, 
that for the time being, at least, he was morally 
irresponsible. Constant brooding over real or 
imaginary wrongs begot in him a morbid state 
of mind, and the slight altercation with his vic- 
tim on the morning of the tragedy threw him 
into a frenzy, which, let us believe in all charity,, 
rendered him irresponsible. The inference that 
he was irrational is further borne out by the 
method which he employed to effect his own 
destruction; the grim and awful heroism of 
which could only have been born of insanity. 
These victims of a tear-compelling fate were 
in life both useful citizens, highly esteemed in 
the communities where they resided. One was 
a member of the church, in good standing, and 
both were heads of exemplary families. To 
render accurate judgment in the matter is im- 
possible. Sympathy for the bereaved living 
and charity or silence where the dead are in- 
volved, is the kindest and wisest attitude. The 
difficulty which resulted in the fatal affray does 
not affect the community at large, and between 
the dead men it has been terribly and finally 
settled." 



HOW PENAWAWA WAS NAMED. 

In one of her very interesting letters to the 
San Francisco Spirit of the Times Mrs. Bee- 
croft gives us something worth preserving re- 
specting Snake river, and one of the popular 
pilots on that stream who is known to almost 
all Astorians. We quote from her letter writ- 
ten July 20, 1878: 

"Texas rapids exercise all the skilL of our 



53 



834 



REMINISCENT. 



lithe-limbed, active pilot to overcome, and with 
deep respirations of relief he exclaims : 

"'It was a long tug, wasn't it? It's an 
ugly place ; one of our captains sunk a steamer 
in that whirl back there, and it cost the com- 
pany $20,000 to raise her.' 

"Genius hath no abiding place, and to the 
realm of poesy came pilgrims singing the mel- 
ody of strange countries and tongues. It is 
not surprising then that as we approach the 
ancient camping ground of Penawawa the fol- 
lowing impromptu parody should drop in 
quaint rythm from the bearded lips of our face- 
tious, ready-witted pilot from Wallula, Cap- 
tain W. P. Gray : 

'Now we come to Penawawa ! 
Here the son of Hiawatha, 
With his uncle, son and brother, 
When he left his poor, old mother, 
Left the poor old Minne-ha-ha, 
With her toothless gums and wa-wa, 
Taking all her rings and trinkets, 
And forgot to leave her blankets ! 
Took with him the belt of wampum, 
Hiawatha thought so bunkum, 
Here this noble siwash landed 
Where the sinuous Snake expanded. 
Once he heard of William Penn, 
Memory brought him back again, 
As he stood beside the river; 
As he watched the sunbeams quiver; 
Penn-a-wa-wa, then he murmured, 
Then he gazed aloft and wondered 
What the rest was, but he knew not; 
Memory would not span the black spot, 
So his braves with one loud haw haw 
Called the camp ground Penawawa.' 

"Wa-wa signifies 'talk' in the Indian dia- 
lect, and this historically intelligent savage 
had, doubtless, heard of William Perm's talk 
with the red men of the embryo Keystone 
State. As to give emphasis to the romance of 
our story, as we came to the landing, several 
native dressed Indians with squaws and pap- 
pooses came down to the shore and watched 
with the utmost eagerness every parcel and 
package which was unladen from the steamer's 
deck." 



LAND JUMPING. 

The following from Gilbert's History is 
reminiscently interesting : 

Considerable "land jumping" was indulged 
in by various parties in the vicinity of Dayton 
in the spring of 1878, and the farmers united 
to discourage such proceedings. A committee 
waited upon J. M. Sparks and notified him to 
vacate a ranch he had "jumped," but instead 
of heeding their warning he defied and abused 
them so vigorously that they were glad to re- 
tire from his presence. On the afternoon of 
the 27th of March Sparks was in Dayton when 
he was approached by the son of one of the com- 
mitteemen, who knocked him off the sidewalk. 
From the appearance of a number of men 
standing around Sparks was satisfied that they 
were "after him," and he drew his revolver and 
fired a harmless shot at his assailant's legs. 
Sparks was then attacked by a brother of the 
assailant whom he wounded by shooting him in 
the leg. Several others then advanced to the at- 
tack, and Sparks ran into Shrum's stable, then 
behind an adjoining harness shop, from which 
place he exchanged shots with a man who was 
watching for him in the street. Sparks received 
a bullet in the cheek and another in the neck, 
and it was with difficulty that the officers and 
people of Dayton prevented the angry farmers 
from lynching the wounded man. When Sparks 
recovered he left the country, and the Settlers' 
Protective Committee gave public notice that 
land-jumpers would not be tolerated in the fu- 
ture. The man wounded in the leg suffered 
amputation of that limb. 



KILLING OF PEU-PEU-MOX-MOX. 

George W. Miller: The killing of Peu- 
Peu-Mox-Mox and the other prisoners who 
had been captured while bearing a flag of truce, 
at the battle of Walla Walla, in 1855, has. been 



REMINISCENT. 



835 



settled one way or another by every writer 
who has approached the question. A descrip- 
tion of the killing of these Indians and the sen- 
timent of the volunteers who were present is 
given by George W. Miller, who served in the 
battle as a member of Company H, of the First 
Regiment, and was an eye-witness of the 
tragedy. Mr. Miller came to what is now Co- 
lumbia county in i860 and has been a highly 
respected citizen ever since, and his opinion of 
the justification of the act will prove interesting 
to all residents of Columbia county. Mr. Miller 
describes the incident as follows : 

"The baggage train and flag of truce pris- 
oners had already arrived at the La Roche 
cabin, which was .used as a hospital. Peu-Peu- 
Mox-Mox with his stentorian voice, began 
to cheer up his warriors and encourage them to 
be brave, receiving responses from them at 
short intervals. Colonel Kelly had just ridden 
from the front back to the hospital, when Frank 
Crabtree came in with his shoulder shattered 
and his arm dangling by his side and reported 
Captain Layton wounded and surrounded with 
five or six others on the hills at the front. Just 
at this critical moment the question was asked, 
'What shall be done with the prisoners?' Col- 
onel Kelly took in the situation at once and 
said, 'My men are all needed at the front. Tie 

or kill them; I don't care a d d which,' 

and rode back to the front. Ropes were pro- 
cured to tie the prisoners, but the)' refused, ex- 
cept one, a young Nez Perce, who croosed his 
arms and said he wanted to be tied. One very 
large Indian, known by the name of Wolf- 
Skin, who was very talkative, and who had tried 
to escape from the guard the night before, drew 
a large knife concealed in his leggins, uttering 
a demon-like yell, and began to cut his way 
through the guard, wounding Sergeant Major 
Isaac Miller severely in the arm. The others, 
excepting the Nez Perce, who had been tied, 
were trying to make their way through the 
guard and escape to the hills, but their efforts 
were futile. It was only the work of a mo- 



ment, brought on by their own remorseless 
hands, when they fell to the grounl weltering 
in their gore. If the body of Peu-Peu-Mox- 
Mox was multiliated the act was brought on 
by a relentless foe, whose mode of warfare al- 
ways was insensible to the feelings of others. 
At this time and place those brave volunteers 
had their feelings wrought up to the highest 
pitch, and their excitement ran wild as they 
saw the scalps, perhaps of a brother or a sister, 
or some relative flapping from the top of some 
pole planted on a prominent point on the hills 
to our left. A fair and candid mind could 
hardly look on the scene before him without 
exonerating the boys in all that was done. 

"Here let me quote one sentence from F. T. 
Gilbert's historic sketches of Walla Walla, 
Whitman, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin 
counties. Regarding the killing of the pris- 
oners he says : 'All were scalped in a few min- 
utes and, later, the body of Yellow Bird, the 
great Walla Walla chief, was mutiliated in a 
way that should entitle those who did it to a 
prominent niche in the ghoulish temple erected 
to commemorate the infamous deeds of soul- 
less man." 

"Oh, Colonel Gilbert! Thou art a jewel, 
and those brave volunteers who fought at 
Walla Walla, the most hotly contested battle 
ever fought on the Pacific coast, will mock thee 
to scorn until the last one has gone where the 
scoffer's pen will never again mar their feel- 
ings." 



BOB PEABODY S STORY. 

R. E. Peabody, editor and proprietor of the 
Columbia Chronicle, Dayton, assisted in getting 
out the first issue of that paper in April, 1878. 
From the summer of 1881 until the present he 
has been continuously connected with it. Here 
is the story of how he happened to come to 
Dayton and his connection with the Chronicle, 
as told by himself in his usual interesting and 
happy manner: 



8 3 6 



REMINISCENT. 



"Twenty-six years ago, 1878, I landed in 
Walla Walla from Sacramento, California, 
where I had passed the winter working on the 
Daily Record Union, in the state printing office 
and Crocker's job office. I had been informed by 
good judges of horseflesh that if I did not quit 
the printing business I would soon wither and 
die. Any one who has ever worked any length 
of time on a morning paper does not need many 
advisers as to his health to realize that they are 
all truthful and know whereof they speak. If 
there is anything on earth that will give a man 
'that tired feeling,' it is a job on a morning 
paper. 

"So with that awful tired feeling and the 
constant advice of other printers, who no doubt 
wanted my job. I began to cast about for some 
other kind of employment. Went to San Fran- 
cisco with a friend who had a notion of joining 
the United States navy. Said it was just the 
thing to build up one's constitution. My friend 
had an acquaintance in the city, an attorney, 
whose advise we agreed to take. Whatever he 
advised us to do we were going to tackle it. We 
consulted the attorney and his advice was to 
go to the Territory of Washington. He said it 
was attracting a great deal of attention and 
was the best place for young men to go. The 
attorney also said, 'Boys, whatever you may do, 
don't go into the navy.' We took his advice. I 
immediately bought a ticket for Portland. The 
fare was only $8 first-class; $3.50 steerage. 
My friend said he would not buy a ticket until 
the next day. In this he missed it. The next 
day the fare was raised to $30 first-class and 
$15 steerage. The next day also found my 
friend in poor circumstances. He must have 
set in a game somewhere and lost, for the next 
morning he said that he did not have enough 
money to buy a steerage ticket. He took a boat 
that afternoon for Point Rays. Have not seen 
or heard of him since. 

"But I was booked for Washington and 
sailed in the Ancon in a few days for Portland. 
Arriving there I visited the Oregonian office, 



not for the purpose of seeking employment, but 
just to keep the smell of the shop in my nos- 
trils. I had resolved to be a farmer and longed 
to reach the bunch grass hills of Washington, 
of which I had heard much talk. My stay in 
Portland was brief, owing to the fact that I 
wanted to get as far away from daily news- 
papers as possible, and to the further fact that 
I wished to continue the journey with acquaint- 
ances whose destination was Walla Walla. On- 
reaching Wallula the surroundings impressed 
me as being unsually dismal. An army of bed- 
bugs had charge of the hotel and a couple of 
thugs and grafters seemed to have charge of 
the bedbugs. The hotel was crowded and the 
thugs seemed to take delight in sicking the 
bugs on to new arrivals until they were willing 
to give up their beds after half a night's battle, 
to the next unfortunate who would be charged 
full price for the remainder of the night. A 
business man of Walla Walla went among the- 
tenderfeet with cheering words, telling all not 
to be discouraged, as we were just on the bor- 
der of the promised land. 

"The Baker railroad was in operation and 
the crowd of tenderfeet was so great that box- 
cars were used foir passenger coaches. We 
were herded into several of these and Baker's, 
big dog trotted by the side of the train to keep 
stock off the track and to see that none of us 
got away. The train arrived at Walla Walla 
about noon. I was at once favorably impressed, 
with the beautiful valley and the green fields on 
every side. Another and most substantial ob- 
ject which met my vision at the depot was an 
uncle whom I had not seen for fifteen years. I 
immediately made myself at home with him 
and allowed him to stay with me several weeks 
immediately following. This brings us up to 
the time of our arrival in the Territory twenty- 
six years ago. My previous history up to that 
time, although interesting to myself, perhaps, 
would not be to the readers of the Chronicle. 
Suffice it to say that my race had degenerated 
to such an extent that it is learned that my 



REMINISCENT. 



837 



forefathers came over in the Mayflower. I had 
always considered this fact sufficient to account 
for my being such a daisy. In the month of 
April, 1878, about a month after my arrival 
in Walla Walla, I learned that a new paper 
was soon to be started in Dayton. My sojourn 
in Walla W'alla had so built up my constitu- 
tion and ambitions that I felt equal to a short 
siege on a weekly paper. I wanted to work for 
awhile and in the meantime select the farm on 
which I was to expend by future energies and 
recuperate great physical power. 

"About April 12 I arrived in Dayton by 
hand, with $3.75 in my pocket, which I believe 
was about the right per capita at that time and 
season of the year. The night before I stopped 
at the Starr place, five miles below Dayton. Mr. 
Starr treated me kindly and only charged 
75 cents for supper, bed and breakfast. I con- 
sidered this exceedingly cheap, for I had been 
used to paying from 50 cents to $1 for meals 
ever since arriving in the Territory. Most 
people had a great graft in those days and the 
tenderfoot's sack had to be rather bulky to 
stand the constant strain. Arriving at the old 
bridge across the Touchet I stopped to look at 
the water and wondered if the fishing was good. 
Proceeding up town I soon found the Chronicle 
office. Mr. Gale informed me that he very 
much needed a printer, and I was hired at 
once. A few columns of type had been set for 
the first issue, but not a single ad was up. I 
was put on to the ads, and, as is the case in all 
new offices, 'sorts' ran out in nearly every font. 
By the use of yards of wooden reglet, metal 
furniture and a freight team load of swear 
words, I finally managed to land all the ads 
in the form. The first issue was printed on 
Saturday, April 20, 1878, and I will remember 
the eager crowds that hung around the office 
waiting for the first copies. E. R. Burk was 
solicitor at that time and took great pride in 
delivering the paper about the city. T. M. May 
was the treasurer and financial backer. He 
bought the outfit and stood bv the paper until 



it passed into other hands. It took considera- 
ble hustling to get out the first issue, but the 
second week, the ads all being up, the printers 
had a picnic. Mr. Gale and Mr. May held a 
consultation. As they did not know how they 
were going to prosper they decided to put 
a lady at one case, and with the help of Gale's 
brother, they thought they could get along. 
At the end of the second week Mr. Gale in- 
formed me of the new arrangement and told 
me that Mr. May would settle. This was a 
gentle hint that my pay would stop at that mo- 
ment. So I quit. The following Monday Mr. 
May hunted me up and paid me off. He said 
he hoped that I would not have any hard feel- 
ings in the matter, as it was a new concern and 
they did not quite see their way through as yet 
to pay all expenses. This ended the first 
chapter of my experiences on the Chronicle. 
During the two weeks that I worked on the 
paper I boarded with Pap Stevens, who ran a 
little restaurant about where Kit Robinson's 
shop is to-day. Pap Stevens waited on the table 
himself. He smoked a meerschaum pipe about 
the size of a teacup, and it was annoying to see 
him come into the dining room with a plate of 
ham and eggs in one hand and smoking his 
big pipe, which he was obliged to hold up with 
the other. 

''In those days it made very little difference 
to the proprietor whether the guest liked the 
bill of fare and the way it was served or not. 
If vou did not like it all you had to do was to 
say so. Then the old man would carry eggs 
and pipe in different hands for a day or two. 
thus giving a complete change to the bill of fare. 
Soon after being fired by Tom May I went to 
the Alpowa ridge in search of that ranch. 
Found a good piece of land and built a house on 
it. Remained on the ridge all winter cutting 
rails and wood. During the summer assisted 
the Dixie and Demaris hoys harvest near Dixie. 
While threshing near the latter place an eclipse 
( f the sun occurred. It became so dark that 
the work was supended for half an hour. In 



8 3 8 



REMINISCENT. 



passing through Dayton to the harvest field Mr. 
Gale offered me a position on the Chronicle, 
but I refused on the grounds that the harvest 
field was much the best place for me, as I was 
tired of printing anyhow. About this time B. 
M. Washburne appeared on the scene and took 
charge of the office. The spring of 1879 found 
McCully & Eastham in charge of the Chronicle. 
I worked a week for them and then went to 
Boise City, Idaho. From there to Montana 
by packtrain and back to Washington horse- 
back the following year, via the Mullan road. 
In the spring of 1881 O. C. White offered me a 
situation on the Chronicle. I accepted and 
have been a hanger on in one way and another 
ever since. It is unnecessary for me to go into 
detail as to my conduct since assuming com- 
plete control of the Chronicle, as every reader 
is familiar with what really belongs to the 
public. 

"Since assuming control of the paper I 
have at times found it to be a very large ele- 
phant to care for, and have personally carried 
water through the back yard to it to keep it from 
famishing. At other times it seemed to appre- 
ciate its keep and very little extra fodder was 
necessary in order to keep it contented and pros- 
perous. * * * Let me also say that the farm 
I . so much coveted in the early days is a re- 
ality. It now furnishes and promises to fur- 
nish all the energy and physical force I or any 
other man can bestow upon it for the next 
twenty years. It is a brush ranch on the moun- 
tain. It is owned by my wife." 



COMPANY F (DAYTON) AT THE 
BATTLE OF SANTA ANA. 

BY LIEUTENANT GEORGE B. DORR. 

The battle of Santa Ana was a part of what 
is now known in history as the second battle of 
Manila, it being the part taken by the Second 
Brigade, First Division of the Eiehth Army 



Corps, General Thomas Anderson being divi- 
sion commander, and General Charles King 
brigade commander. The Second Brigade con- 
sisted of the First Washington, six companies 
of the First California, eight companies of the 
First Idaho Volunteers and Battery D, Sixth 
Artillery, with two three-inch guns, under com- 
mand of Liutenant Scott, numbering in all 
about 2,000 effective men. 

It is not my intention to enter into the 
causes that led up to the breach of the friendly 
relations heretofore existing between the two 
opposing forces. Suffice it to say that these 
relations had been somewhat strained for the 
last thirty days preceding the battle of Febru- 
ary 4 and 5, 1899. Both armies were well 
drilled and in fine condition for a fight, but the 
instructions to our men were not to be aggres- 
sive, or in any way aggravate our opponents, 
but to be constantly on our guard and ready 
for any emergency that might arise. In compli- 
ance with these instructions it had been the 
custom for the brigade commander to send one 
batallion to reinforce the outposts every even- 
ing after nightfall and return to quarters about 
daylight the next morning. 

In this connection, or to show the varying 
fortunes of Company F, I desire to state that 
on the night of February 3d they formed a part 
of the force that were ordered out to reinforce 
the outposts at Blockhouse No. 11, and took 
their position at the exact point that Company 
A, of our regiment, held on the day of the bat- 
tle. This position was to the right and a little 
in advance of Blockhouse No. 11, and proved 
to be the most exposed point of our line, being 
subjected to the cross-fire from the insurgent 
troops on the left at a fortified knoll, and on 
the right from the adobe fort. Company A had 
more men hit on the day of the battle than any 
other company on the entire fourteen miles of 
our line. They were finally withdrawn by order 
of General King and placed in a less exposed 
position. I mention this fact simply to show how 
fortune favored us, for had the battle begun 



REMINISCENT. 



839 



twenty- four hours sooner Company F would 
have had the largest casualty list in the regi- 
ment, and some of the brave boys who are with 
us tonight would surely now be sleeping in a 
soldier's grave. 

Agoncelia's now famous message to Aguin- 
aldo that "If anything was to be done it must 
be done before the 6th of February" had been 
received. All was life and bustle within the 
camp of the Filipinos. Our commanders had 
received information through our spies, that 
an attack was to be made. Company F having 
been on the line the previous night, was some- 
what surprised to receive orders on the night 
of the 4th to report to Captain Forston, then 
acting major, and march to Blockhouse No. 1 1 
to reinforce the outpost. Quite a number of the 
boys were absent from quarters with leave and 
we mustered but 63 as we marched from the 
old tobacco factory to the bishop's palace and 
placed ourselves under the command of that 
gallant hero, who afterward lost his life while 
leading his men across the bridge in the face 
of the enemy's fire at Passig. How many of 
us as we stepped off at the command "march" 
that night realized to what we were marching ? 
Little did we think that ere another sun rose we 
would have received our baptism of fire and 
behold sights the like of which comes but once 
in the life of a soldier, as he witnesses the sights 
and scenes of his first battle. Arriving at the 
bishop's palace we found that our companions 
in arms for the night were Company I, of Walla 
Walla; Company E, of North Yakima, and 
Company G, of Vancouver. We immediately 
started for Blockhouse No. 11, but meeting 
the field officer of the day at the cross-roads 
he directed Captain Forston to take his batal- 
lion to Blockhouse No. 10. 

Companies I and G were ordered to cover 
the ground between Blockhouse No. 10 and 
Concordia Convent, while Companies E and F 
were to take a position on the left of the road 
opposite the blockhouse, and await orders. 
Thus far there was nothing out of the common 



in our proceedings, but everything had been 
done exactly the same as we had done many 
nights before. It was now eight by the clock 
and quite dark. The men spread their blankets 
on the ground and prepared to take their rest as 
usual. Captain Booker and myself, together with 
the officers of Company E, were sitting on a log 
in the road conversing on one topic and another 
and we finally agreed as to how we would di- 
vide the watch for the night. Lieutenant 
Lemon and myself were to take the watch until 
one o'clock, while Captain Booker, Lieutenant 
Briggs and Captain Forston were to take their 
rest. At one o'clock we were to call Captain 
Booker and Lieutenant Briggs, but were not 
to disturb Captain Forston, unless something 
happened out of the ordinary. Something did 
happen. All at once a rifle shot penetrated the 
still night air, immediately followed by a ragged 
volley. Silence for a moment or two; then an- 
other volley ; then another, and still another. 
All at once it dawned upon us that something 
was up. We knew from the direction of the 
sound that the firing was across the river in 
the vicinity of the Nebraska camp. It was but 
the work of a moment to rouse the men from 
their slumbers, roll their blankets and form their 
their companies along the road. In this posi- 
tion we awaited orders. Speculation was rife 
among the men as to what was going on, and 
considerable sport was had, the general opinion 
being that this' was the beginning of "China 
New Years," and the moon-eyed Celestial was 
celebrating with a vengeance. About this time 
the Utah battery unlimbered their guns and be- 
p-an firing-. The boom ! boom ! of the cannon 
allayed any doubts that might have risen that 
the battle was on. 

The lone sentry across the bridge that 
spans the little estuary in front of Blockhouse ■ 
No. 10 was heard to command: "Halt; who 
goes there?" Every soldier's pulse quickens as 
he awaits the reply. "A friend from the First 
California." "Advance, friend, and be recog- 
nized." A courier had arrived from the First 



840 



REMINISCENT. 



California, stationed at Pandacan, with instruc- 
tions to. ask for reinforcements. Pandacan 
was on our left about a mile and a half, and 
immediately across the river from the Nebraska 
camp. From this courier we learned that the 
fight was on, and that the insurgents had at- 
tacked the outposts of the Nebraska regiment. 
Captain Forston ordered Company F to march 
to Pandacan to reinforce the California com- 
pany. This was the extreme left of our line 
and was at that time the nearest point to the 
firing, so that when we started on the double- 
quick we thought we were going right into the 
thick of the fight, and I pause here to re- 
mark that F Company never looked so grand 
and imposing as at that moment when every 
man sprang to his place and all moved forward 
with a bound. Breathless and weary with our 
hard march we reported to Captain Stanton, 
of Company B, First California, who had 103 
men. all inside a stone enclosure which sur- 
rounded the house in which the captain and 
his lieutenants had taken refuge, except a squad 
of twelve men, who were at the outpost on the 
bank of the river, a thousand yards in advance. 
We saw at once that the gallant captain ( ?) 
was in no immediate danger and that we would 
be afforded an opportunity to recover our 
breath. At 12 o'clock our outpost was fired 
upon and sent a courier back for reinforce- 
ments. Company F was ordered to the out- 
post. Arriving there we found a skirmish 
line along the bank of the river and awaited 
developments. Now and then a shot came our 
way, but this only served to nerve our boys 
up to what was to follow. Our instructions 
were to reserve our fire until the center of our 
line had advanced far enough so it would be 
out of range of our guns. 

At 2 :45 the firing began on our center at 
Blockhouse No. 11. It was quite dark and 
from our position we could see a long line of 
flashes from the enemy's rifles, and the an- 
swering flashes from the Springfields — still 
we reserved our fire. We lay in this position 



until daylight. So soon as it was light enough 
to see, our position was discovered by the oc- 
cupants of Blockhouse No. 9, across the river, 
and they at once opened fire on us, the bullets 
flying thick and fast. Here was our oppor- 
tunity. We could fire in this direction without 
danger of injury to our own men, and we re- 
turned volley for volley at a range of 400 yards. 
Thus matters went on for about an hour when 
a three-inch shell from one of Scott's guns 
struck the blockhouse amidships and sent the 
splinters flying and the enemy running. We 
saw them as they left the blockhouse, carrying 
four or five of their dead or wounded comrades 
and strike across the fields for the town of San- 
ta Ana. About this time the gunboat Lagoona 
de Bey moved up the river to a point opposite 
our line and shelled the brush in front of the 
Nebraska regiment, and also threw some shells 
into Santa Ana. At daylight General King 
wired the division commander, for permission 
to advance. He, in turn, wired the corps 
commander for such permission. The answer 
was: "Defend your line but do not attack." 
Every moment the fire became hotter. The Fil- 
ipinos had been taught to believe that they only 
had to open fire and advance and our fellows 
would fall back. The position was very try- 
ing to lie there and be fired upon ; the men be- 
came restless and all wanted to advance. At 
last the order came. At nine o'clock word 
came from the division commander, "Clear 
your front." General King's idea was to ad- 
vance by rushes, using the bugle for the com- 
mands. About half way between our line and 
the enemy's there was a rice dyke, some two 
feet in height, running parallel with our line. 
He expected to advance to the dyke, halt, lie 
down, fire several volleys, then charge from 
this position. He had not calculated on the 
temper of those volunteer soldiers who were in 
their first battle: who had been on the open 
field for hours with bullets falling around them 
like hail ; once released from this terrible strain, 
thev were hardlv accountable for what fol- 



REMINISCENT. 



841 



lowed. The bugle sounds the advance; for- 
ward they go, moving slowly at first, firing as 
they advance, their speed increasing with 
every volley from the line of Mausers in front 
of them. Now the dyke is reached and the 
bugle sounds the halt. But they do not halt. 
Some one in the line yells, "Charge!" and away 
they go. Three times the bugle sounds the 
halt, but those volunteer soldiers, experiencing 
their first real charge, with the fire of victory 
shining in their eyes, halt not. On they go, 
over the dyke, across the rice fields, wading in 
mud and water up to their middles, shooting 
and yelling as they run, driving the enemy from 
his entrenchments and in full retreat toward the 
river. It was the action of the Washington 
regiment at this time that led General King to 
remark : "There goes the American volunteer 
and all hell can't stop him." It was a grand 
sight. I can still hear the glorious bursts of 
cheers that sprang from those brave and loyal 
throats as they reach the enemy's works. I 
can still see the noble form of the brave and 
gallant Forston as he stands upon the mound 
with his revolver in his hand, firing rapidly, 
while with his right he pulls his comrades up 
the steep slope of the mound beside him. 

Away go the enemy on their mad rush to 
the river, and as they go they pass in front of 
Company F. Then it was that our sharp 
shooters, of whom we were all justly proud, 
got in their deadly work. From the mound 
to the river, a distance of 700 yards, the field 
was strewn with the enemy's dead and 
wounded. Closing in on the enemy on all 
sides, many of them threw away their arms 
and plunged into the stream ; others threw their 
arms into the river, surrendered and the battle 
was won. Our right center pushed on into the 
town of Santa Ana. Five thousand Filipino 
troops evacuated the town and retreated up 
the river, passing through the towns of San 
Pedro, Macati, Pasig, Caienta, Tay Tay and 
Antipota, closely pursued by the First Cali- 
fornia. Our regiment captured 150 prisoners, 



128 rifles and two ten-inch Krupp guns. In 
summing up it was found that our brigade had 
suffered the heaviest loss, and of our brigade 
the Washington regiment, and of our regiment 
Company A. It was afterward learned that 
the enemy considered the point covered by our 
brigade to be the weakest point on the line, and 
had hurled their greatest force against this par- 
ticular point. So soon as it was possible to do 
so, a message was flashed along the wires, 
eight thousand miles, to the anxious ones at 
home that Company F was all right. I under- 
stand that the wording of the message was 
not satisfactory at the time, as it created the 
opinion that F company had not been in the 
fight. But I guess by this time you all know 
that F Company was very much in it. All 
the members who were absent when we 
left quarters and all of those on sick report 
who were not confined to hospital, managed 
to find their way to the company on the morn- 
ing of the 5th, and although we left the quart- 
ers with but 63 men, when we returned on the 
morning of the 6th we had 87 in line, our full 
complement, and every man had done his duty. 



CHRONICLES. 



The memorable contest betwen the towns 
of Pomeroy and Pataha City for the county- 
seat of Garfield county in the early 80' s was 
one that will ever remain green in the memory 
of those who participated in it. Columns upon 
columns of reading matter occupied the space 
of the newspapers of Washington at the time, 
in discussion of the memorable contest. Here 
is a history of a part of the contest as it ap- 
peared in he Pomeroy Republican in 1884: 

"It came to pass in those days that many 
people went to the far west and drove out the 
heathen before there were the red-skinned folk, 
who were called in the speech of that land, Dig- 
gers. Now after the red skins had been well 



842 



REMINISCENT. 



driven out and much people moved in, they 
said 'let us go up and divide the land and set 
boundaries to it.' And so they appointed men 
skilled in learning, who divided the land, and 
they called one part Garphield and another 
Klumby. Now Garphield was the newer part 
of the land and in it in those days dwelt many 
of the tribes of Ruffs, Kowbois, Shepurders, 
Bummers and Galoots, but the greater part of 
the inhabitants were of the latter sort. And it 
came to pass after the division of the land the 
chief men and rulers said, let us now make 
unto ourselves a chief city. Now the chief city 
of the land was called in the tongue of those 
people Kowntyseat. There was, therefore, in 
the land of Garphield, two cities upon the plain 
in the valley of Putawhaw, even as Sodom and 
Gomorrah of old, and the name of one of the 
cities was Putawhaw, which in the language 
of the Digger, signifies 'much brush.' Behold 
the name of the other city was Pumroi, which 
signifieth 'one that loveth beer.' Now the city 
of Pumroi, was founded by a citizen named 
Pumroi, a man of goodly countenance who 
feared God and gave alms to much people. 
And it came to pass that when Winefaver saw 
that the city of Pumroi began to grow and wax 
fat he said within himself, wherefore should 
I not build me a city likewise? And behold 
he arose and marked off a great city, reaching 
from the east unto the west and from the north 
unto the south, and he called the name of it 
Putawhaw. Now there arose about this time 
a strife between the cities of the plain, even 
Pumroi and Putawhaw, and the Pumroites 
said the Putawhawites be base fellows and their 
city is small and of mean reput; lo, it is nothing 
but a frog pond and how shall it ever be good 
for anything? Then the Putawhawites reviled 
them and said, the Pumroites do always blow 
and esteem themselves better than others. Lo ! 
is not our city in the very midst of the best 
land, and is it not a goodly site for a city? Lo! 
when the great iron horse cometh, will he not 
stop and paw up the ground even of Putawhaw, 



and we shall keep the great iron horse even at 
Putawhaw, and we shall wax great and Pum- 
roi shall diminish. And so it came to pass that 
there was no small strife between the two 
cities, for each said we shall have the iron horse 
stop with us. 

"And it came to pass that as the people were 
about the choose their rulers, the head men said 
we will choose our Kownytyseet by lot. Now 
Kowntyseet was a place where scribes and law- 
yers met and darkened counsel by a multitude 
of words, and where justice and judgment 
were prevented, and the korts were where 
black was made white. And lo, the peo- 
ple cast lots and the lot fell upon Pumroi, 
and, lo, Pumroi was proclaimed Kowntyseet 
through all the land. Now there was no 
small rejoicing about that time in Pumroi. 
So when it was noised about that Pumroi 
was become Kowntyseet, all the inhabitants 
thereof were full of joy and some were full of 
strong drink. Then the chief men of the city, 
together with the tribe of Hoodlum and the 
seed of Beerguzzlers, Kowbois, Bummers and 
the stock of Galoots, said, 'Let us get us up now 
and go to the city of Putawhaw and give the 
Putawhawites a saloot.' So, being filled with 
new wine and old bourbon, they were, accord- 
ing to the speech of the land, on a big jam- 
boree. And so they went unto the city of the 
Putawhawites, and as they went to the city they 
did screech and howl like unto lunatics, so 
much that the women of Putawhaw fled into 
their houses. Now the strong drink in them 
having died and their wind being gone, they re- 
turned unto their own city, even Pumroi. And 
it came to pass that the inhabitants of Putaw- 
haw, even the Putawhawites, were exceedingly 
wrath, and they said, 'Wherefore do these 
Pumroites make damphools of themselves?' 

"And so thee was strife between the two 
cities. 

;"Now about this time it came to pass that 
certain of the scribes and lawyers of Putawhaw 
began to question among themselves, saying 



REMINISCENT. 



843 



wherefore and in what manner was the casting 
of lots done where the people did cast lots for 
Kowntyseet ? 

"And they sent a parchment to the judge 
of the land saying, 'Behold O, Judge ! there 
hath been a mighty question among the people. 
One part do claim that Putawhaw is a mighty 
city, the chiefest in all the land, and the other 
part do say that the like unto Pumroi is not to 
be found in all the earth. Now, O, Judge, we 
have voted thus and thus and cannot agree. 
Do thou, therefore, judge between us and mete 
out the law, and say which of the cities is 
Kowntyseet.' 

"This writing was sealed and sent to the 
judge, and lo, when the judge had looked upon 
the parchment and read the writing thereof, 
he did push up his spectacles and, lo, he 
scratched his head and said, 'Those fellows be, 
truly, in a bad fix.' Now the judge was a man 
of great wisdom in matters pertaining to law 
and tobacco, and handled the pipe with great 
cunning. Having, therefore, filled his pipe and 
offered burnt incense to the gods, he did write 
upon parchments, and this is the interpretation 
thereof : 

" 'Behold now, O, people of Garfield, you 
have not cast lots according to the laws of the 
land, and behold ye have no legal Kowntyseet, 
according to the statutes and ordinances. Lo, 
your Kowntyseet is like unto a chariot which 
hath wheels, even like the chariot of Paddy 
which may be rolled from place to place.' 

"And it came to pass that when the Pum- 
roites had read the proclamation of the judge, 
behold immediately their countenances fell and 
their under jaws did drop the full space of ten 
degrees, even as the shadow went back on the 
dial of Ahaz. 

"And it came to pass when the Putawha- 
wites read the writing on the parchment, be- 
hold their countenances arose and their horn 
was exalted, even that same hour, and they 
smole exceedingly. 

"Now the Putawhawites said if it be so 



now that the Kowntyseet be like unto a chariot, 
even like unto Patrick's buggy on wheels, 
wherefore should we not wheel it up to Putaw- 
haw ? They therefore commanded the Kum- 
misheners to wheel it up to Putawhaw. And, 
lo, they did not wheel worth a cent. Seeing-, 
therefore, there was no real Kowntyseet, the in- 
habitants of the land grew weary and said, 'who 
will decide for us where it shall be?' And some 
said, we will cast lots again, and others said, 
nay, verily, when our rulers assemble them- 
selves to take counsel one with another, and to 
consider the laws, then they shall say where 
the Kowntyseet shall be. 

"And it came to pass that when the time 
was fully come, the rulers of the land were as- 
sembled with orie accord at the place where the 
laws were wont to be made. On a certain day 
the governor being heavy with sleep had fallen 
into a deep slumber, and wist not what was 
being done, and, lo, the scribes, lawyers, pub- 
licans, men of the council and lobby, together 
with the phlunkeys and dedbetes, were in a 
saloon casting lots for the drinks, with cun- 
ningly devised pieces of parchment, bearing 
curious inscriptions and images. These pack- 
ages of parchment were called in the speech of 
that nation, yukerdeks. Now, as they set and 
played and communed with one another, one 
Koonselman, of great wisdom, did with ex- 
ceeding cunning slip a jack into his sleeve, and, 
lo, he said, 'What shall we do with the Kownty- 
seet bill of Garphfield ?' And, lo, one answered 
and said, 'Let us pass it.' And another looking 
at his card said, 'Yea, verily, I pass.' Then 
someone said, let the people cast lots again, and 
others said, 'nay, verily, but let us fix the 
Kowntyseet.' And, lo, some said, put it at 
Pumroi, and some said at Putawhaw, and 
others said let us stop the strife and put it be- 
tween the two cities, even at Berlin. 

"Now, Berlin, which signifieth the place of 
saleratus, was about twelve furlongs from 
Pumroi. When the lawyers, scribes, Kownsel- 
men and publicans could not agree, no one 



8 4 4 



REMINISCENT. 



could tell wh'ich way the matter would go. 
About this time the inhabitants along the river 
of Putawhaw did mark out for themselves 
great cities which did spread in the imagination 
exceedingly. It was commonly believed that 
in no great length of time brick stores, national 
banks, factories and grain elevators would rain 
down from heaven and fill all the plain. Now 
the inhabitants of Pumroi feared the rulers 
would make Putawhaw the Kowntyseet and 
the Putawhawites feared Pumroi would be 
made Kowntyseet, and both were afraid Berlin 
would be Kowntyseet. And it came to pass 
that the people of Garphfield heard how it was 
with their rulers who were assembled to make 
laws, and they said let us send men up to lobby 
for us. Then the Pumroites chose one from 
among them, even Bentwentaforeo'wrs to go up 
and work for the Kowntyseet bill. So, also, did 
the Putawhawites employ a man skilled in all 
matters pertaining to law to work for them. 

"Now when the Pumroites had gathered 
together many pieces of silver, they put them 
on a bag and gave it to Bentwentaforeowrs and 
said' go up now and the Lord be with thee and 
prosper thee in thy work, and give the great 
victory, and do thou valiantly, and our city, 
even Pumroi, shall be exalted.' 

"Then the Putawhawites sent a letter into 
the man of law, at the place where the laws 
were wont to be made, and said unto him, 'bust 
'em ef ye kan.' And so Bentwentaforeowrs 
set out on his journey." 



A STAMPEDE. 



The following is from an interview with 
Robert Bracken published in the Asotin Sen- 
tinel, March 2, 1894: 

There are just as many cattle on the Asotin 
county ranges as there were in the '70's. Of 
course, the big herds have all disappeared and 
no one individual has any great number as in 



former years, but the stock is now owned by 
hundreds of men, while in the early days, before 
this section of Washington was so thickly 
settled, cattle roamed the ranges in great herds 
and were owned by probably not more than half 
a dozen men. These cattle seldom saw any 
one, only at the annual roundup, or when they 
were gathered together to be sold ; consequently 
they became very wild. Eastern buyers would 
come in here and probably buy a whole herd 
at so much a head, according to age. They 
would drive them east as far as Kansas or 
Nebraska the first season, where they would 
again change ownership and be distributed 
among other buyers. In order to make the 
drive a profitable one the herds that took the 
trail generally were counted by the thousands. 
Get so many wild cattle together in a bunch, 
and for the first few days after being taken off 
the range they must be handled very carefully 
as the least strange noise or thing might startle 
them and stampede the whole herd. 

Between here and Grande Ronde valley, in 
Oregon, trouble was most always experienced 
with herds, and frequently stampedes occurred, 
and, as is sometimes the case, with disastrous 
results. One would never suspect that there 
was so much action in one of those big, bulky 
range cattle, but get them aroused and started 
and the way they get over the ground is sur- 
prising. The last cattle stampede I witnessed, 
and which is still fresh in my memory, oc- 
curred in the spring of 1880. A buyer by the 
name of Taylor purchased 2,700 head of cattle 
in the vicinity of Lewiston and Asotin. I sold 
him a few, and as an act of accommodation, 
helped him on the drive for the first two or 
three days out. After we got the herd started 
from the Lewiston Flat, this county, (Asotin), 
camp was pitched that night near the mouth of 
Dry Hollow. Our force numbered forty men 
and we herded the cattle all night. The next 
morning we started them moving and when 
near the head of Dry Hollow, without a mo- 
ment's warning, every hoof was going at full 



REMINISCENT. 



845 



speed. No one knew what started them, but 
everyone knew what it meant. The most dar- 
ing cowboys got ahead of the herd and tried 
to turn the leaders in order to get them running 
in a circle, called "milling," on the big, open 
prairie just ahead. But they might as well have 
tried to turn Snake river. The now frantic 
cattle headed toward Alpowa creek. The shouts 
of the cow boys ahead only seemed to in- 
crease their speed. The noise made by the herd 
sounded like distant thunder. 

The wagon road to Alpowa creek was some- 
what nearer than the direction taken by the 
runaway cattle, so I kept the road and reached 
the bank of the stream a few moments before 
the herd. But here they came on a dead run, 
never once slackening their pace down the big 
hill ; first a great cloud of dust, then the riders 
on their fleet and sure-footed ponies; for to 
stumble and fall meant instant death to man 
and horse; followed by a mass of moving 
bodies, heads lowered, frantic and desperate. 
Dave Mohler had a field on his farm on Alpowa 
creek inclosed with a good, substantial rail 
fence, and whoever constructed it evidently in- 
tended that it should remain for all time. When 
the cow boys were within sixty or seventy 
yards of this barricade, and fearing they would 
be hemmed in, they divided and while part 
went up Alpowa creek, the others kept on down 
the stream. The cattle, however, struck the 
fence, and down it went like so many straws. 
The herd kept on in its wild rush across the field 
and the fence on the opposite side went down 
just as easy as the first. The cattle kept on 
up the stream for a distance of probably a mile 
and a half when the riders got them turned, 
but then they came down in just about as as 
lively a gait as they went up. For the second 
time they were on the property of Dave Moh- 
ler, and after they had crossed over nothing 
remained of his stock corrals and not a post of 
the fence surrounding his field was left stand- 
ing. Dave afterward congratulated himself 
that his young orchard and house were not in 



line of the stampede. The herd kept on 
their mad plunge down the stream until it 
reached Snake river, up which they turned. 
When the cattle reached the place, now the site 
of John Weiss' farm, the cow boys got them 
to "milling," and in twenty-five minutes more 
had them quited down. 

Dave Mohler now appeared on the scene 
and was the most scared, and yet the maddest 
looking man ever seen. He demanded $600 for; 
the damage to his property. Taylor told him 
he was willing to pay any reasonable amount, 
but he thought that $600 was a little too steep. 
Dave then reconsidered the matter and thought 
about $400 would be about right. That even- 
ing while we were camped on the Alpowa four 
young men struck our camp. They were on foot 
and were fresh from the east. They were seek- 
ing employment and were offered work with 
the herd. At first they refused, stating they 
could not ride wild horses, but when Taylor of- 
fered to furnish them with gentle animals, they 
accepted. The next morning the four raw re- 
cruits were each given a gentle stock horse to 
ride and instructed what to do. Taylor was 
afraid more trouble would be experienced with 
the cattle that day, so before starting that morn- 
ing he hired all the Indians that were not too 
lazy to ride to assist him in the drive as far as 
Pataha creek. Our force numbered at this 
time sixty horsemen. Occasionally along the 
route the young immigrants would display some 
of their feats of horsemanship, for, whenever 
they undertook to drive a truant animal back 
into the herd at full speed, their horses being 
well trained in this work, would sometimes 
come to an unexpected halt, but the riders 
would keep right on going over the animal's 
head and make a dive for the ground. 

But the days for the big cattle herds and 
stampedes are over with. 



A HISTORIC SPOT. 

The town of Asotin is situated on a bar of 
Snake river. Just across the river in contrast 



846 



REMINISCENT. 



to the level site of the town, rise high and al- 
most prependicular rocky bluffs. They are in 
Idaho, but are so much a part of the town of 
Asotin that it would be impossible for one to 
picture in his mind's eye the town without the 
bluffs across the river. The most wonderful 
basaltic formation on the whole course of 
Snake river lies just opposite Asotin. Columns 
of great length and many-sided, some straight 
and others curved in rainbow form may be 
found. A competent geologist could here find 
much to interest him. 

If the word of the Indians who have made 
their home in this country for many years is to 
be taken, the bluff just opposite the town was 
once, before the white men came to the country, 
the scene of a fearful massacre. The Indians 
of the Nez Perce country were at almost con- 
tinual warfare with the Spokanes, who inhab- 
ited the country to the north. In one of the 
most bloody of the battles between these two 
peoples the Spokanes greatly outnumbered 
their foes and drove them to these rocky, barren 
cliffs. Being unable to escape the unfortunate 
warriors, their women and children were all 
slaughtered. Surrounded on all sides they put 
up a brave fight, but in the end were all killed, 
and the carnage was said to be fearful. Blood 
ran down the rocky sides of the bluff in rivulets 
and the Snake was colored red. he scene of 
this massacre is called by the Indians Tan-ne- 
ca-me, and is looked upon as sacred ground by 
the few natives remaining in the country. Near 
the city of Asotin is the alleged burial place of 
the victims, which is marked by hundreds of 
mounds. 



AN EARLY DAY INCIDENT. 

Robert Bracken: In the spring of 1862 
there lived on Clearwater river an old Indian 
named Wathous-hi-hi, and his attractive daugh- 
ter Tum-i-hum. Living in the locality was a 
young Indian named Leaping Panther. He was 
a frequent visitor at the lodge of Wathous-hi-hi. 



but when he asked the old man for his daughter 
and was told that she should become the wife 
of Vick Trevit, a white man then conducting 
a saloon and grocery in Lewiston, the young In- 
dian's visits ceased. 

This kind of information Leaping Panther 
did not expect to receive and disheartened and 
discouraged he left for the Indian village on 
the upper Clearwater where he related the re- 
sult of his interview with the old man. Leap- 
ing Panther brooded over the disappointment 
for several days and finally concluded that he or 
Trevit must die, and sent the latter word to 
that effect by two Indian friends of the young 
buck. 

Trevit accepted the challenge and the fol- 
lowing day was set for the duel. The spot se- 
lected was near the present location of the court 
house in Lewiston, and the weapons were to 
be knives. As the hour approached the crowd 
of Indians, miners, prospectors and packers in- 
creased. The girl consented to marry the vic- 
tor, never for a moment doubting that Leaping 
Panther would easily overcome his foe in a 
hand to hand encounter. The sheriff was off 
in the mountains, running down highwa)mien, 
and the fight could go on uninterrupted. A 
ring was formed and the Indian and his white 
opponent stepped to the center, and took posi- 
tions two yards apart. Each was handed a 
bowie knife and the word to advance given. 
They went forward and both parties sparred 
carefully, but Leaping Panther, thinking to 
end the fight with one blow, struck with all his 
might. Trevit leaned back and escaped the 
blow, which fell with such force that the Indian 
turned half way around. Then came Trevit's 
opportunity, and quick as thought the keen 
knife blade of the latter pierced the Indian in 
the shoulder and his arm fell powerless and 
the knife dropped from his grasp. Leaping 
Panther wanted to continue the fight with his 
left hand, but friends interfered, as there was 
no possible show for him to win. Dr. Booth 
dressed his injury. 



REMINISCENT. 



847 



A short time after this occurrence Tum-i- 
hum was missing one night and her parent com- 
menced a diligent search for his daughter in 
the Indian villages then in that neighborhood. 
No trace of her could be found and the belief 
commenced to dawn that probably the girl had 
committed suicide to escape marrying the white 
man, Trevit. The following morning a search 
party of Indians observed a canoe on what is 
now the Asotin county shore, a short distance 
below Pearcy's ferry. The party crossed over 
and when they reached the place where the ca- 
noe was stationed the imprints of two moccasin 
tracks were observed in the loose sand along 
the shore line. One was a small track and 
the second somewhat larger, but they both led 
up stream and were followed to the Deep Eddy, 
about one hundred yards above the ferry land- 
ing, where they turned toward the stilL water 
and were suddenly lost to view. 

Jack Thrasher, a ferry hand, had grappling 
irons and in a skiff began a search of the river. 
The theory of the Indians was proven correct. 
In a little while the lifeless forms of the Indian 
maiden and the rejected suitor were raised to 
the surface firmly locked in each others' em- 
brace. 

Trevit closed out his business shortly after 
and went to The Dalles, on the Columbia river. 
lie was a man that had many friends. One 
day while passing up the Columbia the river 
boat steamed by an island and Trevit remarked 
to some of his fellow passengers that if he died 
in the northwest he desired to be buried on that 
spot. He died a few years later ; his wish was 
complied with and the place was ever afterward 
known as Trevit's Island. 



STUBBS. 



Robert Bracken : In the early days of this 
section there lived along Asotin creek an Indian 
who was known among the whites as "Stubbs," 



and by the Nez Perces called Its koom-skits, 
which means short. Stubbs belonged to a tribe 
in Northern California, and in 1857 had as big 
a reputation for being a horse thief as Joaquin 
Murietta had in Southern California. Upon 
one occasion Stubbs and two companions stole 
a herd of horses from the Indians in the north- 
ern part of California and ran them up north 
to Fraser river, British Columbia. The Fraser 
river excitement was at its best in 1857, and 
horses commanded a good price. There was 
such little difficulty in disposing of the stolen 
property that a second raid was planned, but 
the thieves were not so fortunate in escaping at 
this time. 

On Pit river in California they came across 
a hunting party of Shasta Indians that had quite 
a bunch of horses. Stubbs' plan was to take 
the horses and leave the Indians afoot, so that 
pursuit would be impossible. One of the thieves, 
however, considered the undertaking too risky 
and refused to become one of the party. Finally 
the horses came up missing and so did Stubbs 
and his partner. The hunting party, however, 
had two bunches of horses, kept in separate val- 
leys, and this the thieves were not aware of at 
the time, or the job would have been managed 
differently. When it became known that the 
stock had been stolen the Indians at once fol- 
lowed. The trail led them near Klamath lake, 
Oregon, thence to the Columbia, where they 
crossed the river a short distance below Uma- 
tilla Junction. The Indians came in sight of 
the thieves with the stolen stock in the Yakima 
valley. Stubbs was captured but his compan- 
ion in crime made good his escape. The pris- 
oner was securely bound hand and foot, and as 
a punishment for the theft both his feet were 
hacked off at the ankles. Then as a still further 
punishment the four fingers of his right hand 
were taken off at the knuckles, leaving nothing 
but the thumb. 

In this condition Stubbs was shortly after 
found by a party of friendly Indians. They 
took him to their camp and doctored his 



848 



REMINISCENT. 



wounds^ Afterward he came to Asotin creek, 
where he lived for fifteen years. He was an 
expert rider and was employed for some time 
by Peter Maguire. When Chief Joseph and 
his band of Nez Perces went on the war path 
Stubbs accompanied them. He crossed the 
British line and after a few years' stay in that 
section he was kicked one day while passing a 
horse and instantly killed. 



MEDICINE DANCE. 

The deep and temperate canyons, which 
pierce Asotin county and lead into Snake river, 
were, before the advent of the white men to the 
country, the homes and camping places of the 
Indians who inhabited this part of the country. 
After civilization had claimed this territory and 
the Indians had taken up their abode in other 
prescribed places, they were wont to come, dur- 
ing the fishing season, to these, their former 
places of abode, where they passed a part of 
each year. A correspondent to the Sentinel, at 
Asotin, thus describes what he saw in one of 
their camps on the Grande Ronde in February, 
1895: 

"A few years since your correspondent, in 
company with a few trusted friends, visited the 
Nez Perce camp near the mouth of Grande 
Ronde river and were initiated into the mys- 
teries of the medicine dance, and participated to 
a limited extent in the pleasures thereof. The 
camp at this time consisted of three wigwams, 
one that was, perhaps, sixty feet long by twenty 
feet wide, and two others of the ordinary round 
style of architecture. These smaller ones ac- 
commodated two or three families each, while 
in the largest one twelve or fifteen families were 
domiciled. In this latter the dance was held. 
The heating and lighting system consists of 
four camp fires built equal distances apart 
through the middle of the wigwam. The in- 
terior decorations did not differ materially from 



that of the other wigwams; pole of dried beef 
interspersed here and there with pipes, beaded 
tobacco pouches, and other trinkets of Indian 
manufacture adorned the walls. There are 
two entrances to the large wigwam, both on 
the sunny side. 

"About 7 :30 in the evening we arrived and 
made our way to the scene of festivities. As 
we entered and came into the light of the camp- 
fires, a lively scene was thrust upon our view. 
A motley congregation of warriors, squaws, 
pappooses, dogs and cats were ranged along 
each side and end, sitting or reclining on mats 
of burlap sacks, blankets and skins of animals. 
At one end they were preparing supper for some 
belated friends just arrived from Lapwai. Upon 
the kind invitation of our Indian friend, George 
Raymond, we took seats within his family cir- 
cle, about midway in the tent, where our chance 
for observing was good. 

"Promptly, acording to program, a few 
minutes before nine o'clock a warrior who was 
seated near one end, in a slow, even, distinct 
tone of voice, a good deal after the fashion of a 
court crier, began what appeared to be a formal 
speech, which lasted about twenty minutes, at 
the conclusion of which he went outside and 
repeated part of it to the inmates of the other 
wigwams, when he returned and resumed his 
seat. The Indians were all clothed in their usual 
attire, except as they would become warm dur- 
ing the dance, they would occasionally drop off 
their large and heavy blankets. Presently a 
noble brave arose and advanced to the middle 
of the tent opposite an entrance. There he stood 
with head erect and form as straight as an 
arrow, in the attitude of one listening to some- 
thing in the distance. His gaze was fixed 'away 
off' ; he was flying with his thoughts back to 
'childhood's happy hours;' in imagination he 
saw a war party of Nez Perces with the fallen 
Joseph at the head, making a sneak upon some 
unsuspecting settler, and his heart was wild to 
be with them. Then he turned and walked 
slowly toward the other end, stopping near the 



REMINISCENT. 



849 



door. There he stood a few minutes when the 
occupants of the other wigwams arrived, filed 
in and took seats opposite their white guests. 
"Presently a low, plaintive, apparently dis- 
tant, strain of music greeted our ears, succeeded 
by one a little louder, and so on advancing in 
tone, until it reached an ordinary pitch. The 
music was entirely vocal, started by the head 
dancer who began by singing a few words, 
when the others finished or respond by singing, 
using words part of the time. The singing is 
more in the nature of a chant than a song. 

"By this time the Indians had nearly all 
risen to their feet and were singing and keep- 
ing time to the music by motions of their hands 
and bodies, something after the style of 'balance 
all' in our quadrilles. In the meantime our 
bold, brave leader was dancing. To simply 
say he was dancing mildly expresses it. He 
was 'just hoeing it down.' He danced as 
though he had a time contract on it ; was a little 
behind, and death was to be the penalty of 
failure. The dancing step was patterned after 
the hop, or the school girl's practice in skipping 
the rope, only the Indian's feet both leave the 
ground together, and they do not move a muscle 
of their body. The leader was growing more 
and more excited as the dance progressed ; per- 
spiration was pouring from his face, and with 
a wild, blank stare he would gaze in the direc- 
tion of the Big Dipper and anon toward the 
evening star, and thus he danced back and forth 
through the wigwam, followed by three or four 
other braves in single file. They danced in 
this manner perhaps three-quarters of an hour, 
with frequent intermissions of a few minutes 
for breathing, when all took their seats. This 
appeared to be the end of the first dance, the 
complete exhaustion, or going into a trance, of 
the leader is a signal for the set to come to an 
end. 

"After a rest of ten or fifteen minutes, we 

again heard the melancholy song begin and 

once more the dance was on, this time led by 

another brave, and so they continued until seven 

54 



or eight times they had danced. The third 
dance was led by a diminutive, dried up war- 
rier upon whom the spirit had taken a violent 
hold. He was almost frantic before he began 
dancing, and after two or three rounds he ap- 
peared to be a raving maniac. He lost his." 
reason and consciousness, sight and feeling, and 
all he wanted in the world was to dance, and 
dance he did in the stiftTmg smoke of that wig- 
wam. He danced against the warrior ahead 
of him and against the one behind him. He 
danced through the fire and against the spec- 
tators until he could dance no more, and when 
the time came to rest he could not stop, but 
kept on jumping until the brave who had kept 
near him to prevent his doing serious damage, 
caught and held him to await the instructions 
of the Medicine Man, who was soon on the 
scene. The maniuplations of the Medicine Man 
consisted in laying hands on the poor unfortu- 
nate, who, by the way, was doing his best to 
jump as he was held in a standing position by 
the stout warrior, while the music continued, 
though in a lower key; the 'doctor' singing 
some and at other times talking to his patient, 
and after having been worked on for perhaps 
ten minutes, he was sufficiently quieted to be 
laid away to make room for the next perform- 
ance. 

"There appears to be no particular one ap- 
pointed to lead in the dance. When the spirit 
moves one he gets right up and dances. This 
spirit seized one of the dusky matrons, and 
throwing aside her native modesty, she bal- 
anced to the front and led the cotillion. Her 
step differed some from that of the previous 
leaders, inasmuch as it partook of the nature 
of a schottish. The lady succeeded in becoming- 
as badly frenzied as the little warrior. How- 
ever, we doubt the genuineness of her trance, 
as the fact of her having made a studied and 
successful effort to fall into the arms of our 
friend, 'Bones,' would indicate that reason and 
judgment still reigned. 

"Before the dance commenced we were re- 



8 5 o 



REMINISCENT. 



quested to remove our hats, which little point 
of etiquette two of us had neglected to observe. 
After the dance had commenced we were asked 
to 'stand up, boys,' and upon our exhibiting 
symptoms of dancing we were encouraged by 
a warrior saying, 'That's right, boys ; go ahead,' 
which we did a little, and by so doing pleased 
■our host greatly, as was evidenced by the 
laughter and clapping of hands, especially from 
the little ones. Whether the object of these 
dances is pleasure, muscular development, or 
for the glory of God, your correspondent was 
unable to learn." 



INDIAN BATTLEFIELD. 

Lewiston Teller : On the Grande Ronde 
river, fifteen miles from the mouth, a mound 
of stone marks an old battle field. This monu- 
ment occupies the center of a fine garden spot 
and the owner, Mr. Hansen, decided recently 
to remove the stones. He worked faithfully 
with horse and cart until he reached the last 
tier in the base of the monument. There he 
found a row of human skulls lying side by side, 
face down, with a heavy stone on the back of 
each head. This ghastly discovery shocked the 
old gentleman, and he left his work. An old 
Indian was sought and asked to explain the 
significance of the unusual sepulcher. He said 
the skeltons were those of some Snake Indians 
who had been killed in battle many years ago, 
and that the bodies had been buried face down 
according to Indian custom in the case of an 
enemy. The large stones were placed over the 
heads of the dead foes so that they could not 
rise up again and do battle as spectral warriors. 
The Grande Ronde valley was at one time dis- 
puted territory between the Nez Perce and 
Snake Indians. This old grave is a silent wit- 
ness to a conflict of arms of which there is no 
written history. 



A BUSTED MINING BOOM. 

i 

Asotin Spirit, April n, 1884: Another 
mining company has been organized, who pur- 
pose to mine on the townsite of Asotin, where 
it is reported the long lost treasure of Captain 
Kidd is concealed. That there is gold in the 
bar on which the town is located is not doubted, 
and with good management we believe the 
diggings will pay to work. Go in and win. 

April 18th : If any one doubts that the 
center of the townsite of Asotin is not in a fair 
way of being mined out, let him take a stroll 
from the auditor's office to the ferry, and note 
the numerous stakes with names thereon, the 
ground all properly laid off by Surveyor Briggs, 
and then say that the company do not mean 
business. It is said that as soon as water can 
be procured by the mining ditch, work in good 
earnest will be begun, and it is believed that if 
old Kidd buried his ill-gotten gains here it will 
be unearthed. It makes one think of the old 
mining days to see the townsite of Asotin 
dotted over with miners' stakes. The locality 
of the treasure has been ascertained, but no gold 
has been taken out as yet. 

May 2d : We will say for the encourage- 
ment of persons getting ready to start for the 
Asotin mines that there is still as much gold in 
the gravel bed on the townsite of Asotin as at 
any time this year, as none has been taken out 
as yet, owing, no doubt, to the fact that no 
work on the claims has yet been done, sus- 
picions being entertained by some evil disposed 
persons that the mines will not pay working. 

May 9th : The Captain Kidd treasure re- 
ported to be concealed in the gravel bed oh 
which the town of Asotin is located, is in no 
immediate danger of being unearthed, as the 
mining company, formed some time since for 
working the claims staked out, find it much 
pleasanter to sit in the shade and speculate with 
their mouths as to the probable richness, than 
with pick and shovel to explore for the long lost 
treasure. 



REMINISCENT. 



85i 



A BAD INDIAN. 

In 1868 there came to Asotin creek a half- 
breed Indian named Charles Jackson. The 
Jackson family came from Oregon and settled 
between Dayton and Walla Walla. There 
were four boys in the family, but there was 
nothing remarkable about any of them except 
this one. He was about eighteen when he came 
here, and appeared to be the most innocent, 
good-natured fellow that one seldom meets, 
and he had the appearance of being a person 
w r hom it would be impossible to get into a quar- 
rel with. However, he left his mark on several' 
white men and a number of Indians between 
here and Walla Walla, and was only arrested 
once for his misdeeds, and always escaped pun- 
ishment. 

In 1869 there lived at the mouth of Ten 
Mile creek an Indian named Big Dick. One 
day Dick and a white man got into trouble 
and the pale face was getting the worst of the 
bargain, for the Indian was a strong and power- 
ful fellow. About this time Jackson appeared 
upon the scene, and seeing how matters were 
going and that the white man was more than 
overmatched, slipped up behind Dick and 
plunged a bowie knife into the small of his 
back up to the hilt. This ended Dick's career 
as a pugilist, and for over a year afterward he 
was not able to leave his camp. He lived for 
many years in Asotin county but was always 
lame from the effects of the wound received on 
that occasion. 

Some years later, about 1874, I believe, 
Jackson and a companion started out upon a 
horse stealing expedition, and, as was afterward 
learned, the plan was to take the stolen property 
to Kansas and dispose of it there. At Almota, 
on Snake river, they stole sixty-five head of 
horses from the Indians then camped there. 
The stock was driven to what is now Lake, in 
Asotin county, and here the herd was increased 
by seventy-five more ponies belonging to the In- 
dian village that stood where the town of Asotin 



is now built. Nobe Henry, the well known 
scout and stockman, was looking after his stock 
on the range and observed the trail made by 
the stolen horses in crossing George creek near 
its head, and at once reported the matter to the 
Indians. Six of the latter immediately started 
out and followed the trail and came upon 
Jackson and his partner in camp on the edge of 
Grande Ronde valley. Shooting commenced at 
once. At the first fire the horse Jackson was on 
fell under him shot dead. Jackson emptied his 
revolver in rapid succession at the approaching 
party, but only one of his bullets took effect. 
Stootki, a chief, was hit, the bullet passing- 
through his jaw. He recovered from his wound, 
and his familiar figure is often now seen in 
Asotin and vicinity. The stolen horses were 
all recovered. Charles Jackson returned to 
Asotin creek a few years later and in 1877, in 
company with his brother, James, they traded 
for 130 head of horses that had been captured 
from the hostile Indians, then on the war path, 
and took them to Montana. In Montana five 
Indians stole sixty head of horses from the 
herd and tried to escape with them. Charlie 
followed them alone and killed three of them, 
and a short time afterward he was killed near 
the Missouri river by a roving band, and 
scalped. 



GAME IN EARLY DAYS. 

Asotin Sentinel, April 7,1893: "Talk about 
the upper Snake river country being a good 
hunting ground, don't you know it's no com- 
parison to what the section of country adjacent 
to the Blue Mountains and the valley of Grande 
Ronde river was in the early settlement of this 
country," remarked an old hunter during this 
week, after coming in from a month's hunting 
and prospecting trip up Snake river. 

"I hunted all through these mountains be- 
fore there was a white settler here, and I know 
every trail. Myself and two partners passed 



852 



REMINISCENT. 



the winter of 1859 and i860 along the Snake 
and Grande Ronde rivers, and we had quite a 
successful trapping season. Over along the 
Grande Ronde river in the fall of 1859 myself 
and companion were riding along a dry canyon 
one day with a view of heading it, and watching 
the thickets below for deer. The wind was 
blowing briskly towards us, when suddenly at 
the bottom of the canyon I saw the broad back 
of a cow elk. I sprang from my horse, but 
just then a huge bull stepped out of the brush, 
not more than two hundred feet away. This 
was the first time I had ever seen a real live 
elk. I was quite young then and must have 
instantly taken what the old frontiersmen call 
the 'buck fever,' for I commenced to shake all 
over and my teeth began to clatter. I remem- 
ber thinking how one careful shot would bring 
the noble game before me down. Then I braced 
my nerves and fired. The cows in the brush 
tore up the canyon with great noise, but the 
bull turned the other way and could not get 
out of a walk. I had shot him through the 
lights and a stream of blood was flowing from 
his side. He slowly climbed the hill opposite 
me, but I was so excited by this time that I 
missed him every shot until he came on a level 
with me ; then I hit him on the backbone, when 
he cringed toward me and fell over on his side, 
dead. He was big as a cow and had a great 
spread of horns over four feet from tip to tip." 
Robert Bracken in Sentinel, April 13, 1894: 
Twenty-five years ago game was very plentiful 
on the prairie lands of Asotin county. Bear 
were as thick as flies and each fall of the year 
would come down from the mountains and seek 
the lowlands, where they remained until they 
retired to their dens for the winter. Many a 
one have I seen where the town of Asotin is 
built. The first permanent settlers came to 
Asotin prairie in the spring of 1877. Deer 
traveled in big droves then just as cattle do 
now and could be seen at any time, half hidden 
in the tall and waving grass that then covered 
the prairie. 



Up to the year 1866 gray timber wolves 
were quite numerous and made a peck of 
trouble for the Indians then living along Snake 
river and Asotin creek by attacking and kill- 
ing their horses. They always went in large 
packs and were more troublesome in the 
winter time than at any other season of 
the year. They disappeared ' all of a sud- 
den and now it's only occasionally that one 
hears of a few being seen and then its away 
back in the mountains and thickly timbered sec- 
tions that are seldom visited except it be by 
hunters and trappers. One winter they killed 
100 horses near the present site of Asotin. * * * 
Henry McNally, now deceased, had quite an 
exeperience in the summer of 1878 while com- 
ing down along Asotin creek from his ranch. 
Henry was carrying a pitchfork and his shot- 
gun loaded with a charge of fine shot. At the 
upper end of what is now James Thornton's 
farm, there was a dense growth of tall birch 
trees whose tops- leaned up against a ledge of 
rocks, along which was a narrow trail. While 
Henry was coming over the high and narrow 
path, not more than fifteen feet ahead, crouch- 
ing in the forks of one of the birch trees, he 
observed a large and vicious looking cougar. 
Mr. McNally thought that at so short a dis- 
tance the small shot would have fatal effect, and 
so he emptied the contents of the gun at the 
animal's head. No sooner had he shot than 
the animal tumbled down from its perch to the 
ground below. Mr. McNally, supposing that 
the cougar, was dead, laid down his gun and 
with his fork picked his way down over the 
rough and steep hillside. After he had reached 
the base, and just after turning a projecting 
ledge of rock, there sat the cougar upon his 
haunches, apparently none the worse off for his. 
tumble. As soon as Mr. McNally came in 
sight the animal made ready to spring, and as 
it did so McNally held out the fork, whose 
sharp-pointed prongs entered the animal's 
breast their full length. At the same time the 
end of the fork handle struck Henry in the 



REMINISCENT. 



853 



breast, knocking him senseless. When he 
came to the cougar was stretched out on the 
ground within a few feet of him, dead. 



PREHISTORIC HISTORY. 

Snake river valley and those of most of the 
creeks have been inhabited by Indians for over 
a century. The vast quantities of salmon and 
other fish in Snake river, and the beautiful, cry- 
stal streams of the county, vast number of deer, 
bear and other animals; the wonderful flocks 
of wild geese, brant, chickens, pheasants and 
ducks ; the goodly supply of animals valuable 
for fur; the warm, healthful and enticing cli- 
mate ; the boundless range for stock, which 
could live without care or shelter upon the 
ever-present and fat-producing bunch grass, 
made this the natural home of the Aborigines in 
the days before the white man first looked 
tipon this country. — Asotin Sentinel, December 
31, li 



INDIAN HISTORY. 

Robert Bracken : During the early '6o's, 
when white men first undertook to make their 
homes in what is how Asotin county, the rul- 
ers, or head chiefs of the different branches of 
the Nez Perce tribes were : 

He-min-il-pilp (Red Wolf), who was chief 
of the Alpowai Indians, and lived with his tribe 
at the mouth of Alpowa creek. It was he who 
planted, in 1837, the eleven apple trees, the slips 
for which were furnished by Missionary Spald- 
ing, and started the oldest orchard now in the 
state of Washington. Red Wolf died about 
1863. and was buried near the place where his 
village once stood After his demise Timothy 
became chief and reigned until his death in re- 
cent years. 

Jason, who lived where the town of Asotin 
now stands. 



Ucussin-American, who lived at Lapwai, 
and who later died while on the return trip 
from Washington, D. C, where the four chiefs 
had been on some mission connected with 
their tribe. 

! Lawyer, who lived on the south fork of 
Clearwater river, at Kamai. 

These were the head chiefs of the tribe. 
Besides these there were a number of under 
chiefs. Among these was old Chief Joseph, who 
lived on Joseph creek, on what later became the 
farm of J. A. Bradley. Under his jurisdiction 
was all that section of country from the Grande 
Ronde river, along- the Imnaha and to near the 
source of that stream. After the old chief's 
death his son, Joseph, stepped into his father's 
moccasins and governed this wing of the tribe 
until after the Indian uprising of 1877. 

During these early days the Indians of the 
Nez Perce tribe were on the constant move all 
summer. First they would visit the camas 
grounds twenty miles north of Lewiston, then 
known as Shy wawa ; next they went to 
Weippe; and about the first of August they 
would go to Wallowa and remain until, gener- 
ally, November 1st, when they would seek their 
accustomed retreats along the streams and pass 
the winter season in horse racing, foot racing 
and target practice. 



ADDRESS TO THE COLUMBIA RIVER. 

Columbia ! Ancient and wonderful river ; 

Thy span is an empire : thy grave is the sea ; 
Through cycles unmeasured, still sweeping on evei, 

The flight of the ages is nothing to thee. 
O, sullen Columbia, tell me thy history, 

That deep in oblivion is lost to my ken ; 
Inscrutable river, reveal the deep mystery, 

That darkly hangs o'er thee, un fathomed by men. 

For ages the mastodon trod thy broad marshes. 

Or ranged through the forests that margined thy 
shores ; 
Now. deep in the beds of alluvial washes 

Lie buried those giants that flourished of yore. 



854 



REMINISCENT. 



The ponderous relices of animal relics, 

That drank of thy waters for millions of years, 

Are witness of God, in rock-graven traces, 
O, time tiring tide, to thy ancient career. 

Ah, tell me, thou beautiful, shimmering river, 

Who first the boat lightly rowed over thy waves? 
Serene on thy bosom they'll rock again never, 

Deserted their homes, forgotten their graves. 
Full well didst thou know of their loves and their 
sighing; 

How fierce were their battles, and often thy shore 
Has echoed the war-whoop, or wail of the dying; 

Mute river, re-echo their story once more, 
Columbia, opulent, wealth-laden river, 

Thy sands are all gleaming with bright, gleam- 
ing ores ; 
From thy snowy capped mountains thou bore them on 
ever, 

And scattered them over thy picturesque shores. 
Thy riches would surfeit the coffers of nations; 

Make scepters and crowns for the mighty of earth, 
And all is poured out, in most gracious libations 

To the beautiful land of our liberty's birth. 

Thy waters once skimmed by canoe of the native, 

Bear the ships of the nations, with riches untold ; 
With fruits of the field from acres creative ; 

The pine of the forest ; with silver and gold. 
How proudly rise cities, where the wigwam was stand- 
ing, 

The scream of the engine is heard on the plain ; 
While industry thrives, and brain is commanding, 

And savagery shall never trouble again. 

Proud river, I gaze with sublimist emotion, 

Upon thy deep gorge in the mountains blocks ; 
And on thy broad waters in sinuous motion, 

Mid shadow and light of thy towering rocks. 
The falls of Multnomah leap down from the mountain, 

And break into mists like the veil of a bride; 
Then murmur on down in their silvery fountain 

To sigh on thy bosom and join in thy tide. 

Columbia ! 'tis said in the years of thy morning, 

Thou fashioned an arch o'er thy bosom to span ; 
And fringed it with green for its lofty adorning, 

While silent below it thy dark waters ran. 
Mount Hood and Mount Adams, both lordly, were 
standing 

As sentinels, guarding thy shingly shores ; 
White, ancient and lofty, with mein of commanding, 

And eager to test their Titanian powers. 

There, each at the other his threatenings muttered, 
'Til they their hot breath could no longer restrain ; 

Their belchings were fiercer than hell ever uttered ; 
With thunderings loud and sulphurous rain ; 



Afar in the heavens shot lurid fires flashing, 

And thick o'er the land fell the hot, hissing stone; 

The mountains, like demons, were roaring and clashing, 
While thunderbolts shot from the storm-kings 
throne. 

Thy boson then heaved like the sea when its troubled, 
As the smile of the sun grew black at thy gaze; 

Thy waters in terror convulsively bubbled, 
The universe shook in teriffic amaze. 

The great spanning arch was now swaying to sever, 
The Bridge of the Gods, though ruined forever, 

Had made the cascades, with their billowy swell. 

Columbia! Majestic and deep flowing river, 

Thy mountains have powdered the mountains to 
sand ; 
And drifted them silently, seawardly ever, 

To bar the proud breakers that dash on the strand. 
Thou Lordly Columbia ! Grand and inperious, 

Hast sundered the mountains and swept to the sea, 
And dared the wild ocean, whose howlings mysterious, 

And surf rolling thunders can never fright thee! 

The statliest monuments man ever builded 

Of granite or marble, have crumbled to dust; 
His cities and temples and palaces gilded, 

Have fallen a prey to the rot and the rust. 
The arts of old Egypt and Chaldea's glory 

Are lost in oblivion and never can be 
Re-echoed in song, or be uttered in story; 

But Time's desolations are nothing to thee. 

While the smile of the sun lifts the mists from the 
ocean ; 

Or clouds by the breezes are blown o'er the land; 
Or falls the soft snow in its feathery motion, 

Thy beautiful waters shall flow to the strand. 
Sometime in the flight of eternity's aeons, 

The sun will grow dim and the ocean go dry; 
Earth float in its orbit, in darkness lethean, 

Then, mighty Columbia, thy grandeur will die. 

At last I would sleep to the sound of thy splashings, 

Where murmurings soft of thy magical flow, 
Or swell of thy beautiful cataract's dashings, 

Shall sigh to the sea winds as softly' they blow. 
In the years that are coming some sculpturist lonely, 

May pause on thy shore by the side of my grave; 
I would on thy walls he should carve my name only, 

Above where thy waters eternally lave. 

G. B. KUYKENDALL, M. D. 



CONTRIBUTION BY GEORGE W. MILLER. 



The following is a brief sketch of a class 
of men whose characteristics were peculiar. 



REMINISCENT. 



855 



They built cabins along the Nez Perces trail 
at the crossing of each stream of water ; the 
ranch being generally held down by a man who 
lived with an Indian woman. William Buntin 
and a man who went by the name of "Club 
Foot'' George lived at the crossing of Whiskey 
creek. Freelon Schnebley, who went by the 
name of "Stubbs," lived where the Nez Perces 
trails crossed Touchet river, where Dayton 
now stands; he lived with an Indian woman 
and one child. William and Martin Bailey, 
brothers, lived one mile above the crossing of 
the Touchet river on the present Rainwater 
place ; Joseph Ruark, commonly called "Ken- 
tuck," lived in the forks of the Touchet river, 
two miles above the crossing. William Rex- 
ford lived where the Nez Perces trails crossed 
the Patit creek, which is now called the Gra- 
ham place. 

"Bill" Buntin and "Clubfoot George" were 
hanged by Vigilantes in Montana in the early 
'sixties, and Stubbs was shot by the soldiers at 
the mouth of the Okanogan for stealing gov- 
ernment mules. 

Now come the sturdy old pioneers ; men 
who came with a will to settle up the country 
and make for themselves homes. Samuel L. 
Gilbreath and his wife, Mary H. Gilbreath, are 
now living on their homestead taken up by 
them in 1859. Mrs. Gilbreath claims the honor 
of being the first white woman who ever set- 
tled in Columbia county, and their child, born 
in March, i860, was the first white child born 
in Columbia county. Their first house was 
built near the foot of the hill where the Nez 
Perce trails first entered the Touchet valley, 
four miles down the river below Dayton. After- 
ward he built a fine residence on his homestead, 
one-half mile farther up the valley, where Mr. 
Gilbreath and others had previously built a 
large and well equipped grist mill. Both the 
O. R. & N. and W. & C. R. railroads pass 
right in front of his residence, with side tracks 
and warehouses at the mill. His homestead is 
one of the most desirable farms in Columbia 



county, well adapted to all kinds of farming. 
Israel Davis settled on Whiskey creek, not far 
above where it empties into the Touchet, some- 
time during the year 1859, and he is conceded 
to be the first settler in Columbia county who 
raised and harvested a crop of grain. 

Lambert Hearn and Elizabeth Hearn, his 
wife, together with their large family of chil- 
dren, settled on a claim just above Gilbreath, 
at the mouth of Payne hollow, in the fall of 
1859. Mrs. Hearn was the second white 
woman to settle in Columbia county. John 
Forsythe, a single man, took up a claim just 
below Gilbreath's in the fall of 1859, and at 
once commenced to improve the same. James 
S. Dill, a widower, with two children, took up 
a claim next below Forsythe's in 1859. Oliver 
P. Platter settled on Tucannon in 1859, where 
the first wagon road to Lewiston crossed that 
stream. James Boice in the same year settled 
on the Tukanon, six miles below Platter's. . 
George T. Pollard took a claim in the Touchet 
valley on the north side of the river adjoining 
the present town of Huntsville, in the year 
1859. During the fall of i860 he married 
Harriet A. Wiseman, of Walla Walla, and 
later on he moved on his claim at Huntsville. 
He is living on the same homestead at this time 
and has a fine residence and well improved 
farm. The following young men took up 
claims during the fall of 1859 and the spring 
of i860, but, generally speaking, took their 
residence with them wherever they went : 
David Whittaker, David Fudge, John Fudge 
and Joseph Starr took up claims in the vicinity 
of Huntsville. James Fudge and John C. 
Wells took up claims on Hogeye creek, which 
took its name from "Hogeye" Davis. Newton 
Forrest and Thomas T. Davis located between 
Hearn's and Stubbs' place, where Dayton now 
stands. 

Amasa West located in 1859 on the "old 
donation claim of Henri M. Chase, on the 
Touchet, next above "Stubbs," now known as 
the Mustard place. Elisha Ping and family 



8 5 6 



REMINISCENT. 



settled on the Patit, just above its mouth, in 
August, i860. A portion of Dayton is now 
located on his farm. His claim was the first 
located on the Patit between Stubbs' and Rex- 
fords'. He was engaged in stock raising- until 
the spring of 1862, when he began to open up 
his farm, which was all good plow land. 
George W. Miller and family settled on the 
Patit next above Ping's, by the side of the Nez 
Perces trails, in August, i860, and soon com- 
menced opening up his farm. In the spring of 
1862 he bought seed oats of Louis McMorris, 
two miles below Walla Walla, and hauled them 
thirty-two miles to his home. The oats cost 
him eight cents per pound. On account of the 
high price of seed and his lack of money, his 
crop was not very large that year. In 1863 he 
hauled his crop of oats to Fort Lapwai, twelve 
miles above Lewiston, and sold them to the 
quartermaster for twelve and one-half cents 
per pound. 

Mrs. Gilbreath and Mrs. Hearn were the 
only white women in Columbia county when 
Ping and Miller settled on their farms. Jesse 
N. Day, early in the spring of i860, took up a 
claim on the Touchet two miles below Dayton, 
and built a cabin; that fall he went back to his 
home near Roseburg, Oregon, and during the 
spring of 1861 he moved on his claim with his 
family. In 1864 he bought the place on which 
Dayton is located of Frederick D. Schnebly. 
Frederick D. Schnebly homesteaded this place 
after his brother "Stubbs" was killed. Day 
then moved on the place and kept a way-house 
for the accommodation of the travel. In 1870 
he and William Kimball, of Walla Walla, 
opened up a store, which was soon after placed 
under the management of Dennis C. Guernsey. 
Early in the spring of 1872 the town of Day- 
ton started up and soon made a lively place. 
Day soon after built the fine residence on First 
street which he made his home until his death. 
Louis Raboin, usually known as Louis Ma- 
rengo, undoubtedly was by far the oldest settler 
in Columbia county. His son, Edward Ra- 



boin, now government interpreter in the Fed- 
eral courts of North Idaho, claims to have been 
born at Marengo, on the Tukanon, in 1847. 
Raboin settled just below where the Nez Perces 
trails left Tukanon going over the hills to 
Pataha. He was of French descent and had a 
Red River Indian woman for a wife. He had 
several children, and one of his daughters mar- 
ried Henri M. Chase, who was quite prominent 
in the early history of this section. 

In 1864 the first postoffice established in 
Columbia was named Touchet, after the name 
of the stream that wends its way out of the 
mountains, gliding swiftly down past Dayton, 
thence onward fifty miles to where it empties 
into to Walla Walla river, eight miles above 
Wallula. G W. Miller was appointed post- 
master, keeping the office at his residence on 
the Patit creek, one-half mile above Dayton, 
for a period of nine years. In 1873 the town 
of Dayton, started the year before, gave 
promise of being one of the leading towns of 
the Inland Empire, and G. W. Miller resigned 
as postmaster and the office was removed to 
Dayton and Jesse N. Day appointed as post- 
master. 

The report of J. F. Wood, school superin- 
tendent of Walla Walla county, made in 1864, 
says : 

"There are now fifteen school districts or- 
ganized in the county, and seven school houses 
either completed or in process of erection." He 
further says that nine of the districts organized 
made their reports showing 600 children of 
school age in the nine districts reported, and 
that he distributed $3,750 of school money in 
those districts. The school house in district 
No. 15 was built in 1864 by the side of the Nez 
Perce trails on G. W. Miller's homestead one 
mile northeast of Dayton, and from J. F. 
Wood's reports and the circumstances con- 
nected with the building of the school house, 
it is certain that it was the third school house 
built in Walla Walla county, then comprising 
what is now Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield 



REMINISCENT. 



857 



and Asotin counties, and was the first school 
house in Columbia county. The first board of 
directors were Elisha Ping, Alexander Mont- 
gomery and Jonathan Buzzard. G. W. Miller 
was elected clerk and held that office for four- 
teen years continuously. A school was taught 
in 1864 by W. W. Sherry, and at the end of 
the year a report was made to J. F. Wood, 
superintendent, and district No. 15 drew its 
proportion of the $3,730 allotted to the nine 
districts making reports. From that time on 
no year has passed without from three to nine 
months school in the district. When Colum- 
bia county was set off from Walla Walla, the 
number of the district was changed from No. 
15, to No. 2. There seems to have been no 
record kept of the school taught by W. W. 
Sherry in 1864, but a record was kept of the 
next term, taught by W. H. Elliott in 1865, 
which has been furnished your historian. 

The first Methodist Episcopal church of 
Dayton was the first church of any denomina- 
tion built in Columbia county. In 1874 G. W. 
Miller, J. K. Rainwater, J. M. Hunt, J. H. 
Kennedy and P. G. Earl, the trustees of the 
Methodist Episcopal church, held a meeting 
and elected a building committee composed of 
the full board of trustees with the exception of 
P. G. Earl, whose place was filled by S. G. 
Ellis. A church building, at the cost of $3,000, 
was immediately commenced and pushed to 
completion. By the end of the first week in 
March the house was ready for services and 
on March 10th the first sermon was preached 
in the church by G. W. Canady, the preacher 
in charge. At the same time a Sunday school 
was organized by R. T. Watrous as sperin- 
tendent. In 1878, under the pastorate of S. G. 
Havermale. a parsonage was built at a cost of 
$1,200. 

In 1 89 1. under the pastorate of W. T. 
Ford, the parsonage was destroyed by fire and 
rebuilt the same year at about the cost of the 
former one, but more commodious and of 
much finer appearance. In 1891, under the 



pastorate of F. A. LaViolette, the church was 
remodeled and enlarged at a cost of $2,720, 
and the parsonage repaired. In 1877 the Co- 
lumbia Seminary association was incorporated 
under the charge of the Methodist Episcopal 
Conference, and S. G. Ellis, G. W. Miller, J. 
K. Rainwater, J. H. Kennedy, J. M. Hunt, R. 
F. Sturdevant, George Eckler, J. N. Day, Wil- 
liam Matzger and J. L. Smith were named as 
trustees, with S. G. Ellis as president. For 
more than a year the building of the seminary 
was held out before the people without receiv- 
ing sufficient encouragement to warrant the 
trustees in attempting to build, owing chiefly 
to the fact that it was a denominational school. 

In 1878 the Dayton Academy Association 
was formed under the management of the 
same board of trustees for the purpose of es- 
tablishing a non-sectarian school, and $2,600 
quickly subscribed and preparations made to 
erect a suitable building for that purpose, but 
after mature deliberation the trustees decided 
that it was not expedient to erect the building, 
indications showing that sufficient support 
could not be relied upon. The Nez Perces 
trails are the old landmarks of the Inland Em- 
pire. It has been said and often repeated that 
the Indians of this northern country, in the 
ages past went down into Mexico to steal 
horses and drive them back into their own 
country, making these trails. But the most 
probable conclusion to be arrived at in this day 
and age of the world, is that the Indians of this 
country packed up their furs, buffalo robes and 
other merchandise that had accumulated on 
their hands, and packed them down into Mex- 
ico, where they traded for great droves of 
horses' which they drove back to their own 
country, making what is known as the Nez 
Perces trails. It is supposed that the Nez 
Perces were the chief factors, hence the name. 

These trails were made on the most direct 
route possible, though at times swerving to the 
right or left to avoid the most abrupt places. 
And when the first wagon road was built 



858 



REMINISCENT. 



through the country, in the main, it followed 
the trails, and although they did not form a 
very feasible route, yet they were selected for 
that purpose. There were from fifteen to 
twenty-five trails beaten in the ground side by 
side, wide enough for a team or wagon to 
travel in two of the trails with a ridge between. 
But there were exceptions to this rule, and in 
the summer of i860 an old pioneer started up 
the hill from Coppei about midway between 
the outside trails, and he found the exception 
to be the rule before he reached the top of the 
hill ; the trails were worn and washed so deep 
in places that the front axle dragged the dirt 
off the ridge between the wheels, but where 
the trouble came in was half way up the hill, 
where both trails merged into one leaving both 
horses and wagon in one trail, and the ridges 
too high to climb over ; but stop an old pioneer 
if you can ; he went to his wagon and took out 
a shovel and dug down the ridges, filling up 
the trails until he had a road wide enough to 
drive out to one side where he would have 
more range and not be cramped as before. 

OLD FORT WALLA WALLA. 

In the "River of the West," by that gifted 
authoress, Mrs. F. F. Victor, is narrated how 
Chief Trader McKinley cleaned the fort of a 
band of hostile Indians, who came there in- 
tent on mischief. The same incident has been 
published in newspapers, never, however, accu- 
rate in detail. Its hero was Archibald Mc- 
Kinley, Esq., in charge of Fort Walla Walla 
from 1 84 1 to 1846. By request he furnished 
the following correct version of the affair, upon 
which the narrative is founded : 

At old Fort Walla Walla it was the duty of the 
officer in charge to furnish all the interior parties 
from Utah to British Columbia with horses, pack sad- 
dles and other necessary equipments. A man was 
employed at the fort especially to make pack saddles. 
The only hard wood suitable for the purpose was 
birch, which was obtained from the Blue mountains 
at a distance of at least fifty miles from the fort. The 
saddles required that season had been finished, and 
quite a large surplus of saddle wood remained at the 
house of the saddler. Visiting the house I found that 



the saddle wood was fast diminishing in bulk, and upon 
inquiring was informed that both whites and Indians 
helped themselves, and that the saddler thought as the 
complement of pack saddles had been furnished, such 
wood was no longer of any value To which I re- 
plied, "It would be useful another season, and no per- 
son, neither white nor Indians must be suffered to 
take a stick of it. 

A few days afterward the saddler made the com- 
plaint to me that an Indian had just taken a piece, 
and that upon remonstrating, the Indian refused to 
give it up. I sent my clerk, William Todd, to see 
about it. Hearing a noise a few minutes later I went 
to a window and saw an Indian rush out of the saddle 
house, pick up a stone, and instantly Todd was also 
out grappling with him. Two other Indians standing 
near assisted their comrade, and seized hold of Todd. 
I drove them off, intending Todd should have fair 
play, although Todd's opponent was much the stronger 
man of the two. Todd got him down and kicked him 
unmercifully. Upon separating them I found the 
Indian to be the son of Peu-peu-mox-mox, chief of the 
Walla Wallas. I censured Todd for being too hasty 
and told him we would have trouble. All the men at 
the fort except Todd, the saddler and myself, were at 
the time at work in the field, distance two miles. I 
did not apprehend anything more than a "big talk." 
In about an hour the old chief, accompanied by some 
40 or 60 men, came into the fort and through the kit- 
chen into my room. On seeing him I politely invited 
him to be seated. Instead of accepting my invitation 
he and his party rushed by me and seized Todd. As 
soon as I could reach them, and I was just in time 
to catch the chief's uplifted arm, who with tomahawk 
in hand was about to strike Tod upon the head, I 
managed to draw him toward my writing desk, where 
three pistols were hanging. Those pistols were not 
revolvers ; I do not belive they even were loaded. As 
the chief and I continued to scuffle, the men had re- 
leased their hold upon Todd to watch our struggle. 
I then handed one pistol to Todd with instructions not 
to fire until I gave the word. The other two I re- 
tained. Peu-peu-mox-mox then presented his naked 
breast, asked me if I was going to shoot him, saying, 
"If you shoot me, you shoot a man.'' I replied that it 
was not my wish to shoot him, but if he again attempted 
to use his tomahawk on Todd's head, I would certainly 
use the pistol. 

Then ensued a long conversation about the code 
laws introduced among the Indians by Dr. Elijah White 
(sub Indian agent east of the Rocky mountains, 1842), 
by which was provided that if an Indian strike a 
white man he should be punished by a flogging. And 
also if a white man struck an Indian, he was to re- 
ceive Indian punishment. I told the chief that I 
would never submit to any such indignity, and that if 
his son had soundly thrashed Mr. Tood, I should not 
have taken any notice of it. Peu-peu-mox-mox still 



REMINISCENT. 



859 



insisted that Todd should receive from the Indians a 
flogging, to which I answered that they would first 
have to kill me. While I was conversing the chief 
who had received the thrashing from Todd struck me 
in the ribs a severe blow from behind. I seized him by 
the hair, intending also, to strike him, but knowing 
such a course would be certain death, I released my 
hold. 

At this moment I thought of the keg of powder in 
the adjoining room; spinning through the door I seized 
a flint and steel, and standing over the open keg in 
the attitude of striking fire, defied them to harm Mr. 
Todd, who was yet in their grasp. Before I had 
really realized what I was doing, not an Indian re- 
mained in the house except Peu-peu-mox-mox and his 
son. The former after sitting some minutes thus ad- 
dressed me; "Don't you think you are smart to fright- 
en my young men and make them leave? But you can- 
not frighten me; I have heard that you whites are in 
the habit of taking guns and challenging one another; 
let us, you and I, do the same." To which I replied; 
"There are only six whites at the fort, and of you there 
are many hundreds. If I should be killed there is 
no one to take my place as chief of the whites. 
Should I kill you there are plenty in your tribe 
as good, if not better than yourself." At that 
the father and son went off in high dudgeon. 
Peu-peu-mox-mox sent messengers to the Cayuses and 
the Nez Perces announcing that his son had been 
killed by the whites. For two days Indians gathered 
around, but something more unusual interested the 
fort. On the coming of the second day Five Crows, 
Cayuse chief (uncle of the young man flogged by Todd), 
a very old friend of the whites, and who had a very 
great regard for me, came from a great distance and 
entertd the fort, he having no knowledge of the trans- 
action. 

7 must here digress to mention that a few days 
previously Governor Peter Skeen Ogden, a chief fac- 
tor of the Hudson's Bay Company, had passed down the 
Columbia river, and my wife had accompanied him to 
Fort Vancouver. At The Dalles Gov. Ogden's boat 
upset and he lost two men. Five Crows had heard of 
the accident, and upon my asking him upon his arrival 
whether he had heard of the occurrence, I alluding to 
the fight between Todd and the young Walla Walla 
chief, he referred to Governor Ogden's mishap and 
answered he had, and commenced to relate what he 
had he^rd of the accident to my father-in-law. When 
I told him I had also heard of that accident, but I did 
noi allude to that, but meant the trouble with his 
brother-in-law, Peu-peu-mox-mox. He then expressed 
his wish to learn the particulars. I referred him to the 
Indians for the truth, as Indians considered the white 
men liars. Upon this he said, "Did you ever know 
me to doubt your word and go among the Indians 
listening to their idle tattle?" I answered: 

"Now, as you have thus spoken, I will tell you," 



and I repeated what had transpired. He expressed his 
sorrow for what had happened; said it was a great dis- 
grace for d chief's son to be whipped. I explained 
to him that had my young man got the worst of it, 
I should have thought nothing of the matter ; that 
both of the joung men were to blame. To this he male 
no further reply. He remained all night in the fort, 
attended only by an Indian boy. 

Next morning Five Crows told me he woud send 
for Peu-peu-mox-mox, and to my surprise sent his 
boy. He said to me that "his brother-in-law knew 
he was a peace maker and he will not come." At this 
time Five Crows and Peu-peu-mox-mox were not on 
speaking terms. Shortly after Five Crows left the fort, 
saying that he might see his brother, To-wa-ta, head 
chief of the Cayuses, to whom he would give my ver- 
sion of the affair. At noon To-wa-to, accompanied by 
Elijah, an elder son of Peu-peu-mox-mox, came to the 
fort. This Elijah, sometimes called Elijah Hedding, 
was a young man who possessed considerable smatter- 
ing of English, had learned to read and write at the 
Methodist Institute at the Willamette. He was after- 
wards killed in California in 1844. Both were clean- 
ly dressed, full armed with gun, pistol and sword. 
This was in my opinion more for a show than violence. 
Having been seated for some time To-wa-to broke the 
silence by stating the object of his visit to be to see 
if there was a probability of coming to some agree- 
ment in settling the difficulty. 

After I had fully explained my views he proposed 
to send for the Walla Walla chief. Peu-peu-mox-mox 
at length arrived, accompanied by at least five hun- 
dred Indians. If I remember correctly, all were not 
armed. They filled the house, every nook and cqrner, 
and they crowded outside the windows; in fact every 
available space was occupied. After Peu-peu-mox-mox 
had entered, we each made our statements to To-wa-to. 
Peu-peu-mox-mox disclaimed all enmity to me per- 
sonally, but insisted that I should at once send Mr. 
Todd out of the country. I replied I would do nothing 
of the kind ; that Todd had been sent to me as associate 
by the white head, Dr. McLoughlin, chief factor of 
the Hudson's Bay Company, in charge of the company's 
affairs west of the Rocky mountains, being so called 
by the Indians ; that Todd had committed no grave 
offense and that I could not and would not discharge 
him ; that they had the strength and numbers to kill us, 
but our lives would be revenged. If his heart was not 
good toward Todd it could not be toward me. He 
sprang up from his seat; beat his breast, and excitedly 
exclaimed : 

"My heart will never be good," and rushed out of 
the door. A few minutes of dead silence ensued. You 
might have heard a pin drop, when To-wa-to, rising 
to his feet sternly addressed me, saying I was a fool ; 
that I wanted blood, and I should get enough of it. 
Then followed another silence as oppressive as the last. 
It continued for several minutes.' It was a critical 



86o 



REMINISCENT. 



time. After thinking a moment I broke the silence 
by asking To-wa-to whether he was a chief or not. 
He sneeringly answered : "Ask my young men." I told 
him I knew he was the son of a great chief, that his 
father was known among the early whites as a great 
and good man; that no number of white men would 
make him through fear do wrong; that I was a chief, 
also ; that the numbers who surrounded me would not 
make me change one iota of what I had said. 

A murmuring sound followed, the Indians con- 
sulted together in low tones for some time. I observed 
To-wa-to give an order which caused a young man 
to leave the room. Shortly after Peu-peu-mox-mox 
entered the room and without any preface or cere- 
mony, came forward and offered me his hand in token 
of friendship. With an expression of surprise I ac- 
cepted his hand, asking him if his heart was good. 
He answered, yes, striking his breast. I then asked 
him if his heart was good toward Todd. He answered, 
"Yes, and to prove it and wipe out all ill-feeling for- 
ever, my son is coming with a horse as a present to 
Todd." To seal the compact I made the son a present 
of a suit of clothes. He then smoked the pipe of peace ; 
a peace that lasted through the entire term I had charge 
of the fort. 



FAMOUS NEZ PERCES EXPEDITION. 

'i 

That a correct understanding may be had 
of the lives of the remarkable men, Hee-oh'ks- 
te-Kin (the Rabbit's Skin Leggins), and 
H'co-a-h'co-a-h'cotes-Min (No Horns on His 
Head), whose portraits appear in the earlier 
portion of this volume, it is necessary to add a 
further account. Those having read the pre- 
vious parts of the book are already familiar 
with the famous journey that four Nez Perces 
made from this western country to St. Louis in 
search of the "White man's Book of Heaven." 
This journey was in 1831 or 1832 and Wil- 
liam Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition, 
who was, after the expedition, governor of the 
territory of Missouri, was at the time these 
Indians came to St. Louis, superintendent of 
Indian affairs of the northwest for the United 
States government. The two older members 
of the Indian expedition had seen Clark when 
he journeyed to the coast in the early years of 
the century, 1805. These two older clr'efs 
died on the banks of the Mississippi without 



seeing the object of their journey accom- 
plished. The remaining two made their desires 
known to Mr. Clark but failed to get the 
"Book," as is stated in the oration given by 
one as he bade Mr. Clark adieu, and which 
speech is reproduced in the first part of this 
book. A clerk or secretary in Mr. Clark's 
office was so touched by this plaint that he im- 
mediately wrote to friends in Pittsburg and 
this awakened a keen desire to ascertain more 
about this wonderful state of affairs. After 
bidding adieu to Mr. Clark, these two Indians 
were taken on board of the steamer "Yellow- 
stone," which was making a trip up the Mis- 
souri to the Yellowstone river, and was the 
first steamboat to navigate that latter stream. 
On board of that steamboat was the artist, 
Georg-e Catlin, since become famous the civil- 
ized world over. He says : "I traveled two 
thousand miles companions with these two 
young fellows, toward their own country, and 
became much pleased with their manners and 
disposition. When I painted them they were 
in beautiful Sioux dresses which had been pre- 
sented to them in a talk with the Sioux, who 
treated them very kindly, while passing 
through the Sioux country. These two men 
were a part of a delegation that came across 
the Rocky Mountains to Saint Louis, — to en- 
quire for the truth of the representation which 
they said some white men had made among 
them, that our religion was better than theirs, 
and that they would all be lost if they did not 
embrace it. 

"No Horns on his Head died near the mouth 
of the Yellowstone river, on his way home, 
with disease he had contracted in the civilized 
district. The other one, I have since learned, 
arrived safely among his friends, conveying to 
them the melancholy intelligence of the death 
of all the rest of the party." Mr. Catlin re- 
marks again that as the Indians had said 
nothing to him about the "Book" while on 
the journey with him on the steamboat, 
he doubted the authenticitv of the matter, 



REMINISCENT. 



and when asked about it in Pittsburg in 
1833, he wrote to Wm. Clark of St. Louis, 
who confirmed it to him, as also Mr. Clark did 
by personal conversation with Mr. Catlin. Then 
Mr. Catlin, in his- letter No. 48, to the Com- 
mercial Advertiser, New York, wrote of this 
singular mission. 

The attention attracted by the publication 
and the incident resulted in action by the Amer- 
ican Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mis- 
sions and of the Methodist Board of Foreign 
Missions. 

Jason and Daniel Lee, brothers, along" with 
others, were sent to Oregon in 1835 by the 
Methodists, and the now famous Dr. Marcus 
Whitman and Dr. Samuel Parker came in 
1836. 

Mr. Catlin in 1836 met Rev. H. H. Spald- 
ing and wife in Pittsburg, who were on their 
way to Oregon as missionaries, and, in con- 
versation detailed to them the incident above 
mentioned with others of Indian life. 

Concerning this incident, the editor of the 
Smithsonian Report for 1885, part second, 
says : "No more romantic incident than this 
can be found in northwestern history — the four 
Nez Perce Indians traveling thousands of 
miles in search of the book, looking for the 
white man's Deity." 

Thus it is seen that the men who led civiliza- 
tion into the country now* known as the Inland 
Empire, came in response to the call of these 
men, these four Indians who went to seek the 
"Book." 

Having become aware of the fact that the 
government bought the entire collection of 
paintings made by George Catlin, and which 
created such a sensation over the world at the 
time of their exhibition, the publishers did not 
rest until they located the paintings of these 
two Indians, whose names are mentioned above, 
and then, through the courtesy of Richard 
Rathbun and Prof. O. T. Mason, who are in 
charge of the Smithsonian Institution, photo- 
graphs were made of the original paintings and 



from these photographs have been made the 
original plates which appeared in our works for 
the first time in the west, so far as is known. 
These portraits will be found in the first part 
of this work. The Rabbit's Skin Leggins is 
the only one who lived to reach his people after 
the journey. 



CORRECT SPELLING OF WILLIAM CLARK'S NAME. 

Although in the earlier portion of this work, 
the reader will find this gentleman's name 
spelled "Clarke," we wish to state that such is 
not the correct way to spell the name. It was 
in reliance on such authorities as the Century 
Encyclopedia, that we used that spelling, while 
being doubtful of it, we began operations to 
find the way in which Mr. Clark spelled his 
name. Not, however, until the first portion of 
the book was printed, did we get positive proof 
of the correct spelling, and as the following 
letter briefly gives the information we have se- 
cured from various sources, we append it in 
full. 

St. Louis, Missouri. 
Western Historical Publishing Company, 

Spokane, Washington, 
Dear Sirs : 

Your letter to the Secretary of State was 
sent to me by him, he thinking that by reason of 
my being president of the Missouri Historical 
Society I might be able to give an authoritative 
answer to your question. 

The Historical Society has a collection of 
letters of Governor Clark's and I have seen 
many other of his writings. In every instance 
he spells the name "Clark," as all the members 
of his family did and still do. He wrote the 
name something like this (and here follows a 
marking in the letter showing the flourish Mr. 
Clark made at the end of his name.) I have 
not made the flourish at the end quite like he 
generally did. Some times it looked not at 
all like an e — -sometimes very much like one, 



862 



LIEU-LANDS AND SUBSEQUENT LITIGATION. 



but at all times it was only a nourish. The 
usage of spelling the name "Clarke" in the 
public prints came, I think, from Gass's book. 
That book, as you know, was the first published 
account of the expedition. Gass was an unlet- 
tered sergeant, whose notes were written out by 
a Virginia country school master, in what is 
now West Virginia. Gass no doubt had letters 
or papers signed by Clark and the school mas- 
ter took the nourish for an e. The Historical 
Society has commissions given to military offi- 
cers of the state by Clark when governor. 
These are all printed "William Clark, Governor 
of Missouri Territory." George Rogers Clark, 



the Governor's brother, wrote his name with a 
like flourish, yet it was never mistaken for an e, 
and his name is always printed "Clark." I may 
add one other bit of evidence. A monument to 
Governor Clark, erected by his descendants 
over his grave, was unveiled here last fall. 
Upon that the name is also spelled "Clark." 
These various instances ought to settle the 
question. 

Yours truly, 

Walter B. Douglas. 
Hon. Walter B. Douglas was, at the time of 
writing the above letter, judge of the Eighth 
Judicial District of Missouri. 



CHAPTER III 



LIEU-LANDS AND SUBSEQUENT LITIGATION. 



During the earlier days in Columbia county 
— what might be termed the transition period — 
the questions involved in the distribution of 
railroad lands became of vital importance to 
settlers. There was expressed much indigna- 
tions; heads of families who had staked their 
all in improvements upon government lands 
were loth to resign them to what they were 
pleased to term the "rapacity of railroad man- 
agers." This contest between settlers and the 
Northern Pacific Railway Company was con- 
tinued through many years ; occasionally the 
settlers would win a point or two in the courts ; 
at times the railroad company would make 
favorable concessions and extensions. But con- 
siderable injustice was wrought, undoubtedly. 

In order to obtain a fair understanding of 
conditions surrounding "lieu-lands," it is im- 
perative that we go back so far as the closing 
days- of the Civil War ; also to bear in remem- 
brance the fact that an entire strip of country 
between the Mississippi river and Puget Sound 
was affected by the somewhat vague and un- 



certain legal status of these lieu-lands. While 
it is unnecessary to enter upon an extended nar- 
ration of the prolonged contest between the 
Northern Pacific Railroad Company and certain 
settlers along its line, a brief outline of the 
struggle which for many years disturbed the 
peace and equanimity of a large number of citi- 
zens of certain counties in Eastern Washington 
will be attempted. 

Congress had granted to the Northern Pa- 
cific Railroad Company all the odd sections of 
land for forty miles on each side of its track, in 
the territories, and for twenty miles in states, 
from St. Paul and Duluth, Minnesota, to Puget 
Sound, and to tidewater on the Columbia river. 
At the time it was not considered that any great 
amount of these lands would be occupied in ad- 
vance of certain acts of the railroad company 
necessary to have these lands withdrawn from 
settlement. The immense volume of the rapidly 
increasing tide of western immigration was 
underestimated by both the United States gov- 
ernment and the beneficiaries of the act, the 



LIEU-LANDS AND SUBSEQUENT LITIGATION. 



863 



Northern Pacific Railway Company. But ex- 
perience demonstrated the fact that this immi- 
gration was not content to remain behind the 
slowly advancing iron rails, and when the com- 
pany had completed its obligations the govern- 
ment awoke to the fact that thousands of acres 
of land had been settled upon under the gen- 
eral land laws. Out of this imbroglio a way 
must be found. Therefore, to reimburse the 
company for these heavy losses Congress passed 
an act granting it "other lands in lieu" of those 
already occupied. The lands might be selected 
anywhere within a strip ten miles on each 
side of the original grant. This act was ap- 
proved by the president of the United States 
October 14, 1873. 

The original grant of this immense tract of 
land, good, bad and indifferent, was made in 
1864. It provided for a statutory withdrawal 
fro msale or from homestead entry of all odd 
sections within the limits heretofore described, 
so soon as a line of general route had been 
determined. In Washington Territory this pro- 
vision became effective when the map "of July 
30, 1870, had been filed and approved. This 
map showed the line as entering the Territory 
near its southeast corner, about ten miles north 
of the Oregon line; thence running nearly due 
west to the junction of the Walla Walla and 
Columbia rivers ; thence along the course of the 
Columbia to about the first range line west of 
the Williamette principal meridian ; thence 
north to the point where the international 
boundary line touches the tidewaters of the Pa- 
cific ocean. 

February 16, 1872, the railroad company 
filed another map. In transmitting it its presi- 
dent stated that it was "a map of the prelim- 
inary line of the road of this company, from the 
Red River of the North to the Columbia, at the 
mouth of the Walla Walla river." He re- 
quested withdrawal of all the odd numbered 
sections of land along said line, and the acting 
commissioner of the general land office, Mr. 
Curtis, directed the register and receiver at 



Walla Walla to withhold odd sections within 
forty-mile limits of this amended line, and to 
increase the price of lands in all even num- 
bered sections to $2.50 per acre. This new 
line entered the Territory at a point about one 
hundred and eighty miles north of that at which 
the line designated by the map of 1870 crossed 
the eastern boundary. Running thence in a 
southwesterly direction it joined the Columbia 
opposite the mouth of the Walla Walla river as 
did the line of 1870. It should be noted by 
the reader that this was a second map of the 
general route; and that in ordering a with- 
drawal of lands in accordance with its specifica- 
tions, the acting land commissioner proceeded 
without instruction from the department of the 
interior. 

It certainly must be patent to all, the in- 
justice of permitting this double withdrawal of 
valuable lands — vast domains actually neces- 
sary to those hardy pioneers and settlers des- 
tined to build up a magnificent commonwealth. 
A map of the general route is filed in 1870; in 
accordance with this withdrawals are made ; 
homestead entries on odd sections are prohib- 
ited ; the price of even sections is doubled. Then, 
when many have purchased lands at the ad- 
vanced price, the entire route is changed and 
another eighty mile belt is established. Clearly 
a grave error on the part of government ser- 
vants elected, or appointed — to conserve the in- 
terests of the people. 

It was not until October 4, 1880, that the 
Northern Pacific Railway Company filed its 
map of definite location. According to this the 
line of the proposed road was to enter Wash- 
ington Territory some miles south of the point 
established by the map of 1872. Withdrawals 
of odd numbered sections for forty miles on 
each side of the definite line were ordered. The 
company was. also permitted to select lands be- 
tween the forty-mile limit lines and lines estab- 
lished ten miles further from their road, and in 
so selecting they laid claim to many lands in 
various Eastern Washington counties, and else- 



864 



LIEU-LANDS AND SUBSEQUENT LITIGATION. 



where, which had been located upon and im- 
proved by bona fide settlers. The leading case 
of the whole contest was that of the Northern 
Pacific Railway Company vs. Guilford Miller. 
The defendant was a resident near Almota, 
Whitman county. His land was without the 
limits of the map of 1870; within those of the 
map of 1872 ; and more than forty, but less than 
fifty miles from the line of definite location. It 
had, therefore, been reserved by the order of the 
acting land commissioner in '1872; and was, 
also within the "lieu-lands" belt. It had been 
selected by the railroad company as a part of its 
indemnity land; suit was brought to have Mr. 
Miller's entry cancelled. 

But there was at this period a strong man in 
the presidential chair; a man disposed to make 
an attempt to arrive at the merits of the con- 
troversy regardless of whatever monopolistic 
interest might be jeopardized. As tersely ex- 
hibiting the principle involved, we interpolate a 
letter of President Cleveland addressed to Hon. 
L. Q. C. Lamar, then secretary of the interior, 
concerning this "lieu-land muddle" — muddled 
by an apparently, incompetent sub-official of the 
land department : 

Executive Mansion. 
Washington, D. C, April 28, 1887. 

To the Secretary of the Interior, Washington, D. C. 
Dear sir : I have examined with much care and 
interest the questions involved in the conflicting claims 
of Guilford Miller and the Northern Pacific Railway 
Company to certain lands in Washington Territory. 
The legal aspects of the case have been examined and 
passed upon by several officers of the government who 
do not agree in their conclusions. 

Miller claims to be a settler upon the land in ques- 
tion, whose possession dates from 1878. He alleges 
that he has made substantial inprovements upon this 
land, and cultivated the same, and it appears that he 
filed his claim to the same under the homestead law, 
on the 27th of December, 1884. 

The railroad company contends that this land is 
within the territory or area from which it was entitled 
to select such a quantity of public land as might be 
necessary to supply any deficiency that shall be found 
to exist in the specified land mentioned in a grant by 
the government to said company in aid of the construc- 
tion of its roads, such deficiency being contemplated 



as likely to arise from the paramount right of private 
parties and settlers within the territory embracing said 
granted lands and that the land in dispute was selected 
by the company on the 19th day of December, 1883. A 
large tract, including this land, was withdrawn by an 
order of the interior department from sale, and from 
preemption and homestead entry in 1872, in anticipa- 
tion of the construction of said railroad and a defi- 
ciency in its granted lands. In 1880, upon the filing 
of a map of definite location, the land in controversy, 
and much more which has been so withdrawn was found 
to lie outside of the limits which included the granted 
land ; but its withdrawal and reservation from settle- 
ment and entry under our laws was continued upon 
the theory that it was within the limits of the indem- 
nity lands which might be selected by the company as 
provided in the law making the grant. 

The legal points in the controversy turned upon the 
validity and effect of the withdrawal and reservation 
of this land and the continuance thereof. The attorney 
general is of the opinion that such withdrawal and res- 
ervation were at all times effectual, and that they oper- 
ated to prevent Miller from acquiring any interest in 
or right to the land claimed by him. 

With this interpretation of the law, and the former 
order and action of the interior department, it will be 
seen chat their effect has been the withdrawal and res- 
ervation since 1872 of thousands, if not millions, of 
acres of these lands from the operation of the land 
laws of the United States, thus placing them beyond 
the reach of our citizens desiring under such laws to 
settle and make homes upon the same, and that this has 
been done for the benefit of a railroad company having 
no fixed, certain, definite interests in such lands. 

In this manner the beneficent policy and intention 
of the government, in relation to the public domain, 
has for all these years to that extent been thwarted. 
There seems to be no evidence presented showing how 
much, if any, of this vast tract is necessary for the ful- 
fillment of the grant to the railroad company; nor 
does there appear to be any limitations of the time 
within which this fact should be made known and the 
corporation obliged to make its selection. After a lapse 
of fifteen years this large body of the public domain is 
still held in reserve, to the exclusion of settlers, for 
the convenience of a corporation benficiary of the gov- 
ernment, and awaiting its selection, though it is en- 
tirely certain that much of this reserved land can never 
be honestly claimed by said corporation. 

Such a condition of the public land should no longer 
continue. So far as it is the result of executive rules 
and methods these should be abandoned; and so far 
as it is a consequence of improvident laws, these should 
be repealed and amended. Our public domain is our 
national wealth, the earnest of growth and the heritage 
of our people. In the case under consideration I as- 
sume that there is an abundance of land within the 
area that has been reserved for indemnity, in which no 



LIEU-LANDS AND SUBSEQUENT LITIGATION. 



865 



citizen or settler has a legal or equitable interest, for 
all purposes of such indemnification of this railroad 
company if its grant has not already been satisfied. I 
understand, too, that selections made by such corpo- 
ration are not complete and effectual until the same 
have been approved by the secretary of the interior, or 
unless they are made, in the words of the statute, under 
his direction. 

You have thus far taken no action in this matter, 
and it seems to me that you are in a condition to deal 
with. the subject in such a manner as to protect this 
settler from' hardship and loss. 

I transmit herewith the papers and documents in 
the case, which were submitted to me at my request. 

Grover Cleveland. 



In 1888 the Guilford Miller case came be- 
fore Secretary Vilas for trial. Notwithstanding 
the opinion of the attorney general that Miller's 
entry should be canceled, the secretary decided 
that the withdrawal in accordance with the map 
of 1872 was void. He said that when the 
statutory withdrawal had been once exercised 
it was exhausted and could not be taken ad- 
vantage of a second time; that therefore the 
amended map was without authority in law. 

Though this decision secured to Mr. Miller 
his right to the land and was a decided victory 
for the many other settlers similarly situated, it 
did not end the controversy. The company 
would not yield its claims on account of one 
defeat, and the vexatious uncertainty about 
titles continued to disturb the minds of the 
lieu-landers. 

In 1893, in the celebrated case of Charles 
Cole vs. the Northern Pacific Railway Com- 
pany, a determined effort was made by the de- 
fendant corporation's counsel to have the Guil- 
ford Miller case overruled. But in an elabor- 
ate decision, the then secretary of the interior, 
Hoke Smith, sustained the rulings of Secretary 
Vilas, and the lieu-lands contest, so far as 
Whitman county was concerned, was consid- 
ered as practically determined. 

Not so, however. The company appealed 

to the circuit court of the United States and 

finally to the federal supreme court. But the 

Guilford Miller decision and decisions follow- 

55 



ing it were sustained everywhere. Neverthe- 
less, each case had to be tried on its own merits. 
Even those who had obtained United States 
patents to lieu-lands could not rest secure, as a 
reversal of the rulings under which these were 
issued might invalidate their deeds. The cases 
dragged their weary lengths along through the 
departments and courts, the company fighting 
with ability and vigor and with heartsickening 
tenacity and the settlers contending for their 
homes with equal firmness. 

By the decisions above referred to, it was 
decided that bona fide settlement on odd num- 
bered sections within indemnity limits prior to 
1885 would give the land to the settlers. But a 
case in which settlement was made subsequent 
to that date was, in March, 1898, decided 
against the settler, and his filings refused. The 
effect of this was to recognize the -validity of 
the company's selection of 1885, a "d conse- 
quently to take from the numerous claimants 
who had made entries subsequent to the said 
selection both their lands and the valuable im- 
provements thereon. In order to prevent this 
hardship and loss, Congress passed an act pro- 
viding that in cases in which railway lieu-lands 
were held by bona Me settlers under color of 
title or claim of right under any law of the 
United States or any ruling of the land depart- 
ment, the company might relinquish its claim 
and select lands in lieu thereof wherever it 
could find an equal amount not mineral or re- 
served and free from valid adverse claims. 

There are other provisions of the act but 
this is the substance. The statute was intro- 
duced and pushed by Senator John L. Wilson, 
and carried as a rider to the Sundry Civil Ap- 
propriation Bill. It proved a great boon to the 
settlers, saving them the expense and anxiety of 
prolonged litigation and in some instances, 
perhaps, the loss of their homes. Critics of 
this measure contend that it was of still more 
benefit to the railroad company, inasmuch as it 
permitted their selection of timber lands much 
more" valuable than the agricultural lands relin- 



SC6 



LIEU-LANDS AND SUBSEQUENT LITIGATION. 



quished, but it is not within the province of this 
work to attempt to determine the truth or falsity 
of this assertion. 

February 27, 1884, large numbers of farm- 
ers from Columbia county flocked into Dayton ; 
at 11 130 o'clock, a. m. 3 a citizens' meeting was 
called to order, Hon. R. G. Newland in the 
chair ; Hon. John Brining, secretary. Drake's 
Opera House was packed with earnest-minded, 
sturdy settlers. The call for this meeting was 
read by the secretary, which stated the object 
of the gathering. It was moved and carried 
that Mr. Paul Schulze should be requested to 
state reasons why the railroad company held 
the lands at the present high figures, etc. Mr. 
Schulze prefaced his remarks with a history of 
the legislation concerning the land grant of the 
Northern Pacific Railway Company. To his 
audience he stated many facts not then gener- 
ally known. He said that the company could 
go into any state or territory along its line and 
select within the first indemnity limits sufficient 
to make good any losses by pre-emption, home- 
steads, etc.. in any other state on the line of the 
road. He directed attention to the fact that 
there was a second ten-mile indemnity belt in 
which lands could be selected for losses in the 
state or territory only in which the selections 
were made. Mr. Schulze said, moreover, that 
he had diligently searched through the com- 
pany's papers and had failed to discover any 
documents authorizing agents to sell land at 
$2.60 per acre. 

It was, he said, quite easy to pass resolu- 
tions, but they could at any time be annulled. 
Many questions were asked by members of the 
intensely interested audience, and answered by 
the speaker. The circular signed by J. W. 
Sprague was handed to Mr. Schulze. By him 
it was pronounced a simple advertisement, after 
which it was read by the meeting. Secretary 
Brining also read a letter from Paul Schulze to 
Hon. R. G. Newland, outlining existing con- 
ditions of the lieu-lands. Subsequently speeches 
were made by a number of people interested in 



the question, and a committee composed of E. 
C. Crouch, R. L. Dasheill and Garret Romaine 
was appointed to draft resolutions asking that 
the government declare forfeited all unearned 
lands held by the Northern Pacific Railroad 
company, and that the government set a 
price for the sale of lands held by the 
railroad company. Copies of these resolu- 
tions were forwarded to the president of 
the United States, senators and representa- 
tives in congress, the commissioner of the 
general land office and to the secretary of the 
interior. For the especial benefit of the North- 
ern Pacific Railway Company the following 
resolution was prepared : 

Resolved: That we would respectfully repre- 
sent that the great majority of the settlers in the lieu- 
lands have made valuable improvements on said lands, 
with the expectation of purchasing the same at the rate 
of $2.60 per acre, and we would respectfully ask the 
Northern Pacific Railroad Company, in sonsideration of 
the above facts, to hear our prayer and sell said lands 
at said price. 

There was a diversity of opinion as to the 
best methods to employ. The resolutions were 
adopted, and then the action was reconsidered 
and the resolutions were laid on the table to 
be considered at a meeting to be held March 1st. 
At this latter meeting, after a few changes in 
the wording of the resolutions, they were 
passed. At this period similar meetings were 
being held all over Eastern Washington. In 
March, 1884, the Walla Walla Union pub- 
lished the following: 

In the discussion of the railroad question many 
questions are recalled. On the 19th of November, 1879, 
the directors of the Northern Pacific formally adopted 
a resolution which in substance offered all the agri- 
cultural lands of the company west of the Missouri, to 
actual settlers, at $2.60 per acre. The object of this 
resolution was to induce the settlement of the country. 
It appears to have been believed at that time by the 
directors that the true policy of the company was to 
encourage settlers to go upon the lands granted to it, 
and, cultivating them, make them furnish business and 
income to the corporation for all time. This policy 
was inaugurated under the presidency of C. B. Wright, 



LIEU-LANDS AND SUBSEQUENT LITIGATION. 



867 



continued under Frederick Billings and Henry Villard 
until May, 1883, when Mr. Villard and Land Commis- 
sioner Lamborn announced in interviews published in 
the Oregonian a partial change of policy. Their an- 
nouncement was the first official intimation of a 
"change of heart." They then announced that future 
settlers would have to pay the appraised price of the 
lands, but that in cases "where in past years a settler 
had gone on railroad land in good faith, resided upon 
and improved it for a home," he could buy it for $2.60 
per acre, cash, or $4 per acre on time. So far as the 
public knows the resolution of November 19, 1879, has 
not been formally rescinded by the board of directors. 
It is possible that it is still in force, and that its abro- 
gation is the sole work of the head officials of the .com- 
pany. One thing is certain, the action in relation to 
railroad land prices, taken by the officials of the North- 
ern Pacific since 1882 has caused more hard feeling, 
more distrust of the company, more clamor for the for- 
feiture of the grant than all else combined. 

Had the resolution of November 19, 1879, been car- 
ried out in letter and spirit, the Northern Pacific would 
have had a thousand friends west of the Missouri river 
where it has one to-day. The present policy of the com- 
pany seems to be inspired by the desire to make all 
the money possible out of the land grant, while letting 
its future sources of income take care of themselves. 
It is the application of the policy so successfully pur- 
sued by the owner of the goose that laid eggs of gold. 
Possibly it is not too late to resume the wise policy 
adopted on the 19th of November, 1879, and by so doing 
turn the tide and make friends instead of enemies out 
of the present and prospective hundreds of thousands 
of settlers within the limits of the grant. Probably it 
was for the purpose of resuming this policy that Messrs. 
Lamborn and Schulze were recently summoned to New 
York City by President Harris. 

Not, however, without good results was 
this agitation of the lieu-land question, and in- 
dignation forcibly expressed by the people of 
Washington Territory over exorbitant prices 
demanded by the railroad company for its land. 
At the time Mr. Schulze was in Dayton he an- 
nounced that all persons who had actually set- 
tled upon lieu-lands prior to July i, 1880, were 
entitled to purchase the same at $2.60 per acre, 
cash, or $4 on time payments. Shortly after 
his return to Portland the time was extended 
to July 1, 1 88 1. The following telegram re- 
ceived by Mr. Hall shows that still further con- 



cessions had been made, and that the time had 
been extended until 1882. But it would not do 
for the railroad company to suddenly recede — 
to back down — from its strongly fortified posi- 
tion : 

"Portland, March 26, 1884: N. P. Hall, 
Local Land Agent, Dayton, W. T. — Please 
announce in papers and other ways as one 
of the results of Mr. Schulze's visit east, 
and upon which you are authorized to 
act, that all persons who were actual 
settler up to July 1, 1882, upon the agri- 
cultural lieu-lands of this company, selected in 
Eastern Washington, can purchase now to the 
extent of 160 acres so settled upon, at $2.60 per 
acre, cash, or $4 on time. 

"R. W. Mitchell." 
A telegram from Mr. Schulze on March 26, 
stated that the date was June 20, 1882, instead 
of July 1, 1882, as in the previous telegram. 

Among the last gusts of the lieu-land storm 
which had for a number of years swept over 
the Territory of Washington is the following 
except from the Columbia Chronicle of April 



28, 1 

"The settlers on 'Indemnity lands' in Colum- 
bia county met according to adjournment in the 
court house in Dayton, Saturday, April 21st, 
at one o'clock p. m., Mr. H. H. Wolfe in the 
chair. The committee appointed at the last 
meeting to employ counsel to take the general 
management of the cases in contest reported the 
employment of the firm of Anders, Brents & 
Clark to conduct the cases through all the courts 
to which they may be carried ; also a preamble 
with resolutions giving the settlers' view of the 
matter in contest, with an appeal to the courts 
before which the cases may come to adjust 
them as speedily as their importance will jus- 
tify. * * * J. C. Van Patten was appointed to 
attend the contests at Walla Walla, and to as- 
sist in their management." 



CHAPTER IV 



PRELUDE TO AND BATTLE OF WALLA WALLA. 



The following is a sketch of the battle of 
Walla Walla, taken from a diary kept by 
George W. Miller, while in the service of Com- 
pany H, First Regiment Oregon Mounted Vol- 
unteers : 

In accordance with the plans of George L. 
Curry, governor of the Territory of Oregon, a 
general concentration of troops was ordered 
to Fort Walla Walla, now called Wallula. At 
The Dalles, November 12, 1855, Major Mark 
A. Chinn, with Captain Layton's Company H, 
Captain Hanson's Company B, and Captain 
Munson's Company I, took up their line of 
march to Fort Walla Walla; pushing forward 
they reached Welles' springs on the 17th inst. 
That night a courier came with a dispatch 
from Narcissa Raymond stating that Peu-Peu- 
Mox-Mox had sent a large force of his warriors 
to watch the movements of the volunteers, and 
that he had taken Fort Walla Walla, with 1,000 
warriors stationed at the most advantageous 
positions around the fort, and advising Major 
Chinn to await reinforcements, believing his 
force of 150 men were not sufficient to attack 
such a large band of warriors as were concen- 
trated at Fort Walla Walla. 

This information determined Major Chinn 
to abandon the attempt to reach that place until 
reinforcements could be obtained from The 
Dalles, for which a dispatch was sent the next 
day. Under these 'circumstances he pushed 
forward to Umatilla river, and fortified, build- 
ing a stockade one hundred feet square, with 
two bastions of round logs on two of the 
angles, which he called Fort Henrietta in 



honor of Major Haller's wife. November 21st 
Major Chinn sent another courier to The 
Dalles, asking for two companies of volunteers 
and artillery to assist him in moving upon Fort 
Walla Walla. November 27th Captain Cor- 
noyer arrived at Fort Henrietta with Company 
K, and on the 29th Captain Wilson with Com- 
pany A, and Captain Bennett with Company F, 
accompanied by Lieutenant Colonel Kelly. On 
reaching this place he took command of the 
forces at the front. 

Colonel Kelly here learned that the Indians 
were in full possession of Fort Walla Walla 
and its immediate vicinity, and he at once com- 
menced active operations to get his force in 
readiness. At sundown, December 2d the com- 
mand moved out from Fort Henrietta with 
colors flying and the boys all eager for an affray, 
hoping to surprise the enemy at day break the 
next morning. But incidental delays, caused 
by a heavy rain which set in at dusk and con- 
tinued until late the following morning, pre- 
vented the troops from reaching Fort Walla 
Walla until late in the afternoon, finding the 
fort pillaged, defaced, deserted and everything 
of value carried away. The volunteers re- 
mained there to reconnoiter until the morning 
of December 5th, when Colonel Kelly with 200 
men, without baggage or rations, marched to 
the Touchet river, thence up that river to the 
canyon to find out of possible the location of 
the Indians. Major Chinn, with the balance of 
the command, 150 men, and the baggage were 
ordered to the mouth of the Touchet river, 
there to await orders from the main army. Col- 



PRELUDE TO AND BATTLE OF WALLA WALLA. 



869 



onel Kelly, after gaining the foot of the canyon 
sent scouts in advance to look out for prowling 
bands of Indians. After reaching a point where 
the hills on either side of a deep canyon shut 
out the surrounding view, the advance guard in 
approaching the summit descried a party of six 
Indians in their immediate front advancing 
toward them. In an instant they were covered 
by the guns of the guard and ordered to halt. 
One of the party, carrying a flag of truce 
proved to be Peu-Peu-Mox-Mox. A parley en- 
sued and it was soon discovered that a large 
body of Indians were coming from the direction 
from which the chief had come. A signal was 
given and the advancing party halted ; every 
one of whom dismounted and stood by his 
horse. 

Then the old chief asked if Nathan Olney, 
the Indian agent, was with them. On being in- 
formed that he was the chief expressed a desire 
to see him ; a messenger was sent back to report 
what had transpired at the front ; the volunteers 
were halted on the hillside in plain view of the 
flag of truce, while Colonel Kelly and Agent 
Olney, with John McBain as interpreter, went 
forward to meet the great Walla Walla chief. 
When they met Peu-Peu-Mox-Mox he in an in- 
solent manner demanded why an armed force 
had come to invade his country. Colonel 
Kelly, answering, said he had come to chastise 
him and his people for wrongs they had com- 
mitted. Then the chief talked about peace ne- 
gotiations, saying that he had committed no 
wrongs and that he desired to live in peace with 
the whites. And then Colonel Kelly told him 
about the pillaging and destruction of Fort 
Walla Walla ; the seizure of the government 
property left there; the carrying away of the 
Hudson's Bay Company's goods, and the burn- 
ing of the store house of Brooks, Noble & 
Bunford, and appropriating the goods to their 
own use. 

When confronted with these criminal acts 
the chief denied having done any of the things 
ascribed to him ; but finally admitted that they 



were acts of his young men whom he could 
not restrain; but when informed that Howlis 
Wampum, a Cayuse chief, had testified to see- 
ing him distribute the goods to his people with 
his own hands, and lay out a great pile of blan- 
kets as an inducement to the Cayuses to join 
with him in war against the whites, he made no 
reply. Finally he offered to make his people 
restore the goods so far as they were able, and 
make payment for the balance. Colonel Kelly 
explained to him that this would not te sufficient 
remuneration, but that his men must come in 
and give up their arms and ammunition. To 
this the old chief gave his assent, promising to 
come in the next day and deliver up arms and 
ammunition. But Colonel Kelly believed from 
his deportment that he only desired to make 
ready for battle. Therefore he instructed his 
interpreter to explain to him distinctly that he 
could take his flag of truce, go back to his 
village and make ready for battle; but that if 
he did so an attack would be made on him im- 
mediately ; while on the other hand if he and his 
associates chose to remain with them until the 
terms of the proposed treaty were fulfilled his 
people would not be molested. Thus hard 
pressed the old chief consented to remain as a 
hostage for the fulfillment of his words, assur- 
ing Colonel Kelly that none of his people would 
remove from their camp during the night, and 
that they would cook plenty of food for the 
soldiers to eat the next morning. 

Colonel Kelly, after marching his force a 
short distance with Peu-Peu-Mox-Mox, saw 
that he was being led into the canyon. Calling 
a halt and holding a short consultation with his 
officers, he moved back a short distance and 
camped for the night without food, wcod or 
water. He thought it was necessary to be 
cautious when all the surrounding circum- 
stances went to show that there was a probabil- 
ity the chief would have all his available forces 
at different positions in the canyon to cut off 
retreat. That evening the chief asked per- 
mission to send one of his men that was taken 



870 



PRELUDE TO AND BATTLE OF WALLA WALLA. 



prisoner with him, to his village to apprise his 
people of the terms of the proposed treaty, and 
instruct them to fulfill it. Colonel Kelly granted 
this request, little thinking he would ever come 
back. And he did not. The young Nez Perce 
that was taken prisoner with Peu-Peu-Mox- 
Mox, understood their language pretty well, 
and afterward he related that when the wily old 
serpent instructed his messenger to tell of the 
terms of the bogus treaty, he had, also, 
told him to ask the women to pack up 
in haste and go to the mountains. That night 
the elements spread their fleecy mantle of 
white over the thin blankets of the volunteers. 
During the night the Indians kept shouting 
messages from the hill tops to the prisoners in 
camp, but in a language but little used at that 
time which was not understood by Colonel 
Kelly's interpreter. The following morning 
another Indian was captured who took the 
place of the messenger who had failed to return 
the evening previous. The son of Peu-Peu- 
Mox-Mox was permitted to come into camp 
and talk with his father. When the two met 
the old chief said he wanted his people to come 
in and make a treaty of peace ; but his son said 
they were waiting for Five Crows to come back 
before deciding what to do. This proves an- 
other fact related by the young Nez Perce in 
his narrative to Colonel Kelly after the battle, 
when he said Peu-Peu-Mox-Mox had sent all 
his available force of warriors, under command 
of Five Crows, sixty miles distant to accomplish 
a feat of prowess over Major Chinn's command 
at Fort Henrietta. No doubt he believed that 
Five Crows would obliterate that little band of 
volunteers and that the soil of Umatilla would 
drink up their blood as it would a shower of 
rain. 

When the volunteers were ready to start for 
the Indian camp, the whole purpose of the old 
chief appeared to be to obtain as much delay as 
possible. This would bring Five Crows much 
nearer his relief. He was sparring for time ; he 
said his people required time to prepare and 



cook food for so many soldiers; he wanted it 
ready for them to eat on their arrival at his vil- 
lage. Thus he delayed our movements until 
nearly noon, when the volunteers made march 
to the Indian camp with a vague hope of en- 
joying a sumptuous feast on their arrival. 
Great was their consternation on finding the 
camp deserted, with only a few Indians to be 
seen on the surrounding hills who were watch- 
ing the movements of the volunteers. This was 
a direct violation of the treaty of peace con- 
cluded between Peu-Peu-Mox-Mox and Col- 
onel Kelly on the preceding day. The reader 
will notice that every act of this hypocritical 
Indian from the time he signed the treaty with 
Isaac Ingalls Stevens, governor of the Terri- 
tory of Washington, until the day he fell by 
the hand of his vigilant guard, showed treach- 
ery on his part, and had he been dwelt with ac- 
cording to the laws of nations his life would 
have paid the forfeit. The command of Colo- 
nel Kelly, being overcome with hunger, and 
knowing that they could not get a. bite to eat 
until they gained Major Chinn's camp at the 
mouth of the Touchet river, were soon on the 
march to that place, arriving there a short time 
after nightfall. That night one of the pris- 
oners, a large Indian by the name of Wolf 
Skin, who was very talkative, tried to make his 
escape by running, but his guard at that time 
being the fleetest runner in the command, over- 
hauled his prisoner in one hundred yards and 
brought him back to camp. After this the In- 
dians were all tied until morning. Early dawn 
revealed the fact that half of Five Crow's army 
was on the hills surrounding the camp, which 
substantiates, without a doubt, the narrative re- 
lated by the young Nez Perce Indian. 

BATTLE OF WALLA WALLA. 

\ 

On the morning of December 7, 1855, 
Companies B and H crossed the Touchet, and 
formed in line. Soon after Companies I and 
K did likewise, and Companies A and F were 



PRELUDE TO AND BATTLE OF WALLA WALLA. 



871 



detailed to guard the baggage wagon and pris- 
oners. The Indians had been gathering in con- 
siderable numbers on our left and front, and 
before any movement to start bad been made 
by the volunteers, the report of a gun was heard 
on our left. This appeared to be the signal to 
charge, and as the companies formed in line 
they dashed forth, opening a heavy fire on the 
enemy as they ran. A running fight ensued, 
the Indians taking across the hills eastward to 
the Walla Walla river ; the volunteers pursuing 
at the top of their speed, shooting whenever an 
opportunity presented itself. Those having the 
fastest horses sped away, leaving others behind 
until they became widely scattered. My horse 
not being as fleet as some, I did not get along 
as fast as others, but I soon found I was near- 
ing the front from the continued sound of mus- 
ketry and deafening yells of the Indians. The 
force of the enemy kept increasing in num- 
bers from the time the skirmish commenced 
until we reached the Walla Walla river, at the 
Larogue cabin, while the force of the volun- 
teers was growing less and more widely scat- 
tered. Here the enemy became stubborn and 
slow to move. This afforded the volunteers 
who had been left behind an opportunity to 
come to the front. The Indians were driven 
back almost at the point of the bayonet, a short 
distance above the Larogue cabin. By this 
time their whole force was engaged in battle, 
and estimates were made of their number, 
which ranged from 600 to 2,000. My own 
estimate, written in my diary at the time, was 
1,000. Governor Stevens, who crossed the 
Bitter Root Mountains about the time the bat- 
tle took place, and who came to our camp a 
few days after it ended, in a short speech said : 
"Peu-Peu-Mox-Mox, the great Walla 
Walla chief, was extremely hostile to myself 
and party, and he had repeatedly said I should 
never reach The Dalles. I owe my life to the 
Oregon Mounted Volunteers whe engaged the 
Indians in battle at Walla Walla. This was 
the means of drawing all the Indians out of the 



country through which I had to pass. They 
were all, numbering from 1,200 to 1,500 war- 
riors, engaged in battle there." 

From Governor Steven's report my esti- 
mate is low; but be this as it may, their num- 
bers were so overwhelmingly in excess of ours 
that our forces were checked. The hills were 
on our left and the river on our right. The In- 
dians formed a line across the plain from the 
foot-hills to the river. This plain was par- 
tially covered with brush. The hills were dot- 
ted with mounted hostiles who played an active 
part and were commanded by leaders of match- 
less skill and daring. Their purpose was to 
leave no foe to rise behind them. Their policy 
was the policy of extermination. Their flags 
were the scalps of our people murdered in cold 
blood, whose gray locks -floated from the tops 
of poles raised on every prominent point on the 
hills to our left, with squads of the bloody 
fiends executing their war dance around them. 

From the brush on the plain and the tim- 
ber along the river they poured a murderous 
fire on the volunteers who w r ere compelled to 
fall back. This was the hottest place any- 
where during the engagement. Here Henry 
Crow and S. S. Van Hagerman fell mortally 
wounded. At this critical moment Lieutenant 
J. M. Burrows, of Company H, was detailed 
to take a detachment of men and cross the fence 
that surrounded the Laroque cabin, and charge 
the Indians out of the brush. The writer was 
one of those who crossed, and he was only a 
few steps beyond the fence when the brave 
Burrows fell dead. Captain Munson and sev- 
eral others were wounded. A dispatch was 
sent to Captain Wilson to come forward with 
Company A. They soon came at full speed, 
dismounted and with fixed bayonets pushed 
their way through the brush, driving the In- 
dians before them. In a short time Captain 
Bennett, with Company F, was on hand, and 
by these reinforcements the Indians were 
driven about one mile further up the Walla 
Walla river. Here they took possession of a 



872 



PRELUDE TO AND BATTLE OF WALLA WALLA. 



cabin with a close fence around it. In attempt- 
ing to dislodge them Captain Bennett, of Com- 
pany F, and Private Kelso, of Company A, 
were killed. Soon after this Captain Wilson 
came with a howitzer, from Fort Walla Walla, 
and brought it to bear upon the Indians. But 
having nothing but a sand knoll to lay the 
piece upon it burst when the fourth round was 
fired, and wounded Captain Wilson. But it 
dispersed the enemy from their stronghold. 
This advantage was followed up by the volun- 
teers and the bodies of Bennett and Kelso were 
recovered. The baggage train and prisoners 
had already arrived at the Laroque cabin which 
was used as a hospital for the wounded. Peu- 
Peu-Mox-Mox, with his stentorian voice, be- 
gan to shout messages to his warriors on the 
hill side, receiving responses from them at 
short intervals. 

The writer had come in just a few minutes 
before as one of the bearers of the body of 
Lieutenant Burrows to the hospital. Colonel 
Kelly arrived a few minutes later and about the 
same time Frank Crabtree came in with his 
shoulder shattered and his arm dangling by his 
side. He reported that Captain Layton, of 
Company H, was wounded, in the hills at the 
front, and with five or six others, was sur- 
rounded by hostiles. At this critical moment 
the question was asked, "What shall be done 
with the prisoners?" Colonel Kelly took in 
the situation at a glance and said, "My men are 
all needed at the front ; tie them, or if they re- 
fuse to be tied, kill them.'' The writer, stand- 
ing near Colonel Kelly, was between him and 
the prisoners. Ropes were procured to tie 
them, but they refused, all except the young 
Nez Perce, who crossed his arms and said that 
he wanted to be tied. Wolf Skin, the large 
Indian who had tried to escape from the guard 
the night before, stooped down and pulled from 
his leggins a large knife which he had, un- 
known to the guards, concealed there. Utter- 
ing as he rose a most hideous yell, he began to 
cut his way through the guard, wounding Ser- 



geant Major Isaac Miller severely in the arm. 
At the same instant Peu-Peu-Mox-Mox at- 
tempted to wrench a gun from the hands of his 
guard, and all, except the young Nez Perce, 
who had been tied, attempted to get through 
the guard and escape. But their efforts were 
futile. It was only the work of a moment, 
brought on by their own relentless hands, when 
they fell to the ground weltering in their gore. 
If the body of Peu-Peu-Mox-Mox was muti- 
lated it was brought on by the hands of a re- 
lentless foe whose mode of warfare was always 
insensible to the feelings of others. At this 
time and place those brave volunteers had their 
feelings wrought up to the highest emotion, and 
their excitement ran wild when they saw the 
scalp, perhaps of a brother, a sister, of some 
relative flapping from the top of a pole planted 
on some prominent point on the hill to our left. 
At the same time they remembered that this 
was nearly the identical ground where eight 
years before Dr. Marcus Whitman, his wife 
and their associates, thirteen in number, had 
been inhumanly massacred by a horde of red 
demons brought up under the tutelage of Peu- 
Peu-Mox-Mox, who could easily have pre- 
vented this horrible tragedy had he desired to 
do so. A fair and candid person could not look 
on the scene before him without exonerating 
the boys in all that had been done. The con- 
test lasted until sundown, when the Indians 
withdrew, and the volunteers returned to the 
Laroque cabin tired and hungry. Camp fires 
were built and kettles and coffee pots were 
hung over the blaze to prepare a scanty meal 
for the boys who had fought so nobly during 
the day. A guard of twenty, the writer being 
one, was on its way up the hill to be stationed 
on duty, when a ball from one of the enemy's 
guns whizzed by. Over went the camp kettles 
and coffee pots to extinguish the flames and all 
remained on guard until morning. The enemy 
fired occasional shots into camp during the 
night. 

November 8th, early in the morning a 



PRELUDE TO AND BATTLE OF WALLA WALLA. 



873 



hearty meal was prepared" and partly eaten, 
when the Indians came in increased force, re- 
taking every position from which they had been 
■driven the day before. Lieutenant Pillow, with 
Company A, and Lieutenant Hannon, with 
Company H, were ordered to charge the In- 
dians out of the brush. Lieutenant McCauliff, 
with Company B, Lieutenant Fellows, with 
Company F, Lieutenant Hand, with Company 
I, and Captain Cornoyer, with Company K, 
were ordered to take possession of the most 
available positions on the hill and to assail the 
hostiles at every point practicable. They fought 
with all the skill and bravery of the previous 
day, especially in the brush where they fought 
like demons. Three of Company H, and one of 
Company A were wounded while charging 
them out of the brush. In a draw, or slough, 
that extended from the foot-hills to the river, 
and which was covered with brush, Lieutenant 
Hannan pulled off his coat, hung it on a stick 
and, placing his hat on top, raised it above the 
brush. In an instant the brush was mowed 
down around the object by bullets from the 
enemy's guns. The contest continued until 
dark, when the war-whoops ceased and the In- 
dians withdrew from the field. That night a 
courier was sent with a dispatch to Fort Hen- 
rietta for Companies D and E to come to our 
assistance. On the morning of the 9th they 
were at their work again, but not so early as 
the preceding morning. As the volunteers 
were fatigued and nearly worn out Colonel 
Kelly decided to act on the defensive and hold 
the positions the same as before until Compa- 
nies D and E came to our relief. During the 
day attacks were made on Companies A and 
H in the brush, and B in the foot-hills which 
resulted in great loss to the enemy. The other 
companies on the hill did good service in re- 
pelling attacks made on them during the day. 
Thus another day's work was done. Late in 
the evening the war-whoops ceased and the 
hostiles again withdrew. 

December 10th: Early this morning it was 



discovered that the Indians had possession of 
every available position held by us the three 
preceding days. So soon as breakfast was 
eaten Lieutenant McCauliff, with Company B, 
charged the Indians who had taken possession 
of the breast- works thrown up the day pre- 
vious, on the point of a hill, to protect them 
from flying bullets. 

They had not taken such a deep hold on the 
brush as visual on account of the severe loss they 
had sustained the day before. Companies A 
and H soon recovered the brush and drove 
them from the pits dug on the sand knolls the 
preceding day. Skirmishes were frequent until 
afternoon, when the companies on the hills 
made preparations for a charge and as many 
as had horses suitable for the occasion were 
mounted. They gallantly charged the enemy in 
the face of a heavy fire, scattering them in every 
direction, to return no more to the battle field. 
Thus ended the long contested struggle be- 
tween contending foes. In his official report 
Colonel Kelly said : 

"I cannot say too much in praise of the 
conduct of the officers of the several companies 
and the soldiers under their command. They 
did their duty bravely and well during those 
four days of trying battles." 

The loss of Company H was half the num- 
ber of all the killed and wounded during the 
engagement. The following were either killed 
or wounded : Captain Charles Bennett, Com- 
pany F, killed; Lieutenant J. M. Burrows, 
Company H, killed; Private Andrew Kelso, 
Company A, killed ; Private S. S. Van Hager- 
man, Company I, mortally wounded; Private 
Jasper Flemming, Company A, mortally 
wounded ; Private Joseph Sturtevant, Company 
B, mortally wounded; Private Henry Crow, 
Company H, mortally wounded ; Sergeant Ma- 
jor Isaac Miller, Company H, wounded twice ; 
Captain A. V. Wilson, wounded; Captain L. 
B. Munson, Company I, wounded; Captain 
David Layton, Company H, wounded ; Private 
Casper Snook, Company H, wounded; Private 



8/4 



PRELUDE TO AND BATTLE OF WALLA WALLA. 



T. J. Payne, Company H, wounded; Private 
Frank Crabtree, Company H, wounded ; Pri- 
vate Nathan Fry, Company H, wounded; Pri- 
vate John B. Smith, Company H, wounded; 
Private A. M. Addington, Company H, 
wounded ; Private Frank Duval, Company A, 
wounded; Private G. W. Smith, Company B, 
wounded; Private J. B. Jervias, Company K, 
wounded. 

It is a difficult matter to obtain the number 
of Indians killed in this battle. The bodies of 
39 were counted on the battle field after it was 
all over, and it is estimated that at least 30 



were carried off in time of battle and that the 
same number were dragged away at night by 
putting ropes around their necks and pulling 
them with a horse. It was plain to see the 
trails where they were dragged away. At that 
time no one put their loss in the field at less 
than 100. The ratio of wounded to the num- 
ber killed is generally estimated at two and 
one-half to one. At this rate the loss of the 
Indians in killed and wounded in the fight 
would be 350. This would be, at a close esti- 
mate, one-third of all their warriors engaged in 
the battle. 




I 







■a 




p. i 




